Imagine you had 10.000 EUR and would love to spend them on a pair of new bookshelf loudspeakers. What brand/type would you be thinking about? I can give you a hand and offer some options that would fit perfectly in this category. What about a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4, Focal Sopra 1, Magico A1, Dynaudio Confidence 20 or a pair of Sonus Faber Olympica Nova, to just to name a few. This challenge could be a difficult one. So many flavors, so many differences. Considering that all of the above mentioned speakers cost around 10.000 EUR per pair, what sets them apart? Your affiliation with the brand? Looks? Design? Used technology? I think the most important thing remains: how do they sound? Bold and beautifull? Rich and full? Comtemporary? Fast and agile? It could seems like child’s play to quickly put a name tag on a speaker’s character. Believe me, it’s not. Did you take all the gear that’s in front of the speakers into consideration? Did you listen to a variety of tracks, to different music genres? Let me lend you my ears. Today’s review focuses on the Danish Dali Epikore 3 bookshelf speakers.
Danish passion for sound
Dali, or Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries, was founded in 1983 by Peter Lyngdorf. The brand emerged from a need for loudspeakers offering superior performance and natural sound at affordable prices. In the basement of Lyngdorf’s home, Danish engineers began their own innovations. In 1986, Dali moved to a new factory in Nørager, between Aarhus and Aalborg, growing into a high-end specialist. Initially limited to the Scandinavian market, exports began in 1990, with the first international office opening in Germany in 2001. Today, Dali exports to over 70 countries, with 93% of production sold abroad.
Innovation is key: patendted technologies like Soft Magnetic Composite (SMC) magnet systems, woof-fiber cones, and hybrid tweeters reduce distortion for authentic sound. Notable series today include Kupid, Spektor, Oberon, Opticon mk2, Rubicon, Rubikore, and the high-end Epicon, Epikore and Kore. In 2008, a factory opened in Chani for components, but core production remains Danish, with 300 employees in a 22.000m2 facility.
After 40 years, Dali celebrates its legacy: from private-label to a global leader in hi-fi and home cinema producing 250.000 loudspeakers annually. The brand embodies Danish craftsmanship and a passion for music, just as the artist intented.
Rock Solid
The Epikore series sits just under the flagship KORE. It contains four different speaker models (from small to large): Epikore 3, Epikore 7, Epikore 9 and Epikore 11. The last three models are floorstanding models. Epikore 3 is a large bookshelf speaker with complementary Epikore stands.
The Epikore 3 brings Dali Epicon and Dali Kore technology to a stand-mount loudspeaker format, intended for smaller listening spaces. It’s 3-way architecture combines a low-loss 7-inch Dali bass/midrange driver with the unique Dali EVO-K Hybrid Tweeter module.
That module was originally designed for the Dali KORE. It combines an in-house-developed 35 mm soft-dome tweeter and an improved version of a high-performance, wide-dispersion planar element. Together with extremely powerful neodymium magnet systems, they deliver smooth, effortless high frequencies and dynamics.
The newly designed 7-inch bass/midrange driver is equipped with an exceptionally large and powerful magnet system featuring SMC Gen-2 technology. To further dampen unwanted resonances, the paper and woof-fibre cone has been enhanced with low-loss “Clarity Cone” technology. Result? Low-distortion reproduction that brings you closer to the original recording.
Let’s talk bass ports. Dali named it “Continuous-flare bass reflex port”. Epikore 3’s continious-flare bass reflex port helps the bass/midrange driver deliver cleaner, deeper and more accurate bass for a rich listening experience. Let the bass breathe !
He doesn’t get his looks and design from stangers. This tall boookshelf is the excerptof advanced high-end design. From the elegant, curved edges and real-wood veneer to the piano-finish lacquering in three exclusive high-gloss finishes, the Epikore 3 could be calles an aesthetic and acoustic masterpiece.
