In this review, we will be comparing R700 and Oberon 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Polk Audio and DALI. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Polk R700 and DALI Oberon 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the Polk R700 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 Polk R700 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
Both R700 and Oberon 9 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
Polk R700 |
DALI Oberon 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 7-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 9-inch
|
R700 features a 1" Pinnacle Ring Radiator Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 350Hz and 2700Hz. 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
R700 has a frequency range of 38-38k Hz whereas Oberon 9 has a frequency range of 35-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Oberon 9 can go slightly deeper then the R700's min frequency of 38Hz.
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
R700 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Oberon 9 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 9 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. R700 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Oberon 9's is rated at 90.5 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the DALI Oberon 9 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk R700, 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. 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.
R700 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R700 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS , 100 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
R700 features Post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 9 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Polk R700's Post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
DALI Oberon 9's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
R700 has a bottom firing port whereas Oberon 9 has a rear firing ports. Polk R700's bottom-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to DALI Oberon 9 with its rear-firing port.
Polk R700 Port
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 Polk R700's and DALI Oberon 9's external dimensions. Polk R700 has external dimensions of 1143.8 x 320.7 x 428.3mm ( 45 x 12.6 x 16.9inch) 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 60.7mm narrower and 21.3mm less deeper than Polk R700 but it is also 28.2mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Polk R700 and DALI Oberon 9 in scale.
Comparison image of Polk R700 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 Polk R700 is approximately 1373.6cm2 / 212.9inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon 9 is approximately 1058.2cm2 / 164.0inch2. The R700 requires 30% more surface area than the Oberon 9 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 Polk R700 weighs 35.90kg / 79lbs and the DALI Oberon 9 weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the Oberon 9 3% heavier than the R700.
Here is a comparison of how R700 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 Polk R700?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of R700:
Floorstanding loudspeaker
4 Outrigger feet (pre-installed)
4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
4 Spike feet (pre-installed)
Grille
Hex-key
Owner's Manual
Online Registration
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
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
38k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1143mm
vs
1172mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
2198USD
vs
2500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
9 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
38 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
1058cm2 (260x407mm)
vs
1373cm2 (320x428mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Polk Audio Reserve R700 |
DALI Oberon 9 |
| Brand |
Polk Audio |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
50-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.6 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
38-38k Hz |
35-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
9" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Pinnacle Ring Radiator |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
7" |
| Crossover Frequency |
350Hz and 2700Hz |
780Hz and 3400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1143.8mm (45") |
1172.0mm (46.1") |
| Width |
320.7mm (12.6") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
428.3mm (16.9") |
407.0mm (16") |
| Weight |
35.90kg (79lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Vinyl |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White |
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 |