Dynaudio Opus One – When the Soundbar Enters the World of High-End Hi-Fi

Can a single loudspeaker truly replace a separate stereo system?

For a long time, the soundbar was synonymous with practical compromise. It was the obvious choice when we did not want to install a separate amplifier, loudspeakers, cables and a subwoofer in the living room, yet still expected more than the built-in sound of a television could provide. The primary objective of the category was not audiophile sound quality, but simple installation and space-saving convenience.

The Dynaudio Opus One, however, approaches the concept from a completely different direction. This is not an ordinary soundbar attempting to move closer to hi-fi. Instead, it is the work of a loudspeaker manufacturer with nearly fifty years of experience, attempting to combine stereo music reproduction, immersive cinema sound, active amplification, digital signal processing and luxury furniture design within a single large-scale system.

The result is a 186-centimetre-wide, 45-kilogram construction containing 24 drive units and 1,500 watts of digital amplification. Dynaudio does not position it merely as a soundbar, but as a complete immersive home audio system. The central question nevertheless remains unchanged: can a single centrally positioned loudspeaker replace what we have traditionally expected from two properly placed speakers, a separate amplifier and a carefully assembled hi-fi system?

From Concept to Production Model

The first version of the Opus One was originally presented as a concept, but in June 2026 Dynaudio officially introduced the production-ready model. Its European debut was connected to the High End exhibition in Vienna, after which it was also presented in the manufacturer's showroom in Copenhagen.

The final product measures 1,864 × 236 × 207 millimetres and weighs 45 kilograms. It was primarily designed for televisions measuring between 83 and 85 inches, which means that even in purely physical terms it is far removed from conventional slim soundbars. This is not a product that can simply be placed in front of a smaller television. The Opus One is an independent interior-design element, and the room—as well as the size of the television—must partly be adapted to it.

Its starting price of €13,000 also makes it clear that this is not simply another premium model in the conventional soundbar market. Optional stands and mounting solutions may add a further €500 to €5,000. Initial sales are expected to begin in Denmark and China, followed later by expansion into additional markets.

The Opus One is therefore not intended to compete directly on price with models from Sonos, Bose or Samsung. Instead, it attempts to define a new luxury category in which sound quality, interior integration and technological exclusivity are given equal importance.

Twenty-Four Drivers in a Single Enclosure

Behind the front panel of the Opus One are 24 drive units:

• six soft-dome tweeters;
• fourteen midrange and bass drivers;
• four dual-diaphragm, force-cancelling woofers.

The drivers are powered by a total of 1,500 watts of digital amplification, while Dynaudio's own immersive audio processing algorithms control their operation.

The use of a large number of drivers does not automatically guarantee better sound quality. The real potential lies in the fact that individual units can radiate in different directions and can be assigned different timing, level and frequency-response correction settings. The system therefore does not merely reproduce sound; it also attempts to control the way that sound propagates through the room.

This represents a fundamentally different approach from that of a conventional stereo system. With two passive loudspeakers, spatial imaging is determined primarily by speaker placement, dispersion characteristics, phase behaviour and room acoustics. The Opus One, by contrast, attempts to create the desired sound field actively through digital processing.

The advantage of this approach is that the manufacturer can design the amplifiers, drivers, crossover network and signal processing as one integrated system. There is no need to account for an unknown power amplifier, variable cable parameters or incorrectly selected crossover points.

The disadvantage is exactly the same: the user has ve

Force Cancellation in the Bass Region

The four dual-diaphragm, force-cancelling woofers deserve particular attention. The movement of a conventional woofer diaphragm transfers mechanical reaction force to the cabinet. At higher output levels, this can cause vibration, colouration and unwanted resonances.

Drivers operating in opposite directions can partially cancel one another's mechanical forces. This is especially important in a long, relatively shallow enclosure where the internal volume of a conventional floorstanding loudspeaker or separate subwoofer is not available.

However, this solution does not override the laws of physics. Truly deep bass at high sound-pressure levels still requires sufficient diaphragm area, excursion and cabinet volume. The 186-centimetre width allows the installation of many drivers, but the enclosure depth of just 207 millimetres limits the available acoustic volume.

For this reason, it would be particularly interesting to see official measurements of the lower frequency limit and maximum sound-pressure capability. At the time of the product's presentation, Dynaudio had not yet published these figures in detail.

The 72 Moving Slats Are More Than a Visual Feature

The most distinctive element of the Opus One is its set of 72 motorised wooden slats. These components are produced by the Japanese furniture manufacturer Karimoku and are available in white oak or walnut finishes. The CNC-machined aluminium frame and Nordic-inspired fabric covering were also designed to ensure that the system appears not merely as a technical device, but as a premium piece of furniture.

