3 things clearly stand out for Dali. 1: forward voice placement 2: loud and clear without harshness 3:clean bass crossover ( bass is heard deep and clean)
Thanks for these comparison videos. For me, the Dali's are clearly preferable - but of course it's subjective. So valuable to be able to compare them like this - thank you again :)
I have Kef Q350. You can listen to it for hours because it doesn't tire you out and you will be excited for the next listen. It's almost like therapy... Thanks for the video...
I have KEF Q950 and KLH Model 3. KEF Q950 listening is so good especially any podcasts. Model 3 is forward sounding ,their punch and instrumental sounds are better than KEF Q950. KEF Q950 is warm sounding. For HT KEF Q950 is best choice.
I liked this video because you can in fact notice a clear difference between both speakers. I've seen a bunch of comparisons already and in most of them it's hard to tell which speaker is playing. I don't know whether it's because of UA-cam compression, or the mic employed is not too good or some other reason, but in this video you can tell the Oberons have more bass and the Kefs sound somehow veiled.
Thanks! What you always have to keep in mind with youtube is the compression they use (which for HD videos is an OGG Vorbis 160 kbit/s). This will result in a high frequency roll off - speakers that sound pleasing may be too bright, veiled speakers may be just right in real life. Don't judge by these videos, always audition them for yourself.
@@georgedomse ITS SO very complex to listen speakers, you need good amplifiers, Marantz, Nad ...to test both speakers, the sound taste of anyone infinite variables
@@bernacasa8677 I don't look at it this way. I never test a single component, because it doesn't tell you anything. In this video, you do not listen to the differences between the sound of a Dali and a KEF, you are listening to the difference how they sound iny my system (room, components, cables etc). Therefore, it won't really tell you which one is better. The video is purely for enjoyment.
I have a pair of Dali Oberon 3….. I have tried every depth and width…… 51cms out and 4 foot 2 in between I find in similar dimensions to your room…. And they are amazing
What I call boxy is sounding "less open", typically in lower mids, which may sound like coming from a large box, which can be detected (preferably, by A/B testing) with male vocals and speech. I pay attention to that because I don't like thin sounding male vocals.
@@markbajkowski1171 kef is more relaxing sound and u will listen longer to them at the end .. I think the soundstage is also better bc of the unifi system
For me the Dali seem to be better because of punchy sound but when I close my eyes and really focus on the details of the sound, I much prefer KEF speakers. KEF Q350 are smoother, need to be sustain with subwoofer but are more clear and richer in the details. It’s subjective, of course, but that’s my feeling for this test 🙂
I started with Kef q350 but switched it out for a q150, as it sounded just as good when paired with a good sub. (SVS Micro 3000) ... It's an amazing speaker for most genres, especially pop, pop-rock, acoustic, electronic. Games also sound AMAZING on it. I have a feeling the Dali might be better for high energy rock/heavy metal though. Was just listening to Smashing Pumpkins Melon Collie album, where some of the high energy songs were causing my Kefs to fall apart and lose cohesion. Maybe it'll improve when I get a MiniDSP so I can highpass the speakers to better integrate it with my sub.
On voices, the KEF sounded kind echoing or reverberating in an exagerated manner. And again, Dali proove its strengh in the bass departement. Interesting!
You should keep the Kef's simply because they work better in your room. Dali's would need much more space around them, now the bass wakes up the room modes which is what makes the bass sound vague, muddy and bloated. The Dali's simply energize your room more than it can handle, and sadly there's not much to do about room acoustics for the lower frequencies. The wavelenghts at lower octaves, we're literally talking about several metres! We really just can't beat physics, so absorbing is out of question. So is diffusing, though. The only viable option really is digital room correction, DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core for example. It's an amazing product, very much a night and a day difference which is easily perceived by ear but will also be easily measureable.
