The two bookshelf speakers in the Dali Zensor series have been very amazing in terms of music delivery and not to mention, very entertaining as well but how about their floor-standing speakers? Today we will be looking into the Dali Zensor 5 floorstanders and we will be showing you which amplifiers are best recommended to be pair with them. Matching amps are crucial for delivering stellar sonic performances, for instance, if the amp is not powerful enough to drive your speakers, they may not sound their best
In order to match the right amplifier with the Dali Zensor 5, we must first find out their strengths and weaknesses, especially their sound characteristics. After finding out these details then it will be possible to match the Zensor 5 correctly with the right amplifier and deliver the right-sounding music that you will enjoy. If we don’t do this research, the end results might give you an unenjoyable music listening experience.
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Sound Characteristics and Limitations of Dali Zensor 5
The Dali Zensor 5 may be a floor-standing speaker but it is rather compact and slim. Furthermore, the bass port is located at the front of the speaker cabinet, which makes it easier to place them nearer to the rear wall. It will still need at least 20 cm distance away from the side and rear walls though. If your listening room is small or having space constraints, you probably are better off with their bookshelf models such as Zensor 1 or Zensor 3. The Dali Zensor 5 still has that signature glossy speaker front which is visually pleasing to look at. You will spot a 1 inch soft textile dome tweeter and right below it will be two 5.25 inch wood fiber cone woofers, followed by the front-firing bass port.
This pair of floor-standing speakers have a really impressive frequency range for a slim compact cabinet size, which is from 43Hz – 26,500Hz (+/-3 dB), this is a really deep bass extension. We are surprised by the inefficiency though, the speaker sensitivity is only 88dB and with a nominal impedance of 6 Ohms. The Dali Zensor 5 will greatly benefit from high-power amplifiers, somewhere around 100 Watts per channel (the recommend amp power: 30-150 Watts) will be ideal since reproducing deep bass response requires a lot of power. And also probably doesn’t need bass supplements from a subwoofer too.
They may be considered as compact and slim floorstanders but they certainly can move a lot of air in the room and easily fill it up with music. The scale of the soundstage is impressive, with plenty of details in it and not to mention the precise stereo imaging. Delivering a clean and detailed sound quality, without sounding exaggerated. The Dali Zensor 5 does sound a tad less exciting than its smaller brothers, as they do not have the agility and speed like smaller bookshelf speakers. Still, this does provide a more balanced sound presentation.
More Details at Amazon – DALI ZENSOR 5
Surprisingly, the bass response is the one that is lacking. The Dali Zensor 5 bass reproduction is somewhat decent but doesn’t have that layer of details and just lacks the richness which also makes it sound dull. This does throw off the excitement a little, leaving you yearning for more. To improve this situation, you will probably need a sealed subwoofer (not ported), which can help provide that low-end oomph and more full-bodied bass. A sealed subwoofer is more musically inclined due to its agility and timing, the bass output is tight and fast.
Overall, the Dali Zensor 5 are still good and they would have been great if it wasn’t for all these limitations not to mention the price point is also a bummer. With the support of an active sealed subwoofer, you can easily improve the sonic performance and this requirement will also filter out some amplifiers from the list. The real qualm for us is that the Dali Zensor 5 is nowhere close to the excitement and enthusiasm of their smaller brothers (Zensor 1 and 3). Now we have all the data we need, we can now start showing you the recommended amplifiers which you can go for and pair with your Zensor 5 floor-standing speakers.
Dali Zensor 5 Specifications
- Speaker Type: Bass Reflex (front-firing)
- Drive Units: 1 inch (25mm) soft dome tweeter and two 5.25 inch (130mm) wood fiber woofer cone
- Frequency Response (+/-3 dB): 43Hz – 26,500Hz
- Recommended Power: 30-150 Watts
- Nominal Impedance: 6 Ohms
- Sensitivity (2.83V @ 1m): 88dB
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 825mm x 162mm x 253mm, 32.5″ x 6.4″ x 10″
- Weight: 10.3kg (22.7lbs)
Recommended Amplifiers to match with Dali Zensor 5
The Peachtree Audio Nova150 is a very powerful amplifier that provides 150 Watts per channel, more than enough to drive your Dali Zensor 5 speakers to their fullest potential. With this amount of power, this combination could handle even the most demanding of bass-heavy soundtracks. The Peachtree Audio Nova150 amp also offers more details and richness in bass quality which is only limited by the Dali Zensor 5. This integrated amplifier also comes with a high-quality DAC and a plethora of features such as a pre-amp out for your subwoofer, phono (MM), and more. If you want to push your floor-standing speakers then you should definitely audition them.
