精雕细琢的北欧喇叭DALI Helicon 800 MKII

DALI Helicon 800 MKII加VTL放大器

到底铝带高音(Ribbon Tweeter)，还是软球型高音(Soft Dome Tweeter)好听？这是一项没有结论的问题。一般的扬声器皆以软或硬球型作高音单元，只有少数厂家用铝带高音，而这些也只出现在各牌子的高级音箱内。究其实，成本考量也是其中因素。但若想鱼与熊掌，两者兼得，恐怕非本文主角DALI音箱莫属！

90年的DALI 710，810已经采用混合高音

提到DALI，也许初烧者会感到陌生，在此略叙述一下：这间位于童话之国丹麦的厂家，是该国数一数二的音箱大厂。于1983年正式创立。当初与美国Cervin Vega合作，故名“Danish American Loudspeaker Industrial”。而现在的全名则改为“Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industrial”，译作“丹麦音响爱好者音箱生产企业”。DALI老板Peter Lyngdorf，本身就是个音响迷，早期（约1976年）就开始经营音响进口生意，并开办了Hi-fi Klubben音响俱乐部，提供当地音响爱好者聚会和讨论音响的场所。尔后生意越做越大，Hi-fi Klubben音响连锁店越开越多（目前在北欧已超过50间），由于业务发展迅速，而经常要买进大量的音箱，但是Peter Lyngdorf有感于多数音箱的性价比都不尽理想，因此下决心自己生产音箱，这就是DALI的由来。

DALI Helicon 800 II

谈了许多DALI的背景，这又和前述两组高音单元有何关系？原因是大多数的DALI音箱都可一次性地获得两者之优点，而本次试听的Helicon 800 MK II，正是其中之一。DALI，早在1990年就已经设计出这种混合高音模组，他家的DALI 710，810都应用了这类型高音。而在2002推出进化版的混合高音于顶级喇叭Euphonia MS5。又趁2008年的25周年纪念时推出Helicon II系列喇叭，800 II即是系列的老大，也是传承自MS5的最新混合高音单元。

铝带 + 软球顶高音，独一无二

Helicon 800 II采用一个约2.2寸高的铝带搭配一个1寸软球高音。根据厂方说法，一般动圈高音的指向性通常在10khz以上就会趋于狭窄，难以在较大的空间内获得高质量的声音。为了增加10khz以上的高频段扩散角度，DALI以铝带搭配软球高音的方式，将两个单元装置在一片金属板上，让箱体震动对高音的影响减至最低，也使喇叭在较大空间表现出完美声音。Helicon 800 II的软球高音可以维持到13khz才开始收窄，而那铝带高音则负责13khz至27khz以上，让音场开阔纤细，宽松又没有压力的高频段，这就是它的独到之处。

特殊木质纤维振膜

高级Vice Grip喇叭线接端方便好用，而且接触牢固

Helicon 800 II的中音单元为6.5寸，以那么大的直径来作为中音单元其主因是它负责580Hz至3khz之间那么宽的频域，同时才能与底下两个8寸低音单元相平衡。这3个单元的震膜是采用特殊的木纤维制成，红褐色的外表与其他喇叭不同，据说是为了维持音色的一致性。再触摸它每个悬边都很柔软，不像以往的喇叭厚硬，属于更灵活运作的橡皮。再看Helicon 800 II的箱体，它的外层经过6道打磨和7道烤漆程序而成，单单这光可鉴人的表面，即令人钦佩丹麦工艺表现。

7层光油的外层，光可鉴人的箱体

为了试听这对Helicon系列的大哥，特地去了几趟孟沙区的Bangsar Village II的A&L Audio Station。负责人是阿祥（C. T. Seong），此君曾在该公司服务了十多年，音响经验丰富，为人亲切。首先他以VTL的TL-2.5前级加ST-150后级来搭配Helicon 800 II喇叭。数位讯源是用Unison的Unico CD Primo，以全套管机音响来测试这对喇叭，还挺新鲜（其实我也建议用这套器材，想在管机的配合下，听听这对喇叭会并发出怎样的声音）。

