In this review, we will be comparing Imagine XC and Oberon Vokal, two Passive Center Channel speakers from PSB and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Imagine XC and DALI Oberon Vokal first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Imagine XC | DALI Oberon Vokal |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome | 1-1/8" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" clay ceramic-filled polypropylene | 2 x 5.25" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-23k Hz | 47-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89.5 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-150 watts | 25-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 7.45kg / 16.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6-3/4" x 19-1/8" x 11-1/16"
172.0 x 486.0 x 281.0mm | 6-3/8" x 17-7/16" x 11-9/16"
162.0 x 443.0 x 294.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PSB Imagine XC and DALI Oberon Vokal 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 XC |
DALI Oberon Vokal |
| 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.
Drivers
Both Imagine XC and Oberon Vokal are 2-way speakers.
PSB Imagine XCDALI 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 |
PSB Imagine XC |
DALI Oberon Vokal |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-1/8-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Imagine XC features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnet dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" clay ceramic-filled polypropylene Woofer. 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
Imagine XC has a frequency range of 50-23k Hz whereas Oberon Vokal has a frequency range of 47-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 47Hz, the Oberon Vokal can go slightly deeper then the Imagine XC's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
Imagine XC is a 8 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. Imagine XC sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Oberon Vokal's is rated at 89.5 dB.
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 Imagine XC is rated 20-150 watts and Oberon Vokal 25-150 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
Imagine XC 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 PSB Imagine XC's and DALI Oberon Vokal's external dimensions. PSB Imagine XC has external dimensions of 172.0 x 486.0 x 281.0mm (6-3/4 x 19-1/8 x 11-1/16inch) 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 Vokal is 43mm narrower and 10mm shorter than PSB Imagine XC but it is also 13mm deeper.
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 XC is approximately 1365.7cm2 / 211.7inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon Vokal is approximately 1302.4cm2 / 201.9inch2. The Imagine XC requires 5% more surface area than the Oberon Vokal 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 XC weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs and the DALI Oberon Vokal weighs 7.45kg / 16.4lbs. This makes the Imagine XC 21% heavier than the Oberon Vokal.
Here is a comparison of how Imagine XC and Oberon Vokal'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 PSB Imagine XC?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Imagine XC:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
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
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Price per pair* |
549USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
47 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
162mm
vs
172mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1302cm2
vs
1365cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
PSB Imagine XC |
DALI Oberon Vokal |
| Brand |
PSB |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
20-150 watts |
25-150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-23k Hz |
47-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
clay ceramic-filled polypropylene |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1-1/8" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2600Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
172.0mm (6.8") |
162.0mm (6.4") |
| Width |
486.0mm (19.1") |
443.0mm (17.4") |
| Depth |
281.0mm (11.1") |
294.0mm (11.6") |
| Weight |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
7.45kg (16.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: DALI Oberon Vokal 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 | B | DALI Oberon Vokal digs deeper - 47Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | PSB Imagine XC is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| 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 | evenly matched | Much the same money ($549 vs $599 a pair). |
A PSB Imagine XC B DALI Oberon Vokal
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, PSB Imagine XC is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.