More Info at Amazon – Peachtree Audio Nova150 Integrated Amplifier with DAC
NAD C 368 will be one of the best recommended amplifiers you should go for when pairing with your Dali Zensor 5. The NAD C 368 with its IHF Dynamic Power, packs more than enough power to easily drive these floor-standing speakers. There is also a Preamp/Subwoofer out for you to connect to an active subwoofer for even more low-end rumbling and heart-pounding bass. The C 368 DAC amplifier also provides more refinement to the overall sound quality which the Dali Zensor 5 does lack. The lush and spacious soundstage is also what really makes this amp shines. You should consider and hear them out.
More Details at Amazon – NAD C368 Integrated Amplifier
Cambridge Audio CXA81 will be another amazing amplifier which you can match with the Dali Zensor 5. This is an integrated amplifier that has won many awards over the years and is also highly rated by audiophiles. With its aggressive presentation and powerful sound, bringing more attack to your music when paired with the Zensor 5. Furthermore, the CXA81 is exceptional when it comes to its low-end presence and has more richness in bass details. There is also a dedicated subwoofer output to enhance the overall bass performance by integrating an active sub. Cambridge Audio CXA81 is probably the best recommended amplifier for your Dali Zensor 5 speakers.
More Details at Amazon – Cambridge Audio CXA81
If you are planning on getting an active subwoofer and don’t wish to fork out too much on a stereo amplifier, then you should check out NAD D 3045. It has a subwoofer output and other features for modern-day digital use. For analog, there is a phono (MM) input for your turntable. It can even playback DSD files which is great for Super Audio CD enthusiasts. The sound characteristics of the NAD D 3045 are almost similar to the Zensor 5 as well. The NAD amplifiers have long been considered a great match for Dali speakers, and you should seriously consider NAD D 3045.
More Details at Amazon – NAD D 3045 DAC/Amplifier
Are you going to use the Dali Zensor 5 floor standing speakers as your main left and right channel of your home theater setup, and only require an AV receiver instead of an integrated amplifier. The Marantz will be an ideal first choice followed by Denon a close second. Marantz amplifiers are quite a popular choice among Dali Zensor speaker owners. Sometimes, your speakers may not sound good is due to the room acoustics and require audio calibrating software. Most modern Marantz AVRs (including Denon) use Audyssey Room Correction technology which is one of the best on the market. It also helps to calibrate and optimize your subwoofer performance.
You can also go for HiFi separates but getting budget/entry-level pre-amplifiers and power amps will be good enough, as it is not worth it to spend thousands of dollars just for Dali Zensor 5. Other integrated amplifier brands that are popular choices among the audiophiles are Rega, Music Fidelity, Roksan, etc., which are worth your time to check out and even auditioning them when you have the opportunity. For subwoofers, we will suggest JL Audio sealed subwoofers if the budget is not an issue. For more affordable options, you might want to take a look at SVS and Rythmik Audio. These subwoofers are some of the best in the world and are highly rated by audiophiles.
More Information at Amazon – SVS SB-1000 Subwoofer Sealed Cabinet
To Sum It Up
With the way, the Dali Zensor 5 performs, we can’t help but wonder if is absolutely a necessity to have a subwoofer supporting them. We do find there’s a significant improvement in the overall sound quality, you might want to test it out yourself. If you find the overall music presentation sounds better with a subwoofer, you should really consider the recommended amplifiers listed here, if not, you can still use this list as a reference. The Dali Zensor 5 is on the high side of its price range category, if you haven’t purchased them yet, you might want to check out the other Zensor series smaller bookshelf speakers first.
