In this review, we will be comparing Oberon 3 and Bronze 100, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from DALI and Monitor Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon 3 and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon 3 | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" Wood Fiber | 8" C-CAM |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-26k Hz | 37-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 30-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.32kg / 13.9lbs | 7.80kg / 17.2lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 14.8" x 9.0" x 12.7"
376.0 x 231.0 x 325.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the DALI Oberon 3 and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 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 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 3 and Bronze 100 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Oberon 3Monitor Audio Bronze 100
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 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
1 x 8-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 Bronze 100 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 8" C-CAM Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
Oberon 3 has a frequency range of 47-26k Hz whereas Bronze 100 has a frequency range of 37-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 37Hz, the Bronze 100 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Oberon 3's min frequency of 47Hz.
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 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Bronze 100 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 87 dBdB.
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 Bronze 100 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
Bronze 100 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's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Oberon 3 and Bronze 100 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 3's and Monitor Audio Bronze 100'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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 has external dimensions of 376.0 x 231.0 x 325.0mm (14.8 x 9.0 x 12.7inch).
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 26mm taller and 15mm deeper than DALI Oberon 3.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Oberon 3 and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Oberon 3 and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is approximately 750.8cm2 / 116.4inch2. The Oberon 3 requires 17% less surface area than the Bronze 100 which gives it a small advantage 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 3 and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100 weighs 7.80kg / 17.2lbs. This makes the Bronze 100 23% heavier than the Oberon 3.
Here is a comparison of how Oberon 3 and Bronze 100'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 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 Monitor Audio Bronze 100?
Here are the items that come with the Bronze 100:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Terminal-jumpers (pre-installed)
- 2 Foam port plugs
- 8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
- Hex-key
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
 Max Input Power |
150 watts
vs
100 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
350mm
vs
376mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
623cm2
vs
750cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
7 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
37 Hz
vs
47 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
675USD
vs
899USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
DALI Oberon 3 |
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 |
| Brand |
DALI |
Monitor Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
30-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4.5 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-26k Hz |
37-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
C-CAM |
| 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 |
2200Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
350.0mm (13.8") |
376.0mm (14.8") |
| Width |
201.0mm (7.9") |
231.0mm (9.1") |
| Depth |
310.0mm (12.2") |
325.0mm (12.8") |
| Weight |
6.32kg (13.9lbs) |
7.80kg (17.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
Walnut, Black, White, Urban Grey |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Recommended Stand Height |
24-26" |
22-26" |
| 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 | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 digs deeper - 37Hz against 47Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (87dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | DALI Oberon 3 takes more power (150W vs 100W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | DALI Oberon 3 is easier to place; Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 100: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is cheaper - $675 against $899, about 25% less. |
A DALI Oberon 3 B Monitor Audio Bronze 100
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?
Monitor Audio Bronze 100 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take DALI Oberon 3 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 47Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate DALI Oberon 3 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Monitor Audio Bronze 100 for near-field listening and a small room.
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.