In this review, we will be comparing DIAMOND 12.1i and Oberon 1, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and DALI.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i and DALI Oberon 1 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i | DALI Oberon 1 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1.125" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Advanced polypropylene | 5.25" Wood Fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 65-20k Hz | 51-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 watts | 25-100 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 6.80kg / 15lbs | 4.18kg / 9.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12-5/16" x 7-1/16" x 10-15/16"
312.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm | 10-13/16" x 6-7/16" x 8-15/16"
275.0 x 164.0 x 228.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i and DALI Oberon 1 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* |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i |
DALI Oberon 1 |
| Near-field |
Average |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
Bad |
(* 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 DIAMOND 12.1i and Oberon 1 are 2-way speakers.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1iDALI Oberon 1
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i |
DALI Oberon 1 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.125-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
DIAMOND 12.1i features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Advanced polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2600Hz. On the other hand, the Oberon 1 features a 1.125" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Wood Fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
DIAMOND 12.1i has a frequency range of 65-20k Hz whereas Oberon 1 has a frequency range of 51-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the Oberon 1 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the DIAMOND 12.1i's min frequency of 65Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
DIAMOND 12.1i is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Oberon 1 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. DIAMOND 12.1i sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the Oberon 1's is rated at 86 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Oberon 1, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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 100 watts RMS, though DIAMOND 12.1i is rated 20-100 watts and Oberon 1 25-100 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
DIAMOND 12.1i features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Oberon 1 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
DALI Oberon 1's Post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both DIAMOND 12.1i and Oberon 1 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i's and DALI Oberon 1's external dimensions. Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i has external dimensions of 312.0 x 180.0 x 278.0mm (12-5/16 x 7-1/16 x 10-15/16inch) whereas DALI Oberon 1 has external dimensions of 275.0 x 164.0 x 228.0mm (10-13/16 x 6-7/16 x 8-15/16inch).
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 16mm wider, 37mm taller and 50mm deeper than DALI Oberon 1.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i needs about 34% more floor or shelf area. Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is 50mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is 37mm taller.
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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is approximately 500.4cm2 / 77.6inch2 and base area of the DALI Oberon 1 is approximately 373.9cm2 / 58.0inch2. The DIAMOND 12.1i requires 34% more surface area than the Oberon 1 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 Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i weighs 6.80kg / 15lbs and the DALI Oberon 1 weighs 4.18kg / 9.2lbs. This makes the DIAMOND 12.1i 63% heavier than the Oberon 1.
Here is a comparison of how DIAMOND 12.1i and Oberon 1's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of DALI Oberon 1?
Here are the items that come with the Oberon 1:
- 2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
- 2 Grilles
- 8 Rubber bumpers
- Manual
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Price per pair* |
499USD
vs
599USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Low Frequency Response |
51 Hz
vs
65 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
275mm
vs
312mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
373cm2
vs
500cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i |
DALI Oberon 1 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
DALI |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
20-100 watts |
25-100 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.0 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
65-20k Hz |
51-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Advanced polypropylene |
Wood Fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.125" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2600Hz |
2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
312.0mm (12.3") |
275.0mm (10.8") |
| Width |
180.0mm (7.1") |
164.0mm (6.5") |
| Depth |
278.0mm (10.9") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Weight |
6.80kg (15lbs) |
4.18kg (9.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black Ash, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
Keyhole |
| Recommended Stand Height |
n/a |
26-28" |
| 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: Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is the newer design, against a 2018 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 1 digs deeper - 51Hz against 65Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is more sensitive (88dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | DALI Oberon 1 is easier to place; Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i: bi-amping. Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i sits in a wider range (12 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is cheaper - $499 against $599, about 17% less. |
A Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i B DALI Oberon 1
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?
Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take DALI Oberon 1 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 65Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, Wharfedale Diamond 12.1i has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, DALI Oberon 1 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.