TL 2.5 前级放大器

美国VTL ST-150后级放大器

意大利制Unico CD Primo讯源

这次我带了雨果发烧碟九（HDCD），粉墨是梦，Tracy Chapman，蔡琴老歌，天地英雄（Warrior of Heaven and Earth）等。

当我将雨果九唱片放进机内一播，第一及第二轨，分别以Neuman CMV 563 + M7和AKG The Tube胆麦收录张杏月的兰花草，所听到的声音与我家的系统稍有差别。听第一轨（Neuman麦）时，人声饱满润湿，钢琴声充实，而第二轨（AKG麦）的人声则比较圆滑自然，背景音乐宁静，VTL + Helicon 800 II 都一一呈现出来。喜欢哪一轨，还需阁下自选。这张唱片的第17轨收录的黑土歌，把中国三弦国宝冯少先诠释东北农民在乡村劳动的生活感受，Helicon 800 II都如实地把三弦沧桑韵味和震耳低音鼓，一并播出一场令人震撼的发烧乐。

接着听‘粉墨是梦’第一轨‘越剧，红楼梦’中，Helicon 800 II再生二胡的通透音色；急促的弦乐与板鼓带出活生感；古筝仿佛浮游空气中与二胡一唱一答，和谐悦耳，尤其板鼓的生动，直逼现场观看戏剧般真实（本地闽剧背景音乐常用到的乐器）。可见Helicon 800 II在混血高音辅助下显现其独有音韵。而听第二轨豫剧‘花木兰’时，指甲擦过琵琶琴弦的音色，还真带有几分肃杀；板胡泣咽之声，亮而不刺；梆子声的空气感、大提琴的深沉与大鼓擂起的鼓皮震动声，800 II重播的音场与空间反射是宏大的，众乐器齐奏的高低频皆和谐连贯。

听Tracy Chapman第5轨‘Mountain O’things’，康加鼓穿插于人声中，感觉是紧凑响脆与能量充沛，三角铁清得像水滴般，历历在耳，煞是好听。还有Tracy厚沉的嗓子，Helicon 800 II都真挚地呈现，听久不腻。值得一提，这支歌的一段电子低音，一般喇叭都很难达到该低频水平（除非用超低音），但Helicon 800 II轻易达到，这也是它的另一项优点。

再来是听蔡琴的‘老歌’，第6轨的‘三年’。这首李香兰的成名曲，由蔡琴重新诠释，她低沉的歌喉也真的唱绝这首歌。她磁性般的声韵一句句的唱出那份无奈，Helicon 800 II也让人感受到那份暖暖的真情。听第8轨的‘红泪’，蔡琴的声音又像漂浮在空气中，那回音又让我感到在歌厅舞榭中聆赏现场演出的蔡琴，那么宽大舒适，毫无压迫感，VTL管机的实力也应记一功。

最后我听的CD是‘天地英雄’原声曲（Warrior of Heaven and Earth），也是令我听到最感动的一张！内里的第10轨‘僧人与神迹’中，DALI Helicon 800 II的混血高音发挥了极致的宽大音场，尤其是竖琴的表现令我刮耳相听，音韵的肉质感历历在耳，仿佛眼前的乐器是硕大无朋，琴声在宽阔的空间飘动，足让我真正感受到它的铝带混合高音特有的味道，实在厉害。第6轨‘响马对决’中二胡拉开一阵战鼓擂动，气势响彻空间，音像凝聚出敌对的气氛，紧凑的鼓声急促绵密，细节盈满，瞬态反应快。喇叭在大音量时的控制力极佳，配合质素越高的放大器更能将800 II的实力发挥出来。

当日试听的光碟

DALI Helicon 800 II的声音的确具备高级喇叭的水准，虽然卖价定为马币3万3千元，但和其他同价位的喇叭相比，它是超值的。从它外表的装潢，高级花梨木加7层光油烤漆，明艳照人的外型，就好像一套高贵的北欧家具。声色具备下，怎不令人爱不释手呢？

