In this review, we will be comparing Oberon 5 and C 97 II, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and Jamo. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon 5 and Jamo C 97 II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the DALI Oberon 5 and Jamo C 97 II 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the DALI Oberon 5 and Jamo C 97 II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Oberon 5 is a 2-way design whereas the C 97 II is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
DALI Oberon 5 |
Jamo C 97 II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
3 x 6-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 C 97 II features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 3 x 6" Composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Oberon 5 has a frequency range of 39-26k Hz whereas C 97 II has a frequency range of 32-24k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the C 97 II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Oberon 5's min frequency of 39Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
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 5 and C 97 II have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Oberon 5 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the C 97 II's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Jamo C 97 II a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Oberon 5, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
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 5 can handle a max power of 180 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Oberon 5 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS , 30 watts less than the C 97 II.
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
C 97 II features Posts posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 5 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 5's Post terminals
Jamo C 97 II's Posts terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Oberon 5 and C 97 II 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 5's and Jamo C 97 II'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 Jamo C 97 II has external dimensions of 1070.0 x 248.0 x 402.0mm ( 42-1/8 x 9-3/4 x 15-13/16inch) .
Jamo C 97 II is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 46mm wider, 238mm taller and 125mm deeper than DALI Oberon 5.
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 Jamo C 97 II is approximately 997.0cm2 / 154.5inch2. The Oberon 5 requires 44% less surface area than the C 97 II 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 Jamo C 97 II weighs 24.55kg / 54lbs. This makes the C 97 II 127% heavier than the Oberon 5.
Here is a comparison of how Oberon 5 and C 97 II'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 loudspeakers2 Grilles8 Rubber feet8 Spike-feet8 Hex-nutsManual
What's in the Box of Jamo C 97 II?
Here are the items that come with the C 97 II:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes (pre-installed on outrigger feet)4 Rubber feet8 Machine screws2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed)Hex-keyUser ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
832mm
vs
1070mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
559cm2 (202x277mm)
vs
997cm2 (248x402mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1299USD
vs
1378USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
180 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
DALI Oberon 5 |
Jamo Concert 9 Series C 97 II |
| Brand |
DALI |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-150 watts |
50-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-26k Hz |
32-24k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
2400Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
832.0mm (32.8") |
1070.0mm (42.1") |
| Width |
202.0mm (8") |
248.0mm (9.8") |
| Depth |
277.0mm (10.9") |
402.0mm (15.8") |
| Weight |
10.80kg (23.8lbs) |
24.55kg (54lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
Black |
| 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 |