My review of the Dali pico vokal center speaker

[Deleted member 38504]

All my friends and well wishers told me I needed a center to enjoy movie watching experience. I'm happy to say that with a center now, my movie experience has gone up ten fold!

Some background information. I'm a 2/10 when it comes to being an audiophile. My knowledge is very very limited. My understanding is just normal. Most of the things my friends say go way above my head.

I have a pair of Dali zensor 3 as my fronts and a Polk audio DSW550i paired with a marantz SR6009.

I had plenty of choices for center speakers. Read lots of reviews for different speakers like Boston acoustics, Dali zensor vokal, Polk CSi etc etc.

Reason for buying the Dali PICO vokal? The size! It's about 9x7x5 inches. Now that's a really small footprint! It just fits well since I'm a lil size constrained in the living room. Was a lil apprehensive about the sensitivity (84 db) at first. But heck it's a Dali and I have a pretty big marantz so that concern went off the window soon enough.

Plugged it initially without using audyssey because I was really eager to hear what it sounded like. And the moment I plugged it in, I realised what my friends kept telling me. Murli, Elango, Mash, Ed. Thank you guys!

Vocals and mids just came straight out of the pico nice and clean. There was a definite shift of sound from the fronts to the center during dialogue scenes. I could feel it. I could hear it.

Ran the audyssey setup again for all speakers. ( I don't like audyssey, it confuses me and fools me, and it always tames down my system) and gives aggressively low settings.

Audyssey set the front and center to large. I changed it to small.
Audyssey set the crossover to 40hz for both speakers. I made it 80hz for both.
It keeps bass management to LFE+Main. I don't like that. I made it only LFE. I feel it gives my sub a better workout.

L channel setting is -4.
R channel is -5.
Center is -1 and sub is -8. All set by audyssey.

After audyssey the setup has again tamed down. Now I have to bump up the center a lil bit more to listen to dialogue as per my individual taste. I can't believe adding a tiny lil center like this can make such a big difference to movie experience.

Blindly buy a center if u watch movies. Any center. Any. Just get a center. And feel the difference. For me it's the most important speaker in the setup. Even more than a sub. The center. If u have the money and space, buy the most expensive and biggest center u can! I had neither so I got the pico vokal. Works for me. Satisfied. I'm very sure if I had bought a bigger center, I would be sleeping alone on the balcony every night.Alone. (I'm married and I prefer sleeping in the same room as my spouse and daughter) Hence the pico vokal it is.

Don't bother about sensitivity or frequency numbers. If u have a decent amp, the pico will sing and fly. Personal experience. Dali is king.

Thanks to my friends again. Elango Murli Mash Edfernandes for convincing me and making sure I got a center.

Cons: Nothing about the center itself but after adding a center, stupid audyssey has added more " sound " modes. Dolby pL, neo, multichannel and what not to further confuse the life out of me. That's just audyssey. I don't like it much partly because I don't understand anything. Maybe if I did, I'd like it.

Bought on Amazon for about 10k.

 

[mshifi]

Congrats. Enjoy your movies.

 

[quixand]

Congrats. I just added a pair of the Dali Picos as my side surrounds to complete my 7.1 setup. Sparkling Wine.

 

[elangoas]

Ran the audyssey setup again for all speakers. ( I don't like audyssey, it confuses me and fools me, and it always tames down my system) and gives aggressively low settings.

After audyssey the setup has again tamed down. Now I have to bump up the center a lil bit more to listen to dialogue as per my individual taste.

Try switching off one feature at a time, you might be able to narrow down what you don't like abt Audyssey..

Audyssey set the front and center to large. I changed it to small.
Audyssey set the crossover to 40hz for both speakers. I made it 80hz for both.
It keeps bass management to LFE+Main. I don't like that. I made it only LFE. I feel it gives my sub a better workout.

L channel setting is -4.
R channel is -5.
Center is -1 and sub is -8. All set by audyssey.