Get the most of your Dali Epikore 3 loudspeakers utilizing the double speaker connectors on the back of the speakers which offer the possibility to bi-wire and/or bi-amp. Simply put, this means using a seperate loudspeaker cable for the bass-driver and the hybrid tweeter module (bi-wire). In most cases this opens up the soundstage more and offers more seperation (to be tested per case). Both cables could come from the same amplifier (single-amplification) or from seperate power amplifiers (bi-amplification). More power and control usually leads to a better performance (again to be tested per case). Personally I found the arrangement of the loudspeaker terminals a bit odd. In most cases they are put above each other in pairs. With the Epikore 3 all four connectors are put in a vertical row above each other. This can lead to unnecessay fiddling with the speaker cables.
Epikore stands provide a suiting rock solid foundation for the speakers.
Let’s look how they sound
Before we actually start listening and judging, a small side note. I think we are in a privileged situation allowing us to hear the best the Dali Epikore 3 has to offer. I mean, our listening room is acoustically treated. The amplification team budget is more than double of that of the speakers (Lyngdorf MP-60 processor + Purifi Audio EVAL 5 mono amps). Offering up to 750 Watts at 4 Ohms of stable, neutral and dynamic power to a speaker listed at 40 – 250 Watts, that’s pure luxury. And yes, we did opt for the bi-wire option (Vovox Excelsus). Let’s reset our ears and load the first track …
Station is an elemental track by Lãpsley from her album Long way home. Male and female voice, bass and some synth sounds. Sounds like nothing much, but it instantly reveals the true colors of the Epikore 3. The soundstage exceeds the expectations of the speaker’s format. Voices hang completely separately in the air, surrounded by a huge amount of space. The repetitive bass sounds controlled, punchy and reaches far deeper that one would expect for the cabinet size.
Plans we make from Son Lux with the voice of Kadhja Bonet bathes in the same atmosphere. It seems like a stripped down song with little to it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Her voice (especially when doubled and trippled) has an excellent seperation and layering. It seems like the speaker is pulling everyting apart again what was put together behind the mixing desk, offering plain and simple insight in the music core. Delicious !
With Basis from Sohn we continu on the same road. You are immediately drawn into the musical wave that this track sets in motion. His voice sounds neutral, engaging and airy. The bass reproduction is convincing. There’s sufficient pressure, speed and dynamics. Where a closed system usually makes the bass sound drier and shorter, the bass port of the Epikore 3 adds little or no enrichment of thickening. Tests with individual bass tone generator tones provided clean, articulate bass down to 30Hz !!
Like it feels from Henry Threadgill shakes the three. It’s a dynamic and punchy modern jazz track from the album Makin’ a Move. An excellent track to evaluate percussion and wind instruments. For sure, this is not the track to enjoy a good sigar and drink with. It’s quiet the opposite of a “chill” track. It’s vibrant, full of life and complex musical lines. Here the gentle character of the hybrid tweeter modules starts to shine. Both percussion and wind instruments are presented in a neutral, dynamic but gentle way. I wouldn’t call it soft, but it’s a thin line. I prefer gentle, because soft sounds so harsh (if you catch my drift).
Last weekend I was one of 2.000 people joining a classical film music concert called “Zimmer vs Williams”. The soundtracks of almost all of the popular movies were written by Hans Zimmer or John Williams. This led me back to this Zimmer track called Cornfield chase. It’s from the movie Interstellar. The Epikore 3’s succeeded perfectly in capturing the galactic atmosphere. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in space. The soundstage wasn’t as big as the galaxy, but it really captured the imagination. The sound of briljant stars sparkled all around. You could almost pluck them down from the ceiling, such a realistic representation !
Toccata and fugue in D minor is normally played on a church organ. Not this time. Edson Lopes and his guitar take on this track. It’s quiet surprising listening to the same musical piece, performed by a different instrument. How did the strings of the guitar sound? The exeptional quality of the hybryd tweeter module becames clear again. The sound of the strings contained just enough crisp and detail without being agressive. Harmonics added an extra dimension to the recording. It was very easy to follow the interpreation of the famous guitarist. All credit to the speakers.
Next is Williams. A true classic. The film was an absolute masterpiece by Steven Spielberg. Williams and Spielberg are two peas in a pod. Chindler’s list tells the sad story of the deportation of Jews during WWII. Have you ever heard the movie theme? One violin plays the leading musical role. The Epikore 3 faces the immensely difficult task of translating all that human suffering though the musical line of that single violin. One word: goosebumps. The speakers make the violin sing with sorrow, pain and a little bit of hope. Here Dali shows its majestic side.
