The PHANTOM S-180 is an in-wall speaker that combines an 8” wood fiber driver with a 10” passive fiber radiator and a rotating hybrid tweeter module to deliver clean, coherent, detailed and room-filling sound. All this reduced to a housing that fits with practically any standard wall.

DALI PHANTOM S-180 keys

Wide dispersion: All DALI speakers are designed for wide dispersion. This means an optimization of off-axis audio reproduction and is a perfect technology for installing speakers, embedding them inside or on the wall. 

Thin housing: One of DALI's goals with the PHANTOM S models was to create high-end recessed speakers that were thin enough to offer maximum versatility in installation. They achieved this, making these boxes only 103mm thick, making them fit into most standard walls.

SMC Technology:The advanced Soft Magnetic Compound (SMC) eliminates the variation of flux intensity in the magnet gap. This reduces distortion to a minimum compared to traditional drivers. 

10” passive radiator:Features a 10” passive bass reflex woofer made of carbon fiber – taken from the 'DALI SUB P-10 DSS' high-end subwoofer.

DALI PHANTOM S-180 details

The slim built-in DALI PHANTOM S-180 speaker offers a response across the entire frequency range similar to a tower speaker, but without sacrificing valuable living space. It offers unspoilt embedded audio playback thanks to the use of various technologies. These include DALI's signature wood fiber cone, low-loss rubber damping, solid MDF front baffle, hybrid tweeter module and top magnet system design including an SMC polarized piece.

All models are built with a rotating hybrid tweeter module, making it easy to install for any audio use – be it stereo, center channel or surround. DALI has optimized the 8" primary wood fiber woofer for both bass and midrange. To take bass reproduction further, the Danes have paired the main woofer with a 10" passive carbon fiber radiator. This makes the PHANTOM S-180 stand out from the competition.

The ultra-thin 109mm deep design fits on virtually any standard wall.

DALI S-180 housing & placement

The PHANTOM S-180's compact design fits into most standard walls. It was a challenge for DALI to build such a thin enclosure – only 103 mm deep – with such a slight visual impact and still achieve the perfect interior volume for the woofer.

The housing is constructed of solid MDF that holds the simple bolt-on assembly and terminals. The front of the PHANTOM S-180 elegantly joins the wall thanks to the extruded aluminum frame, and the magnetic front grille completes the aesthetic presence of the PHANTOM S series.

 When installing a PHANTOM speaker on the wall, the ribbon tweeter should be positioned at ear level. To facilitate this, DALI has decided to allow the position of the driver to be moved up and down. This allows for a more traditional mounting height of the speaker, flush with the TV, rather than having to position it below.

The Danes have also placed the hybrid tweeter module on top to keep the dome tweeter close to the midrange woofer. This guarantees an optimal transfer from the woofer to the part of the tweeter that is responsible for the treble with lower frequencies. The physical distance between these drivers is optimized for the best union of tweeter and woofer outputs.

With this configuration, DALI ensures that integration with the room, especially with the floor, and bass reproduction improves.

When mounting a PHANTOM S-180 horizontally for use as a center speaker, you need to ensure that you place the ribbon tweeter as close to your ear as possible to maximize its dispersion capabilities. As a master of dispersing high frequencies in linear planes, he is less prone to propagating highs vertically. This is where the dome tweeter excels and why it should be positioned below the ribbon tweeter in this scenario. 

SMC

Given its superior precision and marginal distortion, DALI chose the SMC (Soft Magnetic Compound) magnetic system originally developed for the EPICON series as the basis for the PHANTOM S-180's main woofer. 

The SMC has the unique ability to offer high magnetic conductivity, but low electrical conductivity, which represents a drastic decrease in the effects of hysteresis and eddy currents around the polarized piece. In Christian: the distortion is reduced to the beast. At the same time, all the desirable capabilities for a good magnetic system are maintained.

By surrounding the SMC bias piece with aluminum rings and a 4-layer, 1.5" voice coil, DALI achieves optimal control, low distortion, and high power output. The low-loss damping and cone structure have been optimized to reproduce the midrange, as well as the dust cover. The smaller-than-standard dust cover has increased its concavity as part of the woofer optimization.

