We don’t keep many portable Bluetooth speakers in stock here at Audio T Oxford; in-fact, there is only one we often recommend... the DALI Katch.

Don’t mistake this as us giving our customers little or no choice, we are just convinced that it is the very best product available, and here is why…

Design

It is a stunning piece of industrial design, modern and stylish and easy to carry (thanks to the inclusion of a soft leather strap) or pack. The build is of the highest quality, with a sturdy metal case housing, where competitors would opt for cheap plastic, not to mention the smart and easy-to-use controls.

Available in three tasteful finishes; Caramel White (my favourite), Chilly Blue and Iron Black. Just looking at it instils a pride of ownership, reinforced by its tactile looks and feel.

Technical Stuff

The Katch measures a compact 138mm x 268 x 47 (H x W x D) and inside this box are no less than six drivers (two tweeters, two mid / bass units and two passive bass units). These are powered by a 2 x 25W digital amplifier. It utilises Bluetooth 5 which allows for APTX and APTX HD/ AAC. A Mini-Jack input is incorporated, as is a USB port, which can also be used as a charger.

The battery will last for a class leading 30 hours (though this depends on musical content and volume). A full battery charge will take approximately two hours.

The specification claims (considering the compact dimensions) a bass response to 49Hz and a 95dB SPL. I couldn’t actually believe it would go that low, but lo and behold, when I played a 50Hz test tone through it the bass was indeed there. The volume had dropped a little bit but I couldn’t deny that it was indeed making itself felt. I didn’t check the SPL claim, but it certainly goes more than loud enough for the majority of ears.

Sound

Of course, whilst looking good is an advantage, it needs to back this appearance up sonically.

So how does it perform in the real world? The answer is astonishingly well. The DALI allows for either a ‘clean’ or ‘warm’ presentation. I much prefer the ‘clean’. Listening to Shelby Lynne’s gorgeous cover of Dusty Springfields ‘Just a Little Lovin’, the sound is truly engaging and refined.

Moving on to Lou Reeds ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ shows just how good the Katch is rhythmically, it times really well.

Just for a laugh I put on ‘Hey Now’ by London Grammar. If you have ever listened to this track, it has the most stupendous bass; bass that can make some seriously capable systems struggle. This turned out to be most interesting, because rather than hearing the distortion that I expected, the Katch neatly filtered off the very lowest registers and gave an assured, if not quite full range, performance.

Want Stereo?

The DALI also has another trick up its sleeve: if you purchase two of them, you can create a stereo pair: So, for the travelling audiophile or for space-conscious home use, this could be portable Nirvana.

Conclusion

The Katch is at the more expensive end of the compact portable Bluetooth speaker spectrum, but it is most definitely worth the outlay. Prepare to be surprised!

If you are fishing for a high-quality compact Bluetooth speaker, the Katch can be caught (groan) at any Audio T branch.

Thank you for reading.

Jon and Rob.

If you have any questions about any of the equipment featured in this article, or any other Hi-Fi or home cinema enquiries, be sure to Contact Us.

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