DALI Katch One soundbar, Iron Black

Product Information

It’s safe to say Katch One isn’t one of those ‘grab you by the lapels’ speakers. Some soundbars like to pummel you with bass to try and impress, some manage to sound loud even when they’re playing quietly. Compared to one of these blustering devices, the DALI is – initially, at least – quite understated. Undemonstrative, even. Streaming wirelessly via Bluetooth may up the convenience quotient more than somewhat, but it impacts just a little on the Katch One’s fidelity. The DALI may be able to receive and deal with an MQA file of Gorillaz’ Clint Eastwood and give it most of the weight and all the momentum it requires, but somehow the integration of all those drivers (which has been impeccable until now) suffers. With its smooth contours and textile grille, the KATCH ONE is effortlessly stylish. Small details, such as the wooden feet and leather wall mount supports are typical Scandinavian design touches that you simply won’t find on other soundbars. Together they make the KATCH ONE more like a stylish piece of furniture than a boring-looking speaker system. What if you don’t want to spend a fortune, though, but want more of an audio upgrade than ‘a bit more bass’? What if, on top of that, if you want a soundbar that can also function as a wider audio system – and do so credibly?

Prices valid in stores (all including VAT) until close of business on 27th November 2023. (Some of these web prices are cheaper than in-store, so please mention that you've seen these offers online.) Katch One fancies itself a whole audio system, of course, and a switch to a CD of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Fever To Tell (via one of the optical inputs and dealt with by the DALI’s DAC) establishes its credentials. ‘Wide’ mode doesn’t help the music’s coherence much, but switch to ‘focus’ and the whole presentation becomes far more convincing. As a piece of design the Katch One is beautifully simplistic in its look. It should seamlessly fit into any interior design without drawing massive amounts of attention to its self. With multiple awards for their speakers and soundbars, DALI have a rich heritage in class-leading sound. The KATCH ONE is no exception and provides the highest quality sound for your TV and music. Soft dome, stereo tweeters are paired with quad woofers for a wide-ranging and lifelike sound. Typically of the brand, the Dali’s sound captures the perfect balance detail and smooth-playing refinement. The Katch One has two EQ modes designed to combat this – Wide and Focus – with the former opening up the soundstage and giving a much larger feel to the content, and the latter intending to give a narrower stage for more voice-heavy content. However, in reality, I found it didn't necessarily help with the dynamic range issue and only lessened the pseudo-surround effect of the wide setting. You'll find yourself switching between both as you get a feel for which works best for what you're watching or listening to, but I found my preference was generally the Focus setting for a more natural sound. Despite my gripes, the Katch One still sounds dramatically better than standard TV speakers, and the great thing is that when you combine this with the ease of use via HDMI control – plus its visual appeal – it's hard not to love. It's relatively seamless both in sound and in function.At the rear of the bar there are two further aluminium mid/bass drivers and two more passive radiators. The six drivers that need power are treated to a total of 200 Class D watts. The music is exposed somewhat as a combination of distinct elements, rather than as an entirely unified whole as it is when delivered by a hard connection. Taken in isolation, there’s much to admire about the way the DALI serves up the song – the gimpy tempo is handled confidently, the keening melodica cuts through the rest of the information with real bite – but there’s not quite the previous level of unity. DALI is no stranger to music and home theatre lovers around the world, but the Katch One is the first of its loudspeakers to incorporate an HDMI input. Yet the company's CEO Lars Worre says that it's more than just a regular soundbar. “It is in fact a music system, in the sense that it holds a neutrality and musicality as a standalone system”, he explains.

It expands on a range which started with the Katch portable speaker in 2017, reviewed here and described by Marc Rushton as “class-leading”, no less. The inevitable question is whether the Danish company can still be a championship contender after stepping up a weight class? Not everyone can do it. Great for music, even better for films, it delivers everything your living room needs.” ’What Hi-Fi?’ 2019 award-winner. Any misgivings I had about its Bluetooth performance soon disappeared after the opening moments of Hans Zimmer's Live in Prague, where the gentle high-hat taps give way to deep and clear piano notes as the great man plays the opening bars ofDriving Miss Daisy.The strength of the Katch One seemed in the upper mid and high ranges, with a light, bright and lively sound that never transgressed into distortion. DALI’s Katch One is the Danish brand’s first dedicated TV soundbar, carrying with it a degree of flexibility in terms of mounting options, sound modes and connectivity It’s been a fair while since DALI launched a soundbar (the ‘also a full-on audio system’ Kubik One was the company’s last toe in the water) – and at first glance it might appear that the Danish specialist has simply spent time carefully stretching one of its highly regarded Katch wireless speakers. You know how Mercedes turns one of its saloon cars into a diplomat’s limo just by making it much longer? A bit like that.The swatch of acoustic cloth across the front is interrupted only by the IR sensor for the remote control. It’s a tidy, coherent looker than manages to look a little more stylish and a little less functional than the norm. DALI Katch One Features — Plenty of ways to get audio in, whether it’s HDMI or aptX Bluetooth That same winning tonal balance is evident, and the small harmonic dynamics are paid just as much attention as the more obvious ‘quiet/LOUD/quiet’ variety. Those four mid/bass drivers do a fine job of communicating all the character and individuality of Karen O’s vocal, and the Katch One brings her to the front and centre of the soundstage without estranging her from everything occurring around her.

