In this review, we will be comparing Oberon Vokal and Opticon VOKAL MK2, two Passive Center Channel speakers by DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Oberon Vokal and Dali Opticon VOKAL II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Oberon Vokal | Dali Opticon VOKAL II |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1-1/8" Soft-Dome | 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Wood Fiber | 6.5" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 47-26k Hz | 47-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89.5 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.45kg / 16.4lbs | 9.23kg / 20.3lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-3/8" x 17-7/16" x 11-9/16"
162.0 x 443.0 x 294.0mm | 7-15/16" x 17-1/8" x 12-5/16"
202.0 x 435.0 x 313.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the DALI Oberon Vokal and Dali Opticon VOKAL 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:
| Listening Environment* |
DALI Oberon Vokal |
Dali Opticon VOKAL II |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Oberon Vokal is a 2-way design whereas the Opticon VOKAL MK2 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.
DALI Oberon VokalDali Opticon VOKAL II
Woofer
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 Vokal |
Dali Opticon VOKAL II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-1/8-inch
|
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the Opticon VOKAL MK2 features a 17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz and 14.000Hz.
Frequency Response
Oberon Vokal has a frequency range of 47-26k Hz whereas Opticon VOKAL MK2 has a frequency range of 47-30k Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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 Vokal and Opticon VOKAL MK2 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Oberon Vokal sensitivity is rated at 89.5 dB and the Opticon VOKAL MK2's is at 88 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the DALI Oberon Vokal a more sensitive speaker compared to Dali Opticon VOKAL II, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Oberon Vokal and the Oberon Vokal can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though Oberon Vokal is rated 25-150 watts and Opticon VOKAL MK2 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 Vokal features Binding post type posts and Opticon VOKAL MK2 has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon Vokal's Binding post terminals
Dali Opticon VOKAL II's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Oberon Vokal and Opticon VOKAL MK2 have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
Dali Opticon VOKAL II slot Port
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 Vokal's and Dali Opticon VOKAL II's external dimensions. 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) whereas Dali Opticon VOKAL II has external dimensions of 202.0 x 435.0 x 313.0mm (7-15/16 x 17-1/8 x 12-5/16inch).
DALI Oberon Vokal is 40mm shorter and 19mm less deeper than Dali Opticon VOKAL II but it is also 8mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of DALI Oberon Vokal and Dali Opticon VOKAL II in scale.
Comparison image of DALI Oberon Vokal and Dali Opticon VOKAL II 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 Vokal is approximately 1302.4cm2 / 201.9inch2 and base area of the Dali Opticon VOKAL II is approximately 1361.6cm2 / 211.0inch2. The Oberon Vokal requires 4% less surface area than the Opticon VOKAL MK2 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 Vokal weighs 7.45kg / 16.4lbs and the Dali Opticon VOKAL II weighs 9.23kg / 20.3lbs. This makes the Opticon VOKAL MK2 24% heavier than the Oberon Vokal.
Here is a comparison of how Oberon Vokal and Opticon VOKAL MK2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon Vokal?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Oberon Vokal:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 8 Rubber feet
- Manual
What's in the Box of Dali Opticon VOKAL II?
Here are the items that come with the Opticon VOKAL MK2:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 6 Rubber bumpers
- Quick Start Guide
- Congratulations Card
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Height |
162mm
vs
202mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1302cm2
vs
1361cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
|
Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
DALI Oberon Vokal |
Dali Opticon VOKAL MK2 |
| Brand |
DALI |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89.5 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
47-26k Hz |
47-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Wood Fiber |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1-1/8" |
17 x 45 mm ribbon + 1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-dome + ribbon Hybrid |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2600Hz |
2400Hz and 14.000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
162.0mm (6.4") |
202.0mm (8") |
| Width |
443.0mm (17.4") |
435.0mm (17.1") |
| Depth |
294.0mm (11.6") |
313.0mm (12.3") |
| Weight |
7.45kg (16.4lbs) |
9.23kg (20.3lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
Satin Black, Tobacco Oak, Satin White |
| 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 |
These sit in different price classes - Dali Opticon VOKAL II costs roughly 2x what DALI Oberon Vokal does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (47Hz vs 47Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | DALI Oberon Vokal is more sensitive (90dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | DALI Oberon Vokal is easier to place; Dali Opticon VOKAL II is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. DALI Oberon Vokal sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | DALI Oberon Vokal is cheaper - $599 against $1,199, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A DALI Oberon Vokal B Dali Opticon VOKAL II
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?
DALI Oberon Vokal has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, DALI Oberon Vokal is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $600 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.