DALI Katch G2 Review
Four years ago, I heartily thanked DALI for bringing back faith in portable speakers. Before meeting with Katch, the original priority of loudspeakers in this format was the ability to loudly blow gases. And everything else was listed in the notes.
In urban environments on rhythmic material, this skill really plays a critical role. For which it is valued by youth. But in all other situations, music on such systems sounds like from under a pillow. Which does not suit music lovers who are more demanding on the sound, such as us, at all.
In the Katch model, the Danes for the first time implemented a fundamentally different approach with a focus on a clear and pure vocal range, which contains the main information of the phonogram.
The concept of conservatism
Today, the number of wireless speaker systems is incalculable. But what has changed over the years? First of all, you can't go past projects like Sonos Roam, complete with Wi-Fi, AirPlay, and built-in streaming services. Against this backdrop, the DALI Katch G2 shows a awsome commitment to Bluetooth and mini-jack input. And nothing else.
The lack of networking capabilities can be criticized given the hefty price tag of portable DALI speakers. But, objectively speaking, this class of equipment is unlikely to actively work at home. Here is a dacha, going out into nature and resorts is another matter. And there, no Wi-Fi is expected, except perhaps due to mobile traffic.
As a last resort, you can connect a Chromecast Audio dongle to USB power and run a mini-jack cable to the Katch analog input. True, at the moment Chromecast Audio is no longer available.
The second version of Katch has slightly increased battery life and now supports Bluetooth aptX HD and AAC. The absence of the latest codec somewhat blurred the positive experience of communicating with the original model. Although she had the progressive at that time aptX, she did not have AAC. Thus, the device communicated with iOS technology using the most primitive Bluetooth SBC algorithm.
Outwardly, the new version is easy to distinguish by the logo-coin placed on the carrying strap. The color of the G2 series has become more restrained than in the old days: blue and dark metallic, and cream for consolation.
The way stereo channels are processed in the DALI Katch G2 has been retained from the previous model. On both sides of the "jack" is installed on one 21-mm fabric tweeter, which is fed to the left or right channel. 3.5" aluminum cones and passive bass radiators operate in mono. It turns out a kind of phase fantasy on the theme of stereo. Whichever side you turn the column towards you, you get the direct radiation of one channel and the reflected-scattered of the other.
If you install the DALI Katch G2 so that the strap is on the left, then this will be the "correct" positioning of the left and right channels. The speaker of the right channel will be on the panel facing the listener and, being closer to the end of the speaker, it will be shifted accordingly to the right. By the way, in the original model, the desired arrangement of channels was achieved in reverse, and the symbols on the upper end turned upside down. As you can see, the comments were taken into account.
old and new
However, all this confusion does not prevent you from quietly combining the old Katch and the new version of G2 via Bluetooth into a stereo pair. In this mode, the connection occurs first to one of the speakers. Then she grabs the second speaker and gives it the right channel, playing only the left. The sound pressure of such a kit turns out to be quite impressive already at half the volume scale. Approximately at the level of strong bookshelf speakers.
But connecting to one speaker with an analog cable and then splitting the stereo signal into the left and right speakers in a pair will no longer work. But I don’t remember such a focus in such wireless speakers.
Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 2nd Gen vs Dali Katch
The work of the old and new versions of the DALI Katch G2 in stereo mode showed that the scene clings and builds very well. At the same time, the sound balance is shifted towards a brighter and more transparent sounding speaker - and this was not a G2.
The difference was obvious on the analog connection and was not covered even by the presence of a more advanced Bluetooth codec and switching between Clear/Warm modes. But any advantage is a continuation (or the beginning) of some disadvantage - and vice versa.
On technical tones in the form of octaves of pink noise, starting from the 50-180 Hz section, the speakers of my old Katch emit clearly audible overtones. As if something rustles in a vacuum pipe. In G2, this moment is already carefully controlled at the DSP level, and it does not emit any resonances.
The new version of the Katch G2 leans more towards the big Katch One soundbar, which I reviewed and also preferred over the very first DALI iteration. We are talking about the deliberate orientation of the developers towards a warmer and smoother presentation of music, without the sharpness and brightness that were observed in the original Katch model.
DALI Helicon 400 Jubilee Sound Test
Form development
From a technical point of view, the new DALI Katch G2 portable audio system shows progress: now it has logically organized left and right channels, aptX HD and AAC codecs have been added and there are no artifacts in the low frequency range. But still, I would not be in a hurry to change my old column to a new one.
My first Katch has the most original firmware 1.0. Knowing that later updates had a different equalization in order to somehow correct the artifacts of the bass range, I chose to put up with them, just to keep the original Katch sound with a bright midrange at the level of the frankness of a full-range driver.
Pros
In stereo pair mode, able to outplay a number of bookshelf speakers, a full range of Bluetooth codecs, nice design
Cons
Price, no network module, warmer sound compared to the first version
OFFICIAL SITE
DALI Katch G2 Specs
Frequency range: 49 Hz - 23 kHz (±3 dB)
Maximum sound pressure: 95 dB
Crossover frequency: 2300 Hz
Tweeters: 2 x 21 mm, soft dome fabric
Woofers: 2 x 3.5" aluminum cone
Passive radiator: 2 x 73x52 mm, steel membrane
Output power: 2 x 25W class D amplifiers
Bluetooth: version 5.0, aptX HD, AAC
Body material: ABS, aluminum
Optional: DSP (Clear/Warm), possibility to create a stereo pair
Analog input: 3.5mm
USB port: Charge external devices, Chromecast connection (sold separately)
Battery: Li-Ion, work for 30 hours
Dimensions: 268x138x47 mm
Weight: 1.1 kg
.jpg)
0 Comments