Dali Oberon 7 Reviewed at $1,499.00 (pair)
Product Name: Dali Oberon 7
Product Description: Floorstanding Loudspeaker
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Design - 9/10
9/10
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Movies Performance - 9.2/10
9.2/10
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Music Performance - 9.1/10
9.1/10
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Inputs and Features - 9.5/10
9.5/10
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Price / Quality - 9/10
9/10
Summary
Reviewed at $1,499.00 (pair)
Pros
- Amazing sound for its category
- Elegant design with pleasing color variations
- Wide dispersion
- Great price
Cons
- Not extremely detailed sound
- The grilles are not magnetic
- Not the best option for extremely small rooms
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This is not the first time we will be looking at the DALI OBERON lineup as a couple of years ago we had the pleasure of trying out the smaller OBERON 5 which gave us excellent performance considering its price and size. But now in anticipation of a new member in the floorstanding OBERON family, the OBERON 9 which by the way takes its place as the biggest speaker in the series, it was about time we test the other floorstander available for some time now. So in our DALI OBERON 7 review we will be testing a speaker that promises to offer great audio output for slightly bigger spaces than the OBERON 5 could and do that at a still very low price for what you get.
DALI is not an unknown in the field of audio speakers. The Danish Audiophile Loudspeaker Industries, as their full name is, have really made a name for themselves by creating some really spectacular lineups that extend from the really low cost category where the DALI SPEKTOR and ZENSOR series belong all the way to premium levels with the RUBICON and EPICON series. This makes the OBERON belong right in the middle and brings some of the more advanced DALI patented technologies into more affordable levels.
The DALI OBERON 7 is using what DALI is calling an SMC magnet system that is responsible for reducing non-linear magnetic distortion and this is the most affordable series you can get it. Combining that with an ultra-light soft dome tweeter, dual wood fiber woofers and a carefully braced MDF cabinet the OBERON 7 manages in theory to produce the kind of sound quality you can find in more expensive speakers in particular.
In theory all this sound very intriguing. Getting a speaker that sound better than what it costs is obviously what everyone seeks for. Does the OBERON 7 managed to performed similarly to what we had experienced with its little brother? Let’s put them to the test to find out…
Design, Inputs and Features
Exterior
The OBERON 7, and in general the whole series, has a certain DALI feel to it. Although there is not a specific design touch from DALI that indicates that these are in fact made by them it’s the sum of its design lines that gives its origin. In terms of size the speakers are not that big coming at 40.0″ x 7.8″ x 13.4″ (1015 x 200 x 340 mm) and with a weight of 32.5 lbs. (14.8 kg) we would mostly classify them as middle-sized floorstanders to be more accurate. That’s probably the reason why DALI felt the need to cover that spot by introducing the bigger OBERON 9.
Obviously belonging in the same lineup the OBERON 7 is exactly the same in looks to the OBERON 5 but on a larger scale. Without having gone to any extremes DALI has managed to create a cabinet that looks great and certainly feels more expensive than they really are. Part of this has to do with the decision to go for a two color design with a lacquered front baffle complementing a wood-effect vinyl cabinet that comes in various colors.
Constructed from CNC machined MDF board and dressed in carefully selected high-grade laminates the cabinet employs a highly rigid construction, with solid bracing across the inside for reinforcement. This contributes to the stiffness and practically eliminates panel resonance. To optimize timing, the speakers are fitted with acoustic damping material internally along the sides, top and bottom – but not on the rear side of the front baffle. This creates a more direct contact between woofer and bass port. The audible result is a more precise bass and increased ‘attack’ in the midrange.
The series is offered in four color variations with Black Ash and White being a single overall color design while Light Oak and Dark Walnut feature a two color combination with the Light Oak going for a white front baffle and light oak wood vinyl while the Dark Walnut goes for a black front baffle and dark colored wood vinyl cabinet.
