The OPTICON VOKAL MK2 is specifically voiced to play the centre channel role, but at the same time it displays all the characteristic qualities that enable it to dovetail perfectly in a full OPTICON MK2 audio visual system.

The centre channel 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 enclosure dimensions and proportions are specifically configured to enable its installation in audio-visual furniture units, and its front facing reflex ports mean that even fully enclosed mounting is feasible.

This makes it perfect for placement up against a wall underneath the TV or projector screen or even hidden away in a HiFi furniture when not in use, which it also has been specifically designed for - a nice feature for aesthetically minded home theatre owners.

The OPTICON VOKAL MK2 is the perfect partner for any speaker in the OPTICON MK2 series, with the same level of detail and coherence – but also powerful enough to be used even with the OPTICON 8 MK2.

The manufacture of the entire series remains fully Danish - as with the MK1 series. Built at DALI's factory in Denmark; from components produced in-house or sourced from the best local specialist-manufacturers and further afield.

The VOKAL MK2 is available in Satin Black, Satin White and Tobacco Oak.

SMC

The OPTICON VOKAL MK2 driver magnet system consists of a large ferrite ring magnet surrounding a pole piece manufactured entirely of the unique DALI SMC material. The pole piece and the ferrite magnet are secured between soft iron front and back plates to create the appropriate magnetic field for the voice-coil.

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 minimising 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 colouration.

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 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 VOKAL 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 aluminium 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 6½” wood fibre driver handles the low frequencies and the midrange - both build around DALI's patented SMC magnet motor system.

Every component of the driver is carefully designed for its positive contribution towards ideal performance. The diaphragm is made from a mix of paper and wood fibre that ensures minimal break-up resonance and gives the diaphragm its distinctive DALI trademark colour. It is terminated by rubber surrounds chosen for its soft and very flexible mechanical properties that enable free movement with minimal low frequency damping.

The driver chassis is manufactured in die-cast aluminium that provides extremely high rigidity and low resonance along with minimal extraneous influence on the internal magnet system. The mechanical design of the chassis is specifically engineered to provide minimal impedance to airflow while at the same time enabling extremely tight mechanical bonding with the speaker enclosures.

The driver was designed with a consistent focus on the DALI audio principles of low-loss, low distortion and low colouration. The ideal driver plays only what the amplifier requires, with nothing added and nothing subtracted, and at DALI we strive to design and manufacture drivers that approach the ideal as closely as possible.

CABINET

The enclosure of the OPTICON VOKAL MK2 is designed to optimise rigidity and minimise panel resonance. The 25mm thick front baffle provides massively rigid foundations for the drivers.

The manufacturing of the OPTICON MK2 series has been retained firmly at the DALI factory in Denmark. DALI's in-house woodworking facility handles everything from cutting and routing the MDF panels to the driver and crossover installation. The final test and quality approval on each and every speaker is also handled on their own assembly lines.

The reflex ports employed in the centre speaker is not Dual Flare design, however the ports are no less carefully considered. The OPTICON VOKAL MK2 employs twin, forward facing letterbox style reflex ports configured to enable the system to be enclosed in furniture units. Not only does its enclosure format not provide enough space for Dual Flare, port flaring is less critical on a system designed primarily for voice reproduction.