In this review, we will be comparing Epicon 2 and Oberon 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Epicon 2 and DALI Oberon 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Epicon 2 | DALI Oberon 1 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.14" Soft-Dome | 1.125" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Wood fibre | 5.25" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-30k Hz | 51-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 4.18kg / 9.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.20" x 8.43" x 14.41"
386 x 214 x 366 mm | 10-13/16" x 6-7/16" x 8-15/16"
275.0 x 164.0 x 228.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Epicon 2 and Oberon 1 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Epicon 2DALI Oberon 1
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Epicon 2 |
DALI Oberon 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.14-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
Epicon 2 features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3100Hz. On the other hand, the Oberon 1 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
Epicon 2 has a frequency range of 47-30k Hz whereas Oberon 1 has a frequency range of 51-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Epicon 2 can go slightly deeper then the Oberon 1's min frequency of 51Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Epicon 2 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Oberon 1 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Epicon 2 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Epicon 2 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Oberon 1's is rated at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the DALI Epicon 2 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Oberon 1, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Epicon 2 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Oberon 1 has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Epicon 2.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Epicon 2 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 1 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 1's Post terminals
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare DALI Epicon 2's and DALI Oberon 1's external dimensions. DALI Epicon 2 has external dimensions of 386 x 214 x 366 mm () whereas DALI Oberon 1 has external dimensions of 275.0 x 164.0 x 228.0mm (10-13/16 x 6-7/16 x 8-15/16inch).
DALI Epicon 2 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 50mm wider, 111mm taller and 138mm deeper than DALI Oberon 1.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
DALI Epicon 2 needs about 109% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epicon 2 is 138mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Epicon 2 is 111mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the DALI Epicon 2 is approximately 783.2cm2 / 121.4inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon 1 is approximately 373.9cm2 / 58.0inch2. The Epicon 2 requires 109% more surface area than the Oberon 1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 1?
Here are the items that come with the Oberon 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber bumpers
- Manual