As for the front grille, it’s a simple cloth design with Mountain Grey being the standard grille supplied with the light finishes, and Shadow Black standard on the dark finishes. Marshmallow White and traditional Black options are also available. We do find the look of the grilles a bit cheap and we definitely like the look of the speakers without them as the wood fiber cones certainly give them a much better look instead. Also what we didn’t like is the grille retention system as they distract from an otherwise great looking front baffle. A magnet system would certainly look better but this gives away the otherwise low cost of the OBERON series.
A large bass port is placed on the rear of the OBERON 7 cabinet, optimizing room integration by utilizing the wall for improved bass performance. The speakers use a custom made aluminium frame stand which looks simple but at the same time suits better the cabinet design than having some outrigger feet.
Overall the OBERON 7 is a rather good looking floorstander. It aims for simplicity but manages to give you a feel of premium and well made quality. DALI really has nailed it with this series.
Internal Hardware
The Oberon 7 is a 2-way bass-reflex design utilizing a single high frequency tweeter at the top and two low frequency / mid-range drivers below that.
Let’s talk about the tweeter first. Keep in mind that the brand new 29 mm ultra-light soft dome tweeter has been developed specifically for the OBERON series. Its 29 mm membrane is constructed from an ultra-light weight weave fabric and when compared to most soft dome tweeters in the market, the DALI dome material is less than half the weight at only 0.060 mg per mm2.
The large size of the membrane lets the tweeter generate higher sound pressure with less excursion, keeping the voice coil motion to a precise minimum. To further improve power handling, to reduce power compression, and to support linear excursion of the voice coil, the tweeter magnet system incorporates ferro-fluid cooling. Covering the entire top of the pole piece is soft felt damping. This damping material eliminates unwanted reflections that may occur from a traditional flat-surface pole piece, applied in simpler tweeter constructions.
The DALI manufactured ultra-light weight soft dome tweeter is additionally optimized for a larger bandwidth in its lower frequency area. This ensures the optimal handover from the midrange woofer to the tweeter, creating a well balanced, unforced and very coherent upper midrange. The tweeter front plate near the dome has been designed with similar geometry as the OPTICON and RUBICON tweeters to create the optimal working conditions for the soft dome. The aim is to combine an extended frequency response with wide dispersion and low coloration.
Below the tweeter we find two 7″ low frequency / mid-range drivers that feature wood fiber diaphragms which is a characteristic of many DALI speakers. This blend of a fine grain paper pulp, reinforced with wood fibers, creates a stiff, lightweight and well-behaved structure. The diaphragm area of the larger drivers in the OBERON series has greater diameter than the typical standard.
The 7” woofers in the OBERON 7 are approximately 15% larger when compared to the diaphragm area of the more common 6½” woofers size. A larger cone area allows the same sound pressure level to be generated, utilizing a lower voice coil excursion. It also allows a higher maximum sound pressure level which leads to an effortless reproduction of the dynamics in the music.
Bass and midrange diaphragms are terminated by a rubber surround chosen for its soft and highly flexible properties. This enables the diaphragm free movement with minimal damping, and leaves the magnet motor to control the movement.
The OBERON voice coil is a 4-layer design, and while 4-layers is effective for high force factor, the higher moving mass traditionally presents a problem for the midrange response – impairing voice reproduction. What DALI has done to minimize the mass was to employ a light weight, copper clad aluminium wire. This somewhat costly solution applies a thin copper skin to an aluminium core.
Combining the high conductivity/weight ratio of aluminium with the superior contact resistance properties and better mechanical strength of copper, they were able to create a lightweight voice coil with high conductivity, capable of handling high peak signal levels. The result is improved bass control, well controlled reproduction of micro details and great transient capabilities.
The magnet system comprises of a large ferrite ring magnet that surrounds a pole piece made from a unique combination of iron and SMC. Using iron for just the base of the pole piece with a 10 mm SMC crown means iron’s negative effects are minimized. The SMC crown is placed right in the middle of the voice coil working region to ensure its maximum effect and results in a greatly improved flux linearity. The use of the SMC disk also greatly reduces distortion caused by hysteresis and eddy currents. These combined improvements in the magnet motor system enable the OBERON series to offer significantly more relaxed, detailed and entertaining midrange performance.
