In this review, we will be comparing Oberon 1 and Bronze 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon 1 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon 1 | Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Wood Fiber | 5.5" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 51-26k Hz | 55-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 20-70 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 4.18kg / 9.2lbs | 3.50kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 10.2" x 6.4" x 8.0"
260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the DALI Oberon 1 and Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
No way |
(* 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.
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Drivers
Both Oberon 1 and Bronze 1 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Oberon 1Monitor Audio Bronze 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 Oberon 1 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.5-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 Bronze 1 features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2700Hz.
Frequency Response
Oberon 1 has a frequency range of 51-26k Hz whereas Bronze 1 has a frequency range of 55-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the Oberon 1 can go slightly deeper then the Bronze 1's min frequency of 55Hz.
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 Bronze 1 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 Bronze 1's is rated at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Monitor Audio Bronze 1 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.
Oberon 1 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS, whereas Bronze 1 has a max power handling value of 70 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Oberon 1.
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
Oberon 1 features Post type posts and Bronze 1 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 1's Post terminals
Monitor Audio Bronze 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Oberon 1 and Bronze 1 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.
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 Port
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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1'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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1 has external dimensions of 260.0 x 165.0 x 205.0mm (10.2 x 6.4 x 8.0inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is 15mm shorter and 23mm less deeper than DALI Oberon 1 but it is also 1mm wider.
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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is approximately 338.3cm2 / 52.4inch2. The Oberon 1 requires 11% more surface area than the Bronze 1 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1 weighs 3.50kg / 7.7lbs. This makes the Oberon 1 19% heavier than the Bronze 1.
Here is a comparison of how Oberon 1 and Bronze 1'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 Monitor Audio Bronze 1?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 2 Foam port plugs
- Hex-key
- Owner's Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
100 watts
vs
70 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
51 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Mounting Bracket |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows mounting on walls |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
260mm
vs
275mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
338cm2
vs
373cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
DALI Oberon 1 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 |
| Brand |
DALI |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-100 watts |
20-70 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
51-26k Hz |
55-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
C-CAM |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2800Hz |
2700Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
275.0mm (10.8") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Width |
164.0mm (6.5") |
165.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
228.0mm (9") |
205.0mm (8.1") |
| Weight |
4.18kg (9.2lbs) |
3.50kg (7.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
Walnut, White, Rosemah, Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
Keyhole |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
26-28" |
30-31" |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
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 |
A |
DALI Oberon 1 digs deeper - 51Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
Monitor Audio Bronze 1 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
A |
DALI Oberon 1 takes more power (100W vs 70W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
A DALI Oberon 1
B Monitor Audio Bronze 1
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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. Match it to your room: we rate Monitor Audio Bronze 1 the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Monitor Audio Bronze 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.