Dali Spektor 2
FOR Agile, articulate and expressive sound; good detail resolution; compact size, unfussy AGAINST Nothing of note
On paper there’s little to differentiate Dali’s new Spektor 2s from any of their main rivals. These speakers stick to the classic budget standmounter formula like Superglue to fingers. There’s everything we would expect from a typical £200 box here, from two-way driver configuration and ported bass tuning right the way through to 25mm dome tweeter and 13cm mid/bass.
But as with any dish, culinary or, in this case, acoustic, the list of ingredients tells you only so much, and those familiar with Dali will know it has something of a talent for budget boxes. So it proves with the Spektor 2s.
Build quality and finish
First impressions are good. They’re nicely made without quite giving off the quality feel of a pair of similarly priced Q Acoustics 3020s. Still, the panels line up well and general fit and attention to detail is good. There are two options for the finish: the walnut of our review sample and black ash. Both look smart.
Let them run-in over a couple of days and feed them with a good system (we use Marantz’s CD6006CD CD Player and Rega’s Brio amplifier alongside our usual reference Naim NDS/555PS and Gamut pre/power combination) and these speakers sparkle.
Their rated sensitivity is a little on the low side at just over 84db/w/m and the nominal impedance is 6 ohms, so it wouldn’t hurt to partner them with an amplifier with a decent amount of poke. Our usual recommendations of Onkyo’s A9010 (£200), the Marantz PM6006 (£280) or Rega’s Brio (£600) will all work well.
The big hitters in this part of the market are the £160 Mission LX-2S and the aforementioned Q Acoustics’ 3020is (£250). Both are superb performers – the Missions excelling at clarity and precision, the 3020s offering an enviable combination of refinement and build quality. These Dalis tread the middle path between these rivals brilliantly, while adding greater verve and involvement into the proceedings.
Vocal expression
Play Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman and the Spektors excel with her distinctive and powerful vocals. They’re delivered with nuance and passion; each word crisply defined with no room for doubt as to the emotion behind the lyrics.
We like the cohesive way these speakers handle the instrumental backdrop too, delivering the music with no little finesse, precision and energy. Moving onto Tchaikovsky’s 1812
Overture shows that the Spektors are capable of high volume levels with a decent degree of composure. There’s a pleasing level of resolution here, along with the ability to organise that information into a musical whole.
The way these speakers handle dynamics is impressive; they’re fluid and expressive, handling both large-scale swings and low-level subtleties with equal skill. The result is an ability to draw the listener into the music in a way that eludes even the best of their rivals.
We position the Dalis a little out from the rear wall and fire them straight ahead, just as the company recommends. This gives an expansive, stable soundstage, but when it comes to scale and authority, Mission’s LX-2S do a little better.
Tonally, the Spektor 2s have a full-bodied yet balanced presentation. They’re not far off the sophisticated Q Acoustics 3020is in this regard.
If you’re looking for a top-class pair of budget standmounters, the likes of the Mission and Q Acoustics remain strong options. But these Dalis offer a degree of entertainment even those talented performers struggle to match.
“These Dalis tread the middle path between their rivals brilliantly, while adding greater verve and involvement into the proceedings”