- Dali launches Sonik floor-standing, floor-standing, wall-mounted and cinema speakers
- They use tweeter and cone technology from Dali’s high-end models
- 7 models, from $900 / £449 / AU$849
Danish music master Dali is on a roll: he just introduced a new line of budget audiophile speakers, after launching the super-affordable five-star Dali Kupid bookshelf speakers. The new range of speakers is called Sonik, and something that might catch the attention of speaker fans is that this range replaces the Oberon range of speakers, which have become a modern classic.
There are seven models in the new Sonik range: the Sonik 1 and Sonik 3 floor stands, the Sonik 5, 7 and 9 floor stands and the Sonik On-Wall and Sonik Cinema speakers.
According to Dali, these new speakers offer “a significant leap in detail, dynamics and musicality” in their price compared to the award-winning Oberon range. And that price starts at a competitive £449 / $900 / AUS$849 for the Sonik 1, so it’s true that there’s a big difference in its affordability depending on whether you’re in the US or outside.
TechRadar spoke to Dali’s head of product management, Krestian Pedersen, about the decision to replace the Oberon range, who explained that “this has been in the planning for three years, and then we’ve spent the last 15 months developing the Sonik range. I think it’s fair to say that the Oberon is one of our biggest successes when it comes to traditional hi-fi speakers, to the point where it almost sets a standard… so it’s actually a heavy burden to carry.” The Sonik continues that pattern…so we couldn’t go easy on the replacement.”
Will you feel super Sonik?
‘It’s not easy’ in this case includes the launch of seven different models:
- SONIK 1 – £449, $900, AU$849
- SONIC 3 – £599, $1200, AU$1199
- sonik 5 – £899, $1800, AU$1749
- sonik 7 – £1299, $2800, AU$2549
- sonik 9 – £2,199, $4,500, AU$4,099
- SONIK ON THE WALL – £599, $1200, AU$1149
- SONIK CINEMA – £449, $900, AU$859
Dali says these speakers have been made with two types of listeners in mind: the “seasoned audiophile” and the “design-driven newcomer entering the world of hi-fi sound.”
One of the advantages of the Oberon range is that it is a very flexible and simple set of speakers, both in terms of placement and sources. Pedersen says that principle is also an important part of Sonik’s design.
“One of the design principles we have, apart from not being demanding with [music types and sources]we also have one called amplifier compatibility. Basically, we have no control over people’s music tastes or people’s choice of electronics. That’s why we have to be agnostic,” says Pedersen.
“Also, people’s rooms are different, so it’s very important that they work in real-life situations where you don’t have to build the system and the room around the speakers, but you can take the speakers and place them in the existing space. [setup]”.
The Sonik range incorporates a number of improvements from the flagship Kore, Epikore and Epicon ranges, including improved transducer designs, advanced magnetic technologies and refined cabinet engineering.
The speakers feature Dali’s ultra-lightweight 29mm soft dome tweeter, which is designed for low loss and wide dispersion, and that tweeter is paired with two variants of low-loss Clarity Cone bass and midrange drivers. Sonik 7 and Sonik 9 also benefit from the fusion of a 29mm dome tweeter with a 17 x 45mm planar magnetostatic tweeter, which promises to deliver dynamic precision and extended high-frequency performance.
“This is the first time in the segment that we are introducing what we call hybrid tweeter technology, which is a combination of dome and flat magnet,” adds Pedersen. “That’s pretty unique, and one of our R&D engineers said, ‘Wow, it’s like a baby Epikore 7, which is quite a statement in terms of performance.'”
The Sonik range features SMC’s essential magnetic system, which first appeared on the Epicon series and was also part of what made the Oberon system so versatile. It’s designed to “dramatically” reduce third-order harmonic distortion and promises to put the Sonik well above its price point.
Dali has also added a new design to its cones, which is more technology coming from its high-end speakers, but Pedersen explains that this was especially ideal for a more cost-conscious speaker.
“This five-spoke pattern on the cone, which has been etched, helps in the breakout modes of the diaphragm control nodes. And that’s actually a technology that’s almost free, because you take the existing cone and then once you have the pattern, you stamp the pattern. So it’s something we could gradually incorporate. [Epikore] without really affecting the cost, because after all, a range like the Sonic, you know, we have some cost limitations.”
And the picture is completed with dual bass reflex ports that are optimized for synchronization, low turbulence and clean low-frequency extension. On-Wall and Cinema models have specialized wall and front DSLR ports.
Pederson also told us that the Cinema speaker has been designed less to be a simple, simple center channel speaker, but more to be part of a true LCR system, if you will: it has a three-way configuration like the two midrange floorstanding speakers, so it can deliver power and sound to match.
Visually, you’re seeing custom-designed magnetic grills, aluminum tweeter faceplates, new in-house developed terminals, updated logo badges and baffles inspired by the Epikore series, and aluminum spike stabilizers on the floor stands. There are four finishes: black ash, walnut, natural oak and white.
The new Sonik range will be available worldwide from February 2, 2026. One thing that caught the attention of the TechRadar team is that this could mean some real bargains on any remaining stock of the Oberon range. TechRadar’s AV Editor-in-Chief Matt Bolton uses Oberon 5 speakers at home and praises them, and he also vouches for the quality of the Oberon 1, so keep an eye on prices.
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