The combination of the 29 mm ultra-light soft dome tweeter along with the dual 7″ low frequency / mid-range drivers give the OBERON 7 a frequency range of 36 Hz–26 kHz (+/-3dB) with 6 ohms of nominal impedance, 88.5 dB of sensitivity while its crossover frequency has been set at 2,300 Hz.
Connectivity
At the back under the bass port we get a pair of high quality gold-plated speaker terminals that can firmly hold bear wires or fitted with special plugs like spades or banana plugs. The plastic of the terminals was of extremely good quality for their price and in general they give you a sense they cost more than they really do. Since the OBERONs come with single pairs there is no option to be-wire or bi-amp them but this shouldn’t really be a problem.
Performance
The speakers were very well packed and wrapped in cloth to protect them from all outside conditions. Their weight and size was not so big so a single person with some care can handle them easily. There is no assembly required here as the aluminium base is already attached on the cabinet and the only thing you need to do is to either choose the rubber feet or the included spikes for hard floors.
Usually manufacturers give some very general guidelines concerning the positioning of their speakers and DALI offers very clear instructions on how to place theirs. One thing that you should keep in mind is that the OBERON series and many other of DALI releases are designed with a wide dispersion principle. This means that they are heard better off axis reducing harmonic distortion and diffraction. This is explicitly mentioned in the manual so no toe-in is required compared to other floorstanding speakers. Since DALI themselves suggest no toe-in we decided to follow their guidelines on this and place them completely off-axis from our listening position.
As we always do in these tests we left about 2 feet from the back wall in order to give them slightly more breathing space. Distance between the two speakers was around 9 feet. Keep in mind that placing the speakers near a wall will increase its bass output while lowering its overall definition so finding the best balance is always crucial.
The speakers we tested had a few hours of play so they had time to pass their break-in period. Most manufacturers do suggest between 50-70 hours of break-in time before speakers can reach their peak performance but we always suggest to wait until around 100 hours to be completely sure that what you hear is what the speakers can ultimately give you.
Now as far as our testing is concerned, for our movies we like to use a simple 4.0 channels surround system with only two front channels and a couple of surrounds and the reason for this is because we can easier determine how the front speakers can cover the omissions of a center speaker and a subwoofer. Weaknesses become more pronounced and although this would not apply to any real home theater system as almost all of them would have both a center speaker and a subwoofer we are here to determine specifically the characteristics of the two front channels and at least for us this is the best way to do so.
On the other hand when it comes to our music testing we like to go for a pure 2.0 channels system with only the two front channels as this is the way that most music purists tend to go with. Now after all necessary connections and calibrations with our Marantz AV receiver we were ready to begin.
Movies
Mad Max: Fury Road has become one of the trademark movies when it comes to reference material and can really show what a speaker can do. The 4K UHD version we tried out comes with a totally flooring Dolby Atmos track that can make any speaker run for its money.
The Atmos mix is every bit as nasty as you would expect from a film having the name Mad Max slapped on it. It does not try to be delicate and will certainly not make you feel at ease with its over-the-top acoustic extravaganza. The audio mix was meant to throw you down into the dirty pits of the nuclear holocaust wastelands and slap you around until you cannot have it anymore. And the fact that the OBERON 7 felt right at home with the material was certainly impressive.
First of all what was immediately apparent was how controlled the speakers were. There were no exaggerations either at the top or the low end and this is in general a characteristic of the OBERON lineup. The speakers were very much concentrated into producing a very warm audio signature and with a very seamless transition from top to bottom.
Dialogue was pretty distinct and clear even through all that action and the OBERON 7 really gave you the impression of a center speaker being present. We did feel that it was slightly less transparent than some other speakers but in general we cannot say that we had any problems with the dialogue even through all this cacophony.
