Полочная акустика — DALI ALTECO C-1

The ALTECO C-1 is a compact two-way passive speaker from the Danish maker DALI, designed as a multipurpose model rather than a conventional bookshelf box. DALI describes two main roles for it. Placed on top of front or rear speakers, it fires upward to add height channels in a Dolby Atmos, DTS:X or Auro-3D surround system, and hung on a wall or set on a stand it works as a small stereo pair or as a surround speaker. It is sold in pairs, in black ash, white and walnut finishes, and the pair price is CAD 800.

Key specs that matter

A 21 mm soft dome tweeter and a 4.5 inch wood fibre cone woofer share the band, with the crossover set at 2,100 Hz. DALI rates the frequency range at 74 Hz to 26,000 Hz within 3 dB and sensitivity at 83 dB for 2.83 V at 1 m. Nominal impedance is 6 ohm, maximum output is 103 dB SPL at 1 m, and DALI suggests amplification between 40 W and 100 W. The enclosure is sealed, with no port. Each speaker weighs about 2.8 kg and is about 16 cm wide. Connection is a single pair of spring-loaded push terminals, so bi-wiring is not possible, and rubber feet are supplied in the box.

Engineering and use context

The woofer cone mixes low-mass paper pulp with wood fibres, and DALI says the resulting uneven surface breaks up resonances in the cone. The tweeter dome is a very light woven fabric with a stated mass of 0.056 mg per mm2, which DALI links to extended treble range and wide dispersion. The cabinet front is angled, and a dual mode switch changes the voicing to suit the mounting. The UP setting is meant for ceiling-reflected height use and for soft downward dispersion when the speaker is high on a wall, while DOWN is for close listening and aims output about 25 degrees downward. Because the box is closed, placement tight against a wall or on top of another cabinet leaves no port to obstruct, and the minimum rear wall distance is 1 cm. The low sensitivity and the limited bass extension reflect the small sealed volume, so the C-1 is not intended to cover deep bass on its own.

Pairing

Height use calls for a surround receiver or processor that decodes object-based formats and has spare height channel outputs. In stereo use, the low sensitivity favours an amplifier with some power in hand, and a subwoofer is the usual partner to fill in below the rated bass limit.

Alternatives

The DALI OBERON ON-WALL is a wall-mounted DALI speaker with a 29 mm soft dome tweeter and a down-firing bass port that uses the wall to reinforce low frequencies.