I don't know what you're listening on, but let me get a few things straight. - the KEF's need special foam bungs (the original ones dont cut it) to tame the bass; otherwise they are unbearable. In this video, the port was stuffed. - also, the high frequencies of the KEF's are dead as a fish. This is also audible in the video, though YT cuts most of that frequency off. - no way I am going to spend money on DSP :) - the room is 3*2,5*2,7meters - almost a perfect cube which is the worst shape possible for room acoustics. This I do know but at the same time this is also a living room where my son (5yrs) and my wife need their space. Acoustic treatment is not going to happen, nor am I such a big "audiophile" (god bless Randy for his video on audiophiles being full of BS!) that I would need that - teh biggest mistake you make is to think that the speakers are close to the side walls - they aren't. The face of the speakers is more than 10cm in the "opening" left and right (to your left there is a 15sqm kitchen, to your right there is a 10sqm bedroom). - listening live, there are no standing bass waves to be heard. I must know beacuse I sold over 20 speakers for the same reason (see my older videos). The Dali is the first one that has decent bass without sounding boomy (oh, the Dali's bass ports are NOT stuffed). You may be confused by the fact that the camera is almost half a meter closer to the speakers than the listening position (handheld video). - also, the amp was set to the same level. What you hear is that the Dalis are easier to drive (they are louder at the same wattage output) PS: room modes have been calculated for this room to be the worst around 321Hz. that is not the region you percive to "load the room" here.
@@georgedomse Good info for the exchange/debate -i would suggest posting it from the start? Thanks to M. Dömse and the commentators for the learning experience. Cheers.
@@thierrible7 on one hand, yes. On the other hand, when this channel started (and when this video was posted) it was in no way intended to be an informational collection of videos for anyone but me. I wanted to archive my impressions for myself mostly, just to document my journey in hifi. In the meantime, it has become a little bit more - I will think up a way how to post the most possible info on room, system and process of testing.
@@georgedomse No matter what you do, someone will gripe that you should be doing something differently (in no way calling out anyone in these comments - just a fact of life on the internet). Keep doing what you're doing if it suits you - it works for a lot of people, clearly. If I was going to suggest anything (see?!?!?!) I'd say try to get hold of some form of binaural mics. Either 3DO or a copy or some in-ear mics (Sennheiser and Roland do some I think). Binaural mics make a big difference to the recording and give an even better sense of how the speakers sound. Or DON'T and keep doing what you're doing. The difference is still clear!
I could live with the Kefs. The Dali's are way toó brighter for me especially on the last track. I could not stand them. But i guess that in a world were everyone is after more "clarity"that is something perceived as good. Just be aware that once is your home you could have some trouble enjoying them for more than the first 5 minutes.
I bought both and the dali was far better in terms of overall soundstage.Kef still sounded good but felt like it was lacking in overall sounstage.The dali's were very balanced overall and all i can say is wow,what a awesome speaker.
Well that was day & night for me… The Dali’s were far more rich and detailed (and I was playing this through Kef LSX with a sub). I am looking for speakers for a small room with a mini amp and I think I’d opt for the Dali Oberon 1s given the bass of the Oberon 3s (amazing!)
I have had the Focal Chora 806 and the Aria 906, but made no videos. They were not really my taste - I am a fan of a laid back, easy going but detailed sound, and those Focals were too lively for me. I don't know of any System Audio retailers in my area, so I can1t comment on those.
@@georgedomse well, and what's your opinion on them? I am going to listen Carina tomorrow with AudioLab 6000A. But maybe with 9000A too 🤔 On UA-cam KEF sounds too ehh sharp for me, too energetic. Elac looks more neutral but with similar clarity
I had oberon 3 for around 2 years,amazing speakers with the best bass i have ever heard from bookshelf speaker,Kef are also great,never had them but i could try them,great uk speakers,now i own Dali Opticon 2 mk 2,next level speakers when it comes to details and high tones✌️
Hearing the KEFs reminds me why I sold them years ago. Air without body and struggling to resolve more complex tracks. Oh and how could I forget, the tonality is pretty subpar; it's very noticeable with the piano notes at 3:00
DALI Oberon 3 sans hésiter pour sa richesse harmonique et sa douceur ainsi que la différenciation des timbres. Ce n'est que mon avis mais pour moi une évidence.
Dali is kind of clear winner. Sorry guys. More refined. Bass feels deep. Natural and balanced. Highs are crisp in both but the overall balance makes the Dali's winner of comparison.
