Полочная акустика — DALI MENUET

The MENUET is a small two-way bookshelf loudspeaker from DALI that first appeared around 2010 under the name Mentor Menuet, linked to the MENTOR family. It is meant for bookshelf, stand or wall placement in discreet installations, and DALI presents it as a match for its RUBICON series. A later special edition, the MENUET SE, came in a high-gloss wild walnut veneer.

Key specs that matter

Two DALI-designed drivers - a 4.5-inch woofer using wood fibre in its cone and a 28 mm soft textile dome tweeter - share the band, split at 3,000 Hz. DALI quotes 59 Hz to 25,000 Hz at plus or minus 3 dB, a sensitivity of 86 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Maximum SPL is 105 dB at 1 m, and the recommended amplifier power is 20 to 100 W. The bass-reflex port is tuned to 63 Hz. Including its base, each cabinet is 250 mm high, 150 mm wide and 230 mm deep, at a weight of about 4 kg. Finishes have included black, white and walnut veneer, with walnut the one currently listed.

Engineering and use context

The wood fibre content of the woofer cone traces back to DALI's EUPHONIA models and gives stiffness together with non-uniform breakup behaviour. DALI optimised the woofer for airflow so the cone couples well to the veneered wooden cabinet, and fitted it with an extra-strong magnet system. In the tweeter, a 28 mm voice coil replaces the more common 25 mm size, which lowers power compression, and the motor uses neodymium magnets with an aluminium heat sink. The dome material is light enough that the larger diameter does not cost speed. Rubber gaskets on the curved front baffle decouple both drivers from the cabinet. The reflex port is flared, angled upward and shaped for smooth airflow to reduce turbulence and port noise, and it is integrated with the terminal tray at the back. That arrangement, plus threaded inserts on the rear panel, makes on-wall or near-wall mounting practical, with DALI recommending at least 2 cm of clearance from the wall. The drivers are not magnetically shielded, and connection is single-wire through binding posts.

Pairing

The low nominal impedance and moderate sensitivity mean the partner amplifier should be specified for 4 ohm loads rather than rated only into 8 ohm speakers. It is specified for front, rear and surround duty, so it can sit alongside RUBICON models in a multichannel layout. Rubber bumpers come in the box for shelf use, while a wall bracket is sold as an optional accessory.

Alternatives

The DALI OBERON 1 is another compact bookshelf model from the brand, aimed at smaller rooms, discreet setups and wall mounting.