DALI Ikon 6 MK2 review

More impressive than its forerunner but the DALI Ikon 6 MK2 has flaws Tested at £1200.00

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The Ikon 6 Mk II gains maturity, but loses just a little sparkle in the process

Pros

  • +

    A seamless, sophisticated balance

  • +

    fine insight and control

  • +

    go loud with ease

  • +

    unfussy about positioning

Cons

  • -

    Not as entertaining as the originals

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We were big fans of the original DALI Ikon 6. Its enthusiastic yet balanced sound and competitive £899 price won it many friends.

The new model moves up a price point but still resembles the original thanks to that unusual dual-tweeter arrangement.

High-frequency duties are shared between a relatively conventional soft-dome unit and a ribbon design. The twin bass drivers are all new, and use the firm's now traditional wooden fibre cone material.

Need room to breathe
These speakers like to fire straight-ahead not angled towards the listening position – and need a bit of room to breathe if the bass frequencies aren't to dominate. In our test room such positioning results in a tonally balanced sound with a wide and expansive soundstage.

There has been a change of sonic character with the shift to Mk II status. The sound is now cleaner, clearer and certainly more insightful.

The Ikon 6s sound as at home with Chopin's Nocturne No.2 in E Flat, Op.9, which requires a delicate touch and convincing tonality, as they do thumping out the distortion-ridden overload that is Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes.

It's all done with class leading control, impressive refinement and seamless integration – no mean feat considering the use of four drive units in each cabinet.

Curbing the enthusiasm
Impressive as all that sounds, there are flaws. The trade-off for greater sophistication has been a loss of enthusiasm. The speakers lack a degree of excitement that the originals had in spades.

There's no doubt that the Ikon 6 Mk 2 are better speakers than their forerunners. It's just a shame they're not more fun.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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