I just change from kef to dali 2 hours ago...this is my opinion. Dali have a deeper and better bass, better mids, sparkling, but(it s a big but:)), kef sound smoother and it s sound more hifi for me. My setup it s audiolab 7000a and wiim pro plus for equalizer, when i play to kef s, i hear every detail, treble it s much smoothly, much cleaner, like you hit a piece of crystal. When i play from tidal a 192 kbps track on kef immediately i hear a big difference. On dali i tried a lot of tracks on different quality and it s not sound different, it s sound more musical all around. Kef doesn't forgive bad quality tracks, maybe i shoud go for kef r3, i don't know... I will keep for more burning. So actually for me kef sound better with some equalizer. It s just my opinion. All the best!!!
I just found that sibilance occurs at between 4n8 kHz, for female voices slightly lower for men. I don't wish to listen at high levels so I'm leaning more n more to the Dali, now with only a couple different sets to compare. Really liked this comparison..
Fair enough. I swapped the Dali's for a pair of KEF LS50's (a red one), which offer less of that high range extension but more lush sound (to my ears at least). Thanks for watching!
@@robertwoodward9231 well, warmer is a very broad term, but yes. KEF's are generally warmer than Dali's, and the q350 is more laid back, with less highs than the Oberon3. At the same time this comes at a cost of some clarity.
@@georgedomse Wah, thanks George for the video, but it seems to show big difference between how those speakers are perceived in real life vs from the videos then because i hear the comparison test with a good pair of decently faithful studio monitors (Event Alp 5) and soundcard, and in this video the Dali sounds more like a rich laid back sound as would be the QAcoustics 3030I say, whereas the Kef seems to be just air and brightness like some Klipsch would be. Interesting...
@@alanalain4884 The Dalis have a distinct rise in the high frequencies over the KEFs, which gives them more detail and clarity - at the same time they are prone to sibilance with lesser recordings or movies. The bass is also tighter on the Dalis, and the soundstage depth is better percievable. The Q350 have the KEF house sound: less resolving but eaiser on the ears than the Dali. and better intrument separation and center image. With the KEF you need a good amp that controls the bass otherwise it will become soft and overbloated. Bear in mind, that words cannot describe the experience, both are awesome for their price - I would still choose the Dali.
I’m glad I got the best bargain on eBay here in the UK got a brand new pair of DALI Oberón 3 for just £345 with £75 off promo from eBay & they sound brilliant peace ✌️
The Dali seems good in this room + recording, however due to the placements and depending on the mic used, I think they'd sound very different in real listening. In a different test and in certain real life experiences I found Dali to be treble happy with a character I don't prefer. I may also toe in the speakers a bit due to the close proximity of walls and small room. Edit : It seems like you're getting things sorted out in later videos. Corner absorber and toe in definitely has better clarity/less reverb :)
@@AbsoluteFidelity spot on.. i have them toed in and i always wondered that.. because when i sit between them it sounds perfect and you hear all the detail. i will move them right now!
I own the KEF 350's but for me the Dali's suits my preference as they're warmer, but again its personal preference. The KEF's are more natural sounding IMO, but I'd have to listen to the track on my AKG headphones to workout the recording production style first so it's not accurate with a 2 way battle. Need a baseline of the headphones first perhaps. Subjective as always.
I heard the BnW 606 S2 on some occasions - way too bright, shiny and aggressive for me. The Dali are not like that. Indeed they can be sibilant with some music or in some rooms, but the clarity on the Oberon 3's is incredible.
@@georgedomse I should have phrased that different. I like the Dali..I'm leaning to something warmer like sonusfaber. Need a listen at a shop. Thanks..
@@robertwoodward9231 I have another video comparing the Sonus Faber Lumina 1 to the KEF LS50. For my ear, the Luminas are, again, brighter than the Dalis. Then again, you are right - you must try them yourself to hear what you like best.
i see you compare dali with kef ls50/q350 and ACoustic energy and i hear Dali way much better than these 2 famous brand and surprisingly the price Dali O3 is way much cheaper than kef and AE .
