Although it has been a player in the world of active and connected speakers for some time now – notably thanks to its Oberon C and Rubicon C ranges – Danish manufacturer DALI is breathing new life into its catalogue with the all-in-one VEGA speaker.
As one of the pioneers in hi-fi to have made part of its range connected, DALI initially had to contend with restrictive solutions, including the need for a hub between the speakers. However, this era appears to be coming to an end, as DALI now integrates all source, amplification and transduction technologies into a single unit.
While somewhat reminiscent of the design of Naim’s Mu-So, the VEGA immediately stands out to the eye thanks to its wooden inlays, both on the top and the sides of the chassis. Developed over five years, this new arrival is designed to blend seamlessly into any interior, as it is available in light or dark oak, with black or grey front and rear panels, and can be positioned in any orientation – either horizontally on a piece of furniture or vertically mounted on a wall. It should be noted, however, that in this case one must take into account not only the product’s – reasonable – dimensions (143 x 683 x 243 mm), but also, and above all, its weight (8.7 kg/19.18 IB).
Its connectivity options allow it to support a wide range of wired inputs, including digital HDMI, USB audio and optical connections, as well as analogue RCA inputs. Bluetooth is, of course, also included, as are AirPlay 2 and Wi-Fi, the latter managed by the well-known and proven BluOS protocol, which notably enables multi-room functionality and compatibility with numerous other hi-fi products (BlueSound, Roksan, etc.).
Thanks to 8 x 50 W Class D amplification – totaling 400 W – four paper and wood-fiber cones are driven independently to handle the midrange and bass frequencies (down to 32 Hz), whilst four 25 mm soft-dome tweeters handle the treble (up to 22.7 kHz) . Crossed over at 2.4 kHz, this 2-way speaker with active crossover and DSP supports digital files up to DSD256 and PCM 192 kHz/24-bit.
While the VEGA is set to be previewed in Vienna on 4 June – which you can follow via our Instagram and Facebook videos from the show – you’ll soon be able to hear it in-store, or even purchase it for 2 999 € or $2 599 including VAT.
Featuring an IsoFlare coaxial driver similar to that of the F5S, as well as a bass-reflex design, the Cubitt 5 marks Fyne Audio’s entry into the modern era of active speakers.
Named Cubitt in reference to the brand’s headquarters address, No. 1 Cubitt Court, Belgrave Street in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, the new compact Scottish speaker (260 × 165 × 215 mm -10.2″ x 6.5″ x 8.5″- for the main unit and 223 mm -8.8″- deep for the other) houses a 130 mm (5″) driver and an amplifier capable of delivering up to 240 W in Class D within an MDF cabinet.
Connected to each other via a cable that also amplifies the secondary speaker—which is not passive, unlike in most competing systems—the Cubitt 5 offers a clever range of connections, including both analogue inputs (1 x RCA & 1 x RCA phono MM) and digital inputs (optical, HDMI eARC). For direct use without an external source, Bluetooth 5.0 is also available, supporting aptX HD and AAC codecs.
To enable usage in both hi-fi and home cinema setups, the Cubitt 5 also features a subwoofer output, whilst the HDMI input allows the volume to be adjusted via the TV screen. One slight drawback is that the USB port is intended solely for firmware updates and does not allow the use of a USB stick or external hard drive. An active filter with DSP allows the frequencies and response of the two speakers to be matched to each other, whilst the DAC supports playback of files up to PCM 96 kHz/24-bit.
Available in five finishes, the Cubitt 5 speakers do not feature bright colours such as red or yellow, opting instead for a more understated look in keeping with Fyne Audio’s style, with colour options including Arctic White, Midnight Black, Olive Green, and two shades of grey (Pearl Titanium and Pebble Grey). As for the price, this places the new speakers in an affordable bracket, with a pair priced at 650 € – almost half the cost of a KEF LSX II LT. We can’t wait to have a listen so we can bring you a web review soon!
Abandoned with the discontinuation of the DC-37, the middle high-end digital-to-analogue converter segment is being taken over by Accuphase, which previously required the purchase of the high-end DC-1000 DAC (at 21 490 €), a CD player (DP-450) or SACD player (DP-570; DP-770) to benefit from such conversion.
