In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by DALI. DALI Oberon On-Wall is a On-wall speaker whereas the Oberon GRAND Vokal is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon On-Wall and DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon On-Wall | DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.14" Soft-Dome | 1-1/8" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Wood fibre | 2 x 7" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-26k Hz | 45-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 25-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 12.85kg / 28.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.16" x 9.65" x 4.72"
385 x 245 x 120 mm | 7.9" x 27.5" x 12.2"
201 x 700 x 310mm |
|---|
Oberon On-Wall and Oberon GRAND Vokal 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 On-Wall and Oberon GRAND Vokal are 2-way speakers.
DALI Oberon On-WallDALI Oberon GRAND Vokal
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 On-Wall |
DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.14-inch
|
1-1/8-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
Oberon On-Wall features a 1.14" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2100Hz. On the other hand, the Oberon GRAND Vokal features a 1-1/8" ultra-light soft textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 7" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2500Hz.
Frequency Response
Oberon On-Wall has a frequency range of 55-26k Hz whereas Oberon GRAND Vokal has a frequency range of 45-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the Oberon GRAND Vokal 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 On-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
On-wall 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 On-Wall is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Oberon GRAND Vokal which has a nominal impedance of 4 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 GRAND Vokal can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Oberon On-Wall sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Oberon GRAND Vokal's is rated at 91 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Oberon On-Wall, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
On-wall 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 GRAND Vokal can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Oberon On-Wall has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Oberon GRAND Vokal.
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 On-Wall features Binding post type posts and Oberon GRAND Vokal has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal's Binding 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 On-Wall's and DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal's external dimensions. DALI Oberon On-Wall has external dimensions of 385 x 245 x 120 mm () whereas DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal has external dimensions of 201 x 700 x 310mm (7.9 x 27.5 x 12.2inch).
DALI Oberon On-Wall is 455mm narrower and 190mm less deeper than DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal but it is also 184mm taller.
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 GRAND Vokal needs about 638% more floor or shelf area. DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal is 190mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Oberon On-Wall is 184mm 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 On-Wall is approximately 294.0cm2 / 45.6inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal is approximately 2170.0cm2 / 336.4inch2. The Oberon On-Wall requires 86% less surface area than the Oberon GRAND Vokal which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon GRAND Vokal?
Here are the items that come with the Oberon GRAND Vokal:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 8 Rubber feet
- Manual