The Danish company DALI Speakers has been on the market since 1983, and yet I dare say that Czechs and Slovaks are being avoided for the time being. The product has now reached our editorial office DALI Katch, which has been arriving in domestic stores in recent weeks. DALI Katch has been sold in the world for some time already, even more than a year, so before I turned it on for the first time, I looked at foreign reviews. When I found the rating of the most respected hifi media in the world, in which the speaker reached a rating of around 90%, I thought that it could be not only quality, but also great marketing. However, once we found several dozen reviews on Amazon, where the ratings are added directly by users, I was surprised that the average rating from users is even higher than from hifi magazines. In short, it seems that everyone who has ever had the opportunity to try or purchase Dali Katch is raving about it. So let's see how it fares in our test and whether it really is the best wireless speaker we've ever tested.
Official Product Images:
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The first thing that arrives right out of the box is exactly what you want it to arrive. The feeling that for ten thousand crowns you are bringing home a piece of well-crafted, robust and satisfyingly heavy speaker. Despite all this, the Dali Katch is still very portable. However, when you put it on the table, you have a great feeling about it, from the weight, through the processing to the design. As far as the design is concerned, it is similar to the BeoPlay A2 from Bang&Olufsen, ovšem skutečně jen svým tvarem. V balení kromě samotného reproduktoru najdete také látkový obal pro snadné přenášení, nabíječku a pak trojici adaptérů pro různé typy zásuvek.
Dali Katch v sobě integruje kožené poutko na přenášení, které najdete na boční straně u těla reproduktoru. Jakmile však přijde jeho čas můžete jej snadno vysunout a repráček za něj přenášet. Dalším zajímavým prvkem jsou pochopitelně tlačítka, která se nachází na horní straně reproduktoru a můžete je používat pro změnu hlasitosti, zapnutí/vypnutí reproduktoru, spárování s Bluetooth a také pro změnu ekvalizéru.
It is this unobtrusive button that is very interesting. It doesn't work like you switch between dozens of preset settings within the equalizer, similar to the iPhone. You switch between a pair of modes with the button. While one is used for listening when the Dali Katch is placed on a table or in the middle of the room, the other is used when you place the speaker near the wall, which then uses it to reflect the sound. It is also worth mentioning the four LEDs located around the power button, which inform about the ongoing pairing process, the volume change and, most importantly, the remaining battery level.
The sound itself is taken care of by two 25W speakers powered by a Class-D amplifier. Of course, there are also two bass speakers, which have a size of almost 9 cm. You can get the sound to the speaker either with Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX or with a 3.5mm jack connector, or with a USB connector. NFC is available for easy pairing with a smartphone. Inside the DALI Katch itself, you will of course also find a battery, and not just any battery. Thanks to its 2600 mAh, it can play music continuously for up to 24 hours, while charging to 100% takes only two hours.
Sound-wise, the DALI Katch is really great. After turning it on and playing the first song, I couldn't believe that a wireless speaker could play so well. Of course, it is also due to its dimensions and the fact that it is one of the more expensive pieces, but tuning its sound side was really successful. I was especially surprised by the bass, which is pleasantly pronounced, but really only when it should be pronounced, not at any deeper tone. But if you are a fan of the hip-hop genre, then you will thoroughly enjoy this type of music with DALI Katch. Even the highs and mids are perfectly balanced and there is not much to complain about the speaker in terms of sound. Note, however, that I am comparing the DALI Katch to wireless speakers in its price category, where it is undoubtedly among the top.
Another advantage of the speaker is its volume, which reaches surprising levels. To be honest, at home I only dared to try it once for a few seconds to see how loud it can play, because then you can be sure that all the neighbors will hear your songs at home. So if you want to sound a garden party or a larger birthday party, with DALI Katch it will not be the only problem.
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Summary
DALI Katch certainly has something to impress. Although its price tag is higher, it definitely succeeded in terms of sound and design. The speaker fits both on the desk and on any other piece of furniture, for example in the living room. It certainly won't embarrass you even at social events, where you can easily carry it thanks to the leather strap. You will also be pleased with the relatively decent battery life and charging time. In addition, thanks to the integrated battery and USB port, the DALI Katch can also serve as a power bank for a smartphone or other device. On the contrary, I see a disadvantage in the absence of buttons for pausing and skipping the song (forward and back), you have to do all this via the connected mobile phone.
