DALI Opticon 8 MK2

Retail store demo, like new.
The large-scale, floor-standing OPTICON 8 MK2 is the powerhouse of the new OPTICON MK2 family – the only three-way system in the series. The speaker combines immense low frequency bandwidth, volume potential and dynamic accuracy with the extraordinary detail and clarity from the dedicated midrange driver. The OPTICON 8 MK2 offers an extended low frequency profile that suits installation in large listening spaces with more distant room boundaries.

SMC TECHNOLOGY
The SMC used in OPTICON MK2’s magnet motor system has very high magnetic permeability and very low electrical conductivity. It works primarily by minimizing eddy currents in the magnet system pole piece. This improves flux linearity, reducing the magnetic hysteresis. Resulting in a significant reduction of electro-acoustic distortion.

HYBRID TWEETER
The new OPTICON MK2 hybrid tweeter marries the CALLISTO-derived 29 mm soft dome with a custom 17 x 45 mm ribbon – mounted on a cast aluminum faceplate that incorporates dispersion control detailing. This combination offers the clarity, speed and dynamics of a dome tweeter, with the very high frequency detail and smooth finesse of a ribbon tweeter.

REFLEX PORTS
The newly introduced OPTICON MK2 Dual Flare technique brings port design into the realm of aerodynamics – with exit and entry flares carefully designed to minimize turbulence. Dual Flare enables OPTICON MK2 reflex ports to remain laminar and work effectively to reinforce low frequency performance to a significantly higher volume level than would otherwise be possible.

ASSEMBLED IN PAIRS
Speakers used and enjoyed in pairs should also be built as pairs! Our manufacturing process is designed to ensure that stereo pairs of speakers are built and tested sequentially by a single manufacturing technician, using components taken in the same order from the same batch. It’s a process that helps ensure ultimate visual and acoustic pair matching.

PRODUCT DETAILS
The large-scale, floorstanding OPTICON 8 MK2 is the powerhouse of the new OPTICON range. It combines twin 8” wood fiber cones with a 6½” midrange driver – all incorporating our patented SMC magnet system.

Thanks to its size and true three-way format, the OPTICON 8 MK2 offers a level of performance unavailable from any other OPTICON model. It combines immense low frequency bandwidth, volume potential and dynamic accuracy with the extraordinary detail and clarity that arises from the use of a dedicated midrange driver. High frequencies from the hybrid tweeter are explicitly detailed and informative yet simultaneously smooth and endlessly listenable.

The OPTICON 8 MK2 offers an extended low frequency profile that suits installation in large listening spaces with more distant room boundaries.

The manufacture of the OPTICON MK2 remains fully Danish – as with the MK1 series. Built at our factory in Denmark; from components produced in-house or sourced from the best specialist manufacturers locally and further afield.

The OPTICON 8 MK2 is available in Satin Black and Tobacco Oak.

REFLEX PORTS
As a reflex loaded speaker, the OPTICON 8 MK2 employs the otherwise unused acoustic output from the rear of its bass driver to extend low frequency bandwidth and increase low frequency power handling. We revisited the port tuning to ensure that the subjective bass performance was absolutely optimized for its likely installation application.

With Dual Flare technique, MK2 brings port design into the realm of aerodynamics with exit and entry flares carefully designed to minimize turbulence at the airflow rate expected from the port diameter and tuning frequency.

Dual Flare enables the reflex ports to remain laminar and work effectively to reinforce low frequency performance to a significantly higher volume level than would otherwise be the case.

SMC
DALI SMC (Soft Magnetic Compound) is a coated magnet granular material that can be formed to almost any desired shape and has many advantages used in driver magnet systems. SMC’s unusual combination of very high magnetic permeability and very low electrical conductivity is exactly what is required for driver magnet systems and results in a significant reduction of electro-acoustic distortion.

SMC works primarily by minimizing eddy currents in the magnet system pole piece, which reduces distortion. SMC also improves flux linearity within the magnet system – reducing magnetic hysteresis. All of these SMC benefits together produce a significant subjective reduction of low-level detail masking and coloration.

