DALI Menuet SE Loudspeaker Review. Can Small Speakers Sound Better? (Take 2, Ep:17)

[@wiebl5266]

Xxellent review. Tight. Clear. No useless narrative. Informative. We'll paced. Thank you Jay!

[@mykeldg]

You should try the rubicon 2. Those are the 6.5” version of these. Amazing speakers.

[@andywarwick3745]

AMAZING REVIEW. I have finally found someone that can really deliver an in-depth clear and concise review. Extremely well described. Liked and subscribed :)

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

Dali makes great speakers. I loved the spektors and Oberon 1’s

[@salvatorecappello2447]

I had the Spektor 2 before I bought the Menuet SE. Also, the Spektor does good work if you compare this to the minimalistic price of 250€. If you want a good sound and don't want to spend much money, the Spektor-speakers are the best you can buy

[@Sams911]

my McIntosh XR50's sound AMAZING... I've never heard a speaker their size that sounded this good... And 300W power handling, a real 300 watts.

[@sheerkhanful]

I’ve owned Menuets for over five years now and like any audiophile, gear tends to come and go as one becomes more educated about the hobby and just how much pleasure there is to be found in the synergies between components. My Menuets however, have never gone and I’ve never been able to leave them in a box for more than a couple of weeks before pulling them right back out to build another system. I just don’t ever tire of them, especially now that I know how to exploit them. Menuets are best right up against the wall in smaller rooms and with a beefy amp(not less than 100 watts and more is even better). Also, he’s absolutely right about the REL sub. They need a big amp to kick them in the balls and I’ve had about ten different amps on them over the years. The best so far is the Primare i30.

[@abboberg]

Are you referring to back wall or side walls?

[@sheerkhanful]

@@abboberg back wall

[@nc3419]

If placed closer to the wall, is the stage depth impacted greatly? I like as much of a 3D soundstage as possible. Perhaps there's a balance in the distance from wall for both depth and body of sound. I will try these in an approx 280 sq. ft. room sitting about 7-8 feet away, not ideal but I listen at lower SPLs. I will try these on both a Hegel h160 as well as a Keces E40 which is about 25% less powerful at 4 ohms but has good current output for a tiny amp. And, hopefully piano sounds natural and has enough weight to sound more/less lifelike and not artificial. Strings, horns and voices too without too much sibilance as Dali highs can supposedly be a bit much per some people. Any thoughts appreciated.

[@sheerkhanful]

@@nc3419 I use IsoAcoustics Aperta 200 stands beneath mine and the distance from the wall for me is 9.25 inches. For the sub bass I use a REL T5i. Currently, I have my best amp on them, a Naim Supernait but they've also been great with a Primare I30. In my time with them they've always sounded best with amps over a 100 watts. My pair is approaching eight years of ownership, making them an uncommon early and permanent win in the journey that is HiFi. I had an early experience in HiFi with a nightmarishly bright Focal setup that offered breathtaking clarity but it was tolerable for only 20 minutes. Dali brightness is nowhere near as bright as Focal to my ear. They go up there, but to me, it's only because the music demands it and my listening sessions with the menuets never end due to fatigue. The tiniest tap on my volume is enough to take the edge off for me but even that is uncommon. For me, the Menuets, even after all these years, remain a diamond in the rough.

[@KXP70]

@@sheerkhanful have you ever tried them super close to the wall, like a few centimetres? I've ordered a set and I may have to wall mount them due to space reasons. I'm just wondering if you have any experience with them in that situation.

[@roddersh5396]

How do they compare with the non SE version

[@bar10ml44]

Bought them today. Swapping my Oberon 1’s which are brilliant but these add the extra purity I want. More expensive than I wanted to go but what a treat.

[@soundstagenetwork]

Enjoy!

[@ronald7482]

How are your expierences so far?

[@nc3419]

How is off axis performance? Does it drop off like a wharfedale or stay pretty even?

[@erikjohansson1488]

@@nc3419 of axis is really good 👍

[@nc3419]

@@erikjohansson1488 Tried them. While they were really good at some things, I found them too refined and returned them. Later bought the Opticon 1s and more satisfied with the overall performance. Much easier on the amp as well with greater sensitivity. Actually play about 4-5dB higher output per 1 watt/2.83v power rating according to measurements. Both very good and suitable depending on your needs/equipment, etc.

[@thatguy1119]

I’ve listened to these IRL and they are truly insane…

[@davidbujanowski8339]

Really good and clear review! Keep up the good work.

[@mikelt2344]

Hi Jay, can the Dali's be partnered with a single ended tube amp? Is this a good setup?

[@NosTubes58]

Try them with any of the Nait Integrated Amps to understand what they’re really capable of......