In my view, the company has hit the mark dead-on, as the Katch One's smooth round curves, soft fabric front and range of hidden or visible mounting options make this a tasteful – if perhaps controversial – offering. Indeed it oozes Scandinavian charm. Fittings to direct mount it directly to a wall are provided, and you can also hang it under the TV using the admittedly rather agricultural looking mounting straps, which hide the HDMI cable. There are also some simple IKEA-style wooden feet. The sense is that this product is as much a room accessory as it is a functional soundbar – and I mean that in the nicest possible way. Even its size and weight – 164x860x69mm and 3.7kg – seem just right for the job in hand. So the Katch One is all serenity above the surface – but, like a swan, there’s some furious action going on underneath.The claimed frequency response of 46Hz to 25kHz doesn't to my ears sound implausible, because you get an even and extended presentation with bass, midrange and treble represented accurately, although on occasion I did find that certain lower frequencies sound stronger than others. On some types of music, this means that certain instruments can be exaggerated or muted slightly. This can be largely sorted by positioning, as I found the bass response improved by moving the unit closer to the wall, playing to the strengths of the radiator and woofer design and delivering frequencies well below what a speaker this size has any business dealing with. DALI is quoting a frequency response of 46Hz – 25kHz, which seems realistic – and it also means the Katch One isn’t the most bass-heavy soundbar this sort of money will buy you (hence the subwoofer pre-out). It is among the most articulate and insightful, though. The DALI features a total of 10 speaker drivers. A pair of 21mm soft dome tweeter sit above a couple of 89mm aluminium mid/bass drivers at either end of the front of the soundbar. Closer to the centre there are a couple of 114mm steel-cone passive radiators for extra punch. The Katch One takes DALI's hi-fi know-how and scales it down into something that will fit in even the smallest of rooms. It provides a larger-than-life sound to improve every aspect of your TV watching experience. It doesn't have everything that other soundbars offer, but instead attempts to redefine what such things should actually do. It asserts that such a device shouldn't just be a festival of high technology, but instead an excellent sounding TV-friendly sound system that doesn't swallow up the room like full-size hi-fi speakers. Indeed, in a way, you could say it has a heart. With elegant simplicity, no small amount of charm and the capability to deliver the sonic goods, this is a unique and compelling choice.

Although designed to get the best sound from your TV, the KATCH ONE also makes a premium quality Bluetooth speaker. The long, narrow shape makes it ideal for shelving units in the kitchen, study or living room. Compatible with Bluetooth 4.0, AAC and Apt-X, you get a high quality, wireless connection as standard. It can also be hung from the wall using the couple of leather straps provided in the box, or stand on its own two real-wood feet (also provided). Because sometimes the Danes like to remind us all that they know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to design. When it comes to wireless connectivity, the Katch One will connect to Android or Apple devices via Bluetooth using AptX or AAC4.0 standards. I found this a curious decision for such a new product, given the relatively low resolution of the formats – both have since been replaced by AptX-HD and AAC5.0 respectively, offering more than four times the transfer capability. I asked Lars why and he replied, “we'll stand up for the [Bluetooth] quality of the solution we use. It's not just about the protocols you use, but a lot more about what you do with the signal internally once it is received. We believe the performance of the [Bluetooth] is absolutely right for the purpose.” Given the Katch One performs as essentially two devices – it's a music system that doubles as a soundbar – it can only fairly be described by separating the two tasks. So first, as a music player, the DALI performs admirably. The company's audiophile pedigree is immediately apparent from the moment you start listening, with its bright and clear tone being the first characteristic that strikes you. With the omission of any real adjustable EQ function, the company's intention is clearly a transparent listening experience, and this is undoubtedly the case with the Katch One. It shows an exceptional level of detail, especially in the mid to higher frequencies. This soundbar will make a delightful addition to your TV set up. The crisp, dynamic audio is far beyond what you’ll get from your flat panel and this is sonically superior to all of its similarly priced rivals. Just make sure you’ve got the space and inclination to position it properly.If you’d prefer a wired connection there are two optical inputs and an analogue 3.5mm. These are not only ideal for older TVs (without ARC HDMI) but also other sources such as DVD/Blu-ray players, games consoles and even CD players and network streamers. For newer TVs, the HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) gives a simple and high quality connection. Overall, there’s a warm tone to the sound, but the top end could be sweeter. Beats on the cymbals can be a touch tinny and even the high, sad brass echo in Let It Be is not quite as rich as it might be. By class standards though, these are minor complaints that pale next to everything the Katch One does so well.