 Dali ook de opmerkende active loudspeakerwereld joinst en zoals de andere heb ik geïnteresseerd dat het zijn eigen interessante approach heeft of rather approaches, zoals de integreerde streaming en MQA. De Danish audiophile loudspeakerindustrie, geïnteresseerd door Dali, introducteert de Callisto loudspeakerrange bijna een jaar geleden. Er is een floorstander, een monitor en een preamp streamer. In deze review bekijk ik de laatste twee. Laten we zien hoe ze moeten worden gebruikt. Elke speaker heeft alleen één analoge fysiële ingang om over RCA kabel te connecten met een analoge preamp, DAC of streamer. Uit de optional sound hub maakt het leven een beetje makkelijker. Het connecteert met beide speakers waardelijk, dus moet je alleen de speakers naar een main uitleggen. Je kunt dan connecten met een analoge source zoals een tuner over RCA, een tv over optical digital. Een tweede optical connectie kan worden gebruikt voor bijvoorbeeld een CD player en een mp3 player of smartphone kan worden connecten over een 3.5 millimeter jack kabel of bluetooth. Adding een optional blue os module brengt muziek streaming van je computer, NAS of bijna welke streaming service en internet radio. Je moet dan niet meer de CD player nodig hebben, waardoor het nog steeds gebruikt kan zijn natuurlijk. De mp3 player en de tuner blijven je met een volledig en elegant sleutel die een app op je smartphone, tablet of computer kan worden controleren. Een bluetooth remote controler laat u zetten, voldoende en ingang, waardoor de letter hard zal worden nodig zoals we later zien. Laten we eens een dichterlijke look naar de speaker. Het maakt 392 by 200 by 321 millimeters en maakt 10.1 kilo. Het is in beide zwart en witte available en gebruikt een 165 millimeter woedvibre low middrijver en Darli's unieke dubbel tweeter setup met een 29 millimeter soft dome en een 17 by 45 millimeter ribben tweeter. Een 2 channel klas dm geeft de voeding. Het heeft een nomineel voeding van 2 x 30 watts maar kan genereren tot 250 watts voor 6 seconden. Sinds dit is een active cross system dat meer dan genoemd is. Op de rear is er een aerodynamisch shape port en een connector panel. Aan top de link-connect-button te pareen met de sound hub, de power input, de power switch, de analoge input op de RCA en een USB connector dat is alleen gebruikt voor service, zoals opdating. Dan is er een illuminatieve grafische representatie dat stond wanneer de speaker moet reproduceren op de links of rechts channel. Een pressen op de botten schijnt de zijden makkelijk. Darli's speakers in general, including the callistos, is designed to have the front panel parallel to the wall they are in front of. So no toe in or toe out. If you have no sound hub, you just connect the analogue outputs of your source to the RCA's on the rear of the callistos. You can change the volume by moving your finger over a sensitive track on top of one of the loudspeakers. The set volume is indicated by a row of leds along the bottom of the front. When the volume is set, all leds will switch off with the exception of one that indicates the speakers to be active. If the speakers are not used for 30 minutes, they will switch to standby automatically. The sound hub is more than just the wireless connection box. It is a true digital preamplifier that also provides two analog inputs. It is elegantly shaped and will fit in most interior designs. But if you don't want to see it, that's no problem either. There are no speaker wires and it can be operated from a smartphone, tablet or laptop and by the Bluetooth remote. Just placing it out of sight is no problem. It measures 300 x 200 x 75 mm and weighs 1.6 kilos. De front holds 3 buttons. A power button, a mute button and an input button that steps through the inputs. The bezel around the display functions as a volume control. The display shows the volume level and the selected input, Bluetooth in this case. Time to look at the rear. There we find, on the right, a USB for service purposes that can also be used to power a USB device like for instance a Chromecast audio. Then the power input to connect the wallward power supply to, two optical inputs, an SPDIF input, a 3.5 mm analog input for for instance an MP3 player or a Chromecast audio and an analog input on RCA. On the left a stereo analog output on RCA plus a subwoofer output on RCA. Above the connectors two slots for optional modules. Only one is yet available, a blue OS module that adds the functionality of a Blue Sound No 2 including MQA to the sound hub. This module has a network connector and two USB connectors. One USB can hold the supplied WiFi dongle, the other can be used for storage devices. A mini USB for service purposes has no use for the user. In between the slots the link connector button that is used for pairing up with the speakers. The sound hub