Mad Max: Fury Road really give the speakers a lot to work with. Explosions and engines roaring were pushing the low end with the 7″ drivers faring very well under pressure. The larger than usual size really helped here to keep the upper lows in tight control while a lot of high frequency sounds like screams and war cries felt menacing and pure.
The speakers worked in harmony with our surrounds and we got an amazing surround bubble with environmental effects, ambient sounds and panning sound effects that really made the experience step to an entire different level. The OBERON 7 may not be the kind of speakers that will give you extreme resolution and pure details. But it will give you the kind of quality that you certainly don’t expect from this category and will enhance the sound in such a way that what you loose in pure details you gain in overall scale.
When trying to push the speakers in higher than acceptable volume they happily followed without showing any significant distortion either through the cabinet or the air port. These speakers can really push a lot of air and they can do it with extreme efficiency for their price and category. The sound output was very focused and meticulously controlled throughout the whole session.
For our second test we couldn’t resist the urge to try out the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in its new 4K UHD version which features a demo-worthy Dolby Atmos soundtrack. There are so many moments in the film that are worthy of testing but ultimately we decided to skip forward to the Mines of Moria and the final confrontation of Gandalf and Balrog.
The OBERON 7 is the kind of speakers that can really elevate the experience such a film can offer. As the speakers prioritize slightly more grand scale than extreme detail they gave the mines their rightful size. As the Fellowship traveled through the grand structures every voice and noise would eco across our room with extreme vibrancy and magnitude. Ambient effects were nicely rendered while panning sounds would travel with pinpoint accuracy. Tonality was great and the overall dynamics felt excellent.
When the goblins arrive and the heroes fight the cave troll the speakers did an excellent job with the elements at hand. From metal clashing, wood breaking, stones scratching and flesh ripping everything felt so accurate and realistic which really put us into the action. But when the Balrog arrives is when the OBERON 7 really is pushed to its limit. The speakers did a really excellent job at rendering the grand size of the beast on screen. Every step it took it pushed the lows with good weight and a nice shake but obviously when the moment asks for it, they couldn’t pressurize the air as good or as much as a dedicated subwoofer can.
The roar of the Balrog was a good example of this. The OBERON 7 did as good a job as it could to render it but it was a touch soft and certainly made Balrog loose some of its scary posture. It probably has to do with the fact that we have been spoiled by some good subwoofers making it hard to judge such a scene without being slightly biased.
But overall we cannot say that we were disappointed by the performance, on the contrary. The OBERON 7 is exactly the right speaker to render sound mixes that go for grand scale. The ferocious control of the mid-range, the very pleasing high end and the tight lower frequencies in combination with the ability of the speakers to go large and render a sound wall that is not confined by its cabinets is exactly what most people like to hear in a home theater system.
If you are looking for such a speaker but you find the OBERON 5 to be rather small for your space then the OBERON 7 will certainly fit the bill.
Music
Last test for the day is all about music so we switched to a pure 2.0 channels audio setup with only the two front OBERON 7 connected and we streamed a selection of FLAC music tracks through the front USB port of our Marantz receiver.
The floorstanders proved very capable at rendering a very large front stage that did not only felt grand in scale but also was very accurate with the material at hand. Sound extension was very pleasing with good overall transparency. Vocals were nicely rendered with enough energy and good tonality. A very balanced mid-range was more than obvious here with everything binding together nicely and never the speakers lost focus or consistency.
The bigger low end drivers did show us what they could do here as the lower registers were rendered with vigor and enough energy in order to give the performance the necessary weight it needed. With music that go wild on the bass the speakers never felt to choke when pushed. The bass never muffled although some slight boxy coloration was evident but only in certain moments and to be honest it was so subtle that it never really bothered us or distracted us from the overall experience.