The slats indicate the current listening mode and user interactions through their movement. Beyond their visual role, they may also influence sound propagation, although Dynaudio has not yet published detailed measurements showing precisely how different slat positions affect the system's dispersion pattern.

This is an important distinction. A moving front panel can be visually impressive, but from an audiophile perspective it becomes a genuinely technical solution only if it predictably influences directivity, reflections or the acoustic separation of individual channels.

In the case of the Opus One, both aspects are probably present. The slats function simultaneously as a user interface, a kinetic design element and a partially acoustic structure. This reflects the fundamental character of the product: technology and design do not operate as separate layers, but as parts of the same integrated system.

Can True Stereo Be Created from a Single Enclosure?

One of the basic conditions for creating a conventional stereo image is the physical distance between the left and right loudspeakers. When properly positioned, the two speakers can create a virtual soundstage in which singers and instruments appear not to come directly from the loudspeakers themselves, but from the space between and behind them.

In a conventional soundbar, the distance between the left and right channels is usually too small to produce a wide, natural stereo stage. Manufacturers attempt to compensate for this limitation with side-firing drivers, wall reflections, phase manipulation and digital delay.

The 186-centimetre width of the Opus One provides a significant advantage in this respect. The distance between the left and right driver groups can approach that of a compact stereo system. This does not automatically make it equivalent to two separate loudspeakers, but it provides a considerably better starting point than a typical soundbar measuring 90 to 120 centimetres in width.

Immersive processing algorithms may widen the soundstage further and create virtual sound sources that appear to extend beyond the physical edges of the system.

This, however, raises a fundamental question: what do we consider to be authentic stereo reproduction?

According to one view, the most important factor is that the soundstage should be wide, stable and convincing. From this perspective, digital signal processing is not a problem, but a useful tool.

The opposing view argues that the original phase and amplitude relationships of the recording should be preserved with as little intervention as possible. From this perspective, every form of spatial widening, virtual-channel creation and algorithmic processing represents a potential departure from the material created by the recording engineer.

The Opus One will presumably attempt to satisfy both expectations. The real question is how clearly the different operating modes are separated and whether the system offers a genuinely neutral stereo mode with minimal processing.

Room Correction or Automatic Placement Compensation?

During setup, the system uses a microphone built into the remote control. This allows the product to detect whether it is wall-mounted, placed on furniture or used on a free-standing support, after which it adjusts its operation to the selected position.

This is a useful feature, but it does not necessarily represent the same level of comprehensive room correction offered by systems such as Dirac Live, ARC Genesis or Trinnov. At the time of the presentation, detailed information was not available regarding the number of measurement points used, the frequency range covered by the correction, whether time-domain problems were addressed or how extensively the system intervened in bass-related room modes.

There is an important difference between placement compensation and genuine room correction.

The first compensates for whether the system is positioned close to a wall, on a piece of furniture or in free space. The second analyses the acoustic behaviour of the actual room, including peaks, dips, reflections and timing errors.

For a system in this price category, detailed multi-point acoustic calibration would be a reasonable expectation. The hardware may be capable of supporting it, but Dynaudio still needs to explain more precisely what the system measures and which correction methods it applies.

The Opposite of Traditional System Building

One of the defining characteristics of traditional hi-fi is that we do not necessarily purchase a finished product, but build a complete system. We select the source component, DAC, preamplifier, power amplifier, loudspeakers and cables, and we may replace or upgrade individual elements over time.

The Opus One represents the opposite philosophy. The manufacturer has predefined every essential relationship:

• the parameters of the amplifier and drivers are known;
• crossover functions are actively controlled;
• timing and phase are digitally managed;
• the enclosure, drivers and signal processing are designed together;
• operation can be modified through software.

From an engineering perspective, this provides a substantial advantage. In a well-designed active system, loudspeaker performance can be optimised far more precisely than when the speaker is driven by an arbitrarily selected external amplifier.

At the same time, the freedom of system building disappears. We cannot select a different power amplifier, replace crossover components or gain meaningful access to most of the digital processing. The quality and lifespan of the entire system become dependent on a single manufacturer's hardware, software and long-term support.

Purchasing an Opus One therefore means more than buying a product. It means entering a closed ecosystem.

Repairability Will Be One of the Most Important Questions

A conventional amplifier or passive loudspeaker may still be repairable after several decades. Capacitors, relays, switches, loudspeaker surrounds and even complete drive units can often be replaced or restored.

