In this review, we will be comparing Imagine X2T and Oberon 7, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Imagine X2T and DALI Oberon 7 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Imagine X2T | DALI Oberon 7 |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1.125" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly | 2 x 7" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 30-23k Hz | 36-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 88.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 30-180 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.60kg / 51.9lbs | 14.80kg / 32.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-1/8" x 9" x 16-3/4"
1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm | 40" x 7-7/8" x 12-15/16"
1016.0 x 200.0 x 329.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PSB Imagine X2T and DALI Oberon 7 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* |
PSB Imagine X2T |
DALI Oberon 7 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| 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.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Imagine X2T is a 3-way design whereas the Oberon 7 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.
PSB Imagine X2TDALI Oberon 7
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
PSB Imagine X2T |
DALI Oberon 7 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.2-inch
|
2 x 7-inch
|
Imagine X2T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 2 x 6.2" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2200Hz. On the other hand, the Oberon 7 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 7" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2300Hz.
Frequency Response
Imagine X2T has a frequency range of 30-23k Hz whereas Oberon 7 has a frequency range of 36-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 30Hz, the Imagine X2T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Oberon 7's min frequency of 36Hz.
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
Imagine X2T is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Oberon 7 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Imagine X2T sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Oberon 7's is rated at 88.5 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the PSB Imagine X2T a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Oberon 7, 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.
Imagine X2T can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Oberon 7 has a max power handling value of 180 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Imagine X2T.
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
Imagine X2T features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 7 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X2T's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
DALI Oberon 7's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Imagine X2T has a front firing port whereas Oberon 7 has a rear firing ports. PSB Imagine X2T's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to DALI Oberon 7 with its rear-firing 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 PSB Imagine X2T's and DALI Oberon 7's external dimensions. PSB Imagine X2T has external dimensions of 1020.0 x 229.0 x 426.0mm (40-1/8 x 9 x 16-3/4inch) whereas DALI Oberon 7 has external dimensions of 1016.0 x 200.0 x 329.0mm (40 x 7-7/8 x 12-15/16inch).
PSB Imagine X2T is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 29mm wider, 4mm taller and 97mm deeper than DALI Oberon 7.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Imagine X2T and DALI Oberon 7 in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Imagine X2T and DALI Oberon 7 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 PSB Imagine X2T is approximately 975.5cm2 / 151.2inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon 7 is approximately 658.0cm2 / 102.0inch2. The Imagine X2T requires 48% more surface area than the Oberon 7 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 PSB Imagine X2T weighs 23.60kg / 51.9lbs and the DALI Oberon 7 weighs 14.80kg / 32.6lbs. This makes the Imagine X2T 59% heavier than the Oberon 7.
Here is a comparison of how Imagine X2T and Oberon 7'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 PSB Imagine X2T?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Imagine X2T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 7?
Here are the items that come with the Oberon 7:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spike-feet
- 4 Hex-nuts
- Manual
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
30 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Price per pair* |
1500USD
vs
1700USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
|
Woofer Size |
7 inches
vs
6.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1016mm
vs
1020mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
658cm2
vs
975cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
PSB Imagine X2T |
DALI Oberon 7 |
| Brand |
PSB |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
30-180 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
88.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
30-23k Hz |
36-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.2" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
Clay/Ceramic/Poly |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2200Hz |
2300Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1020.0mm (40.2") |
1016.0mm (40") |
| Width |
229.0mm (9") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
426.0mm (16.8") |
329.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
23.60kg (51.9lbs) |
14.80kg (32.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain |
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 |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: DALI Oberon 7 is the newer design, against a 2013 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | PSB Imagine X2T digs deeper - 30Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | PSB Imagine X2T is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 180W). |
| Size | depends | DALI Oberon 7 is easier to place; PSB Imagine X2T is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | PSB Imagine X2T: bi-amping. DALI Oberon 7 sits in a wider range (9 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | PSB Imagine X2T is cheaper - $1,500 against $1,700, about 12% less. |
A PSB Imagine X2T B DALI Oberon 7
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?
PSB Imagine X2T is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take DALI Oberon 7 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 36Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, PSB Imagine X2T has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, DALI Oberon 7 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.