In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by DALI. DALI Oberon 3 is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the Oberon On-Wall is a On-wall speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon 3 and DALI Oberon On-Wall first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon 3 | DALI Oberon On-Wall |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | 1.14" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" Wood Fiber | 5.25" Wood fibre |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-26k Hz | 55-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.32kg / 13.9lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13-3/4" x 7-7/8" x 12-3/16"
350.0 x 201.0 x 310.0mm | 15.16" x 9.65" x 4.72"
385 x 245 x 120 mm |
|---|
Oberon 3 and Oberon On-Wall are members of DALI's Oberon series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
DALI Oberon Series
History
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Oberon 3 and Oberon On-Wall are 2-way speakers.
DALI Oberon 3DALI Oberon On-Wall
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 3 |
DALI Oberon On-Wall |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1.14-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
1 x 5.25-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 Oberon On-Wall features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz.
Frequency Response
Oberon 3 has a frequency range of 47-26k Hz whereas Oberon On-Wall has a frequency range of 55-26k 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 Oberon On-Wall'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 3 and Oberon On-Wall have the same Impedance of 6 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 87 dB.
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 3 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Oberon On-Wall has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Oberon 3.
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 3 features Binding post type posts and Oberon On-Wall has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 3'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 Oberon 3's and DALI Oberon On-Wall'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 DALI Oberon On-Wall has external dimensions of 385 x 245 x 120 mm ().
DALI Oberon 3 is 44mm narrower and 35mm shorter than DALI Oberon On-Wall but it is also 190mm deeper.
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 Oberon 3 needs about 112% more floor or shelf area. DALI Oberon 3 is 190mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Oberon On-Wall is 35mm 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 Oberon 3 is approximately 623.1cm2 / 96.6inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon On-Wall is approximately 294.0cm2 / 45.6inch2. The Oberon 3 requires 112% more surface area than the Oberon On-Wall which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
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