In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Tower and Oberon 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and DALI. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Tower and DALI Oberon 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower 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 SVS Ultra Tower 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
Both Ultra Tower and Oberon 9 are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
SVS Ultra Tower |
DALI Oberon 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.0-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 7-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
2 x 9-inch
|
Ultra Tower features a 1.0" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160HZ and 2000Hz. 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
Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas Oberon 9 has a frequency range of 35-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Ultra Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Oberon 9's min frequency of 35Hz.
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
Ultra Tower 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. Ultra Tower 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 SVS Ultra Tower, 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.
Ultra Tower can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Ultra Tower 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
Ultra Tower features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 9 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
SVS Ultra Tower's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
DALI Oberon 9's Post terminals
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 SVS Ultra Tower's and DALI Oberon 9's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Tower has external dimensions of 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm ( 45-5/8 x 13-15/16 x 17-1/2inch) 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 95mm narrower and 38mm less deeper than SVS Ultra Tower but it is also 13mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Ultra Tower and DALI Oberon 9 in scale.
Comparison image of SVS Ultra Tower 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 SVS Ultra Tower is approximately 1579.8cm2 / 244.9inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon 9 is approximately 1058.2cm2 / 164.0inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 49% 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 SVS Ultra Tower weighs 34.27kg / 75.4lbs and the DALI Oberon 9 weighs 37.10kg / 81.6lbs. This makes the Oberon 9 8% heavier than the Ultra Tower.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Tower 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 SVS Ultra Tower?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ultra Tower:
Floorstanding loudspeakerCloth grille2 Metal grillesFoam port plug4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Protective discs2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Owners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration 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
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1159mm
vs
1172mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 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
8.0 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Base Surface Area |
1058cm2 (260x407mm)
vs
1579cm2 (355x445mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2500USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
SVS Ultra Tower |
DALI Oberon 9 |
| Brand |
SVS |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
50-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90.5 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-32k Hz |
35-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8.0" |
9" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.0" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
7" |
| Crossover Frequency |
160HZ and 2000Hz |
780Hz and 3400Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1159.0mm (45.6") |
1172.0mm (46.1") |
| Width |
355.0mm (14") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
407.0mm (16") |
| Weight |
34.27kg (75.4lbs) |
37.10kg (81.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Oak veneer |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss 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 |