Loudspeakers

Every now and then a speaker manufacturer appears to get ‘on a roll’, with new models launched, older ones discontinued, and product catalogues reconfigured in a flurry of activity. It’s often the arrival of a new flagship that leads to this upheaval, and that’s certainly the case for DALI, as the Danish marque has been very busy since it debuted its innovative KORE floorstander four years ago [HFN Dec ’22].

Benefitting from that model’s lengthy R&D programme were the subsequent Epikore [HFN Feb ’25] and Rubikore ranges. Now comes a seven-model Sonik family [see boxout], said to draw ‘directly on innovations’ from the KORE speaker while promising ‘accessible high-fidelity performance’. Top of the pile is the Sonik 9 floorstander we have here, its price of £2199 no doubt counting as accessible versus the £85,000 KORE...

It’s tempting to think this series’ use of the letter K is indicative of its KORE ancestry, but DALI muddies the waters with the recently launched compact Kupid bookshelf [HFN Feb ’26] that makes no claims to trickledown technology. Still, spelling choices aside, the Sonik 9 is both technically and visually related to the KORE. At the same time, it doesn’t look far removed from earlier DALI series, as the manufacturer has some long-running design ideas.

Planar speaking

One of these is the Sonik 9’s use of two high-frequency drivers. As seen on the KORE, Epikore and Rubikore ranges (and DALI’s earlier Epicon and Rubicon series), the speaker’s ‘Hybrid Tweeter’ array partners a soft dome unit with a planar ‘ribbon’ to both improve treble extension and optimise integration with the midband. It’s worth noting, however, that there are differences from one series to the next. The 29mm woven fabric tweeter here, set into an aluminium faceplate, is a new design created for the Sonik models, while the 17x45mm planar driver is different in scope to the 10x55mm types of the KORE and Epikore models.

Above: DALI’s 'Hybrid Tweeter' array partners a soft dome unit with a planar 'ribbon'

Below this Hybrid Tweeter module are three ‘Clarity Cone’ drive units, their distinctive dark red colour and ridged profile marking them out as direct descendants from the KORE. The cone material is another familiar DALI speciality, its paper pulp/wood fibre blend achieving hi-fi’s desired properties of low mass with good stiffness and damping.

Magnetic muscle

As part of the Sonik 9’s ‘two-and-a-half-way plus half-way’ configuration, its two upper Clarity Cone drivers function as bass/mid units, crossing over to the dome tweeter at 2.1kHz, while the lower driver is dedicated to bass below 400Hz. All three measure 180mm in diameter, however, and benefit from a ‘double magnet’ motor system utilising the company’s bespoke SMC (Soft Magnetic Compound) technology.

Bass response is said to reach 34Hz [see PM's Lab Report], aided by the speaker’s trio of bass reflex ports, described as Dual Flare designs as both ends of the ports taper out to minimise turbulence. Meanwhile, the CNC-machined, internally braced MDF cabinet is damped on its sides, top and bottom with acoustic material. DALI says it leaves the rear of the front baffle untreated in order to create ‘a more direct contact between woofer and bass port’.

Measuring 1126x318x376mm (hwd), the Sonik 9 can probably be considered to be ‘big, but not too big’. It’s smart-looking in that modern ‘Scandi’ way, with clean angles and a choice of Natural Oak, White, Black Ash and Walnut laminate finish options. Fabric grilles, colour-matched to your choice of finish, cover three-quarters of the baffle.

As is standard with DALI speakers, the Sonik 9s have been engineered for ‘parallel positioning’ – ie, aimed down the room, cabinet sides parallel with the walls rather than angled toward the listener. Clearance from side walls is a recommended 75cm, while 25cm is suggested as a minimum distance from the rear wall.

Custom outriggers are low-profile and sensibly sized, meaning the Sonik 9’s footprint remains moderate with them in place. Spikes and studs are included, and fitting the outriggers is a doddle with the supplied bolts and Allen key as the speaker is light enough to be moved into position.

Liquid lows
This loudspeaker’s trickledown nature is evident in an impressive low-end performance that follows the template set by the likes of DALI’s Epikore 7 [HFN Apr ’26]. The Sonik 9 derives plenty of mileage from its trio of woofers, delivering bass with an extension not always expected at this price – one is reminded of that old ‘other beers cannot reach’ Heineken advert. It sounds confident and speedy in the low octaves too, giving rise to a sense of effortless music making when paired here with a Hegel H150 integrated amplifier [HFN Jan ’26]. The rich, warmish balance of its bass then gives way to a leaner midrange and clear, unsweetened treble.