I wouldn't say Dali is "better". It is a more popular sound with a tilted high frequency that makes it sound reapply clear. At the same time it is a bit prone to sibilance. If you are looking for a lively, sparkling sound, the Dalis are very good. The KEF's are more laid back and easier to listen for a longer time.
Great to see a LG tv as source. On my headphones (X3), the Dali's sound horribly overdone. Need to hear them directly to judge. If you can tell from this video you might as well buy Bose.
Sibilance is what makes the difference the most, too much music where it would annoy me. I'm very sensitive to it and send headphones back for it as would i with speakers.
szia, nagyon jó összehasonlitás! basszus és komolyan ekkora különbségek vannak? még a videón keresztül is elég határozottan kijön hogy a dali jóval dögösebb, dinamikusabb, élőben milyen?
A videóban a KEF basszusreflex nyílása be volt tömve a gyári szivacsaival, mert amúgy túl sok a szobámba. Ez a leglényegesebb különbség a mélyek tekintetében: a Dalié megfogottabb, feszesebb, a KEF pedig folyósabb, brummogósabb. Közepekben a KEF picit édesebb, fűszeresebb, míg magasakban ismét a Dali jobb, mert tisztább, fényesebb.
@@georgedomse jaaaj vagy úgy, értem, ezen a két hangfalon gondolkodom leginkább, az ár érték arány is számít nagyon, sok lehetőség van még, nem akarom elkapkodni. Cambridge Audio AXA35 az erőlködőm, előtte egy Dacmagic100 as van és laptop a forrás
Don’t like the KEF for some reason. Everything coming out of the centre. Lacks separation to me. Great upper mids, treble detail and wide soundstage, but jumbled. The Dali sounds really good.
Listening on my KEF q150s w/ SVS Micro 3000 sub ;) .. The low end on the Dalis was MUCH more pronounced - probably lower extension. Seems like it'd be a great speaker for rock or heavy metal. I love my Kefs for some rock, but it starts to get overwhelmed and lose cohesion with certain Smashing Pumpkins tracks or high energy metal at mid-high volume.
I have the KEF 350s and I think they sound great. But listening to the second track, Creep, particularly when the trumpet comes in on the chorus, the Dali's blow it out of the water. The KEFs seem very veiled.
@@georgedomse From what I understand the Dali's were voiced with the Grilles on. That may solve any sibilance issues 👍. Dali's take it in this faceoff !!
@@steventsimtsos4029 maybe? I don't know. I don't have the Dali's anymore and I never used the grilles. I had no big issue with sibilance (as in I didn't care because the rest was so satisfying).
I like the Dali too but if I remember correctly, the speakers were designed and Dali recommends the grills remain on. Otherwise, the speakers may sound too bright. Any opinions, thoughts?
@@georgedomse Thanks. Always keeping my eye out for something to try/buy especially if it becomes discounted/discontinued. Was looking at Wharfedale 225 and thought perhaps well, there's Dali Oberon 3 too, but at a much higher price. Decided not to pursue either, instead bought MartinLogan 15i and getting accustomed to its sound. Definitely opposite of the two larger mentioned speakers. But I have a warmer, softer sounding set while it doesn't have the bottom end of the larger ones (225 or O3), doesn't hold back on details in music, it has more bass and bass quality than O1 but its mids and highs are for me very musical and wispy at times. While there can be some glare in sibilant passages, it does alot of things that I liked that beat out many other smaller speakers including Dali Menuet SEs (overly refined) but highly resolving as well as Quad S2 which for music left me disinterested. It also had a very flat stage, no depth at all. SO, if you ever get a chance to listen or pick up a pair of Triangle Color series or the zeta series (same drivers and X/O), I think you would hear what I mean. Not better in resolution and detail but as an overall budget speaker very nice that puts out a very musical rendition. I like the ML 15i for what they do and for movies and some music, its nice. So I swap between the two depending on mood. I much prefer both over the Dali Oberon 1 too. For desktop I managed to snag Opticon 1s at half price and they perform better for me than Menuet SE in nearfield in detail/texture. Difficult to justify for my current space and that I don't listen at loud levels much larger speakers and more expensive speakers, although I can't say the O3 is large. Something about smaller drivers in a small box that appeals, just add a sub for some added punch and weight. BTW, I have heard the 225s and if warmth is what one wants, they have that in spades. You give up some air and bite but can also sound musical. Now discounted to $300. Seems a decent enough price.