[@Jayiyagi]

tried them with the supernait 3. was great !

[@yippie6862]

Looking at Jay's new hair doo I would say he has been listening to a lot of the Beatles lately.

[@PlaAwa]

ok k-pop

[@andrewpeel912]

Do the drivers use t-nuts to mount them to enclosure? Or are the screws driven directly into enclosure?

[@nc3419]

Would these work in a 22.5 by 12.5 room mid size room? Approx 280 sq ft.? I listen at low to moderate levels. Sitting about 8 feet from each speaker. Or would they sound too thin? Could supplement with a small sub.

[@tubesticker]

What stands are these? I would be greatful for a response, because I can't seem to find anything suitable.

[@juliangomez5368]

Add two svs subs, set them at a relatively low volume. That will make up for the lack of bass without creating too much boom. In a small to medium sized room, you’ll get much better sound (with far superior minds and highs) than with a pair of towers.

[@valkyrieorion7200]

THanks for the review! Just ordered a set today, review was very helpful in checking off some boxes.

[@ronald7482]

How are the speakers so far?

[@valkyrieorion7200]

@@ronald7482 I really enjoy them overall. Initially used them nearfield on my desk in a large room but mostly listened low volume in the evening and loved it. We moved and now use them with our TV setup in a much larger room. It is paired with a Lyngdorf 1120 now. They still sound great for music, I don't like them as much for the main use of TV and movie watching though. I am being picky somewhat. I am keeping them though as eventually I will move them upstairs as a living room listening speaker once kids are older and don't play there. I just prefer ribbon tweeters for TV is my main gripe and I find dialogue a bit poor compared to say Martin Logan Motion 35 I had at one time.

[@nc3419]

@@valkyrieorion7200 Is dialogue intelligible enough on the dalis? I felt that way comparing Oberon 1s against Focal 807Ws. Oberons weren't as good but not bad for speech in soundtracks. Seemed less dynamic too.

[@HyundaiVelosterTurbo]

At 61 years old my living space seems to shrink more & more every year.I am a BIG fan of "TINY TITANS" & IF I could afford them I would own the WORLDS BEST TINY speakers,the ProAc "Tablet Anniversary",but being on a pretty tight budget I went with these driven by an iFi Audio "Retro Stereo 50"EL84 tube integrated amplifier/dac in the main room of a small studio apartment.The sound is absolutely sublime & can enthrall a dozen listeners in the medium size community room,minus any bass below 60hz. but NEVER missed with 99% of the music I listen to...HIGHLY recommended for SMALL ,listening rooms BUT they need REALLY GOOD electronics to truly shine.

[@nc3419]

I'm in a similar position, looking to downsize and don't need or want the space. Given there's not too great a difference in price, can you compare how the two differ in SQ? I think the ProAc Tablet Anniversary may be easier to drive but not sure. Most important thing is a natural tone for piano, string and drums, as well as the human voice. Any opinions appreciated.

[@joekee2005]

Hope you will review their Epicon series such as Epicon 2. Thanks.

[@borlach321]

What a beautiful speaker!

[@saab_9]

When about paring this with Denafrips Venus 2 DAC, which AMP would you recommend ?

[@danieloherrick6332]

Are these available in the US. Many dealers sell Dali, but I can't find this model. Thanks

[@soundstagenetwork]

They should be. Contact Lenbrook Industries, the distributor

[@user-ys4og2vv8k]

I just ordered them and am waiting for delivery. I used to have a Quad S2 (too soft and mellow for my taste), before that KEF LS50 (good, but require more space, which I don't have).

[@slyfoxx8540]

And how are you finding them in limited space?

[@user-ys4og2vv8k]

@@slyfoxx8540 They are ok, but I expected their small space advantage to be even greater. In a comparison test, I would probably opt for the LS50.

[@slyfoxx8540]

@@user-ys4og2vv8k ah ok, thanks for the reply. Was considering the metas as well so think I'll give em a demo.👍

[@christopherhawkins5456]

@@user-ys4og2vv8k I was going to go for the metas .....but I don't have the space as they will be up against the wall ...so I looked at these

[@nc3419]

@@user-ys4og2vv8k What do you like better with the Metas vs the Dalis and vice-versa at low to moderate volumes? Essentially, how would you compare their abilities?

[@AromaFrank]

Hi, thanks so much for this informative vid. Spending this amount of money I would like to be sure I'm spending it at its best. So in this price range, small and able to be placed close to wall, is there others you would recommend more? How would you compare these with Elac's 312 or 243 or 403, that u reviewed few yrs ego?