Put all that together, and the result is a dynamic-sounding speaker that is frequently thrilling to listen to. Also serving its crowd-pleasing status is the ‘wide dispersion’ characteristic DALI aims for, which trades a slight lack of crystalline focus for a broad, enveloping soundstage. ‘Whippin’ Boy, from The Quireboys’ A Bit Of What You Fancy [Parlophone CDP 7 93177 2], sounded wide, deep and unconstrained. So too did Alice In Chains’ ‘Would?’ [Dirt; Columbia 44.1kHz/24-bit], where overdriven guitars, vocal harmonies and tumbling drums were depicted with fine scale and separation.

Above: DALI never skimps on bass! Here we see no fewer than three 7in/180mm Clarity Cone woofer/mid units combined with the brand’s familiar ‘hybrid’ 29mm dome and 17x45mm planar magnetic tweeter array

The way DALI’s Sonik 9 presented the Eagles’ ‘Hotel California’, from the album of the same name [Warner; 192kHz/24-bit], also raised a real smile. The bouncing bass was plump and prominent, while the drums, bounding across the stereo image from right to left, were deep and resonant. The guitar solo/outro, all two minutes of it, flew by in woozy, detailed flash.

But if there was a single track that sold me on the Sonik 9’s talents, it was ‘Shame On You’, from Nik Kershaw’s landmark Human Racing album [Universal UMCREP2013]. The slam and snap in the lower frequencies was delicious, with attack and decay in the handling of the electronic drums and funk-laden bass. The spread of effects, too, was remarkable, with a cappella vocals arriving from far right and left.

Snap to it

Ideally, any loudspeaker should captivate with any genre, but I did find the Sonik 9’s punchy, dynamic and enveloping characteristic had me seeking out material to suit. Music of a foot-tapping nature, from the West African rhythms of Amadou & Mariam’s Dimanche À Bamako album [Because Music; CD res] to the hip-hop of The Notorious B.I.G.’s ‘Hypnotize’ [Life After Death; Rhino Records] with its masterful sample of Herb Alpert’s 1979 hit ‘Rise’. When there’s snap and groove and rhythmic drive, you can be sure the DALI Sonik 9 will lap it up.

Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter’s new East Meets West album [Alpha Classics; 192kHz/24-bit] is cut from a different cloth, with so much of it taking place in the upper mid and treble area. That provided a good litmus test of this speaker’s dual tweeter implementation – Jörg Widmann’s multi-part ‘Studie Über Beethoven’ found it reaching high to convey the thin, pinched tones of Mutter’s instrument. I wouldn’t have minded a more fluid and organic portrayal, but that’s not to detract from the detail and presence the Sonik 9 offers all the way up.

Above: The rear of the cabinet hosts three low-tuned ‘Dual Flare’ reflex ports and a single set of gold-plated 4mm speaker cable binding posts

This treble clarity plays into the speaker’s open, dynamic sound. It would be easy for the bass-rich backing track to David Gray’s ‘When I Fall In Love’ [Nightjar, Bella Figura Music; 48kHz/24-bit] to dominate the track, but there was always the crisp, distinct percussion to focus on. Similarly, the rat-a-tat cymbal work and upper-fret acoustic guitar licks in David Holmes’ ‘I Think You Flooded It’ instrumental, from the soundtrack to Steve Soderbergh’s movie Out Of Sight [MCA MCD 11799], had me giving DALI silent applause for its twin tweeter set-up.

Head turner

Slotting between the 1970s-tinged funk pieces from Holmes on the Out Of Sight soundtrack album are some classic American and Latin jazz and swing recordings. The Sonik 9s sounded right on form with Mongo Santamaria’s cover of Herbie Hancock’s ‘Watermelon Man’, where lush bass and keyboards were set against more urgent-sounding and textured trumpet sounds.

And Dean Martin singing ‘Ain’t That A Kick In The Head’ was perhaps even better, as the speakers’ three 180mm drivers ensured a deep reach to the bass and trombone, and the big band percussion was delivered with panache. But there to be heard were smaller, softer details – including smooth strings and woodwinds – to cement the Sonik 9’s all-round appeal.

Hi-Fi News Verdict

With its Clarity Cone drivers, Hybrid Tweeter module and more, the Sonik 9 shows DALI has a clear idea of how to maximise its in-house technologies. Riffing on ideas from the KORE flagship and other ‘step-up’ siblings, this top model in its new affordable series is a fine introduction to the brand. Performance is superb, particularly in terms of bass weight and dynamics, while the styling is sleek and modern.

Sound Quality: 87%