Yes right.. Setting it to small is better with 80 Hz crossover for all speakers if Audyssey detected large settings..

I'm very sure if I had bought a bigger center, I would be sleeping alone on the balcony every night.

Ha ha.. Good one.. Try putting your center like a normal Bookshelf and see if you observe any difference..

Cons: Nothing about the center itself but after adding a center, stupid audyssey has added more " sound " modes. Dolby pL, neo, multichannel and what not to further confuse the life out of me. That's just audyssey. I don't like it much partly because I don't understand anything. Maybe if I did, I'd like it.

Few things for you to try out..

- Calibrating Audyssey sets all the speakers to 75 db SPL from your listening position.
- They are different target curve in Audyssey - Reference, FLAT.. When watching movies use Reference
- Dynamic EQ - Set it to 0 for movies, also try switching off..
- Dynamic Vol - Set it to Light, also try switching off..
- Dolby PL II & Dts Neo X are features that expand stereo (or) 5.1 to 7.1/9.1.. Don't engage them as you have only 3.1 setup..
- It should be Dolby/ Dts modes with Audyssey EQ engaged (or) disengaged..

As i mentioned earlier, try switching off one feature at a time, you might be able to narrow down what you don't like abt Audyssey..

 

[MaSh]

Ahhh wonderful, congratulations. Yes enjoy the well anchored sound.

Where are the mandatory pics?

Regarding setup, try switching off Dynamic EQ and see if that makes a difference. It does in mine.

MaSh

Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 38504]

Pics tomo

These are my current settings.

Fronts to 80hz.
Center to 100hz.
MultiEqXT Reference
Dynamic eq on with reference level offset 0 db
Dynamic volume set to light.
Subwoofer mode LFE
LPF for LFE is 120hz.

So far so good. The center sounds so good I can't believe I watched tv without a center for more than a year!

I changed one more setting. In my Tata sky HD box. In the sound settings, there was " preferred audio for HDMI" . Default option was Dolby digital plus. I changed that to PCM. It improved my audio quite a bit. In volume and clarity. I don't know if it's right or not. Don't even know what PCM means. But this setting turns off the center automatically. Don't know how or why.

I like it this way.

 

[Hari Iyer]

Good purchase on the Dali.

And i thought my DIY micro-TL BS is the best center in the universe hyeah:

 

[MaSh]

!

I changed one more setting. In my Tata sky HD box. In the sound settings, there was " preferred audio for HDMI" . Default option was Dolby digital plus. I changed that to PCM. It improved my audio quite a bit. In volume and clarity. I don't know if it's right or not. Don't even know what PCM means. But this setting turns off the center automatically. Don't know how or why.

I like it this way.

If you have the option for pcm, use it. It's raw uncompressed digital signal compared to other compressed format. However, if you are using optical cable then it will be stereo only. If you are using hdmi, then it depends on Tata Sky configuration, whether it's multi channel pcm or just stereo. Lack of center signal is hinting at stereo. Maybe another Tata Sky user can confirm. I use Airtel and don't have pcm as an option.

MaSh



Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

 

[prash2k01]

I was also thinking the same as stb - >TV thru hdmi and TV 1>avr thru optical sends only stereo signal than how can we use a center in this case........ May be I am Cofused here

Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 38504]

Hari sir what u have made in all probability will outshine the Dali. But I was desperate haha it's like we stay so close but yet so far! A full range is a full range. And I will still take u up on the one week rental offer ;-) just to make a comparison. Who knows I might give u the Dali in return lol

@mash, when I change the setting to pcm on the stb, there is a definite improvement in sound quality and loudness for sure. But the center goes off. Any way I can keep the center on while using the pcm option? Btw I am told it's better to connect the stb to AVR via optical and not hdmi. True?

On stb there is also option of preferred audio through SPDIF. And that's also set to Dolby digital.

