This is my first speaker’s review – Dali Oberon 3 Review.
Intro
Contents
As an audiophile with years of experience testing various audio equipment, I’ve always hunted for a pair of bookshelf speakers that perfectly balance performance, design, and price. When I came across the Dali Oberon 3, I was intrigued by the overwhelmingly positive feedback it received from both casual listeners and audio enthusiasts alike. After thoroughly testing these speakers over a few weeks, I can confidently say they live up to the hype.
In this comprehensive review, I’ll share my experience with the Dali Oberon 3, diving deep into its design, sound performance, build quality, and overall value. If you’re on the fence about investing in these speakers, this review will provide all the information you need to make an informed decision.
Dali Oberon 3 Speakers
Dali Oberon 3 Specifications
- Recommended amplifier power: 25-150 W
- Frequency range (+/- 3 dB): 47 Hz – 26 kHz
- Sensitivity (1 W / 1 m): 87 dB
- Impedance: 6 ohms
- SPL sound pressure level: up to 108 dB
- Topology: 1×177 mm bass, 1×29 mm tweeter
- Cutting frequency: 2.4 kHz
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 200x350x315 mm
- Weight: 6.3 kg
You can download the manual here -> Dali Oberon 3 Manual
Unboxing
Unboxing the Dali Oberon 3 was an experience that gave me an immediate sense of the quality and craftsmanship that Dali puts into its products. The packaging was sturdy, ensuring that the speakers arrived without a scratch, and it was clear that Dali takes pride in providing their products are well-protected during shipping. Inside the box, I found the speakers neatly wrapped, along with a user manual, magnetic front grilles, and a set of rubber feet for added stability.
The first thing that caught my eye as I lifted the speakers out of the box was their sleek and modern design. The Oberon 3 is available in four attractive finishes—Black Ash, White, Dark Walnut, and Light Oak—each with its distinct style that can easily blend into any home décor. I opted for the Light Oak finish, which added a warm and sophisticated look to my living room. The speakers are solidly built and have a reassuring weight to them, each weighing approximately 6.3 kg (around 14 pounds), which speaks to their quality without making them too cumbersome to handle.
The Oberon 3’s design is minimalistic yet elegant. The removable magnetic grille can easily be popped off to reveal the beautiful drivers underneath.
The simplicity of the design makes them a versatile addition to any setup, whether you prefer the speakers to be on display or tucked away more discreetly. In terms of size, the Oberon 3 is slightly larger than many other bookshelf speakers in its price range, measuring around 32 cm in height, 20 cm in width, and 28 cm in depth. While this makes them more noticeable, they still fit comfortably on most bookshelves or speaker stands.
- Frequency Range (+/-3 dB): 47Hz-26,000Hz
- Sensitivity (2,83 V/1 m): 87dB
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 25W-150W
- Recommended Placement: Shelf or stand
- Dimensions (HWD): 13.8" x 7.9" x 12.4"
Build Quality and Design
As I mentioned earlier, the Dali Oberon 3 comes in a variety of finishes, and each one exudes a premium feel despite the speaker’s relatively modest price tag. The cabinets are constructed from MDF (medium-density fiberboard), which is a material often used in high-end speakers due to its durability and ability to reduce unwanted resonance. The finish is smooth, and the overall construction feels solid and well-thought-out. Nothing about these speakers screams “budget,” which is impressive considering their accessible price.
The Oberon 3 features a rear-facing bass reflex port, which means that proper placement is key to achieving optimal bass performance. To avoid distortion or overly booming bass, it’s best to place these speakers around 20-30 cm (about 8-12 inches) away from the wall. This placement allows for better bass management, ensuring a tighter and more controlled low-end response.
The Oberon 3 also features a 7-inch wood fiber woofer and a 29mm soft dome tweeter, both of which contribute significantly to the speaker’s exceptional sound quality. Dali’s use of wood fiber cones is well-regarded in the audio industry, as these cones strike an excellent balance between rigidity and lightweight construction, ensuring that the speaker responds quickly to changes in the sound without distorting. The oversized soft dome tweeter, on the other hand, is designed to offer a wide dispersion of high frequencies, which contributes to the Oberon 3’s wide soundstage and immersive listening experience.
