The OBERON 7 is a two-way floorstander from DALI of Norager, Denmark, and it headed the OBERON range when the series was shown for the first time at IFA 2018 in Berlin alongside the OBERON 5 tower and the OBERON 1 and OBERON 3 stand-mounts. In October 2020 the three-way OBERON 9 was added above it. DALI calls the OBERON 7 a speaker for deep bass and large rooms, and the maker has since placed the series among its discontinued lines.
Key specs that matter
A pair of 7 inch wood fibre units covers the lower and middle frequencies, and a 29 mm soft woven fabric dome takes over above 2,300 Hz. DALI specifies a range of 36 Hz to 26,000 Hz within 3 dB, 88.5 dB sensitivity for 2.83 V at 1 m and a nominal 6 ohm load. Maximum output reaches 110 dB at 1 m, and the recommended amplifier range runs from 30 to 180 W. The bass reflex enclosure is tuned to 39.5 Hz. The cabinet is 1015 mm high, 200 mm wide and 340 mm deep, and one unit weighs 15.6 kg including the grille. Buyers could pick light oak, dark walnut, white or black ash vinyl.
Engineering and use context
The cone material is a mix of fine paper pulp and wood fibre, chosen for rigidity at low mass, and a low loss suspension lets the cone follow small signal changes. The woofer magnet carries a patented SMC insert in its iron pole piece, a composite that reduces losses from hysteresis and eddy currents and in turn cuts third-order distortion. The oversized dome was designed specifically for the OBERON models, and its larger radiating area allows higher output with shorter excursion. DALI shaped the tweeter faceplate in the manner of its OPTICON and RUBICON units. The crossover was designed together with the driver geometry to keep off-axis output even, and DALI states that its speakers should face straight ahead rather than being angled in. High density MDF panels are machined by CNC, braced internally against resonance and covered in vinyl, and an aluminium base lifts the cabinet visually.
Pairing
With its moderate load and high sensitivity, the OBERON 7 places light demands on a typical integrated amplifier or home cinema receiver. The speaker has single-wire terminals only. Rear-facing ports use the wall behind as a boundary for bass support, and DALI recommends a gap of 20 to 80 cm. M6 spikes and rubber feet come in the box.
Alternatives
The DALI OBERON 9 is the bigger three-way tower from the same series, adding a dedicated midrange and two 9 inch woofers.