DALI Epikore 11: Flagship DNA Meets Real-World Performance
DALI’s new Epikore 11 loudspeaker brings flagship innovation to a more accessible design, distilling technologies from the company’s statement-making KORE into a beautifully sculpted, high-performance speaker. Standing 63 inches tall with a slender, curved profile and finished in high-gloss walnut, the 4½-way Epikore 11 is as visually elegant as it is technically ambitious.
Behind its graceful exterior is a formidable driver array: four 8-inch woofers, a 6.5-inch midrange, and DALI’s EVO-K Hybrid Tweeter module, which combines a 1.38-inch soft dome and a planar-magnetic ribbon for smooth, extended high frequencies. Drawing directly from the KORE, the Epikore 11 also employs SMC Gen-2 magnet technology to drastically reduce distortion across the midrange, woofers, and crossover components.
The result is a loudspeaker that’s transparent and dynamic, with a midrange that renders vocals and instruments with natural clarity and depth. Bass performance is powerful yet nuanced—capable of thunderous energy or linear precision, depending on room setup and placement. In testing, optimal results were achieved with the speakers positioned about 6 feet from the rear wall and 4 to 5 feet from the sidewalls, allowing the Epikore 11 to deliver balanced low-end response and expansive soundstage imaging.
From the purity of Livingston Taylor’s vocals to the punch of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” and the deep textures of Malia’s electronic beats, the Epikore 11 proved remarkably versatile, handling everything from delicate acoustic arrangements to dense classical scores with composure and control. It even highlighted the sonic differences between digital and vinyl sources with ease.
While setup requires some attention—especially in taming its substantial bass output—the payoff is a loudspeaker that offers flagship-level performance, striking aesthetics, and wide-ranging musicality. At $60,000 per pair, the Epikore 11 is an investment, but one that rewards listeners with sound that is detailed, dynamic, and deeply engaging.
Bottom line: With the Epikore 11, DALI has created a loudspeaker that embodies the essence of its top-tier engineering while remaining beautifully suited to real-world listening spaces. An audition is highly recommended—just make sure the room is ready to let it shine.