“Dali has improved on pretty much every aspect of last year’s standard... the Katch has raised the bar so significantly in the same way KEF did 12 months ago... It isn’t cheap, but this is definitely a case of getting what you pay for.”
(What Hi-Fi Magazine September 2016)
Dali Katch is a portable speaker with two audio profiles ensuring the best possible result in all scenarios. One is optimized for a linear more neutral frequency response, perfect for most listening situations, while the other adds warmth and will work perfectly when playing larger rooms or the music needs just that little extra.
Setting fresh standards in portable audio, the stunning new Katch is the ultimate embodiment of Dali’s advanced digital technology and unique design knowhow, bringing both elements together to create a loudspeaker that delivers incredibly rich sound from an incredibly compact chassis.
Tweeter
Based upon a very strong neodymium magnet, the 21mm light weight soft dome is extremely compact but at the same time retains a large membrane area. Both factors are extremely important in the Dali Katch. The compact structure of the soft dome tweeter helps to keep the inner volume of the cabinet as large as possible.
The large surface area of the soft dome ensures that it will reach deep down into the mid-range frequency area without any break up or drops offs, and integrates seamlessly with the woofer in that all important mid-range frequency range. The strong neodymium magnet delivers high power handling and a high sensitivity to the soft dome tweeter, bringing detail, accuracy and speed to the high frequencies.
Woofer
Designing a bass mid-range woofer with long excursion for a shallow cabinet sounds like a contradiction in terms. None the less, this was the task of the acoustics team. Using a specially designed chassis, inverted membrane and special spider suspension, we managed to get the same maximum excursion as a similar sized traditional woofer. Every extra millimetre gained in internal depth is turned into true low frequency reproduction, letting the woofer generate bass with only light help from the DSP.
Despite the limited baffle surface area, the woofer membrane is a relatively large 3.5”. The outward turned cone is constructed from an aluminium membrane with a soft fabric dust cap. The stiff aluminium cone allows the woofer to move as much air a possible even at mid-range frequencies, and the combination of aluminium and fabric works to lower surface resonances, retaining detail and clarity.
Connections
Getting music to the Dali Katch is as easy as making a Bluetooth connection. Connect traditionally or use NFC for a quick effortless connection. The built-in Bluetooth 4.0 receiver will accept Apt-X connections if the source device is capable. As an alternative option, the Dali Katch has a stereo mini-jack input, making it easy to connect non Bluetooth devices. The mini-jack input is auto-sensing eliminating the need for additional button presses to play music.
Pressing the Bluetooth button with the mini-jack connected will allow for the possibility to toggle between the mini-jack input and Bluetooth. Alongside the mini-jack input is a USB charge connector and the power connector. The USB charge connector allows you to charge your music device when on the move, but also to drive a Chromecast Audio dongle for easy home network integration.
Cabinet
Dali Katch had to be compact enough to be easily carried or brought along, but at the same time have enough inner volume to reproduce a realistic musical experience. Drawing on our knowledge from the Fazon series, an extruded aluminium body was used in collaboration with front and rear baffles made from an ABS+PC compound.
Utilising the great strength of aluminium allowed our design team to design a cabinet with a much thinner structure which maximises the precious internal volume without the loss of the required rigidity. Matching the aluminium cabinet with a composite front and rear baffle ensures the perfect mix of materials to remove any potential internal resonance and ensures that the cabinet does not add any unwanted acoustic energy to the sound generated by the drivers.
The baffles are secured to the aluminium body by screws and airtight EVA gasket, which ensures a tight and vibration free connection to the main cabinet. Available in three different colour schemes, Dark Shadow, Cloud Gray and Green Moss, the Dali Katch will blend elegantly into almost any environment. The integrated leather carry strap makes it easy and comfortable to bring along the Dali Katch and the durable design makes it safe to do so.
Battery
The internal Li-Ion battery has a total capacity of 2600 mAh, letting the Dali Katch play at normal volume for a long as 24 hours. The battery is exchangeable, with all components in the battery manufactured by a known brand manufacturer for the best possible stamina. Charge time is 1.5 hours with the supplied charger.
Specifications
Speaker
- Product Type: Dali Active
- HF Drivers: 2 x 21mm
- HF Diaphragm: Soft Textile Dome
- LF Drivers: 2 x 3.5"
- LF Diaphragm: Aluminium
Performance
- Amplifier: 2 x 18W RMS Class-D
- Connection In: 3.5 mm mini jack
- Bluetooth: 4.0 aptX
- Chromecast ready: Yes
- Connect Out: USB Charge Output
- (smartphone/Chromecast dongle)