Less ambitious than the DC-1000, the DC-500 presents itself as a scaled-down version of the latter, a fact evidenced by its weight, which has been halved to 15.6 kg – compared to 32.1 kg for the top-of-the-range model. The width and depth of the chassis, in a classic format, are however similar, except for the height, which has been reduced to 11.4 cm – more or less the same as that of the C-57 phono preamp in the range, the only other unit in the range also finished in walnut, albeit only on the sides.
At the heart of the DC-500 lies a perfectly dual-mono and parallel configuration, still featuring the two Sabre ES9028PRO chips from the DP-770 SACD player, which utilize their 8 DACs on each channel (see our review in issue 62, Japan Special). The DAC module broadly adopts the same architecture and the MDSD (Multiple Double Speed DSD) conversion process for DSD. PCM is supported up to 384 kHz/32-bit, all once again monitored by the in-house noise control circuit (ANCC).
Perfectly separated across two different PCBs, the analogue circuit provides RCA and XLR outputs, whilst the digital circuit offers the proprietary HS-Link connection, a coaxial port, two optical ports and two USB-B (Audio) ports as inputs. Unlike the DG-78, launched around the same time in the middle of the year and based on the same DAC, there is no USB-Data port for connecting a USB stick or a NAS.
Overall, this new DAC is essentially the conversion section of the DP-770 taken out of the main unit, allowing those who do not wish to invest in an SACD player to still enjoy an Accuphase component for this stage of their hi-fi system. What’s more, the fact that the DC-500 is a pure DAC means it can use its two shielded transformers, filtered by eight capacitors totaling 120 000 μF, solely for this stage.
This further enhances the reliability of this section, and we can now look forward to the equivalent with the other half of the DP-770, namely a pure CD transport below the DP-1000.
In terms of price, it’s a dream come true, as the DC-500 is priced at 8 490 € – 2 000 € less than the previous DC-37 – despite a far more modern architecture for digital signal processing.
After six years of loyal service, the Accuphase DG-68 is being replaced by the DG-78.
Unveiled alongside the new DC-500 DAC, the new multi-band equalizer continues to offer a solution first introduced by the Japanese manufacturer in 1997 with the DG-28.
The high-performance DAC is based on the same architecture as that of the DC-500 or the DP-770 SACD player, featuring 8 channels in parallel thanks to two Sabre ES9028PRO chips.
It utilizes the new MDS++ (Multiple Delta Sigma) model to play PCM and DSD files in MDSD (Multiple Double Speed DSD), with an ANCC (Accuphase Noise Cancelling Circuit) noise cancellation module integrated into the circuitry.
Like its predecessors, the DG-78 combines a ‘Voicing’ function to take room parameters into account and adjust the sound ; an ‘Equalizer’ function to equalize frequencies using a graphic visible on the large TFT screen on the front panel, with a spectrum analyzer analogue-to-digital conversion via an AKM AK5578EN chip ; and a DAC function via the aforementioned MDS++ digital-to-analogue conversion module.
The chip handling the microphone signal remains an AKM AK5357, whilst the DSP coordinating all audio frequencies is an Analog Devices SHARC ADSP21565KSWZ10 processor.
As always with Accuphase, the rear panel reflects the impeccable organization of the interior: on the left are three digital inputs and three outputs (proprietary HS-Link, coaxial, optical, with no USB input other than the USB-B port for connecting a hard drive). In the center are the analogue inputs (XLR & RCA) and on the left the analogue outputs (XLR & RCA), as well as a phase reversal switch for balanced connections.
Although Accuphase has not planned to attend the upcoming Vienna Show in early June, we hope to be able to see and hear the unit there so that we can tell you a little more about it very soon.
Positioned between the Monitor and Founder series, the Premier series moves to version 2 whilst retaining its six models.
Featuring new proprietary AL-MAC (aluminium-magnesium-ceramic) tweeters, integrated into an OSW (Oblate Spherical Waveguide) waveguide, AL-MAG (aluminium-magnesium) for the midrange and Carbon-X for the bass in the floorstanding models, the new Canadian speakers have been redesigned with a more wood-effect finish than before, yet remain affordably priced.
Versatile enough to suit all types of listening and usage – including home cinema – the range comprises two 3-way floorstanding models, the 720F v2 and 820F, two centre speakers, the 520 LCR v2 (vertically mountable) and 620C v2, and two compact models, the 120B v2 and 220B v2.
Available from June 2026, these speakers all feature MDF cabinets available in a choice of four finishes: piano black, black walnut, natural walnut or satin white.