A highly integrated modern system presents a different situation. The Opus One includes, among other things:

• a large number of digital amplifier channels;
• signal-processing units;
• network and control electronics;
• a microphone-based calibration system;
• 72 motorised mechanical elements;
• a proprietary software environment.

The failure of a single central module could affect the operation of the entire system. Long-term reliability will therefore depend not only on component quality, but also on modular construction, spare-parts availability and the duration of software support.

A €13,000 product should not become unusable because a network service is discontinued after ten years, an application no longer runs on a new operating system or a control board is no longer available.

In the high-end category, longevity cannot be treated as a secondary concern. Repairability and long-term sustainability must also form part of a premium product's value.

Several Questions Remain Unanswered

Despite the official presentation of the Opus One, several important technical details are still not fully known.

At the time of the initial announcements, the manufacturer had not provided complete information regarding:

• the number of HDMI and eARC connections;
• possible HDMI pass-through capability;
• supported streaming platforms;
• network and Bluetooth functionality;
• supported multichannel audio formats;
• official frequency response;
• maximum sound-pressure level.

Dynaudio has also discussed the future possibility of wireless subwoofers and surround speakers, but these must still be regarded as planned developments rather than existing features of the base system.

This is not necessarily unusual for a newly introduced model, but at the Opus One's price level, buyers are entitled to expect complete technical documentation. This is especially true because the product is being positioned simultaneously as a music system, a cinema solution and the centre of a future ecosystem.

Who Is the Opus One Designed For?

It is not primarily intended for listeners who enjoy changing amplifiers, comparing cables or analysing the sonic character of different DACs. The Opus One is not another stage in traditional audiophile system building. It is an alternative to that entire process.

It may appeal primarily to customers who:

• want high sound quality without using several separate components;
• consider a unified living-room design more important than displaying individual hi-fi equipment;
• need an appropriately scaled sound system for a large television;
• want to use the same system for both music and film;
• accept that the sound is shaped significantly by DSP and software;
• are willing to pay for technological and design exclusivity.

At the same time, the size of the product means that it will not suit every living room, even within its intended market. Its 186-centimetre width and specialised support system require careful planning. Although the Opus One eliminates the traditional speaker pair, it is far from discreet.

It does not provide a smaller hi-fi system. Instead, it concentrates the entire system into one larger and visually dominant object.

Revolution or Luxury-Wrapped Compromise?

The greatest achievement of the Opus One may not be that it replaces the conventional stereo system. More importantly, it redefines what an integrated home audio system can be.

Traditional soundbars generally sacrifice part of the true stereo image, bass extension and dynamic capability in exchange for simplicity. The Opus One attempts to reduce those compromises not through cheaper electronics, but through more drivers, greater physical dimensions, powerful amplification and advanced digital control.

From an engineering perspective, this is a logical direction. The width of the product, the number of drivers and the use of active signal processing provide possibilities far beyond those of a conventional soundbar.

Nevertheless, it cannot automatically be regarded as an equivalent replacement for two separate high-end loudspeakers. A wide stereo image, precise depth layering, natural dynamics and physical presence are qualities that can only be assessed responsibly after extensive listening and independent measurement.

The technical specifications are promising, but they do not prove high-end sound quality on their own.

Conclusion – Not the End of Stereo, but the Beginning of a New Category

The Dynaudio Opus One does not signal the end of the traditional stereo system. Two carefully positioned loudspeakers driven by a suitable amplifier can still provide a level of natural spatial reproduction, flexibility and long-term upgradeability that a single integrated system may struggle to match.

The Opus One does, however, demonstrate that all-in-one systems can no longer automatically be dismissed as simple or compromised solutions.

Dynaudio has not merely built a smaller soundbar using better-quality components. It has created a new type of product: an active, DSP-controlled spatial audio system intended to function simultaneously as a loudspeaker, amplifier, cinema system and piece of interior design.

The Opus One may remain a rare luxury product because of its high price and considerable size. The principles it represents, however, are likely to appear later in smaller and more affordable systems: multichannel active amplification, automatic acoustic optimisation, controlled directivity and the convergence of stereo and home-cinema functions.

The hi-fi system of the future may not necessarily consist of more components. It may instead work in the opposite way: everything that once required an entire equipment rack and two separate loudspeakers may eventually operate inside a single object that appears simple from the outside.

The Opus One is therefore not merely an extremely expensive soundbar.

It is one of the first serious signs that high-end audio and integrated living-space technology have begun to converge permanently.

Author: Norbert Somogyi

Illustration: www.dynaudio.com