I'm currently experiencing this video with Dali Oberon 1. Dali Oberon 3 sounds much better with its lower frequency performance and detailed soundstage. KEF Q350 is also good but Dali Oberon 3 is even better. Thanks for the comparison.
Imo Kef is handling vocs and acoustic guitar, etc more naturally. Dali is sweeter in those areas if that makes sense, I like it though. What I like about the Oberon 3's is that the play the whole range, the whole song if you will. Outstanding speakers. RATM comparison sounds like it's not even fair. Great stuff!
I can only tell you which was better in my system (as seen in the video). The Dali's have a deeper 3D soundstage going behind the speakers, and better center image, but the KEF's will "wrap around you" more. If you listen to Roger Waters' Amused to Death, the mumbling at the beginning will be more behind you with the KEF than the Dali's. It's not a huge difference though. All in all, the Dali's will win as for soundstage and imaging.
Bof, Kef sounds always like ambience music to listen in the living room while a good firewood burning… Is not serious audiophile, Dali shows good detail quality and less colored music without being boring… Even the super small Katch G2 or the Oberon 1c sound good, I never tried passive speakers form Dali…
Ez magyar név? Annak tűnik...Dali ikonom van ikon 2 első széria , a ribbonos , polc ,vagy "monitor" ahogy tetcik , nekem szuperül bevált, egy régi 1998- as Yamahával hajtom, hibátlan 😉👍
Sorry to for being so forward, but you really need to do a few things to improve room acoustics. Obviously I can't hear how it actually sounds as this is recorded, but I can still tell that there's issues with reverberation. As there is no sound absorbing, nor sound diffusing surfaces in your room, the sound waves reflect and rebounce between walls/ceiling/floor. The good thing is that improving room acoustics dramatically isn't expensive at all. At the cheapest, you could just buy a thick and heavy carpet on the floor, which would eliminate much of the 1st reflections from the floor boundary. Pieces of sound absorbing acustic panels on each wall to the 1st reflection points will do plenty aswell. For a 100-200€ investment on basic room acoustics you will get a huge and very noticeably improvement. Actually much much more than you would get by paying +1000€ more on the hifi gear. Sadly too many ignore the importance of room acoustics, and since in a non-treated room +90% of the perceived sound is actually room acoustics interference and reflections. Tip: To easily find the 1st reflection points on the walls, you just need a mirror and someone to hold the mirror on the wall while you sit at the listening spot. When you see your left speaker in the mirror placed on the left-hand wall, that's where you'd want to place the acoustic panel. Then just do the same for the right speaker and the right-handed wall. Height-wise you would place the panel/material at the tweeter level. Tip2: Clap your hands in the room and just focus to the reverbation and echoing caused by the room. There shouldn't be any noticeable reverberation or echoing by ear in a better sounding room, however by measuring wou would see echoing (caused by the sound waves reflecting and bouncing between any flat hard surfaces) as long as a few seconds on the lower frequencies. When you think about it, it becomes obvious at some point; if the hand clapping makes your room become alive (bad thing), it most certainly will become alive when listening to music aswell. PS. I strongly encourage everyone - regardless of whether it's your hifi-room or livingroom - to do your due diligence on the basic room acoustics. It will not only make your music sound much better, it will also increase your wellbeing and comfortability via lowering the reverbing/echoing and greatly reducing background/ambient noise. It's not by accident that most public indoor areas are acoustically treated to improve comfortability, physical and mental wellbeing and ease of conversation - and to minimize irritability and cognitive stress caused by the above mentioned issues.