Together, all of this delivers high-bandwidth, amazingly detailed playback with good bass and well-controlled midrange.

TWEETER

The rotating hybrid tweeter module in the PHANTOM S-180 is the perfect high frequency solution, combining the soft dome tweeter with the ribbon tweeter. This ensures impressive performance and high frequency dispersion that surpasses other tweeter technologies.

Both soft dome and ribbon tweeters are free of mishaps – such as resonances and large EQ peaks – in their working range. The hybrid tweeter module features a very smooth and wide horizontal dispersion – one of the DALI sound signatures. Even the front tweeter detail is designed for optimal horizontal dispersion.

The characteristics of the soft dome tweeter are low resonance frequency, high power support, extreme excursion and exceptional management for high sound pressure levels.

The DALE proprietary magneto-static ribbon is a true master at horizontally distributing high frequencies, and an ideal partner for the soft dome tweeter's unique ability to reproduce frequencies from 2kHz upwards.

WOOFER of the DALI PHANTOM S-180

The 8" main woofer developed specifically for the PHANTOM S-180 has been designed and optimized for midrange and bass reproduction. DALI has chosen to base the core of the woofer on an SMC magnetic system developed for the EPICON range. SMC has been chosen for its unique ability to drastically reduce the level of distortion.

With 70% more surface area, the 8” woofer can move more air, delivering higher sound pressure levels in the very low frequencies, compared to the traditional 6½” woofer. All this with a sound full of details in the mid-range and with a full frequency response worthy of a tower speaker.

To ensure the best possible bass response in the PHANTOM S-180, DALI has included a passive bass reflex woofer based on the passive bass radiator of the 'DALI SUB P-10 DSS' high-end subwoofer. 

Also using the same aluminum chassis, soft damping and the good behavior of the fiber cone, the passive radiator allows the PHANTOM S-180 to reach the lowest frequencies to offer a sound worthy of a bulky speaker. Only in an ultra-thin case.

Wide dispersion

By designing their drivers for wide dispersion, DALI designs speakers that are easy to integrate into any room, offering a smooth and well-integrated sound in a larger listening area. This technology is perfect for the PHANTOM S-180, as it is always embedded in a wall.

Working with off-axis optimization ensures that the listener has a wider sweet spot in which the soundstage sounds perfect, but also ensures high sound quality outside of the sweet spot. By optimizing the audio signal for off-axis distribution, both the direct and bounced signals have the same quality. This means high quality sound over a much larger area.

Even dispersion over a wider range of listening angles ensures smooth, even power distribution throughout the listening room, which is another crucial factor for consistent, well-balanced tonality.

DALI PHANTOM S-180 specifications

Product series: PHANTOM BUILT-IN SPEAKERS

Frequency range (+/-3 dB) [Hz]: 49 - 25,000

Sensitivity (2.83 V/1 m) [dB]: 89.0

Nominal impedance [ohm]: 6

Maximum SPL [dB]: 109

Recommended amplification power W: 40 - 200

Filter crossover frequencies (Hz): 2,800 / 15,000

Hybrid tweeter module, high frequency driver figure: 1 x 17 x 45 mm

Hybrid tweeter module, high frequency driver diaphragm type: Ribbon

High frequency driver, quantity: 1 x 28 mm

High frequency driver, diaphragm type: Textile soft dome

Low frequency speaker module: 1 x 8"

Bass driver, diaphragm type: Wood fiber cone

Passive bass driver, quantity: 1 x 10"

Passive low frequency speaker module: Carbon fiber cone

Enclosure: Closed with passive radiator

Input connection: Simple wiring

Recommended location and use: Recessed;Central / Sound Bar

Dimensions (WxHxD) [mm]: 898 x 453 x 110

Recessed "cutout" dimensions (WxHxD) mm: 865 x 420 x 103

Weight [kg]: 18.5

Finishes: Aluminum, white grille