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 Vokal is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon On-Wall and DALI Oberon Vokal first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon On-Wall | DALI Oberon 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 5.25" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-26k Hz | 47-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-100 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 7.45kg / 16.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.16" x 9.65" x 4.72"
385 x 245 x 120 mm | 6-3/8" x 17-7/16" x 11-9/16"
162.0 x 443.0 x 294.0mm |
|---|
Oberon On-Wall and Oberon 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 Vokal are 2-way speakers.
DALI Oberon On-WallDALI Oberon 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 Vokal |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.14-inch
|
1-1/8-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-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 Vokal features a 1-1/8" ultra-light soft textile Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz.
Frequency Response
Oberon On-Wall has a frequency range of 55-26k Hz whereas Oberon Vokal has a frequency range of 47-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Oberon 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 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 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 Vokal's is rated at 89.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the DALI Oberon 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 Vokal can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS, whereas Oberon On-Wall has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Oberon 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 Vokal has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 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 Vokal's external dimensions. DALI Oberon On-Wall has external dimensions of 385 x 245 x 120 mm () whereas DALI Oberon Vokal has external dimensions of 162.0 x 443.0 x 294.0mm (6-3/8 x 17-7/16 x 11-9/16inch).
DALI Oberon On-Wall is 198mm narrower and 174mm less deeper than DALI Oberon Vokal but it is also 223mm 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 Vokal needs about 343% more floor or shelf area. DALI Oberon Vokal is 174mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. DALI Oberon On-Wall is 223mm 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 Vokal is approximately 1302.4cm2 / 201.9inch2. The Oberon On-Wall requires 77% less surface area than the Oberon Vokal which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon Vokal?
Here are the items that come with the Oberon Vokal:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 8 Rubber feet
- Manual