Oh, I forgot to mention that you should absolutely leave as much room between the speakers and sidewalls as possbile. This speaker placement is almost as bad as it can be, only thing worse would be that they would be in the corners of the room. I know it's t tight spot, but it's also small room so you will greatly benefit from simply placing the speakers closer to each other and moving your listening spot closer to the speakers. You should really consider making it more of a near-field set (~0.5-1.5m listening distance) as your ears will receive much more direct sound from the speakers and much less room interference. Near-field or not, though, you really should try to get as much space for the speakers as possible. Also with the Kef's you could benefit from simply toeing-in (turning the speakers to an inwards angle instead of parallel to the wall). Dali's are actually designed to be placed parallell to the wall, but with the Kef's and their co-axial drivers = more directive tweeter you can fiddle with toe-in angles.
@@keijokelvoton8936 I am listening through a set of beyerdynamic T1s v1 (one of the best ever) and a Berson conductor 3 Amp/Dac and can tell you that his demos are among the best I've heard on YT
![[Sound Battle] DALI Oberon 1 vs B&W 607 S2 Anniversary Edition Bookshelf Speakers w/Arcam SA10 Amp](/img/n.gif)
I've enjoyed the sound of Kef, but holy smokes the Dali's are on a totally other level.
mesmo preço?
And other price so high
I own the KEF Q350 and I am quite happy, but in this video the DALI sound really good and open
KEF Q350 during low level listening, can we hear all the details sound?
3 things clearly stand out for Dali. 1: forward voice placement 2: loud and clear without harshness 3:clean bass crossover ( bass is heard deep and clean)
Thanks for these comparison videos. For me, the Dali's are clearly preferable - but of course it's subjective. So valuable to be able to compare them like this - thank you again :)
As a pure audiophile guru for the past 2 weeks on a lidl cd player I found inbetween the slippers and bathroom scales I would vote for the dali 👌
Brilliant 😂
I have Kef Q350. You can listen to it for hours because it doesn't tire you out and you will be excited for the next listen. It's almost like therapy...
Thanks for the video...
Exactly! I can listen to mine for hours, too.
I have KEF Q950 and KLH Model 3.
KEF Q950 listening is so good especially any podcasts. Model 3 is forward sounding ,their punch and instrumental sounds are better than KEF Q950. KEF Q950 is warm sounding. For HT KEF Q950 is best choice.
@@JSVKK You have a nice music system. I hope I can have it one day :) I hope you enjoy using it 👋😊
@omeryavuz09
I sold my KEF Q300 and bought their big brother Q950 . KEF sound is my favorite. You can update your system one by one.
Wonderful! 👍👍👍
In my opinion, KEF sounds more natural, more accurate and a little more detailed
No music, only sounds.
@@pocemonspivom
Who offended you?
Excellent test, grand merci
I liked this video because you can in fact notice a clear difference between both speakers. I've seen a bunch of comparisons already and in most of them it's hard to tell which speaker is playing. I don't know whether it's because of UA-cam compression, or the mic employed is not too good or some other reason, but in this video you can tell the Oberons have more bass and the Kefs sound somehow veiled.
Thanks! What you always have to keep in mind with youtube is the compression they use (which for HD videos is an OGG Vorbis 160 kbit/s). This will result in a high frequency roll off - speakers that sound pleasing may be too bright, veiled speakers may be just right in real life.
Don't judge by these videos, always audition them for yourself.
@@georgedomse ITS SO very complex to listen speakers, you need good amplifiers, Marantz, Nad ...to test both speakers, the sound taste of anyone infinite variables
@@bernacasa8677 I don't look at it this way. I never test a single component, because it doesn't tell you anything. In this video, you do not listen to the differences between the sound of a Dali and a KEF, you are listening to the difference how they sound iny my system (room, components, cables etc). Therefore, it won't really tell you which one is better. The video is purely for enjoyment.
Irl the Dalis sound so much better its not even comparable!! Much fuller in every single way
BOTH ARE EXCELENT SPEAKERS
Till the last song it appeared like Dali has more pleasant sound. But after that it's clear that it's a sweet jelly
I have a pair of Dali Oberon 3….. I have tried every depth and width…… 51cms out and 4 foot 2 in between I find in similar dimensions to your room…. And they are amazing
what is your amplifier?
The most important difference to me is that Oberon sounds much more open (less boxy) with male (tenor, baritone, bass range) vocals.
