Dali Oberon 7C Active Speaker (Pair)

DALI OBERON 7 C

EASY TO POSITION

The driver materials, crossover design and geometry applied in the OBERON C series has been selected to achieve a wide dispersion pattern. This ensures a well-integrated sound, even when listening at a significant off-axis angle. An added benefit is seriously reduced harmonic distortion and diffractions causing frequency distortion. This is why all DALI speakers are not designed to be toed-in.

LOW LATENCY

The SOUND HUB COMPACT transmits to OBERON C speakers using a proprietary 30 bit wireless protocol derived from the acclaimed DALI SOUND HUB. Audio transmission latency from input to speaker is typically less than 15 mS, and inter-speaker timing is accurate to the single sample period of the broadcast audio data.

PATENTED SMC

The iron pole piece of the OBERON C woofer magnet is crowned by the DALI patented SMC disk – minimizing the negative effects of the iron. The use of the SMC disk greatly reduces mechanical distortion, which lowers third order distortion. This allows for a longer listening pleasure, a relaxed midrange and a surprising amount of detail for its price class.

ACTIVE SPEAKER

The OBERON C power amplification comprises two 50 Watt peak, closed-loop Class-D power amplifiers chosen specifically for their sound quality and dynamic ability. One amplifier powers the high frequency driver, one powers the bass/mid driver (or twin drivers in the case of the OBERON 7 C).

PRODUCT DETAILS

The OBERON 7 C is intended for more expansive homes where music has space to breathe and can be played at higher volume levels compared to OBERON 1 C. It will suit more ambitious music lovers and audiophiles, keen to make a grander statement with their audio system. With more space and speaker positioning options available in larger rooms, it is perhaps more likely that OBERON 7 C speakers will be located on either side of a screen and used for TV audio, but still, music playback from CD or streaming services will probably be their primary role.

The slender, floor-standing DALI OBERON 7 C sports two 7 inch wood fibre cones featuring DALI’s patented SMC technology – and the same ultra-lightweight 29mm soft dome tweeter as the OBERON 1 C. Despite its size, the OBERON 7 C is a subtle performer and impresses with its ability to render any style of music naturally and lifelike, even at low volume levels. The OBERON 7 C incorporates an integral die-cast plinth fitted with attachment points for floor-spikes or compliant feet.

With the OBERON 7 C and the SOUND HUB COMPACT, DALI has brought wireless Hi-Fi, that comfortably matches equivalent passive systems, within the reach of many more music lovers and audiophiles. They no longer have to choose between incredible sound quality and convenient integration. The OBERON 7 C and SOUND HUB COMPACT deliver both.

WOOFER/SMC

The OBERON 7 C builds on a pair of 7″ low-loss bass/mid drivers that feature our proprietary fine paper pulp and reinforced wood fibre composite diaphragm materials, which creates a stiff, light-weight and well-behaving structure. In combination with a low-loss surround and spider suspension, this cone reproduces the micro details in the signal – unfiltered and with high accuracy. This is supported by the advanced copper-coated aluminium voice-coil wire and, in particular, our unique SMC (Soft Magnet Compound) magnet technology.

By introducing electrically non-conductive elements to the magnet structure, SMC significantly reduces the effect of a variety of distortion-producing mechanisms inherent to moving-coil driver architecture. For example, SMC minimises eddy current effects, increases flux linearity, reduces magnetic hysteresis and minimises the variation of voice-coil inductance with position. Taken together, these benefits make SMC equipped drivers particularly suited to active amplification.

The membrane terminates in a rubber surround that is chosen for its soft and very flexible properties. This gives the membrane free movement with a very low dampening effect, and leaves the magnet motor to control the membrane movement.

AMPLIFIER

The OBERON 7 C power amplification comprises two 50 Watt-peak, closed-loop Class-D power amplifiers chosen specifically for their sound quality and dynamic ability. One amplifier powers the high frequency driver, one powers the twin bass/mid drivers. The 100dB signal-to-noise ratio of the power amplifiers ensures that even the smallest detail in a quiet musical passage is reproduced with clarity and accuracy.

The rear panel mounted OBERON 7 C electronic module incorporates a wireless receiver element and user setup interface, a DSP equalisation and crossover filter element, and a high efficiency two channel power amplifier with a closely integrated power supply.

Powering the amplifier is a custom designed, 65W(rms), very low noise switched mode supply that is able dynamically to share resources between the two amplifier channels in response to demand. The OBERON 7 C is, as a result, unusually frugal in terms of power consumption, yet gives nothing away in terms of dynamic punch when the music demands it.

TWEETER

The OBERON 7 C high frequency driver is a damped textile soft dome tweeter featuring an unusually light diaphragm and a larger than typical, 29 mm diaphragm and voice-coil. The light diaphragm means that the upper frequency response of the driver is unusually extended before its mass limited roll-off.

The large diameter diaphragm and voice-coil increases sensitivity and power handling, reduces distortion, and enables the driver to operate at lower frequencies than is the case with smaller tweeters, which helps provide more latitude in the crossover design. Further increasing power handling, and significantly reducing signal compression as the voice-coil temperature rises with increased volume, the driver is equipped with ferro-fluid in its voice-coil gap.

CABINET

OBERON 7 C cabinets are constructed from CNC-machined high strength MDF panels and finished with a variety of wood-effect or matt white laminates. The cabinets are engineered for optimum rigidity to minimise panel resonance, with corner fillets and strategic internal cross-bracing. Corner fillets have become increasingly unusual in contemporary speaker cabinet construction but at DALI we believe they play an important role in ensuring rigidity.

Internal cabinet damping materials are selected and positioned strategically in order to maximise midrange energy attenuation without degrading bass transient response and bandwidth, as so often the case with reflex loaded speakers.

The OBERON 7 C are fitted with unusually large diameter rear panel dual-flare reflex ports that are engineered to minimise port turbulence, distortion and compression, while also factoring-in the potential proximity of the rear wall. Flaring on the port entrance, as well as on the exit, delays the onset of airflow turbulence as volume level rises, and helps ensure that bass performance remains consistent at all volume levels. Rear-mounting the reflex ports has the great advantage of directing any midrange energy emitted from inside the cabinet away from the listening position.