In this review, we will be comparing Oberon 5 and SONIK 5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon 5 and DALI SONIK 5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon 5 | DALI SONIK 5 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.125" Soft-Dome | 1.125" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Wood Fiber | 2 x 5.25" Wood fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39-26k Hz | 39-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-150 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 10.80kg / 23.8lbs | 10.82kg / 23.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 32-3/4" x 7-15/16" x 10-7/8"
832.0 x 202.0 x 277.0mm | 32-7/16" x 9-13/16" x 10-9/16"
824.0 x 250.0 x 269.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Oberon 5 and SONIK 5 are 2-way speakers.
DALI Oberon 5DALI SONIK 5
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 5 |
DALI SONIK 5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Oberon 5 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz. On the other hand, the SONIK 5 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Wood fiber Woofer.
Frequency Response
Oberon 5 and SONIK 5 has exactly the same frequency range of 39-26k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 5 and SONIK 5 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 88 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 5 and SONIK 5 have the same power range of 30-150 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
Oberon 5 features Binding post type posts and SONIK 5 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 5's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Oberon 5 and SONIK 5 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 5's and DALI SONIK 5's external dimensions. DALI Oberon 5 has external dimensions of 832.0 x 202.0 x 277.0mm (32-3/4 x 7-15/16 x 10-7/8inch) whereas DALI SONIK 5 has external dimensions of 824.0 x 250.0 x 269.0mm (32-7/16inch x 9-13/16inch x 10-9/16inch).
DALI SONIK 5 is 8mm shorter and 8mm less deeper than DALI Oberon 5 but it is also 48mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Oberon 5 and DALI SONIK 5 in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Oberon 5 and DALI SONIK 5 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 5 is approximately 559.5cm2 / 86.7inch2 and base area of the DALI SONIK 5 is approximately 672.5cm2 / 104.2inch2. The Oberon 5 requires 17% less surface area than the SONIK 5 which gives it a small advantage 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 5 weighs 10.80kg / 23.8lbs and the DALI SONIK 5 weighs 10.82kg / 23.8lbs. This makes the SONIK 5 0% heavier than the Oberon 5.
Here is a comparison of how Oberon 5 and SONIK 5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 5?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Oberon 5:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spike-feet
- 8 Hex-nuts
- Manual
What's in the Box of DALI SONIK 5?
Here are the items that come with the SONIK 5:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 4 Outrigger feet
- 8 Rubber feet (M8 threads)
- 8 Spike-feet (M8 threads)
- Eight M8 hex-nuts
- Eight M8x15mm counter-sunk hex-screws
- Hex-key
- Hex-wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Online Registration Card
 Base Surface Area |
559cm2
vs
672cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
1800USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
824mm
vs
832mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
DALI Oberon 5 |
DALI SONIK 5 |
| Brand |
DALI |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-26k Hz |
39-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Wood fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
832.0mm (32.8") |
824.0mm (32.4") |
| Width |
202.0mm (8") |
250.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
277.0mm (10.9") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Weight |
10.80kg (23.8lbs) |
10.82kg (23.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain laminate |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
Black Ash, Natural Oak,White,Walnut |
| 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 |
A generation apart: DALI SONIK 5 is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (39Hz vs 39Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 88dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Price | A | DALI Oberon 5 is cheaper - $1,499 against $1,800, about 17% less. |
A DALI Oberon 5 B DALI SONIK 5
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.
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.