What do you mean to boxy? i found that kef´s sound more accurate with Nad Amplifiers
What I call boxy is sounding "less open", typically in lower mids, which may sound like coming from a large box, which can be detected (preferably, by A/B testing) with male vocals and speech. I pay attention to that because I don't like thin sounding male vocals.
@@markbajkowski1171 kef is more relaxing sound and u will listen longer to them at the end .. I think the soundstage is also better bc of the unifi system
Dalis sound richer fuller more musical but also breathier and better decay
I heard Dali speakers in an audio store, I was impressed with the clarity and depth
For me the Dali seem to be better because of punchy sound but when I close my eyes and really focus on the details of the sound, I much prefer KEF speakers.
KEF Q350 are smoother, need to be sustain with subwoofer but are more clear and richer in the details. It’s subjective, of course, but that’s my feeling for this test 🙂
Sehe ich aehnlich
I started with Kef q350 but switched it out for a q150, as it sounded just as good when paired with a good sub. (SVS Micro 3000) ... It's an amazing speaker for most genres, especially pop, pop-rock, acoustic, electronic. Games also sound AMAZING on it.
I have a feeling the Dali might be better for high energy rock/heavy metal though. Was just listening to Smashing Pumpkins Melon Collie album, where some of the high energy songs were causing my Kefs to fall apart and lose cohesion. Maybe it'll improve when I get a MiniDSP so I can highpass the speakers to better integrate it with my sub.
il glaucoma bisogna tenerlo sotto controllo
I think, it depends of kind of music that you push in it ))) I am for Hegel H80 !!!
I liked the both for different reasons, up until Rage against the Machine, then Oberon wins hands down :)
Kef for me!
On voices, the KEF sounded kind echoing or reverberating in an exagerated manner. And again, Dali proove its strengh in the bass departement. Interesting!
Ich fand eher die Dali hallend.
Both great speakers...i own the Kef's
For me they are pleasing in my small appartment.
@TaiMan Chan Yes
Kef Sound better for my ears.
You should keep the Kef's simply because they work better in your room. Dali's would need much more space around them, now the bass wakes up the room modes which is what makes the bass sound vague, muddy and bloated.
The Dali's simply energize your room more than it can handle, and sadly there's not much to do about room acoustics for the lower frequencies. The wavelenghts at lower octaves, we're literally talking about several metres! We really just can't beat physics, so absorbing is out of question. So is diffusing, though. The only viable option really is digital room correction, DSPeaker Anti-Mode 2.0 Dual Core for example. It's an amazing product, very much a night and a day difference which is easily perceived by ear but will also be easily measureable.
I don't know what you're listening on, but let me get a few things straight.
- the KEF's need special foam bungs (the original ones dont cut it) to tame the bass; otherwise they are unbearable. In this video, the port was stuffed.
- also, the high frequencies of the KEF's are dead as a fish. This is also audible in the video, though YT cuts most of that frequency off.
- no way I am going to spend money on DSP :)
- the room is 3*2,5*2,7meters - almost a perfect cube which is the worst shape possible for room acoustics. This I do know but at the same time this is also a living room where my son (5yrs) and my wife need their space. Acoustic treatment is not going to happen, nor am I such a big "audiophile" (god bless Randy for his video on audiophiles being full of BS!) that I would need that
- teh biggest mistake you make is to think that the speakers are close to the side walls - they aren't. The face of the speakers is more than 10cm in the "opening" left and right (to your left there is a 15sqm kitchen, to your right there is a 10sqm bedroom).
- listening live, there are no standing bass waves to be heard. I must know beacuse I sold over 20 speakers for the same reason (see my older videos). The Dali is the first one that has decent bass without sounding boomy (oh, the Dali's bass ports are NOT stuffed). You may be confused by the fact that the camera is almost half a meter closer to the speakers than the listening position (handheld video).
- also, the amp was set to the same level. What you hear is that the Dalis are easier to drive (they are louder at the same wattage output)
PS: room modes have been calculated for this room to be the worst around 321Hz. that is not the region you percive to "load the room" here.
Bass trap absorbers in the corners help deal with bass resonance.