Switching through various types of music material it showed us that the OBERON 7 was a capable performer across the board. Either it was pop, rock, classical, heavy metal, jazz or country music there was no category that the speakers would favor over another. After some time with the OBERON 7 it was very evident what they could do. A warm sound with very balanced mid-range and satisfying low end but with a small preference of scale over finer details. It’s not that the speaker cannot be delicate, on the contrary. They can render an amazing amount of details but in this price some tradeoffs have to be made and this is really the only thing that these have to give away in order to go big.
Once again we tried to push the volume to more than pleasing levels and we didn’t really feel that the speakers lost any of their focus or control. Really amazing for this price to find a floorstander that can really keep a straight face in demanding sessions and at high volumes.
Overall we can say that the OBERON 7 are great speakers for music. Yes, they may not be as delicate but keep in mind of their cost when you decide what you are getting here. The speakers have a lot to offer not only in scale and dynamics but also in finer details and high resolution. It’s just that it cannot reach the heights of some much higher priced offerings. But to give you an idea of how good these are even with music we can say that in this price category it will be hard to find an equal performer with all the merits the OBERON 7 have. It’s that good.
Final Thoughts
Having reached the end of our review what we can say is that we are thrilled with what DALI has been able to accomplice with the OBERON series in general and the OBERON 7 in particular. When it comes to speaker prices there is no clear line on what distinguishes a budget friendly model from a premium one. And that’s because prices extend far too much and sound performance is not such a clear cut element as image quality for example. This works on OBERON 7’s favor as its price is certainly on the low side for what you ultimately get and show the amazing work that DALI engineers made with this series.
First of all DALI has really nailed the design. It’s simple but at the same time it binds all of its elements nicely into a lovely speaker that can elevate the design of any room they are placed in. The Light Oak dual color variant that we had for test looked amazing and we really fell in love with it. But it’s not only looks as DALI made sure to put a lot of quality and technology in these with a well braced cabinet and the combination of an extra large tweeter and wood fiber cones with DALI’s patented SMC technology. All these give the OBERON 7 a very warm sound without exaggerating in any frequency level and at the same time being able to push the higher volumes without loosing much of its cohesion or stability.
We loved the OBERON 7 so much during our tests that honestly we feel borderline biased towards them when it comes to mentioning anything bad. What can be said is that in terms of pure resolution and pinpoint accuracy they loose a few points. Their sound imaging could be better and more expensive offerings can offer more in overall clarity and focus. And this in all fairness is the only minus we could find. Obviously the speakers are more focused in the mid frequencies and they are not pushing very much the highs or low end that some consumers tend to prefer.
Our take on these is that if you are on the lookout for a pair of speakers that can really give you the best entry level HiFi experience with a price that is almost unbeatable by any other speaker in this category then the DALI OBERON 7 is a safe bet. They look amazing, they sound great and will give you exactly what you need without making your wallet bleed. Highly recommended.
For more reviews you can check our dedicated Floorstanding Speaker reviews list or even look at our Product Reviews Table where you can find the brand and specific product you are looking for.
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These speakers are bomb! I came across these bad boys at a friend a few weeks back and I couldn’t believe how good they could perform in the price he got them. I was eyeing some floorstanders for music but with so many prices around I was not sure what to get. But the Oberon 7 really impressed me and currently I have them at the top of my list. The price is great really for what you get.
Indeed many of DALI speakers are too good for their price. The OBERON series in my opinion offer much more than they cost and they are an excellent speaker for anyone that want to get into HiFi audio but don’t want to go overboard with their budget.
I have read both good and bad comments on the OBERON 7 from many reviewers. I saw some youtube videos and many were a bit critical about their performance. Is this true and how would you describe them. Any info on that would be appreciated. Thanks a lot for the review!
When it comes to speakers everyone can hear different things. There is no right or wrong to how we perceive sound. Personally I found the OBERONs extremely pleasing and I liked their warm tone and focus output. They may not be the speakers that will blow your mind but for their price they certainly perform much better than expected.