[@nc3419]

Testing the Menuet se out currently, while it's still breaking in, I will put a Hegel on it in the next day or so. Biggest issue I have so far with the SQ is it lacks inner detail of voices, instruments which I get on my less expensive but highly competent small speakers. I do not think detail will improve over time or on other amps but I'll see. Resolution is very good but greater inner detail was expected. A bit more energy would help too. Going from metal domes to soft domes I notice a difference in how highs are rendered. Also, piano seems a bit off from what I am used to. So far listened at both near and mid field. Some has stated it sounded like an inexpensive speaker out of the box but greatly improves after 50-100 hrs. Don't know about Elacs but there are vendor's with good return policies. I've heard ML15s with the folded tweeter and it imparts a more live sound rather than studio is how i describe it.

[@AromaFrank]

@@nc3419 Thanks for ur reply. Are you running it with a amp that has a nice amount of power? What mini speakers did u had, liked and would highly recommend?

[@nc3419]

@@AromaFrank Had it running a couple of days, about 11 hrs just playing whatever. Hooked it up to a Keces E40 with dial set between 10:30 up to noon. It gets a bit warm so the low impedance is definitely making it work. Time to bring out a hegel h160. I quickly started comparing to other speakers. First was a Cambridge Minx XL (budget). The Minx XL is a decent sounding speaker for its' size and the Menuet beat it out for resolution , depth, separation, etc which was expected. Against the Triangle Plaisir Zetas I have (like the old color series) on the Keces I prefer the Zetas overall. Sound a bit bigger, much more texture in the detail, piano has that nice overtone I like, a sweeter and more extended treble...it is a nice speaker (nothing like Borea series which I didn't care for). Trying to think if the Dalis just present differently or are just a darker presentation. The Dalis have the detail but are missing or much less pronounced the textures music has. I have them siting atop my Focals so they are higher up and pulled away from the wall so I stand at various distances trying to assess how much detail they are capable of and how the sound changes. I also have them 7 feet apart at the moment. Closer to wall and lowered in height they so should give more bass. One thing they seem to have a more tighter, faster low bass, which more layers than the Zetas when the music calls for it while the Zetas have more midbass which is still good enough, not a lazy bass sound. When it comes to mids, which the Zetas are known for, I prefer them, probably due to the level of detail/texture and that I am used to that particular presentation from my Focals as well. But the zetas do alot of things really well for a budget speaker. I preferred them to many other speakers including Quad S2s but the S2s had outstanding resolution and more details but a flat stage and too boring a way of presenting music...no toe tapping. I do prefer the Dalis over Monitor Audio Silver 50s though. Once I let the dalis break-in and are positioned better, I'll give a better assessment. As as an aside, the finish is nice but non magnetic grills? Also, the Dali Square plate is useless. The word Dali is a similar color etched you can't really see unless on top of the speakers. They should have used silver or gold letters like the Zetas have. More stylish. Even if they change for the better on the Hegel and over time are they worth the price? I read a post that Dali margins are more lucrative for dealers (at some time ago) but cannot verify. When you make a product you can't sell alot of but to a higher standard, you need to raise the price, how much someone is willing to pay for sometimes marginal differences is a choice. The Dalis do perform but I expect more in some areas. We'll see how they pan out. They'd be great on a desk but there are other choices, some higher, some lower priced. Still good in a smaller room too.

[@AromaFrank]

@@nc3419 Thanks so much. Ok am waiting for ur final thoughts.. with the Hegel and also close to wall.. Thanks again!

[@nc3419]

@@AromaFrank Finally hooked up to Hegel and it's a difference. Still, will let them break in and let you know how I feel, what I hear or don't hear. They do seem to need a powerful amp to bring them out, forget about budget amps, no matter how good.

[@Fotoklasika]

DALI Menuet SE vs Elac Vela BS 403?:)

[@marcusjansson5029]

Thought about these but instead ordered jern 11 (have not listened to either :-). You should check out the jerns. Cast grey iron cabinet with extra carbon to make it non resonant. Anyways, thanks for the review!

[@lyndonramchatesingh105]

Hey soundstagenetwork what's your best subwoofer n would u choose a svs or a rel n which one which I choose for both movies n music also do u need to go down below 20hz thanks

[@photorolensoman8101]

"Elac BS-312" is another good small speaker!

[@franchisefred4066]

You should design your own brand of speakers like “SKAR audio”. I bet you be successful in this business industry because of your knowledge and education 🏆

[@paulgillard5094]

Would you say these are the best small speakers for vocals ?

[@stephencosta6814]

I would think so

[@nc3419]

There's alot of competent small speakers for vocals. Trying them out now but it will take awhile to break in (if one believes in that) and determine how good they are and what may lack.