Sound Performance
Now let’s dive into the most critical aspect of any speaker: how it sounds. After spending hours listening to different genres of music—from classical and jazz to rock, hip-hop, and electronic—I can confidently say that the Dali Oberon 3 is a stellar performer in its price range. Whether I was streaming music, listening to high-resolution audio files, or watching movies, these speakers delivered a clear, balanced, and detailed sound.
Bass Response: Punchy and Well-Controlled
Despite being a relatively compact bookshelf speaker, the Dali Oberon 3 delivers an impressive bass response. The 7-inch wood fiber woofer provides deep, punchy lows that are both tight and well-controlled. While the bass isn’t as overpowering as you might get from a floor-standing speaker or a subwoofer, it’s more than adequate for most genres of music. In fact, I found that the bass performance was one of the highlights of these speakers. Whether I was listening to a bass-heavy electronic track or a jazz recording with a double bass, the Oberon 3 handled the low-end frequencies with precision and without muddiness.
However, since the Oberon 3 uses a rear-facing bass reflex port, placement becomes more crucial to avoid booming bass. If the speakers are placed too close to the wall, the bass can become overbearing or muddy. I found that placing them about 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) away from the wall resulted in the most balanced and clear bass response. For those who crave more low-end punch, adding a subwoofer to your setup can further enhance the experience. However, for most casual listeners, the bass response of the Oberon 3 will be more than sufficient for an enjoyable listening experience.
- Frequency Range (+/-3 dB): 47Hz-26,000Hz
- Sensitivity (2,83 V/1 m): 87dB
- Recommended Amplifier Power: 25W-150W
- Recommended Placement: Shelf or stand
- Dimensions (HWD): 13.8" x 7.9" x 12.4"
Midrange Clarity: The Star of the Show
One of the areas where the Dali Oberon 3 truly shines is in the midrange. The clarity and detail in the mid-frequencies are outstanding for a speaker at this price point. Vocals, in particular, are reproduced with incredible accuracy and warmth, making it feel as though the artist is performing right in front of you. Whether I was listening to acoustic tracks with rich vocal harmonies or rock songs with powerful lead vocals, the Oberon 3 consistently delivered a natural and lifelike presentation of the midrange.
This clarity extends to instruments as well. Guitars, pianos, and string instruments all come through with a level of detail that is typically reserved for higher-end speakers. Even complex arrangements with multiple layers of instruments were rendered with precision, allowing me to pick out individual elements in the mix without the sound becoming cluttered.
Treble Performance: Smooth and Non-Fatiguing
The Oberon 3’s soft dome tweeter handles the high frequencies with ease, delivering a smooth and detailed treble response. The highs are crisp and clear without ever becoming harsh or fatiguing, even during extended listening sessions. This is an important feature for anyone who enjoys listening to music for hours on end, as some speakers with more aggressive treble can become tiring to listen to over time.
I tested the speakers with a variety of high-frequency-heavy tracks, from jazz saxophones and cymbals to electronic music with shimmering synths, and the Oberon 3 maintained a well-balanced and controlled treble performance throughout. The tweeter’s ability to disperse sound widely also contributes to the speaker’s excellent soundstage, which I’ll discuss next.
Soundstage and Imaging
One of the most impressive qualities of the Dali Oberon 3 is its ability to create a wide and immersive soundstage. Even in a relatively small room, the speakers managed to fill the space with sound, creating the sensation that the music was coming from all around me rather than just from the speakers themselves. This expansive soundstage is particularly noticeable when listening to live recordings or orchestral music, where you can easily pinpoint the location of individual instruments within the mix.
Imaging, or the ability of the speakers to precisely position sounds in the soundstage, is also excellent. I was able to distinguish the placement of different instruments and vocalists with clarity, which added to the overall sense of immersion. Whether I was listening to a stereo recording of a jazz quartet or a multi-layered rock track, the Oberon 3 consistently delivered precise imaging and an open soundstage.
Power and Amplification
With a sensitivity rating of 87 dB and an impedance of 6 ohms, the Dali Oberon 3 is a relatively efficient speaker that doesn’t require a high-powered amplifier to perform well. I paired the speakers with my Yamaha A-S501 integrated amplifier, which outputs 85 watts per channel, and found that the Oberon 3 had plenty of power for my medium-sized room. Even at higher volumes, the speakers remained clear and distortion-free, which is a testament to their quality construction and driver design.
