Dali OBERON 9
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
91/100
Build Quality
87/100
Value for Money
95/100
The OBERON 9 delivers full-range authority: twin 9-inch woofers supply deep, taut bass while its three-way array keeps vocals clear and composed at serious volumes. HomeTheaterHifi admired its expansive, low-distortion performance, while What Hi-Fi? praised the powerful scale, midrange clarity and refined tonal balance. For larger rooms, this is an immensely entertaining tower with real muscle.
Pros
Deep, punchy and taut bass delivers near full-range weight without a subwoofer.
Plays very loudly with impressive composure and little audible strain.
Clear, articulate vocals and a refined, even tonal balance.
Exceptional full-range scale and value at its reviewed price.
Cons
Large cabinets need a spacious room and at least three metres of listening distance to integrate properly; bass can overwhelm smaller spaces.
Rhythmic precision and fine dynamic shading trail the best class rivals.
Soundstage remains somewhat anchored to the cabinets compared with more expansive alternatives.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 91/100
The Oberon 9 is consistently described as a large-scale, full-range and highly entertaining speaker, with unusually deep bass and strong high-volume composure for its price. It rewards a large room and sensible listening distance; its main musical reservations concern rhythmic precision, finer dynamic nuance and a stage that does not project as freely as the best alternatives.
Bass
96/100
HomeTheaterHifi found the twin 9-inch bass drivers reached below 25Hz in-room, delivering chest-felt weight and deep notes with authority and no audible distortion. What Hi-Fi likewise praised the punch, depth, precision and tautness, though the very lowest subwoofer territory remains just out of reach.
Mid
91/100
What Hi-Fi heard a clear, explicit midrange with convincing texture and solidity on Nick Cave's voice. HomeTheaterHifi similarly found vocals unusually articulate, with crystal-clear lyrics and natural presentation of percussion and strings.
Treble
89/100
What Hi-Fi describes an even tonal balance, with the soft-dome tweeter combining bite with refinement. HomeTheaterHifi also reports excellent overall detail and clarity, although the reviews offer less specific treble assessment than they do for the bass and midrange.
Soundstage Imaging
88/100
The speaker can produce an expansive stage and nicely focused stereo images when positioned correctly, with HomeTheaterHifi noting its wide dispersion. What Hi-Fi found that it needs at least three metres of listening distance for the drivers to blend properly, and says the stage remains somewhat attached to the cabinets rather than fully escaping them.
Dynamics
90/100
The Oberon 9 plays exceptionally loudly with little apparent strain: both major reviews report that the listener gives up before the speakers do, while HomeTheaterHifi heard no hint of distortion under powerful playback. What Hi-Fi qualifies that strength by finding less microdynamic subtlety and rhythmic precision than the class leaders.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
87/100
Reviewers describe a substantial, nicely made MDF cabinet with a laminate finish, separate internal chambers for the drive units, and an integrated aluminium base. The engineering appears purposeful and well executed, though the supplied reviews do not portray the finish as a luxury-class construction.
Value for Money
95/100
Published reviews place the Oberon 9 at about $2,500, while the supplied product listing gives a 4,000 price figure. At the reviewed price, HomeTheaterHifi calls it a high-end full-range experience that rivals speakers costing three times as much, and What Hi-Fi calls it a lot of speaker for the money; it is particularly compelling for listeners with the room to exploit its scale.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
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Specifications
- Frequency Range [+/- 3] dB [Hz]
- 35 - 26,000
- Sensitivity [2.83V/1m] [dB]
- 90.5
- Maximum SPL [dB]
- 113
- Recommended Amp. Power [Watts]
- 50 - 400
- Crossover Frequencies [Hz]
- 780 / 3,400
- Crossover Principle
- 3-way
- Low Frequency/Midrange Driver(s)
- 2 x 9 inch / 1 x 7 inch
- High Frequency Driver(s)
- 1 x 29 mm soft dome
- Nominal Impedance [ohms]
- 4
Manufacturer's Description — Dali
Easy to Position
The wide dispersion pattern of the drivers ensures well-integrated sound that drastically reduces off-axis harmonic distortion.
Contemporary Design
The rounded edges and grille fabric add a lighter and more contemporary look, enhanced by the elegantly shaped aluminium base on the floorstanding models.
Wood Fibre Cones
The stiff, lightweight structure of the reinforced wood fibre cone reproduces details that are uncoloured and highly accurate.
Patented SMC
The woofer magnet's iron pole-piece includes a patented SMC disc that greatly reduces mechanical distortion for a relaxed midrange and lots of detail.
EASY INTEGRATION
Well-integrated sound, even off axis
NEW WOOD FIBRE CONE
Optimised with new wood fibre structure
REDUCING DISTORTION
Patented SMC (Soft Magnetic Composite)
OVERSIZED SOFT DOME
Combining proven technologies & features
OPTIMISED CABINET
Cabinet design beyond 'just' good looks
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Dali OBERON 9
- Holt Hill — online and in-store — Andover, Massachusetts, United States (website)
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- A&L Audio — in-store — Seksyen 52 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia (website)
- Aalen Hifi — in-store — Schwäbisch Gmünd, Baden-Wurtemberg, Germany (website)
- Acoustic Image — in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Addicted to Audio — online and in-store — Epping, Victoria, Australia (website)
- Adventures in HiFi — in-store — Chester, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Alen Audio — in-store — Extramurs, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Alex Audio Video — in-store — Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria (website)
and 210 more verified dealers