In this review, we will be comparing Kendall and Oberon 5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Kendall and DALI Oberon 5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Kendall | DALI Oberon 5 |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1.125" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar | 2 x 5.25" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 25-23k Hz | 39-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 96 dB | 88 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 250 watts | 30-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.14kg / 48.7lbs | 10.80kg / 23.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/16" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm | 32-3/4" x 7-15/16" x 10-7/8"
832.0 x 202.0 x 277.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Kendall is a 3-way design whereas the Oberon 5 is a 2-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.
KLH KendallDALI Oberon 5
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KLH Kendall |
DALI Oberon 5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Kendall features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Woven Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the Oberon 5 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2400Hz.
Frequency Response
Kendall has a frequency range of 25-23k Hz whereas Oberon 5 has a frequency range of 39-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 25Hz, the Kendall can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Oberon 5's min frequency of 39Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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
Kendall is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Oberon 5 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Kendall sensitivity is rated at 96 dB and the Oberon 5's is rated at 88 dB. This 8 dB difference makes the KLH Kendall a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Oberon 5, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Kendall can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas Oberon 5 has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the Kendall.
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
Kendall features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 5 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Kendall's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
DALI Oberon 5's 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 KLH Kendall's and DALI Oberon 5's external dimensions. KLH Kendall has external dimensions of 1021.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/16 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) whereas DALI Oberon 5 has external dimensions of 832.0 x 202.0 x 277.0mm (32-3/4 x 7-15/16 x 10-7/8inch).
KLH Kendall is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 10mm wider, 189mm taller and 103mm deeper than DALI Oberon 5.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Kendall and DALI Oberon 5 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Kendall and DALI Oberon 5 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 KLH Kendall is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon 5 is approximately 559.5cm2 / 86.7inch2. The Kendall requires 44% more surface area than the Oberon 5 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 KLH Kendall weighs 22.14kg / 48.7lbs and the DALI Oberon 5 weighs 10.80kg / 23.8lbs. This makes the Kendall 105% heavier than the Oberon 5.
Here is a comparison of how Kendall and Oberon 5'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 KLH Kendall?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Kendall:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- Foam port
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike feet (with nuts)
- 4 Protective discs
- Manual
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 5?
Here are the items that come with the Oberon 5:
- 2 Floorstanding loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber feet
- 8 Spike-feet
- 8 Hex-nuts
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
96 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
25 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
832mm
vs
1021mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
559cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1499USD
vs
1500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
KLH Kendall |
DALI Oberon 5 |
| Brand |
KLH |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 250 watts |
30-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
96 dB |
88 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
25-23k Hz |
39-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven Kevlar |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1021.0mm (40.2") |
832.0mm (32.8") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
202.0mm (8") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
277.0mm (10.9") |
| Weight |
22.14kg (48.7lbs) |
10.80kg (23.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood Veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | KLH Kendall digs deeper - 25Hz against 39Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KLH Kendall is more sensitive (96dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | KLH Kendall is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | KLH Kendall takes more power (250W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | DALI Oberon 5 is easier to place; KLH Kendall is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | KLH Kendall: bi-amping. DALI Oberon 5 sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,500 vs $1,499 a pair). |
A KLH Kendall B DALI Oberon 5
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?
KLH Kendall 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 a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 39Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, KLH Kendall has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, DALI Oberon 5 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.