Dali Rubicon 8 C Active Speakers (Pair) and Sound Hub BluOS

Dali Rubicon 8C active speakers (with Dali Sound Hub BluOS included) are the flagship Rubicon active speakers, offeing a premium wireless floorstanding solution with stunning performance. The wireless link to the 8 C is proprietary and does not need an active Wi-Fi network. This makes the signal more robust and reliable.

The drivers feature wood fibre cones for reduced surface resonance and reduced distortion. Finally, the tweeter is a hybrid unit, with both a dome and ribbon. Consequently, high frequencies are sweet and have a wide dispersion. Amplification is Class D, for efficiency and power. The crossover is also active with no passive capacitors and coils.

The Dali ecosystem

Dali has their own ecosystem that comprises a range of wireless active speakers as well as amplifiers that can send a hi-end audio signal. They can work without the need for a home network connection. The Rubicon 8C uses the same speaker drivers, that are used in the passive range. The result is enough bass to fill larger rooms.

Soft magnetic compound driver magnets

Dali drivers feature a Soft Magnetic Compound (SMC), which is used in the pole pieces of the woofers driver magnets. The woofers are extremely agile, and well-behaving, with significantly less distortion. Dali make their own drivers and decided to push the bounds of magnet technology. The result is SMC. This granular material eliminates modulations in the magnetic field, caused by the current that runs through the voice coil. The result is less colouration and very low distortion

Class D amplification

The Dali Rubicon 8C features a quality Class D amplifier. Moreover, the crossover is electronic, so bass and treble units are driven by a separate amplifier. This is instead of using a passive filter, comprising discrete coils and capacitors. The result is better control and an accurate frequency response. Class D amplifiers are more efficient and generate less heat than linear amplifiers. Furthermore, they are the amplifier of choice, where there is limited space, such as in an active speaker.

Class D works by encoding the audio as a pulse-width modulated signal. This signal is at high frequency, and effectively switches the output transistors either fully on or fully off. The closer together the pulses, the higher the audio output level becomes.

6.5” woofers

The Rubicon features multiple woofers with a cone that is light, rigid and has a randomly uneven structure. The result is less surface resonance and less distortion. For durability, the cone surround is made of rubber rather than paper. It also gives better performance. Finally, the cast aluminium chassis allows for maximum airflow around the cone and motor system.

Dual tweeter design

To get the best of both worlds the Rubicon 8C features dual tweeters. There is both a traditional coned unit and a ribbon tweeter. The voice coil used in the cone tweeter is light and agile, this helps to deliver a wider bandwidth. While the ribbon tweeter is used to provide a wide dispersion for the high frequencies. Cone tweeters become more directional at high frequencies, and the combination of dome and ribbon provides the best performance.

Cabinet design

The elegant cabinet design provides a rigid base for the drivers. The woofers have a separate chamber to minimise any cross-talk. Moreover, bass ports have been placed behind each woofer, which results in less turbulence and better timing. A rigid cabinet helps to reduce resonances and the slightly curved baffle corners stop any refraction. Finally spiked feet provide good acoustic isolation from the floor. This helps to prevent interference, with any high-gain devices, such as a turntable.