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DALI Oberon 3 vs B&W 606 Comparison

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DALI Oberon 3

Passive Bookshelf | 47-26k Hz

DALI Oberon 3
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B&W 606

Passive Bookshelf | 52-28k Hz

Bowers & Wilkins 606
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DALI Oberon 3 DALI Oberon 3
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B&W 606 B&W 606
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DALI Oberon 3
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B&W 606
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DALI Oberon 3 vs B&W 606 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Oberon 3 and BW 606, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Bowers Wilkins.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of DALI Oberon 3 and B&W 606 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

DALI Oberon 3 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter
  • 7" Wood Fiber Woofer
  • 47-26k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range:25-150watts
  • Weight:6.32kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 350.0" x 7-7/8" x 12-3/16"( 350.0 x 201.0 x 310.0mm )

B&W 606 Key Specs

  • 2-way Design
  • 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" Continuum Woofer
  • 52-28k Hz Frequency Response
  • 88 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 8ohms
  • Power Range:30-120watts
  • Weight:6.90kg
  • Dimensions (H x W x D): 345.0" x 7-1/2" x 12-13/16"( 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm )

What size room are the DALI Oberon 3 and B&W 606 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 3 B&W 606
Near-field Poor Poor
Small Room Average Average
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Average Average
Very Large Room Poor Poor

(* 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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the DALI Oberon 3 and B&W 606 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Drivers

Both Oberon 3 and BW 606 are 2-way speakers.

Driver DALI Oberon 3 B&W 606
Driver Setup 2-way 2-way
Tweeter 1.125-inch 1-inch
Midrange - -
Woofer 1 x 7-inch 1 x 6.5-inch

Oberon 3 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. On the other hand, the BW 606 features a 1" Decoupled Carbon Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Continuum Woofer .

Frequency Response

Oberon 3 has a frequency range of 47-26k Hz whereas BW 606 has a frequency range of 52-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Oberon 3 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 606's min frequency of 52Hz.

Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Oberon 3
BW 606
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

DALI Oberon 3
B&W 606
Min
Average
Max

None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.

Impedance and Sensitivity

Oberon 3 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the BW 606 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.

These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Oberon 3 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the BW 606's is rated at 88 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the B&W 606 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Oberon 3, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

Oberon 3
BW 606
Min
Average
Max

Power Range

Power range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.

Oberon 3 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 606 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Oberon 3.

Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.

Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring

BW 606 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 3 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

DALI Oberon 3 Terminals
DALI Oberon 3's Post terminals

B&W 606Post Terminals
B&W 606's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Oberon 3 and BW 606 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

Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 3's and B&W 606's external dimensions. DALI Oberon 3 has external dimensions of 350.0 x 201.0 x 310.0mm ( 13-3/4 x 7-7/8 x 12-3/16inch) whereas B&W 606 has external dimensions of 345.0 x 190.0 x 324.0mm ( 13.5 x 7.4 x 12.7inch) .

B&W 606 is 11mm narrower and 5mm shorter than DALI Oberon 3 but it is also 14mm deeper.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Oberon 3 and B&W 606 in scale.

DALI Oberon 3 vs B&W 606 Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of DALI Oberon 3 and B&W 606 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 3 is approximately 623.1cm2 / 96.6inch2 and base area of the B&W 606 is approximately 615.6cm2 / 95.4inch2. The Oberon 3 requires 1% more surface area than the BW 606 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

Here is an another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:

DALI Oberon 3 vs B&W 606 Size Comparison on a Media Console
Size Comparison image of DALI Oberon 3 and B&W 606 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 3 weighs 6.32kg / 13.9lbs and the B&W 606 weighs 6.90kg / 15.2lbs. This makes the BW 606 9% heavier than the Oberon 3.

Here is a comparison of how Oberon 3 and BW 606's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
DALI Oberon 3
B&W 606
Min
Average
Max

What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 3?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Oberon 3:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • 8 Rubber feet
  • Manual
  • What's in the Box of B&W 606?

    Here are the items that come with the BW 606:
  • 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
  • 2 Grilles
  • 2 Two-piece foam port plugs
  • 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
  • 4 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)
  • Manual
  • Bowers & Wilkins brochure
  • Warranty Information

  • Reasons to choose DALI Oberon 3 over Bowers & Wilkins 606
    Max Input Power 150 watts vs 120 watts Handle more power from your amplifier
    Woofer Size 7 inches vs 6.5 inches Larger woofer
    Low Frequency Response 47 Hz vs 52 Hz Generates deeper bass

    Reasons to choose Bowers & Wilkins 606 over DALI Oberon 3

    Sensitivity 88 dB vs 87 dB Play louder with same amount of amplification power
    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
    Height 345mm vs 350mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces
    Base Surface Area 615cm2 vs 623cm2 Takes less floor space
    DALI Oberon 3 vs B&W 606 Specs Table
    Detailed comparison of specifications
    General DALI Oberon 3 Bowers & Wilkins 606
    Brand DALI Bowers Wilkins
    Speaker Type Bookshelf speakers Bookshelf speakers
    Power Range 25-150 watts 30-120 watts
    Sensitivity 87 dB 88 dB
    Impedance 6 ohms 8 ohms
    Impedance n/a 3.7 ohms
    Frequency Response 47-26k Hz 52-28k Hz
    Drivers
    Woofer Quantity 1 1
    Woofer Size 7" 6.5"
    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 2400Hz n/a
    Firing Direction rear rear
    Suggested Break-in Period n/a allow up to a week for the temperature effects to stabilise and 15 hours of average use for the parts to attain their intended design characteristics.
    Physical Specs
    Height 350.0mm (13.8") 345.0mm (13.6")
    Width 201.0mm (7.9") 190.0mm (7.5")
    Depth 310.0mm (12.2") 324.0mm (12.8")
    Weight 6.32kg (13.9lbs) 6.90kg (15.2lbs)
    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 No No
    Recommended Stand Height 24-26" 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

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