Working in hi-fi, there are some perks to the job. Having an afternoon to sit down and discuss and demo the latest range from Danish speaker manufacturer Dali is certainly one of them! Armed with a pen and pad, a few of us were lucky enough to enjoy a listen to Dali’s new Rubicon range – in the form of bookshelf model the Rubicon 2, and the smallest floorstander the Rubicon 5.
The Rubicon Range
The range consists of a bookshelf speaker (Rubicon 2), an on-wall speaker (Rubicon LCR) and 3 floorstanding models (Rubicon 5, 6 and 8). The whole range borrows technology heavily from the flagship Epicon range, with Rubicon being billed as much of the performance of the Epicon, but at a fraction of the price.
The Rubicon range uses the same wood fibre cones that are used throughout the flagship Epicon range, as well as the SMC (Soft Magnetic Compound) magnet motor system. This system works much like a piston, to offer incredible control of the driver, resulting in low distortion, clarity and a presentation that can offer both pace and attack.
The Rubicon 2
The Rubicon 2 was the first of the range we listened to, placed on the industry standard Partington Super Dreadnoughts to ensure the perfect listening height, and a quality mass-filled stand to ensure adequate bass response and rigidity.
The exquisite Rubicon 2 on Partington Super Dreadnought stands.
The first think we noticed about these medium-sized bookshelf speakers is the quality of the build and finish. With the exception of the cabinets, the whole of the speaker assembly is designed, manufactured and assembled in Denmark, and hand-signed by the engineer who assembled it.
The Rubicon 2 is finished exquisitely, with all but the cabinets made and assembled by hand in Denmark.
Our demo model was finished in Walnut (my favourite of the finishes), and looked exquisite. The sleek lines and aluniminum front contribute to a very premium look and feel. The metallic Dali badge is a nice touch, and considering the quality of the finish and how nice these look, we certainly won’t be using the grills!
The polished Dali badge adds a touch of class.
The levels of detail that the Rubicon 2 was able to unearth are among the best we have heard from a bookshelf speaker. Despite the tweeter looking the same as the rest of the Rubicon range, the Rubicon 2 uses a lighter soft dome tweeter, which makes for a very natural and precise high end, with some of the sweetness seen on the hybrid tweeter module used by the rest of the range.
Where the Rubicon 2 were most impressive is the mid-range. Combined with their size-defying soundstage, a rich and textured mid-range is projected, immersing you in sound. Instruments and vocals are placed, almost tangibly, in real space in front of you, much more akin to a live music experience than just mere playback. This mid-range pairs nicely with the precision of the higher frequencies, which integrate together very well. The bass is presented naturally, and is not exaggerated or overpowering, but is instead considered and coherent.
Rubicon 5
The next on the list was the Rubicon 5, which is the smallest floorstanding model in the Rubicon range. Our demo pair was finished in the gloss white, which was also very well finished. Modern and sleek, the white is complimented nicely by the aluminium fascia, and Dali’s unique drivers.
The Rubicon 5 are the smallest floorstanders in the Rubicon range.
As impressive as we found the Rubicon 2, the Rubicon 5 were something else. The Rubicon 5 opens up both the high frequencies and the bottom end, while still maintaining the rich midrange which was so impressive on the Rubicon 2. The pair of tweeters seen on the Rubicon 5 are a truly unique touch, presenting a very sweet yet precise high end which is largely unrivalled in floorstanders at this size and pricepoint.
The Rubicon Dual Tweeter System featured on the Rubicon 5, 6 and 8.
Listening to Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue on CD, the shimmer of the cymbals and physical plucking of double bass strings is all brought to the forefront in a way which not many other speakers can muster, while the impressive high frequency performance also affects the upper portions of the mid-range and integration between mids and highs is seamless.
Thanks to the particularly wide dispersion of Dali’s tweeter module, the Rubicon 5s are not fussy about placement whatsoever, and even in our large listening room they were authoritative and commanding with no attention paid to placement whatsoever.
The Rubicon Range
As much as we’d love the time to listen to the whole range, we only managed to squeeze in time to hear the Rubicon 2 and the Rubicon 5. The Rubicon 6 and 8 offer an identical tweeter module to the 5 meaning, for the most part, they perform in the exact same manner as the Rubicon 5 throughout the high frequencies – sweet, precise and clear. It is the additional bass and mid-range, thanks to extra drivers that are the difference.
The Rubicon range is available in 4 finishes – Walnut, Rosso, White High Gloss and Black High Gloss.