In this review, we will be comparing Oberon 1 and BW 607, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Bowers Wilkins.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon 1 and B&W 607 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon 1 | B&W 607 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Bowers Wilkins
United Kingdom · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Wood Fiber | 5" Continuum |
|---|
| Frequency response | 51-26k Hz | 52-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 84 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.18kg / 9.2lbs | 4.70kg / 10.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10-13/16" x 6-7/16" x 8-15/16"
275.0 x 164.0 x 228.0mm | 11.8" x 6.4" x 8.1"
300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the DALI Oberon 1 and B&W 607 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
DALI Oberon 1 |
B&W 607 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Oberon 1 and BW 607 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Oberon 1B&W 607
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 Oberon 1 |
B&W 607 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Oberon 1 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz. On the other hand, the BW 607 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Continuum Woofer.
Frequency Response
Oberon 1 has a frequency range of 51-26k Hz whereas BW 607 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the Oberon 1 can go slightly deeper then the BW 607's min frequency of 52Hz.
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
Oberon 1 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BW 607 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Oberon 1 sensitivity is rated at 86 dB and the BW 607's is rated at 84 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the DALI Oberon 1 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 607, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though Oberon 1 is rated 25-100 watts and BW 607 30-100 watts.
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
BW 607 features 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Oberon 1 and BW 607 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Oberon 1's and B&W 607's external dimensions. 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) whereas B&W 607 has external dimensions of 300.0 x 165.0 x 207.0mm (11.8 x 6.4 x 8.1inch).
DALI Oberon 1 is 1mm narrower and 25mm shorter than B&W 607 but it is also 21mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Oberon 1 and B&W 607 in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Oberon 1 and B&W 607 Size and External Dimensions
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 Oberon 1 is approximately 373.9cm2 / 58.0inch2 and base area of the B&W 607 is approximately 341.6cm2 / 52.9inch2. The Oberon 1 requires 9% more surface area than the BW 607 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:
Size Comparison image of DALI Oberon 1 and B&W 607 on a Media Console
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The DALI Oberon 1 weighs 4.18kg / 9.2lbs and the B&W 607 weighs 4.70kg / 10.3lbs. This makes the BW 607 12% heavier than the Oberon 1.
Here is a comparison of how Oberon 1 and BW 607's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 1?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Oberon 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber bumpers
- Manual
What's in the Box of B&W 607?
Here are the items that come with the BW 607:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- 4 Jumper-straps
- Manual
- Bowers & Wilkins brochure
- Warranty Information
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
84 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
51 Hz
vs
52 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Height |
275mm
vs
300mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
750USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
28k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
341cm2
vs
373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
DALI Oberon 1 |
Bowers & Wilkins 607 |
| Brand |
DALI |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
84 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
3.0 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
51-26k Hz |
52-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Continuum |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
275.0mm (10.8") |
300.0mm (11.8") |
| Width |
164.0mm (6.5") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
228.0mm (9") |
207.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
4.18kg (9.2lbs) |
4.70kg (10.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
Black, White, Oak |
| Mounting Bracket |
Keyhole |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
26-28" |
24-26" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (51Hz vs 52Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | DALI Oberon 1 is more sensitive (86dB vs 84dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | B&W 607 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | B&W 607: bi-amping. DALI Oberon 1 sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($750 vs $799 a pair). |
A DALI Oberon 1 B B&W 607
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, DALI Oberon 1 is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.