- 85 W + 85 W (20 Hz - 20 Khz, 0.019% Thd)
- Gold Plated Digital Coax Input/Toslink Optical Input
- Gold Plated Analog Inputs Including Phono
- Speakers A, B, A+B
If you’re using a lower-powered amplifier, you should still be able to get excellent results with the Oberon 3, as they are not overly demanding in terms of power. However, pairing them with a quality amplifier will help you get the most out of their performance, particularly in terms of dynamics and bass control.
Room Placement and Setup
One of the advantages of the Dali Oberon 3 is its versatility when it comes to room placement. However, because of the rear-facing bass reflex port, careful attention needs to be paid to speaker placement to avoid exaggerated bass. Placing the speakers too close to a wall can result in muddy bass, so I recommend positioning them around 20-30 cm (8-12 inches) from the wall for optimal sound performance.
In terms of positioning, the Oberon 3 is relatively forgiving in other respects. Even when placed in less-than-ideal locations (such as on a bookshelf or closer to the wall), they still sounded great. However, if you want to maximize the soundstage and imaging capabilities of these speakers, I recommend experimenting with placement to find the sweet spot in your room.
Dali Oberon 3 vs Competitors
In the competitive world of bookshelf speakers, the Dali Oberon 3 faces tough competition from models like the KEF Q350, Wharfedale Diamond 12.2, and Q Acoustics 3030i. Each of these speakers has its strengths, but after comparing them, I believe the Oberon 3 strikes the best balance between clarity, detail, and overall tonal balance.
The KEF Q350, for example, is known for its superb imaging and detail retrieval, thanks to its Uni-Q driver array. However, some listeners may find the KEF’s sound signature to be a bit too analytical, especially when compared to the more natural and balanced sound of the Oberon 3. Similarly, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.2 offers excellent bass response and a warm sound signature, but the Dali Oberon 3’s superior midrange clarity and smooth treble make it a better all-around performer for my tastes.
Ultimately, choosing between these speakers will come down to personal preference and the type of music you enjoy most. However, if you’re looking for a versatile speaker that excels in a wide range of genres and delivers exceptional performance for the price, the Dali Oberon 3 is hard to beat.
Dali Oberon 3 Video Review
Final Verdict
After thoroughly testing the Dali Oberon 3, I can confidently say that it is one of the best bookshelf speakers in its price range. Its combination of exceptional midrange clarity, balanced bass response, smooth treble, and expansive soundstage make it a fantastic choice for both casual listeners and audiophiles alike. Whether you’re upgrading your existing stereo setup or building a new home audio system from scratch, the Oberon 3 offers a level of performance that far exceeds its modest price tag.
In terms of design, build quality, and sound performance, the Dali Oberon 3 ticks all the boxes. It’s a speaker that not only sounds great but also looks great in any room. While there are plenty of competitors in this price range, the Oberon 3 stands out for its ability to deliver a well-balanced and natural sound signature that works well across a wide range of musical genres.
If you’re in the market for a high-quality bookshelf speaker that delivers excellent value for money, the Dali Oberon 3 should be at the top of your list. I’m thoroughly impressed by what Dali has achieved with this model, and I highly recommend giving them a listen if you have the chance.
Do I need a subwoofer with the Dali Oberon 3?
While the Dali Oberon 3 delivers impressive bass for a bookshelf speaker, adding a subwoofer can enhance the low-end performance, particularly for genres like electronic music or hip-hop. However, for most listeners, the bass response of the Oberon 3 will be more than sufficient.
What’s the ideal room size for these speakers?
The Dali Oberon 3 performs well in small to medium-sized rooms. In larger rooms, you may want to pair them with a subwoofer to ensure that the bass doesn’t get lost in the space.
How do the Dali Oberon 3 compare to KEF Q350?
The KEF Q350 offers slightly better imaging due to its Uni-Q driver array, but the Dali Oberon 3 excels in midrange clarity and delivers a more natural sound signature overall. Both are excellent speakers, but the choice will come down to personal preference.
Crackling Sound was created to provide straightforward, unbiased reviews of audio products, catering to those who want excellent sound without delving into complex audiophile terms. I aim to simplify the decision-making process for my readers.
As an audio enthusiast and self-builder for over 20 years, I ensure my reviews are honest, highlighting both advantages and disadvantages. I conduct sound tests to deliver comprehensive and reliable information about various audio devices. My extensive experience in DIY projects, experimenting, installing, and using high-end audio gear helps me provide thorough and comparative reviews.