DALI V-16F Flagship Subwoofer Plumbs The Depths With 16-inch Driver

Weighing over 50kg and designed for high-end home cinemas, the DALI V-16 F subwoofer means business. That said, while this seismic sound shifter is said to be good for 19Hz in room (-3dB), we are told that it also has "the precision and control needed to work in any audio system context and even in small rooms."

According to the Danish manufacturer, that skill is primarily down to the V-16 F's wide-band, low-loss design with low harmonic and non-harmonic distortion optimised in and out of its primary frequency band. It also boasts ultra-low signal latency, a controlled, non-resonant, low-pass roll-off and four continuous flare reflex ports tuned to 18Hz.

However, it is the 16-inch driver that catches the eyes and ears. DALI states that this incorporates the largest ever Constant Surface Surround (CSS) technology. This driver roll surround has been geometrically engineered with alternating positive and negative regions, each incorporating curved and stepped sections at differing elevations and angles to the neutral plane to eliminate the radiating area distortion mechanism. This should result in a cleaner sound with less distortion.

The V-16 F sports a die-cast aluminium chassis and motor system of voice-coil, magnet and steel parts. The latter comprises a huge 200 mm diameter by 11 mm thick back plate, a similarly dimensioned top plate and a T-shaped vented pole-piece of 86 mm diameter. The T-shape of the pole-piece is designed to ensure symmetrical magnetic flux distribution through the voice coil. Even the vent hole through the pole-piece is specifically designed to ensure laminar airflow, with generous flaring at both ends and, at the diaphragm end, an additional flared aluminium airflow guide is fitted that simultaneously plays the role of a Faraday ring to suppress magnetic flux modulation. A second Faraday ring to further reduce flux modulation is fitted below the first in the region around the pole-piece T-section.

The bass driver and voice coil use a four-layer winding on a vented ultra-low-loss glass-fibre former. Because this material doesn't conduct electricity, it prevents the build-up of eddy currents and minimises any breaking effects on the moving voice coil, improving dynamics.

Aluminium was chosen for the driver diaphragm, as it's rigid but light and retains its profile even under extreme excursion. DALI claims that despite its size, it's the most rigid diaphragm ever fitted to one of its drivers.

This is pushed along by a 1,500-watt Class-D amplifier that's stated to deliver up to 2,500 watts of peak power. But it's not just about a gutsy performance, as DALI underlines that it will also keep a "vice-like grip" of the bass driver even at extreme diaphragm excursion levels (the V-16 F is capable of ±16 mm linear diaphragm travel with 70 mm peak-to-peak excursion), meaning powerful and accurate bass dynamics and impeccable timing, no matter the volume.

Alongside Room Mode Attenuation mode, Leader/Follower mode, and Constant Group Delay mode, you also get three sound modes: Cinema, Music and Boost (for extra impactful bass).

All this tech is wrapped in a 90-litre volume cabinet made from 25mm thick wood composite panels with 21mm internal braces. The front panel doubles this thickness to 50mm, with the internal bracing supporting the bass driver and the four 350mm long Continuous Flare reflex ports.

This, says DALI, is "bass, for movies and music, done properly, without compromise."

The DALI V-16 F subwoofer goes on sale in July for £4,499 / €4.999.

Visit DALI for more information