In this review, we will be comparing Oberon 9 and BW 603, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and Bowers Wilkins. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon 9 and B&W 603 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the DALI Oberon 9 and B&W 603 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 9 and B&W 603 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
Both Oberon 9 and BW 603 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
DALI Oberon 9 |
B&W 603 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.125-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 7-inch |
1 x 6-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 9-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
Oberon 9 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter , a 7" Midrange and 2 x 9" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 780Hz and 3400Hz. On the other hand, the BW 603 features a 1" Tweeter , a 6" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer .
Frequency Response
Oberon 9 has a frequency range of 35-26k Hz whereas BW 603 has a frequency range of 48-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Oberon 9 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the BW 603's min frequency of 48Hz.
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 9 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the BW 603 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Oberon 9 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Oberon 9 sensitivity is rated at 90.5 dB and the BW 603's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the DALI Oberon 9 a more sensitive speaker compared to B&W 603, 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 9 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas BW 603 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Oberon 9.
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 603 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 9 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 9's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Oberon 9 and BW 603 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 9's and B&W 603's external dimensions. DALI Oberon 9 has external dimensions of 1172.0 x 260.0 x 407.0mm ( 46-1/8 x 10-1/4 x 16inch) whereas B&W 603 has external dimensions of 985.0 x 190.0 x 340.0mm ( 38.7 x 7.4 x 13.3inch) .
DALI Oberon 9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 70mm wider, 187mm taller and 67mm deeper than B&W 603.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Oberon 9 and B&W 603 in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Oberon 9 and B&W 603 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 9 is approximately 1058.2cm2 / 164.0inch2 and base area of the B&W 603 is approximately 646.0cm2 / 100.1inch2. The Oberon 9 requires 64% more surface area than the BW 603 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 9 weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs and the B&W 603 weighs 24.14kg / 53.1lbs. This makes the Oberon 9 54% heavier than the BW 603.
Here is a comparison of how Oberon 9 and BW 603'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 9?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Oberon 9:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Rubber feet4 Spike-feet4 Hex-nutsManua
What's in the Box of B&W 603?
Here are the items that come with the BW 603:
Floorstanding loudspeaker Grille Plinith (base) 2 Jumper-straps (pre-installed) 4 Rubber feet 4 Spike feet 4 Hex-nuts 4 Screws 4 Washers 4 Lock-washers Two-piece foam port plug Hex-key Manual Bowers & Wilkins brochure Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
9 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
48 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 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 |
985mm
vs
1172mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
646cm2 (190x340mm)
vs
1058cm2 (260x407mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
DALI Oberon 9 |
Bowers & Wilkins 603 |
| Brand |
DALI |
Bowers Wilkins |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-400 watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90.5 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-26k Hz |
48-28k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
9" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Paper |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.125" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
7" |
6" |
| Crossover Frequency |
780Hz and 3400Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1172.0mm (46.1") |
985.0mm (38.8") |
| Width |
260.0mm (10.2") |
190.0mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
407.0mm (16") |
340.0mm (13.4") |
| Weight |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
24.14kg (53.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
Black, White, Oak |
| 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 |