connects to the speakers over radio waves that carry the I squared S signal up to 96 kW sampling and is completely lossless. Pairing the speaker to the sound hub is a matter of pressing the pairing button on the rear of the sound hub and when it is ready for pairing, sequentially pressing the same knob at each callisto and wait for a couple of seconds. As soon as you connect a playing source, the sound hub will automatically switch on. It will also switch to that input as long as it sees no signal on the other inputs. The only exception is the mini jack that has no auto sensing. So as long as you keep on use sources switched off and do not use the mini jack input, you never have to select inputs. The review sample of the sound hub had the BLUOS module installed which was very convenient since it also functions as a Roon endpoint. But you don't need to buy Roon to use the BLUOS module for you can stream music from your computer, NAS, internet radio or streaming service using the free BLUOS app on a tablet, smartphone or computer. Here the version for iPad. If you tap the home icon in the top right corner, you'll see the BLUOS players in the network. In my case the Blue Sound Node 2i and the NAD T758 Version 3 AV receiver next to the Callisters on Review here. Tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner and you'll see all sources. Now due to my work, the BLUOS system is loaded with several internet radio services en about any streaming service available. A number of them are of course only accessible when you have a paid subscription, like Kubis and Tidal. Let's go to my music collection, holding about 120.000 tracks, browsing on artists, album, composer, genres and even folder is offered. Calm Radio offers well indexed access to internet radio stations. Access to Tidal and Kubis is quick provided you have a proper functioning internet connection. Play a track and you'll see what is played in the play cue on the right. That can be made full screen too and you can make the cover art column wide. Here also the MQA logo appears when playing MQA tracks. De full Callisto installation with BLUOS edition is fully run certified and does both decoding and rendering in the sound hub. This would normally not be possible, but in this case, since it is a closed system, the sound hub knows the time behavior of the DA conversion in the Callistos and thus can compensate for it. As mentioned earlier, the volume can be controlled from the app, the remote control, the volume knob on the front of the sound hub en by touching the sensitive strip at the top of the loudspeakers. Dali have wisely resisted pumping up the mid-lows to impress the unsuspecting listener. They rather use the digital processing to make the real low frequencies more powerful. To do that, a very good driver is needed. Their unique bass driver uses Dali's soft magnetic compound in the polepiece. Visit their website if you want to know more. It's really interesting technology. It makes the unit very efficient with lower distortion due to mechanical loss. Combine that with their unique tweeter setup and you get a speaker that sounds clear, airy, spacious, refined and yet powerful. Whether this sound of the speaker is up to your taste, you only can judge. The sound character is somewhere in between the E-Lack Navi's ARB51 on the silky side en the Dynaudio Xeo 20 on the zappy side for lack of a better word. I also like that with the Callisto's no to-in or out is needed. Just have the front of the speakers parallel to the wall behind them for the best imaging. Buy a pair of Callisto 2C's, the sound hub and the blue OS module and you have a complete stereo that can work almost automatically where input selection is concerned. You can hook up your TV, game console of any analog or digital source you like. Your smartphone tablet or laptop can also be connected over Bluetooth if the wires are a hassle. You can also use these devices to control the blue OS module as we have seen. And all this for less than 4.000 euros including VAT, which in my country is 21%. That might be a lot of money to you, but I consider it the best buy if you consider the sound quality, ease of use and elegance of the system. You can't hide loudspeakers, but you can hide the sound hub if you like. Next week I will try to get another review online and if you don't want to miss that, subscribe to this channel or follow me on the social media so you know when new videos are out. If you like this video, give it a thumbs up. Many thanks to all that support the channel financially. It keeps me independent and thus trustworthy. If you also feel like supporting my work, links are in the comments below this video on YouTube. I'm Hans Beekhuyzen, thank you for watching and see you in the next show or on theHBproject.com. And whatever you do, enjoy the music.