Dali Helicon 800. What components match with it?

After reading this thread, I realize it was 10 months ago I posted my comments. Certainly the lovely sound continued to improve on my Helicon 800 as they burned in more.

Here are some further thoughts.

It is correct that the impedance curve on this design is quite easy to drive; that is why they perform well with tubes or solid state.

It is also true that different cables will give you different results. I feel this is a key to getting the best sonics that suit your ears the best.

The Helicon 800 has a nice body to its sound and is just slightly warm. The treble is where its revealing nature and uniquely airy quality can provide a new world to your ears, but it can also give you the true nature of some of your bright, tinny recordings. If you want the air and resolution, you don't get a masking of the ugliness on the top end of some recordings. Solution? Throw in a really warm interconnect when listening to these types of recordings. I've been told that Cardas Golden Cross or Cross would be possibilities.

With the small amount of discussion on these speakers, I think only a small number of people have discovered these quite outstanding speakers.

Zear, I couldnt agree with you more. I have spent a lot of time, since getting my Helicon 800 speakers, listening to upgrades at up to 3 times the price driven by very expensive front ends, but none so far have matched the way these Dali's can sound. They have this special way of combining a warm spacious sound with this airy and sparkling treble. They sound unrestricted, open and transparent compared to other speakers, which can often sound quite constipated by comparison. Heaps of fine detail and fantastic 3D imaging.
I settled on Chord Epic super twin speaker cables and Nordost Heimdal interconnect, and you just want to keep on listening in awe at how great music can really sound.

Mike, I'm not familiar with Chord speaker cable. Is this made by the company that makes Chord electronics?

Glad you're enjoying your 800s. Yes, it's nice to find a speaker that has some body and warmth without going too far in that direction, and yet have the revealing, open and airy treble. I agree that they do not have a constricted sound, and there are enough speakers that do, and yet praise is heaped upon them.

I'm not implying that Dali is the best speaker money can buy, but it has qualities not easy to find. Musicality and coherency are two of the most important ones. Without those, I cannot live with a speaker for long.

Zear, its a different company to Chord electronics, as far as I know. I have tried a few of their products with quite some success. They are a little more understated than the other brands.

I have a friend who works as an audio engineer with some EU manufacturers (speakers, suppliers, and electronics) and is very knowledgeable. In one of his companies they dealt with the high end speaker manufacturers and he views Dali as a "high end bargain". I agree with him fully. They are strong in EU, and I think when Dali get their act together in the USA, they are going to really do very well. It was was one of the few speakers that I found thrilling to listen to, without leaving my ears ringing. A few of the competing speakers with have much advertised tweeter technology are harsh, and you need to tame them through a soft front end, and then of course the detail is lost and ....well, i dont want to preach, but thats my experience anyway :-)

The Chord site for you:

http://www.chord.co.uk/chordweb/index2.htm