In this review, we will be comparing Evoke 30 and Oberon 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Dynaudio and DALI. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Evoke 30 and DALI Oberon 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Dynaudio Evoke 30 and DALI Oberon 9 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 Dynaudio Evoke 30 and DALI Oberon 9 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 Evoke 30 is a 2-way design whereas the Oberon 9 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 |
Dynaudio Evoke 30 |
DALI Oberon 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
1 x 7-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.5-inch
|
2 x 9-inch
|
Evoke 30 features a 1.1" Tweeter and 2 x 5.5" Magnesium Silicate Polymer Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1200Hz and 2300Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Evoke 30 has a frequency range of 40-23k Hz whereas Oberon 9 has a frequency range of 35-26k 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 Evoke 30's min frequency of 40Hz.
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
Evoke 30 and Oberon 9 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Evoke 30 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Oberon 9's is at 90.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the DALI Oberon 9 a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Evoke 30, 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 Evoke 30 and the Evoke 30 can provide this impedance level.
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.
Evoke 30 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Evoke 30 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
Evoke 30 features Post type posts and Oberon 9 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Dynaudio Evoke 30's Binding post terminals
DALI Oberon 9's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Evoke 30 and Oberon 9 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 Dynaudio Evoke 30's and DALI Oberon 9's external dimensions. Dynaudio Evoke 30 has external dimensions of 928.0 x 180.0 x 343.0mm ( 36-1/2 x 10-5/8 x 13-1/2inch) whereas DALI Oberon 9 has external dimensions of 1172.0 x 260.0 x 407.0mm ( 46-1/8 x 10-1/4 x 16inch) .
DALI Oberon 9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 80mm wider, 244mm taller and 64mm deeper than Dynaudio Evoke 30.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Dynaudio Evoke 30 and DALI Oberon 9 in scale.
Comparison image of Dynaudio Evoke 30 and DALI Oberon 9 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 Dynaudio Evoke 30 is approximately 617.4cm2 / 95.7inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon 9 is approximately 1058.2cm2 / 164.0inch2. The Evoke 30 requires 42% less surface area than the Oberon 9 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 Dynaudio Evoke 30 weighs 15.50kg / 34.1lbs and the DALI Oberon 9 weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the Oberon 9 139% heavier than the Evoke 30.
Here is a comparison of how Evoke 30 and Oberon 9'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 Dynaudio Evoke 30?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Evoke 30:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Outrigger feet4 Spikes4 Locking nuts8 Washers8 ScrewsFoam port plugHex-keyTweeter protection cover (pre-installed)Instructions for UseImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Card
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 9?
Here are the items that come with the Oberon 9:
Floorstanding loudspeakerGrille4 Rubber feet4 Spike-feet4 Hex-nutsManua
 Height |
928mm
vs
1172mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
617cm2 (180x343mm)
vs
1058cm2 (260x407mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
9 inches
vs
5.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
2500USD
vs
3500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Dynaudio Evoke 30 |
DALI Oberon 9 |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
50-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
40-23k Hz |
35-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
9" |
| Woofer Composition |
Magnesium Silicate Polymer |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
7" |
| Crossover Frequency |
1200Hz and 2300Hz |
780Hz and 3400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
928.0mm (36.5") |
1172.0mm (46.1") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
343.0mm (13.5") |
407.0mm (16") |
| Weight |
15.50kg (34.1lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Oak (blonde) |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years (8 Years registered) |
5 Years |