Dali Vega: all-in-one 400 W wireless Hi-Fi speaker with BluOS, HDMI ARC and ASE adaptive sound

The result of five years of research and development and 43 years of acoustic expertise, the Dali Vega speaker was designed for music lovers who care about their interiors and want to enjoy Hi-Fi sound reproduction without the complexity of a separate-component system. During its design phase, a market study conducted by the brand confirmed strong demand for a monoblock audio system capable of fitting into a wide variety of living spaces without compromising performance. Krestian Pedersen, Product Management Director at Dali, explains: “As listening habits evolve, more and more people are enjoying music thanks to unlimited access to high-quality audio. Music is now an integral part of people’s lives, and the key to all this is ease of use. It has to be easy, but without compromising quality. Our goal with Vega was to create a product that adapts to the way people live and access music every day. We wanted to design a device that people want to leave switched on all the time”.

 

 

10-driver acoustic architecture and 400 W Class D amplification The electro-acoustic architecture of the Dali Vega is based on a total of ten fully in-house-developed drivers housed in an ultra-rigid molded HIPS enclosure (high-impact polystyrene). There are eight active speakers mounted in a back-to-back configuration (two pairs on the front, two pairs facing the rear) in order to drastically reduce cabinet resonances while ensuring wide sound dispersion.

 

 

The moving assembly combines four 11.43 cm (4.5'') [abc]midrange[/abc]-[abc]woofers[/abc] featuring the famous Dali paper and wood-fiber diaphragm, a low-loss natural rubber surround, and a copper-wound voice coil on an aluminum former. They are supported by four ultra-light 25 mm soft-dome [abc]tweeters[/abc] using low-viscosity ferrofluid in the magnetic gap (for greater power handling and minimal thermal compression without restricting dynamics) as well as a large damped rear chamber lowering the resonance frequency.

 

 

For bass reproduction in such a compact volume, Dali does away with the traditional [abc]bass-reflex[/abc] port in favor of two passive radiators (ABR for Auxiliary Bass Radiator) integrated directly into the two ends of the enclosure. These rectangular composite diaphragms with optimized mass rely on an external rubber surround and a double internal spider made of corrugated fabric to stabilize axial movement and eliminate rocking modes. This setup allows extension down to 32 Hz (-6 dB) with a maximum sound level of 110 dB. To drive the eight active drivers, the Dali Vega includes eight 50 W Class D amplification modules in BTL (Bridge-Tied Load) configuration, delivering a total power output of 400 watts.

 

 

DSP technologies: Adaptive Stereo Enhancement (ASE) and Adaptive Orientation Adjustment (AOA) Ahead of amplification, the [abc]DSP[/abc] (48 kHz/24 bits internal processing, active crossover management, tone control, multiband limiter and bass dynamics management) implements Dali’s proprietary patent-pending Adaptive Stereo Enhancement (ASE) technology. To recreate a wide soundstage worthy of a pair of separated stereo speakers without adding echo, delay or artificial coloration, the processor converts and “upmixes” the incoming stereo signal into a 5-channel signal (including a center channel and surround channels). It analyzes in real time the balance between monophonic and spatial information: if the signal is very centered and “dry,” stereo widening is emphasized; conversely, if the recording already contains a lot of ambience and separation, the processing backs off. Note that the ASE function can be disabled for a more intimate near-field listening experience.

 

 

Installation versatility is ensured by the Adaptive Orientation Adjustment (AOA) system. Thanks to an internal orientation sensor, the speaker automatically detects whether it is placed on a piece of furniture or mounted on the wall (via its dedicated bracket) in Landscape (horizontal) or Portrait (vertical) mode. This is indeed a specific feature of the Dali Vega: it can be positioned vertically or horizontally when wall-mounted, offering multiple and highly attractive interior design possibilities (see photos in this news item). In these cases, it instantly reconfigures left/right channel routing and the equalization between the front and rear speakers. For example, in vertical wall mounting, the front speakers output the left channel and the rear ones the right channel. When placed on a piece of furniture or a shelf, three equalization profiles also allow the rear drivers’ output to be adapted according to proximity to walls (Free for an open space with bidirectional dispersion, Medium near a wall, Short in a corner or against a wall).