Let’s close with some world music. Ganavya performs Pasayadan from her album Nilam. This is a dark, subdued song. Once again, the Epikore 3 succeeds in perfectly capturing the mystical atmosphere that the song exudes. Her voice sounds lived-in, with color and a slightly nasal character. Nothing escapes these speakers. The musical accompaniment surrounds her voice like a soft blanket that keeps you warm. The perfectly translated warm character of the instruments emphasizes the neutrality of the loudspeakers.
Technical specifications
- Frequency range: 42 – 34.000 Hz
- Sensitivity: 85 dB
- Nominal impedance: 6 Ohm
- Maximum SPL: 108 dB
- Crossover frequencies: 2.800 / 12.500 Hz
- Crossover principle: 3-way
- Recommended amplifier power: 40 – 250 Watts
- High frequency drivers: 10 x 55 mm planar magnetotstatic tweeter, 1 x 35 mm soft dome
- Low frequency/midrange driver: 1 x 7 inch
Software list
- Station – Lãpsley – Long way home
- Plans we make – Son Lux, Kadhja Bonet – Tomorrows III
- Basis – Sohn – Trust
- Like it feels – Henry Threadgill – Makin’ a move
- Cornfield Chase – Hans Zimmer – Interstellar
- Toccata and fugue in D minor – Edson Lopes Guitar – Toccata and fugue in D minor
- Theme from Shindler’s list – John Williams – Schindler’s list
- Pasayadan – Ganavya – Nilam
Hardware list
- Lyngdorf Audio MP-60 AV Processor
- Purifi Audio EVAL5 mono 1ET9040BA Deluxe amplifiers (L, R)
- Lyngdorf Audio MXA-8400 8-channel power amplifier (woofer L, woofer R, L surround, R surround, L back surround, R back surround)
- Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400 2-channel power amplifier (L front height channel, L back height channel)
- Lyngdorf Audio SDA-2400 2-channel power amplifier (R front height channel, R back height channel)
- R_volution PlayerPro 8K Signature Edition
- Roon Server for bitperfect Tidal streaming
- Dali Epikore 3 loudspeakers (L, R)
- Lyngdorf Audio BW-20 passive boundary woofers (L, R)
- Lyngdorf Audio FR-1 speakers (L surround, R surround, L back surround, R back surround)
- Lyngdorf Audio MH-2 speakers (L front height channel, R front height channel, L back height channel, R back height channel)
- Oehlbach Powerstation 909 multiple socket strip (2 pcs)
- Oehlbach High End Power Cable 4m (2 pcs to feed Powerstations 909)
- Oehlbach High End 8K – Ultra High-Speed HDMI Cable (2 pcs)
- Formovie Theater Premium Utra Short Throw 4K Triple Color Laser TV
- Vovox Excelsus XLR cables
- Vovox Sonorus XLR cables
- Vovox Excelsus speaker cables 5 (L, R, woofer L, woofer R)
- Devine Neutrik SpeakON 2 x 2.5mm speaker cables
- Vovox Excelsus power cables
(*) We pre-select gear we review to offer you products that represent solid investments and offer great overall performance. That’s why most of our reviewed products receive such high scores and get the “Best of high end AWARD”.
DALI EPIKORE 3 LOUDSPEAKERS
€9.998The Dali Epikore 3 can best be described as a royal loudspeaker. Considering his origins, he exudes class and grandeur. Soundstage and bass performance exceeds expectations for its size. His voice sounds honest, neutral and gentle, without being too soft. It’s a proud example of what a solid company with serious in-house research and development can offer these days. For the asking price you get an excellent bookshelf speaker that is capable of a lot and then some … We would have loved the price of the accompanying stands to be below 1.000 EUR. Best of high end AWARD !!
Pros
- Excuisite build quality
- Grand soundstage
- Bass performance
- Gentle timbres
- Bi-wiring/Bi-amping options
Cons
- Expensive stands
- Speaker connections placement
