Rich, dynamic sound
Easy setup and reliable
wireless performance
Uses BluOS app for
streaming
Utilitarian looks
Kinda pricey
Price: $5,747 (as tested)
dali-speakers.comAt a Glancesystem’s low-end perfor-
mance was rewarded here
with a clean separation
between kick drum
and bass guitar, which
sounded notably tuneful
and well-defined.
Moving on to some-
thing more bass-heavy,
I streamed an electronic
track, “produk 29,” by
Aphex Twin. There was a
powerful, almost physical,
quality to the beats, along
with impressive low-end
extension from the synthe-
sized bass. The song’s
keyboards and swirling
ambient beds were also
conveyed in wide and
warm manner that let me
get lost in the sound.
The sense of effort-
lessness the speakers
managed with Aphex Twin
carried over when I streamed
a high-res version of “Whole
Loa Love” from Qobuz. This
50-year-old Led Zep track
sounded shockingly fresh on
the Callistos: Jimmy Page’s
guitar was raw and aggres-
sive, and the combined slam
of bass guitar and drums had
a dynamic, propulsive effect.
Listening to the psychedelic
mid-section, stereo-panned
effects came across in a vivid
and dramatic manner. I was
also surprised at how loud the
system could play: with volume
set to mid-point, there was more
than enough level to fill my rela-
tively large listening room.
It was evident that the
Callisto system could rock,
but it also performed well with
jazz. Listening to Ralph Alessi’s
“Improper Authorities” from
the album Imaginary Friends, I
experienced the massive drum
sound characteristic of ECM
recordings, along with a clear
sense of the musicians’ pres-
ence in space. The interplay
of Alessi’s trumpet and Ravi
Coltrane’s saxophone was
notably fluid as it unwound
across the soundstage. Overall,
the Callisto system’s presenta-
tion with this track, and many
others that I listened to, was
warm, wide, and forgiving. Itmay have lacked some of the
precision I’ve heard from some
other speakers/electronics
combinations, but in general I
had lile to complain about.
My final point of business
was to listen to digital vs. analog
inputs on the Sound Hub. Aer
playing a few reference tracks,
it became clear that the digital
inputs provided superior perfor-
mance—the sound was more
detailed, with richer spatial
cues. Analog inputs converted
to digital, in contrast, came
across as a bit lifeless.CONCLUSIONDALI’s Callisto 6 C system
impressed me with its easy
setup and reliable playback.
During my time with it, I
experienced no dropouts or
glitches—it was like using a
traditional wired stereo. I also
found the sound to be instantly
appealing, and that impression
held fast. At $5,747, the Callisto
6 Cs are pricier than many other
wireless speaker options on the
market, but the combination
of features, ease of use, and
performance make it a compel-
ling choice for cord-cuing
audiophiles.Unlike many other speakers,
the Callistos are designed for
straight-ahead setup instead of
a toed-in alignment —a factor
that eased installation. The
Sound Hub sat on my audio
component rack in the same
room, with a Pioneer BDP-88FD
universal disc player plugged
into its analog and coaxial
digital inputs and a powerline
adapter connected to its LAN
port via Cat6 cable for a network
connection. Making a wireless
link between the Sound Hub
and speakers was a simple
maer of pressing a buon on
the Sound Hub’s rear panel
and then doing the same in
sequence for each 6 C tower.
Aer a few days of break-in, I
seled in for some listening. My
first impression was that the 6C
towers delivered ample bass in
my 3,000 cubic-foot room, but
that the low-end I was geing
lacked definition. Pulling out a
set of metal carpet spikes I had
on hand, I inserted them in the
holes provided on the boom
of each speaker and balanced
them on metal pads to protect
my wood floor. The difference
I heard was like night and day,
with the 6 C’s low-end tight-
ening up considerably.
Master volume can be
adjusted via the app, the Sound
Hub’s remote control or volume
knob, or by swiping across
the top front of either Callisto
speaker. Any way you go, data
is relayed to the Sound Hub
so that all components remain
fully synchronized, and a row
of white LED indicators on the
6 C’s front reflect the adjust-
ment. While DALI’s remote
handles the system’s control
basics, I found myself relying
on the BluOS app for everyday
use. Compared with many
other wireless control apps I’ve
encountered, this one proved
extremely easy to setup and
use. It instantly recognized
the NPM-1 module installed
in the Sound Hub and making
a wireless connection with a
Bluesound Pulse 2i speaker in
my kitchen was a simple maer
of selecting it in my iPhone’s
Wi-Fi setup panel and entering
my password. The app features
two control panels: one for
selecting individual players (or
multiroom player groups) and
a second for playback sources
like streaming apps, Internet
radio stations, or UPnP servers.
(BluOS has already been
covered in-depth in multiple
Sound & Vision Bluesound and
NAD product reviews.) For my
purposes, I linked the app to
my Tidal, Qobuz, and TuneIn
accounts. I also verified that
both the DALI Sound Hub and
Bluesound Pulse 2i worked as
Roon endpoints, though I didn’t
use Roon for my listening tests.PERFORMANCESetup done, I seled in for some
quality time with the Callistos.
One track I streamed from Tidal,
“Darling,” by Indie rock band
Real Estate, provided a clear
indication of the dual dome/
ribbon tweeter module’s sonic
character. While this song’s
12-string electric guitar can
sound bright on many speakers,
it was perfectly balanced on the
6 C system, with just the right
amount of treble zip. I also heard
a fine sense of layering, with the
guitars, keyboards, and vocals
all coming through clearly.
My earlier efforts to tweak theThe VerdictDALI’s Callisto 6 C towers pro-
vide a reliable option for high-
performance wireless hi-fi, as well
as high-res multiroom streaming
when paired with the BluOS
NPM-1 module..soundandvision.com (^) [ 65