 

 

BluOS ecosystem, HDMI ARC connectivity and high-precision Danish design On the connectivity side, the Dali Vega integrates the BluOS network and multiroom platform (compatible with [abc]Hi-Res Audio[/abc] up to 192 kHz/24 bits, DSD256 or 11.2 MHz and MQA decoding), along with Apple [abc]AirPlay 2[/abc], Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect and [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] APT-X [abc]HD[/abc]. The wired connections, located beneath the speaker in a circular compartment, include an [abc]HDMI[/abc] [abc]ARC[/abc] port (with audio delay adjustment to turn the speaker into a luxury TV soundbar), a Toslink [abc]optical[/abc] input, a stereo [abc]RCA[/abc] analog input (ideal for connecting a preamplified turntable), a [abc]USB[/abc]-A port (playback of files from a flash drive or HDD/SSD and 5V/1A power supply) as well as a subwoofer output (Sub Out) with automatic filtering management. Via the BluOS ecosystem and the optional Bluesound Hub unit, it is even possible to stream the sound of a turntable installed in another room wirelessly to it.

 

 

Finally, the Danish industrial design combines genuine wood veneer, custom-woven fabrics and anodized aluminum for a Scandinavian aesthetic of the finest effect. The front control interface is centered around an [abc]Oled[/abc] screen (whose display automatically rotates depending on the speaker’s orientation), five preset buttons for direct access to favorite playlists or [abc]webradios[/abc] without using a smartphone, and a large weighted volume knob. Made from glass, acrylic and anodized aluminum, the latter sits on an 80 mm diameter military/aerospace-grade ball-bearing mechanism, offering remarkably smooth and mechanically precise rotation.

 

 

Unveiled in a preview at an event in Vienna in early June, the Dali Vega connected speaker is available in two finishes, Dark Oak and Natural Oak. Indicative price: 2,999 euros.

 

Summary of the Dali Vega’s key features:

• Type: all-in-one 2-way wireless active audio system

• Total power: 400 W RMS (8 x 50 W)

• Amplification: 8 Class D modules in BTL (Bridge-Tied Load) configuration

• Speakers: 4 25 mm soft-dome [abc]tweeters[/abc] (low-viscosity ferrofluid) + 4 11.43 cm (4.5'') [abc]midrange[/abc]-[abc]woofers[/abc] with paper and wood-fiber diaphragm (back-to-back mounting)

• Passive radiators: 2 ABR diaphragms (Auxiliary Bass Radiator) with double spider suspension at the ends of the cabinet

• Frequency response: 32 Hz–22,700 Hz (±3 dB), extension down to 32 Hz at -6 dB

• Maximum sound level (SPL): 110 dB

• [abc]DSP[/abc] processing: 48 kHz/24 bits, Dali Adaptive Stereo Enhancement (ASE, real-time 5-channel upmix and analysis), Adaptive Orientation Adjustment (AOA via internal sensor), 3 wall-proximity settings (Free, Medium, Short)

• Audio compatibility: [abc]PCM[/abc] up to 192 kHz/24 bits, DSD256 (11.2 MHz), [abc]MQA[/abc]

• Streaming and network: [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc], BluOS (multiroom), Apple[abc] AirPlay 2[/abc], Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect, [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] APT-X HD

• Connectivity: 1 [abc]HDMI[/abc] [abc]ARC[/abc] input, 1 [abc]optical[/abc] Toslink input, 1 stereo [abc]RCA[/abc] input, 1 [abc]USB[/abc]-A port (HDD/USB drive media playback and 5V/1A power supply), 1 Subwoofer output (with automatic Bass Management)

• Ergonomics: automatically rotating [abc]Oled[/abc] display, 80 mm ball-bearing volume knob, 5 direct preset buttons, remote control, furniture or wall installation (Landscape or Portrait modes)

• Finishes: HIPS cabinet with genuine wood veneer in Dark Oak or Natural Oak, anodized aluminum and acoustic fabric

• Dimensions (H x W x D): 143 x 683 x 243 mm

• Weight: 8.7 kg