Hello,
I just came across your site and am enjoying your reviews. Especially the Oberon 7. I just purchased this speaker unheard and they really impressed me. These were bought for a second system (2 channel only) as my main 5.1 system consists of Dynaudio Evoke (I’ll get to that in a second). However it was the Opticon line that has always intrigued me. I don’t have a DALI dealer near me so I cannot listen. Anyway I just decided to pull the trigger and purchase a pair of the Opticon 6 MK2 and am going to sell the Oberon 7’s. I’m hoping this is a good move-especially since the cost is quite steep.
But really my question is why you have no Dynaudio reviews? And if you have had the chance to ever hear any Dynaudio? I have the Evoke 50’s, 25C, and 10’s. I have been a diehard Dynaudio worshipper for over 20 years now. The only thing that I have heard/owned that really even comes close is DALI (those Danes sure do know how to make a speaker). I’d be curious to hear your thoughts impressions on Dynaudio specifically Evoke…
Thank you for your time…
Best Regards,
Brian
Hello Brian and thank you for your comment. The Oberon 7 are really amazing speakers if you especially consider how much they cost. I would definitely call them having one of the best price/performance ratios from all the speakers I have heard of recently. As for the Opticon MK2 I still didn’t got the chance to test them out but hopefully I will be able to get my hands on a pair some time down the road.
Now as far as your question. It all comes down to what I can get my hands on. Where I am based Dynaudio are not widely available so that’s it I guess. If I can find an available pair for testing I will be glad to test them out. I am sure that from what you see in our website we are not biased for any brand and we will review whatever we can. Also it’s a matter of time. We are not a big website like other review websites with many reviewers so our time is limited and we have to be very efficient with our time in order to do as many reviews as we can but without this affecting the quality of our observations.
Hi!
Seeing that you’ve reviewed both the Oberon 5s and 7s, which would you recommend for a HT/Music in a listening space in a living room about 4m wide and 6m long, with the speakers placed on the shorter wall? The living room is adjacent to an open plan kitchen which is (3 X 4m). While I ordered the 7s, I’m wondering if it might be too much speaker for the room and if a 5 would suit it better. I have a sub for both HT and music so theoretically the inferior bass extension of the 5s shouldn’t matter. Would love to hear your thoughts!
Hey Charlie. Actually I have very similar space dimensions in my living room which I use for my home theater and I can assure you that the Oberon 7 will fit like a glove. So you shouldn’t worry of them being too much.
Im torn between the 5 or 7 my room is 6m x 4m closed and my listening position is 12 ft away i do favour the 5 your thoughts ?
Hello Ken. Although this is a personal matter for me the 5s would be a bit small for your space. I have the 7s and I can tell you that for your area they would fit great.
would you know how these compare to Opticon MK2? I am really considering the MK2 range for a new upgrade, but they are a bit over my budget, however they do seem like a nice upgrade compared to the Obereron 7. and i would like to make a purchase that i can use for the next 10-20 years 😀
The new Opticons MK2 are slightly better than the Oberons but do they justify the price difference? My opinion is, if you have the budget then go for the Opticons. Otherwise I guarantee you that the Oberon 7 will do you just fine. I have been using them for some time and for their price they are amazing.
Thanks Stratos, good to know, ill have to sleep on it. I do like the idea of MK2 but if they are just slightly better then maybe its not worth the extra money on my current budget, ill have to discuss with the boss (girlfriend).
If the MK2 are over your budget you shouldn’t really be troubled. The Oberon 7 is an excellent speaker for their price, in fact I would say they are some of the best I have heard in this price range. You will not be disappointed.
Hi Stratos,
Many thanks for the excellent review. Has been great help in my decision process for picking the Oberon 7 pair. Would you recommend Denon AVC-S660H receiver with the Oberon 7’s? Or do you have a better alternative in the same price range?
Thanks in advance.
The Denon will do just fine Erkut. As for alternatives you will have to tell me what is available in your area at similar prices so I can tell you if it is worth it or not.
