DALI PHANTOM S-280 In-Wall Speaker

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The Dali Phantom S-280 offers the ultimate performance when it comes to custom install loudspeakers - without sacrificing valuable living room space. With the use of proven speaker technologies, such as Dali's characteristic wood fibre cones, low-loss rubber surround, solid MDF front baffle, and superior magnet design - combined with Dali's latest innovation including a SMC pole piece and their signature hybrid tweeter module - it delivers a no compromise in-wall audio performance out of this world.

The two primary 8” woofers are optimised for both bass and mid-range performance, and to further enhance the bass performance, Dali have paired them with two 10” passive woofers. This results in a full frequency response similar to that of a boxed floorstanding speaker, which ensures that the Phantom S-280 really stands out from the crowd. The ultra slim cabinet design fits into almost any standard wall. All models are built around a rotatable hybrid tweeter module making them easy to install for any audio use – be it stereo, centre channel or surround.

Tweeter

The rotatable hybrid tweeter module in the Phantom S-280 is the perfect high frequency solution. Dali has a long and well-proven tradition for the use of hybrid tweeter modules, which combines a soft dome tweeter with a ribbon tweeter. This ensures an amazing rendering of the high frequencies, and dispersion of high frequency sounds that outperforms other tweeter technologies.

Both the soft dome and the ribbon tweeter are free of artefacts - e.g. resonances and high Q peaks - within their working range. The hybrid tweeter module features an extremely smooth and wide horizontal dispersion - one of Dali's sound design trademarks. Even the detailing of the face-plate for the tweeter module is designed for optimal horizontal dispersion.

The characteristics of the soft dome tweeter are low resonance frequency, high power handling, extreme excursions, and exceptional headroom for high sound pressure levels.

The magneto-static ribbon tweeter trademark is being a true master in horizontal distribution of high frequencies, and a superb partner for the soft dome tweeter’s unique ability to reproduce frequencies from 2 kHz upwards.

Cabinet Design

The Phantom S-280 features a slim cabinet that fits into almost any standard wall. Constructing a shallow back cabinet was a challenge in several ways. With a depth of only 103 mm (4 inches), getting the perfect inner volume for the woofers had to be found both in the height and width of the speaker, but also internally.

The front of the Phantom S-280 integrates elegantly with the wall via the surrounding extruded aluminium frame. The picture frame design helps to ensure a large termination point between speaker and wall without a visually dominating footprint.

The magnet mounted front grille forms the visual presence of the Phantom S-280. The discreet, simple, but modern design is non-intrusive and at the same time pleasing to the eye.

The cabinet is constructed from a solid MDF that holds the easy-to-use dogleg mounting system and the terminals. The rear MDF chamber is entirely wrapped in a high quality black vinyl to complete the look from the painted front baffle. The entire cabinet is designed with a thickness solid enough to avoid resonance.

Woofer

The two primary 8” woofers were designed and developed specially for the Phantom S-280 and optimised for both bass and mid-range performance. The SMC magnet system developed for the Epicon range was chosen as the core for this woofer for its unique ability of dramatically lowering the level of distortion.

Offering 70% more surface area, the 8” woofers are able to move more air and deliver a higher sound pressure at very low frequencies compared to a traditional 6½” woofer. All this whilst still delivering detailed information, rich mid-range sound and a full frequency response as of a traditional floorstanding speaker.

To ensure the best possible bass performance in the Phantom S-280, Dali integrated two 10" passive bass reflex woofers - based on the passive radiator used in their high-end subwoofer 'Dali Sub P-10 DSS'.

By also using the same aluminium chassis, soft surround and very well behaving carbon fibre cones, the passive radiators let the Phantom S-280 reach deep down into the true lower frequencies to deliver a believable large boxed speaker sound. But in a very slim cabinet.

SMC

Due to its superior precision and minimal distortion, Dali chose to base the Phantom S-280 woofers on the SMC (Soft Magnetic Compound) magnet system originally developed for the Epicon 8.

SMC has the unique ability of delivering very high magnetic conductivity and very low electrical conductivity, thereby dramatically lowering the effects of hysteresis and eddy currents around the pole piece. In plain English: dramatically lowering the level of distortion. While at the same time delivering all the wanted qualities of a good magnet system.

By surrounding the SMC pole piece with aluminium rings and a 1.5” four-layer voice coil, Dali achieved optimal control, low distortion and high power handling. The low loss surround and the cone structure is optimised for mid-range performance, and likewise the dust cap. The smaller than usual dust cap has been arched outward as part of the woofer depth optimisation.

All this combined delivers a high bandwidth reproduction with amazing detailing and the ability to deliver well-controlled bass and mid-range reproduction.

Wide Dispersion

By designing their drivers for wide dispersion, Dali make their loudspeakers easy to integrate into any room, delivering a smooth and well integrated sound for a wider listening position. This technology is perfect for the Phantom S-280, since it is always mounted flush against a wall.

Working with the off-axis optimisation ensures that the listener will have a large sweet spot where the sound-stage is perfect, but also ensures high quality sound away from the central sweet spot.

By optimising the audio signal for off-axis distribution, both the direct signal and the reflected signal will have the same high quality. This means a consistent high quality of sound, across a much wider listening area.

The uniform dispersion over a wide range of listening angles ensure a smooth, uniform energy distribution within the listening room, which is another crucial factor for a coherent and well balanced tonality.

Specification