 

[Hari Iyer]

Hari sir what u have made in all probability will outshine the Dali. But I was desperate haha it's like we stay so close but yet so far! A full range is a full range. And I will still take u up on the one week rental offer ;-) just to make a comparison. Who knows I might give u the Dali in return lol

As your Dali is the same size of my micro-TL you can carry them when you come over so that i can also compare the Dali with my DIY micro-TL.

Cheers,

 

[elangoas]

Pics tomo

These are my current settings.

Fronts to 80hz.
Center to 100hz.
MultiEqXT Reference
Dynamic eq on with reference level offset 0 db
Dynamic volume set to light.
Subwoofer mode LFE
LPF for LFE is 120hz.

So far so good. The center sounds so good I can't believe I watched tv without a center for more than a year!

Great.. Glad you are enjoying your set-up..

I changed one more setting. In my Tata sky HD box. In the sound settings, there was " preferred audio for HDMI" . Default option was Dolby digital plus. I changed that to PCM. It improved my audio quite a bit. In volume and clarity. I don't know if it's right or not. Don't even know what PCM means. But this setting turns off the center automatically. Don't know how or why. I like it this way.

If your STB is capable of DD Plus (5.1) over HDMI, i think it is best you leave it like that.. By switching it to PCM, i think it is down-mixing the signal to stereo, which is why your center speaker isn't active..

 

[Deleted member 38504]

@hari sir, I'll do that for sure! U can do some comparison tests as well! And then I'll keep it with me for a week ok ;-)

@ Elango, thanks I got it. Phew this is hard work. But enjoyable, like u said.

 

[MaSh]

@mash, when I change the setting to pcm on the stb, there is a definite improvement in sound quality and loudness for sure. But the center goes off. Any way I can keep the center on while using the pcm option? Btw I am told it's better to connect the stb to AVR via optical and not hdmi. True?

On stb there is also option of preferred audio through SPDIF. And that's also set to Dolby digital.

No, i would always pick a higher bandwidth hdmi cable over an optical if I have the option.

MaSh


Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 38504]

Mash, I was told the optical is better to protect the AVR in case of surge.

 

[MaSh]

Mash, I was told the optical is better to protect the AVR in case of surge.

Okay. I go for best connection and signal quality, no matter what. If it has to burn, let it burn fighting. Not one of those to drive a Beemer to save fuel.

MaSh

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[RajithKumar]

Congratulations... Audyssey will give the good ambience for the movie. Some times we need to tweak it according to our preferences.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

 

[diliplp]

Tata sky HD STB has DD plus in most of HD Channels, seems better than PCM to me. Volume is higher in PCM but sq is better in HDMI.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[Naturelover]

Pics tomo


So far so good. The center sounds so good I can't believe I watched tv without a center for more than a year!

I changed one more setting. In my Tata sky HD box. In the sound settings, there was " preferred audio for HDMI" . Default option was Dolby digital plus. I changed that to PCM. It improved my audio quite a bit. In volume and clarity. I don't know if it's right or not. Don't even know what PCM means. But this setting turns off the center automatically. Don't know how or why.

I like it this way.

Over a month now since that "pics tomo" ?
Rather confusing, on one hand you say the centre improved things drastically and on the other you find it better with the centre off.

Eagerly waiting for the comparison with Hari's speaker.[emoji4]

 

[Deleted member 38504]

Oh yes pics, will do that in a day or two Rajiv sir! Occupational hazard u see, don't get much time. Promise in a day or two.

Some video sound better with the center off. Some sound good with the center working. Depends on the receiving signal to the amp. If it's Dolby I keep the center on. I'm still learning about various signals to the amp, different modes etc, so excuse me if that previous statement confused u ;-)

Any good HD channel or movie I watch, it's with the center on. No chance I could turn it off cause I can hear a marked difference with the center on. I never wanted a center earlier, but now, I don't think I can watch a movie without a center speaker anymore.