A&L Bangsar Village II 店面

试听地点：A&L Audio Station (Bangsar Village Mall II)

电话：03-22829884

负责人：C. T. Seong

ST's hifi system

To build up the readers' enthusiasm as
I progress along with the write up, I
thought I will start off with a 1st
impression: the emperor's throne!!!!
(The sweet listening spot) Majestic looking
isn't it? The all important listening position
in the hifi room! Lighting was subtly warm
with a tint of yellow. The entrance to the
sound room is a double doored feature with
double walls. Well I thought the sound
will be kept well 'sealed in' and all
extraneous external noise will be unable
to enter the room! Marvelous design for
a hifi listen room!


The side wall featured a combination of
reflective and deflection type wall
treatments. Height and size of which
have been determined by calculations
confirmed with sound measurement
via a purpose made microphone and
recorded & analyzed with computer
software!


The initial construction of the room size,
the height, width and length of which have
been carefully planned out with the assistance
of a friend who understood the working
of room acoustics and know enough about
concert hall sound performance aspects.
The ceiling treatments included a build
in foams and rock wool combination in
a recessed ceiling design. And computer
generated reflection and deflection
panels were used at specific positions
determined after careful measurements
and listening tests that followed.
This's one room where the reverberation
time (RT) have been carefully worked
out in order to suit the listening
behaviour of not only listeners in
their prime age of 40 plus but also
catered for the listening patterns
of aged or elderly persons probably
up the the age of 70 perhaps, I
reckoned. As I'm already approaching
my 60's and I do find the listening
experience very comfortable & lack the
usual extraneous noises that I heard in
so many other sound rooms, where the
RT have seemingly behaved much longer
& had caused muddling and overlapping
of sound especially of the low hz areas!
That's 1 bass notes overlapped into the
next bass notes gave me the impression
of a much longer bass note! And I
thought this always happened to me.
This do not(did not) happen here in
this sound room!!!!! A marvelous
piece of work done, and worth
every effort put in by the owner!
In one simple sentence: Bass Boom
was completely not heard in this
sound room!!!!


All right then, let's look at the main hifi
system. The speakers were a pair of Harbeth
HL5 Super with a pair of ribbon super
tweeters wired up too! The speakers sat
on open frame stands that came purpose
build by Harbeth's local dealer Sam Chan of
Tropical Audio, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.

The electronic equipments were placed
in the middle spaces between the 2 speakers,
and seated on racks with isolation from
air borne and structural vibrations, all
round and wire cables were kept apart
and from the ground suspended by
rubberised cables. Computer generated
designed foams (diyed) were placed
strategically where the disturbances
in the sound were kept to the minimum!
And confirmed by measurements with
sound picked up microphones and
analysed on charts and graphs!


The source, a Marantz SACD player the SA11S2



The main power came from a Classe Audio
twenty five and the digital to analogue duties
by a Theta DSPro Gen III



Preamplifier: The Chardonnay valve pre amp unit
from Supratek


During the visit, 2 acoustic panels were used on
the floor area, under controlled condition for
experimentation & fact finding purposes!

The overall sound was pleasing and comfortable
with slam on tracks such as Fleetwood Mac's
Dream track. However with tracks such as
from Gorillaz and Blues pop group, the
music punch/slam wasn't sufficient to
bring up the blood pressure, not that
I wanted to burst a few blood vessels!
On classical music replay of Leonard
Berstein's Music at an Exhibition, The
Great Gates of Kiev, from Crystal Cable's
Arabesque Album, I could perceived the
Grand presentation of the whole orchestra
works! With Chinese Music with drums,
the low hz came thru very nicely & with
enough realism of the drum sound
provided by the recent addition
of a Rythmik Audio F12 SE subwoofer!
However, vocals still needed some
work, probably some fine tuning
here and there which is not a
serious issue, and could be
worked out given some time
to work on the setup. Overall the
sound is commendable irrespective
of those minor issues mentioned.
It's a hifi system worth your time
to go listen and to pick up some
good pointers from the owner.
Those who already have the Rythmik
subwoofer and looking into
taming the subwoofer presentation
would well benefit from a listen
to this system. And those who
have bass boom problems
will also benefit from a 1st
hand study and listen to this
setup!!!


