Dali Oberon 5 Review
Ahhhh Dali, back to where it all began for me. Over the years I dabbled in many cost-cutting budget audiophile solutions but then I heard the Dali Lektor, I was hooked, I was on my way down a rabbit hole which eventually led to a career in the audio industry. So now it’s time to revisit this company that holds a special place in my heart, it’s time to review the Dali Oberon 5. This is a beautiful compact floor-standing speaker with an equally enticing price. Let’s get on with the review in full and throw in some comparisons for good measure.
The Concept
Dali makes a lot of different speakers all targeting different price points but they have also been known for their value for money. Yes at over $1000 for the pair that might not sound like a deal but in the world of audiophile Hifi, that’s not too shabby.
The Oberon line is what Dali considers to be its entry line, yet with a company of their prowess that’s like saying a base-level stock mustang is just an entry-level car. Yes, they have more expensive lines but where they start from is already a very high standard.
The Oberon 5 is the entry-level in this line to a tower speaker. The Oberon 1 and 3 are bookshelf speakers and 7 and 9 are upgraded tower speakers. In addition, they have a soundbar and wall speakers to round out the product.
Oh and one other thing there are also the Oberon C class speakers which basically means wireless. The Oberon 5 we are reviewing today is not wireless and currently, the only one in this range is the Oberon 7 (C). Over the course of this year, we are going to try and cover the entire Dali catalog so bear with us as we work our way through.
Specification
Frequency Range (Hz): 39 - 26,000
Sensitivity: 88Db
Impedance: 6 Ohms
Required Power: 20-150w per channel
Drivers: 1x1.5 inch tweeter + 2 5.25 inch woofers
The full Oberon speaker line comes in four different colors: white, light oak, black ash, and walnut. Availability will depend on location and note that all Oberon 5 speaker enclosures are made with MDF and the finishes applied using vinyl.
Build + Aesthetic Impressions
The Oberon 5 look like almost any other floor-standing speaker. There is only so much you can do with this style of the speaker and that’s the reason why so many speakers look alike from different companies. Yet there is one color option that caught my eye, the light oak that you can see in our review images. This colorway stands out because it retains a front with the finish and applies the vinyl wood finish to the sides only. This contrasts with the woofers and tweeters and looks fresh and modern.
The other thing that stands regardless of color choice is the large metal base. Aesthetically I think it looks great and almost looks like the speaker is floating above a metal platform when caught at the right angle. The speaker is anchored at 4 points where the base is a square fencing design. Now the aesthetics aside I don’t think this was the right thing to do.
Yes, it looks good but when placing the speakers on a floor with a loose shag or high cushion it actually feels less stable than when placed on a hard surface. The other point is that speakers with independent footing can be leveled more easily on uneven surfaces. My apartment has original hardwood flooring with pitting and warping. The Oberon 5 required me to purchase a separate bass plate to place them on to avoid them wobbling. With that in mind, I can only recommend you buy the Oberon 5 if you have an even flat surface to put them on.
The build quality is excellent as I would expect from Dali who always seem to pay attention to finishing, even on their entry-level models. Attention to detail was great with no gaps in the housing and not any rough finishings. The alignment of the vinyl finish was also perfect. Material choices are well thought out with the cabinet made of thick cuts of MDF and the heavy metal base and fabric grills add touches of class.
It’s well made, what can I say it’s a Dali.
Sound
I came into this review of the Dali Oberon 5 off the back of testing the Klipsch Heresy IV, a monstrous floor-standing horn speaker. To say it took a few days for my brain to burn back in was an understatement. I had to adjust not only to a difference in technologies but to an entire ethos of the way we can recreate the sound. After 3 days of chilled listening, my ears felt adapted and I dove in with my usual array of test tracks.
This is a stark departure from my own setup with the KEF LS50 Meta that is in my daily rotation here. It’s far more musical and less ruthless. It’s a speaker where you can kind of get lost in the emotions of the track you are listening to. Everything sounds very natural and expressive and it never seems to feel strained or overworked. The LS50 is ruthless beasts and hearing them side by side it’s clear to me they are also the superior speaker due to detail retrieval and all-out technical prowess.
Yet there is something magical about the Oberon 5 sound that surprises given the very basic nature of the design. There is no crazy claim to fame on them. They aren’t claiming some new technology or alien material choices. It’s just sound engineering at its core done very well.
Tonally strings were something that sounded great, they had weight to the resonance and heavy decay on the notes. Double bass and cello notes seemed to hang around for an age without dissipating. Vocals sounded very full, especially from males performing in lower octaves.
Testing with EDM really brought out how musical they were. The treble extension and clarity were polished and combining that with deep bass extension (yes even when not paired with a subwoofer) meant they were energetic and lively.
Definition and detail retrieval were very good but at this price, I wouldn’t say close to class-leading. As mentioned for a few dollars more you have the KEF and for a lot of dollars less (provided you can get your hands on them), you can get yourself some Magnepan. But the detail is still great and so is imaging, the question you need to ask is do you really need an electrostatic level of detail in trade for musicality?
The Oberon is a testament to how good the market is at this price. It sounds grand and exciting, not your normal flat and boring, they have character and display versatility with the ability to play all genres well.
Negatives
The base can be unstable on some surfaces
Only the Light oak color option has character
Other speakers in this price point have better technical performance
Positives
Highly engaging musical sound
Good depth to the bass
Name brand recognition
Stellar build and finishing
Final Thoughts
It’s always funny to me when a company labels something as an entry-level speaker, especially when it’s Dali. Entry level to them clearly means better than many other brands’ flagships. I really like the look of the Oberon 5 and I like the sound even more. I wish they would change the base out but thankfully there are solutions to that which don’t cause too much inconvenience. The price is about right to the performance and the weight of carrying such a respected name brand so yeh, I can definitely recommend these especially if you are someone with a varied taste in music.
Official Website of the DALI Oberon 5: www.dali-speakers.com