Thanks again. I think I am going with Denon anyway. Was hoping to compare with a Marantz model (i.e. PN7000m) but now I realize closest available in the price range is priced almost double as the Denon. So my choice will definitely be Denon under the circumstances.
I believe you will be good with that. Let me know if you need any further assistance.
Hi,
I am deciding between oberon 5 vs 7. Room space is about 3.7×5.5m, but the part where the hifi stands is about 3.5×3.5m (the other part is dining) + there is the kitchen corner extension (app. 6 sqm. Amplifier is marrantz dm8006.
In some other reivews I found that despite being able to fill the larger rooms the oberon 7 also performs well in rooms 3×3 once burned it.
The offer I have there is “only” about 150 gbp difference in price between 5 and 7. It seems no brainer to upgrade. I just wanted to have a better speaker. But with your review I started to doubt that this is the right decision? (I have aleready ordered, but due to supply issues I am still waiting and I still have the time to change my mind). Is oberon 7 too much for the room my size in your opinion?
thanks,
best,
Peter
Hello Peter. The size of the room is ok for the Oberon 7. I am using my Oberon 7s in a room slightly bigger than yours and they are excellent. So you shouldn’t worry about it. They will perform admirably in yours.
Hello!
Great review and also useful responses in the comment section!
Just wanted to ask what stereo Amp/Receiver would you recommend for Oberon 7, is the Marantz NR1200 of good quality (as it has got also network streaming features which I was told mean lower quality overall of the components to fit in a specific price range) or should I look for one without network features? And if Marantz NR1200 is good, does it have overheating issues with that more slim-than-usual design?
Thanks!
Hey there. Although I haven’t tested the Oberon 7 with the NR1200 specifically I can tell you that the DALIs play very nice with Marantz AV receivers that I have tried. At least I was very pleased with what I heard so I guess this applies to the NR1200 also. Now as for its online features if this is something you need then I would say go for it. Usually when they try to create an all in one package quality tends to be slightly lower than with separates but this is the price you pay for having the convenience of all in one. As for over-heating problems I never had any with Marantz although you should have good ventilation just to be on the safe side.
Stratos, Would the 7 work with a very high quality tube amp (VAC) with 27 watts triode or 60 watts ultralinear? I do prefer the triode mode but since the midrange is already the sweet spot for this speaker ultralinear would give more oomph to the top and bottom end. Thanks Jim
Hello James. Frankly both of them could work nice with the Oberons but in the end I cannot really suggest you one because we may like different things with sound. I agree that Triode have more sweet mids but Ultralinear could give different qualities to them not possible with Triode. In the end the most definite answer to your question would be to try them out both and decide what your ears like the most. Otherwise no matter what any expert will tell you it’s a risk you take and definitely not a guarantee that you will like it in the end.
I know this is not the clear cut answer you would like but I don’t like to suggest things when there is no clear answer to give. It is not a feature that either you will use it or not. When it comes to sound quality the lines are more blurry and different people like different things. So giving a straight answer is not easy. And obviously I respect my readers a lot and I wouldn’t suggest something if I am not 100% sure that you will like it the same way I do.
Hi Stratos,
Great review and very useful responses in the comment section! My question with a marantz sr6015, does the price difference justify buying the Monitor audio gold 200 or the Oberon 7 already exploit the full potential of my av receiver? Thanks for the answer! Greeting from Switzerland
Hello Nicolas. When it comes to speakers it really depends which one sounds best to your ears. Unfortunately this is hard for me know, each person likes different things. Personally I love the Oberon 7 and actually these are the speakers I use in combination with my Marantz SR6015. I strongly suggest you try them out both and decide. If you can’t do that then I would go for the Oberons which are magnificent and excellent value for money speakers. The risk is too great to buy the Monitor Audio and not like their audio signature.
Hi Stratos,
Thanks for the good advice, I am delighted with the Dali Oberon 7.
I am glad you like them Nicolas. Let me know if you need anything else!