DALI Introduces SONIK, Its Biggest Mainstream Speaker Refresh Since OBERON

Todd Anderson · 2026-01-28T13:38:37-0600

(January 28, 2026) DALI has never been shy about competing in the value-focused loudspeaker space, and with the launch of the new SONIK series, the Danish manufacturer is making another deliberate push to reset expectations in one of the most crowded segments of the hi-fi market. Positioned as the company’s most significant category refresh since the introduction of its OBERON lineup in 2018, SONIK is designed to bring technologies previously reserved for DALI’s higher-end ranges to a broader, more accessible product family for both music lovers and home theater fanatics.

SONIK arrives as a seven-model series spanning compact bookshelf, floorstanding, on-wall, and dedicated cinema models. DALI says the line's goal was simple in concept but difficult to execute: preserve the brand’s core sound design principles while lowering the barrier to entry for value-oriented listeners seeking high-performance sound. According to DALI Head of Product Management Krestian Pedersen, the company views this price category as the place where its engineering philosophy is most visible, and SONIK, he says, is equipped to redefine what's possible for the coin.

From a technology standpoint, SONIK borrows heavily from DALI’s current flagship efforts. Core elements such as the SMC Essential magnet system, Clarity Cone paper and wood fiber drivers, and refined cabinet construction techniques are carried over in scaled form from the company’s higher-end EPICON, EPIKORE, and KORE families. The result is a platform built around low-loss motor structures, controlled resonance behavior, and wide dispersion characteristics, all aimed at maintaining consistent tonal balance and imaging across a wide listening area.

High-frequency reproduction across the range is handled by a 29 mm low-loss soft dome tweeter built around an ultra-light membrane and a newly developed aluminum faceplate designed to extend bandwidth and maintain consistent dispersion. In the larger SONIK 7 and SONIK 9 floorstanding models, DALI steps up to its Hybrid Tweeter System, combining the soft dome with a 17 × 45 mm planar magnetostatic element. This configuration, typically reserved for more expensive projects, is intended to preserve wide dispersion while extending high-frequency performance and maintaining smooth integration through the crossover region.

Low- and mid-frequency duties are handled by 5.25" and 7" drivers built using DALI’s Clarity Cone membrane structure. The paper-and-wood fiber composite is designed to balance stiffness and damping while minimizing resonant behavior. These drivers are paired with the company’s patented SMC Essential magnet architecture, which uses a hybrid iron and soft magnetic compound pole structure to reduce hysteresis and eddy current distortion. In practical terms, this approach is intended to lower harmonic distortion and improve linearity, particularly in the critical midrange region.

Cabinet construction follows a similar trickle-down approach. SONIK enclosures use CNC-machined MDF panels, internal bracing, and targeted damping to manage panel resonance and structural vibration. Floorstanding models incorporate aluminum outrigger feet inspired by DALI’s premium designs, providing mechanical stability and consistent floor coupling across different room surfaces. Bass reflex loading uses DALI’s Dual Flare port geometry, with port placement adapted to suit each model’s intended installation. Most models use rear ports, though SONIK CINEMA moves the ports to the front to support placement in TV furniture and cabinetry, and SONIK ON-WALL uses a placement-specific port design optimized for wall mounting.

From a system-building perspective, the lineup is designed to scale. SONIK 1 and SONIK 3 address compact stereo and desktop-style setups. SONIK 5, 7, and 9 cover progressively larger room sizes with increasing driver surface area and output headroom, with SONIK 9 serving as the flagship model combining a hybrid tweeter array with three 7" bass drivers. The SONIK ON-WALL model targets space-conscious installations, while the SONIK CINEMA speaker is designed for dedicated home theater use with flexible orientation and a rotatable logo to support both vertical and horizontal placement in LCR or surround roles.

Aesthetically, SONIK adopts a clean, more contemporary design language that mirrors DALI’s recent flagship styles. Magnetic grilles, aluminum tweeter faceplates, updated logos, and in-house speaker terminals are standard across the range. The series is offered in four finishes: Black Ash, Walnut, Natural Oak, and White, giving owners quite a bit of visual flexibility.

SONIK is scheduled for global release on February 2, 2026. Here in the US, pricing is set at $900 per pair for SONIK 1, $1,200 per pair for SONIK 3, $1,800 per pair for SONIK 5, $2,800 per pair for SONIK 7, and $4,500 per pair for the flagship SONIK 9. The SONIK ON-WALL model is priced at $1,200 per pair, while the SONIK CINEMA speaker, sold individually, is set at $900.

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DALI Introduces SONIK, Its Biggest Mainstream Speaker Refresh Since OBERON

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