The above pictures provided,
courtesy of the owner.
Leica 4/3 system.

H's diyed setup

It was a rare treat indeed, an opportunity to
listen to a pair of vintage speakers. I've to
thank H's generosity for the listening session,
& also the refreshing drink upon arrival, as the
afternoon was a rather dry and very hot weather
that we are experiencing now in the Klang
Valley.

The speakers were placed in the living hall
area, the sight of the speakers were very
eye catching and ever attractive, but never
imposing that some audiophiles may think
otherwise. The lighting from the garden
next to the listening area provided the
diffused lighting that provided the right
speaker with shades of hue, form and
shape! A beautiful sight to behold, and
kept my eyes on it for a full minute!




Basically it's a 288-8L compression driver (sensitivity
of 119db/m 30w) attached to a Jabo exponential horn
sitting on top of large speaker cabinets designed after
the altec 828 cabinet, that house a Altec Lansing driver,
the Voice of Theatre driver, the altec woofer 416-8c
with a 99db/m compression driver in each cabinet
enclosures. The Altec n501-8b cross-over placed
externally on top of the speaker cabinets.




The horn tweeters at the moment placed temporarily
on a foam packaging as the purpose build stand has
not arrived in time for the listening session. The
external cross-over placed on top of cabinet for now.



This boxed unit of cross-over enabled the tweeters to be
tuned & integrated with the main woofer driver unit!
As it has the user friendly adjustable knobs to fine tuned
to match the tweeters with the woofer drivers!


The rack of amplification equipments and CD source
placed next to the left speakers with a 10" active Klipsch
subwoofer (in picture) for conducting some fact finding
experimentations.



The flared design of the cabinets and driver placement
within the cabinet together with the horn tweeters have
enabled the sound to be projected over a wide angle
and listeners will find listening at almost any place
in the listening area will be equally listenable with
a tonal balance quite acceptable. However, me being
the stereotyped audiophile still choose to listen at
a position which is equal distant from each speaker
cabinets!


Other learned audiophiles who were with me at the
listening session tended to agree with me on the
wide sound dispersion! They too agreed on the
beguiling tonality and the effortless sound from
the combined source, amplifications & drivers!


Most part of the listen session we listened to
mainstream jazz which showcased the sound,
and especially one is doing some work on the
computer, the music would do good
accompaniments or entertainments if one
wants to call it that. Very comfortable sound
to listen all day long, with no fatigue whatsoever!

Anyway, I tried out Mussorgski's Picture at an
Exhibition: The Great Gate Of Kiev from Crystal
Cable's Selection of their Arabesque album.
Rendition was on a grand scale and effortless,
and enjoyable. I tried Suzanne Vega's Luca,
the system is not so suitable for this genre of
music, the pace has got to be much faster
with added slam to be enjoyable. However,
the system could shine with Santana's hits!!!!
Now that's something to think about!!!



A short experiment was conducted during the listening
session with the 10" Klipsch subwoofer switched on.
There were slightly more body to the whole sound picture.



The main rig: diyed valve monobloc amplifiers, a WE91a
300b configuration based on Joe Roberts schematics
in Sound Practices Magazine. Tubes are Jan Philips 6j7,
Shuguang treasures 300z, RCA 5u4g rectifiers, Audio
Note resistors & Mundorf silver gold oil coupling
capacitors, Oligato film oil PSU capacitors, Sophia
Electric OPT, Prometheus Audio power transformers
& inductors.


Pic taken: Olympus 4/3 system, e620, 14-42mm f3.5-4.5