HYBRID TWEETER

SOFT DOME
The new unique light-weight 29 mm soft dome tweeter is derived from CALLISTO C and offers significant advances over the tweeters used in the MK1 series. The relatively small increase in diameter over the previous 28 mm tweeter results in a significant increase in dome radiating area. This means lower distortion, higher power handling, and an ability to operate at lower frequencies.

The use of the same 29 mm soft dome tweeter across all six OPTICON MK2 models results in consistency of tonal character and provides consistency of dispersion characteristics. The MK2 soft dome tweeter enables crossover frequencies as low as 2kHz to be safely employed with no risk of distortion or power handling limitations.

HYBRID TWEETER

The OPTICON 8 MK2 employs a new hybrid tweeter design that marries the 29 mm soft dome tweeter with a custom 17 x 45 mm ribbon. Both mounted on a cast aluminum faceplate, which incorporates dispersion control detailing.

The ribbon element begins to contribute from 10kHz upwards; just as the response of the soft dome element is beginning slowly to fall away and become more directional. The ribbon element both extends the system frequency response towards 30kHz and contributes to keep high frequency horizontal dispersion wider than would otherwise be the case.

The new hybrid tweeter offers the best of both worlds – the clarity, speed and dynamics of a dome tweeter, with the very high frequency detail and smooth finesse of a ribbon tweeter.

The placement of the hybrid tweeter drivers between the two widely spaced bass drivers is done firstly in order to position the high frequency drivers near typical seated ear height. Secondly to take advantage of the smoother low frequency room response that results from spaced bass drivers.

WOOFER

The OPTICON 8 MK2 combines two 8” bass drivers with a 6½” midrange driver – all build around DALI’s patented SMC magnet motor system.

Every component of the drivers are carefully designed for its positive contribution towards ideal performance. The diaphragms are made from a mix of paper and wood fiber that ensures minimal break-up resonance and gives the diaphragms their distinctive DALI trademark color. They are terminated by rubber surrounds chosen for their soft and very flexible mechanical properties that enable free movement with minimal low frequency damping.

CABINET
The enclosure of the OPTICON 8 MK2 is designed to optimize rigidity and minimize panel resonance. The 25mm thick front baffle provides massively rigid foundations for the drivers. The floor-standing speaker employs extra internal bracing further to ensure rigidity and practically eliminate panel resonance.

Features:

• Product series: OPTICON MK2
• Frequency Range (+/-3 dB) [Hz]: 38 – 30,000
• Sensitivity (2,83 V/1 m) [dB]: 88.5
• Nominal Impedance [ohms]: 4
• Maximum SPL [dB]: 112
• Recommended Amplifier Power [W]: 40 – 300
• Crossover Frequency [Hz]: 380 / 2,200 / 14,000
• Crossover Principle: 3+ ½-way
• Hybrid tweeter module, Super high freq. driver, Quantity: 1 x 17 x 45 mm
• Hybrid tweeter module, Super high freq. driver, Diaphragm type: Ribbon
• Hybrid tweeter module, High frequency driver, Quantity: 1 x 29 mm
• Hybrid tweeter module, High frequency driver Diaphragm type: Soft Textile Dome
• Midrange driver, Quantity: 1 x 6 1/2″
• Midrange driver, Diaphragm type: Wood Fiber Cone
• Low frequency driver, Quantity: 2 x 8″
• Low frequency driver, Diaphragm type: Wood Fiber Cone
• Enclosure type: Bass Reflex
• Bass Reflex Tuning Frequency [Hz]: 29.5
• Connection Input: Bi-Wiring, Bi-Amping (INT)
• Magnetic Shielding: No
• Recommended Placement: Floor
• Recommended Distance From Wall [cm]: 30 – 150
• Dimensions With Base (HxWxD) [mm]: 1141 x 241 x 450
• Weight [kg]: 34.0
• Accessories Included: Manual, Rubber Feet, Spikes M8, Assembly Tools