[@stephencosta6814]

@@nc3419 I just purchased these last month out of the box they were horrible I had immediate Buyers remorse after about a week to 10 days they are phenomenal exceptionally clear accurate Musical breaking is a true thing I was never a believer of it until now

[@nc3419]

@@stephencosta6814 Just hooked them up to my Hegel h160 before I go into work. Going from the Keces E40 (approx 40-60 watts, because no one seems to know for sure, the review measurements seem all over the place, but a nice amp ntl) to the Hegel the SS is larger, it is more energetic but still only about 12 hrs on them and not hard hours. While the SQ improved there's still a sharpness, a glare in the sound, but I can say the same about many speakers. I will let it play a few days to see if the micro details, the texture improves. My Triangle Zetas show texture and it would be missed. So I will let them break in and report back to those who are interested. It's a pig for power.

[@nc3419]

@@stephencosta6814 Just an FYI, forgot I had the Zetas still hooked up so the difference was more in line once I changed to the Dalis. A bit better I think but I will give it several days to break in to see how they fare. They are fairly smooth with a bit of glare sometimes at the upper midrange on some music. Enjoying them as they "break-in". Will test the range on the hegel where they start to congest to get an idea of power required which I think is more relative to current than watts.

[@ericharrelson2045]

Nice review. I can't find a place to buy them, are these even available in USA?

[@soundstagenetwork]

There should be - they are distributed through North America by Lenbrook Industries.

[@ericharrelson2045]

@@soundstagenetwork Thanks for the tip, I'll check them out.

[@roddersh5396]

Bought these for a couple months now. Pairing them with Rega Brio sounds fantastic. Need to upgrade my dragonfly black dac to unleash their full potential. They need to be right up against the wall otherwise too bright. Will try your suggestion of 24 inch strands instead of ear height. They're very fast sounding and sweet and I think the treble is almost as resolving as the Elac 403b. It's a good compromise for a small space of about 100 to 200sq ft.

[@xstensl8823]

i also have the Brio and looking for a speaker upgrade from the Rega RS1

[@nc3419]

Do you think these could work in an up to 300 sq ft room with a similarly powered amp such as the Brio without sounding too thin? I also have a small sub which I don't use.

[@roddersh5396]

@@nc3419 they will work but the volume on the Brio might be too high. Better get the next model up

[@nc3419]

@@roddersh5396 Well, I ordered and will receive them this week. Will try them on both a Keces E40 and a Hegel h160. There were other speaker choices but I wanted a smaller speaker. Hopefully piano, strings, horns as well as human voice is natural. Is the stage depth good when placed closer to the wall? Thanks.

[@roddersh5396]

@@nc3419 actually I've placed my further out about 23 cm away now rather than right up. Gives better depth in soundstage. Nice amplifier choices you have there... Think it'll make them perform at the next level.

[@RennieAsh]

Why does it look like two bolts are missing? Are those grill holes?

[@itsfilipbitch5545]

Yes

[@jeromecyyeung]

Can it be better than the B&W 805d?

[@altoleon5336]

805 'is better.more fuller sound and body .more bass.but 7 'times more exp. Not worth unless m not the issue

[@WheeledandWellArmed]

Thanks

[@thomasedward2231]

Sharp looking

[@dilbyjones]

Smart man.

[@ThinkingBetter]

Can they beat the KEF LS50W2?

[@tugamealha1143]

I already listened that speakers and didn't like at all

[@nc3419]

What specifically didn't you like? It would be interesting and helpful. Thx.

[@noco-pf3vj]

OK... colour of chocolate, no good for my diet.

[@socksumi]

Small, point source speakers can sound very good in certain ways like imaging and sound staging but they lack the scale and size you get with big drivers mounted on big baffles and also from real instruments. When it comes to reproducing the scale of live instruments they sound like toy versions of the real thing. Listen to a JBL L300 or Altec model 19s... both very large speakers using 15 inch woofers and large horns... and you'll hear what I mean about "scale". It's an aspect of sound reproduction that's rarely talked about.

[@HyundaiVelosterTurbo]

What a STUPID comment..ANYONE considering the purchase of these ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT have room for BIG speakers like you describe!

[@phetmoz]

Absolutely agreed. But these puppies do exceptionally well in small near field settings or on a desk. For midfield and especially "far field", one should not go for small speakers even with a sub, imho. So much of the scale and body is missing, as you said.

[@antoniosalles3134]

Sometimes your reviews are great, but sometimes it seems you are lost for words and it all becomes very monotonous....I hope I could be more constructive...

[@Starch1b2c3d4a]

True. He needs a dictionary... 😹

[@donaldchisholm9931]

Come on !! Woofers are 4 1/2" . Noooo bass! To be fair , u mention this.