@@georgedomse Good info for the exchange/debate -i would suggest posting it from the start? Thanks to M. Dömse and the commentators for the learning experience. Cheers.
@@thierrible7 on one hand, yes. On the other hand, when this channel started (and when this video was posted) it was in no way intended to be an informational collection of videos for anyone but me. I wanted to archive my impressions for myself mostly, just to document my journey in hifi. In the meantime, it has become a little bit more - I will think up a way how to post the most possible info on room, system and process of testing.
@@georgedomse No matter what you do, someone will gripe that you should be doing something differently (in no way calling out anyone in these comments - just a fact of life on the internet). Keep doing what you're doing if it suits you - it works for a lot of people, clearly.
If I was going to suggest anything (see?!?!?!) I'd say try to get hold of some form of binaural mics. Either 3DO or a copy or some in-ear mics (Sennheiser and Roland do some I think). Binaural mics make a big difference to the recording and give an even better sense of how the speakers sound. Or DON'T and keep doing what you're doing. The difference is still clear!
Great comparison. I tried the Kefs for 3 weeks and sending them back and going to check out the Dali oberon 3. They seem to have better dynamics
Which one you keep eventually?
Thats the same , both are AN EXCELENT SPEAKERS
They are pretty damn good!!!
The Dali speakers are on a class of their own
KEF sounding more accurate and authentic the vocals are organic bass is not overlaping mids..no comprises... Its near to actual studio recording...
Wow, even the lower tier Oberon 3 sounds amazing. Dali really knows what it's doing.
I could live with the Kefs. The Dali's are way toó brighter for me especially on the last track. I could not stand them. But i guess that in a world were everyone is after more "clarity"that is something perceived as good. Just be aware that once is your home you could have some trouble enjoying them for more than the first 5 minutes.
Exactly
I bought both and the dali was far better in terms of overall soundstage.Kef still sounded good but felt like it was lacking in overall sounstage.The dali's were very balanced overall and all i can say is wow,what a awesome speaker.
Dang! Dali appears to pull off another win with another model! 👍🍺
Well that was day & night for me… The Dali’s were far more rich and detailed (and I was playing this through Kef LSX with a sub). I am looking for speakers for a small room with a mini amp and I think I’d opt for the Dali Oberon 1s given the bass of the Oberon 3s (amazing!)
Great! Thanks, very useful for me to deside what to consider.
I wished you tested System Audio and Focal too 😏
I have had the Focal Chora 806 and the Aria 906, but made no videos. They were not really my taste - I am a fan of a laid back, easy going but detailed sound, and those Focals were too lively for me. I don't know of any System Audio retailers in my area, so I can1t comment on those.
@@georgedomse BTW Didn't you think to try Elac Vela 403 or even Elac Carina bs243.4 ? 🤔
@@DmitryFomin I did, but I could not manage to get one to try out at home :(
@@georgedomse well, and what's your opinion on them?
I am going to listen Carina tomorrow with AudioLab 6000A. But maybe with 9000A too 🤔 On UA-cam KEF sounds too ehh sharp for me, too energetic. Elac looks more neutral but with similar clarity
Dali sound better all the way.
Agree...
@@fredsanke4070👍👍👍
I had oberon 3 for around 2 years,amazing speakers with the best bass i have ever heard from bookshelf speaker,Kef are also great,never had them but i could try them,great uk speakers,now i own Dali Opticon 2 mk 2,next level speakers when it comes to details and high tones✌️
Ich finde, die KEF hat den natuerlicheren Klang, aber der entscheidende Punkt ist die etwas bessere Impulswiedergabe der Dali.
Hearing the KEFs reminds me why I sold them years ago. Air without body and struggling to resolve more complex tracks. Oh and how could I forget, the tonality is pretty subpar; it's very noticeable with the piano notes at 3:00
Yeah Dali sounds much better. Like live sound
DALI Oberon 3 sans hésiter pour sa richesse harmonique et sa douceur ainsi que la différenciation des timbres. Ce n'est que mon avis mais pour moi une évidence.
Maybe it is a matter of preferences but the Dali sound much more refined to my ears. Even in my Bluetooth dongle from iPhone to porta pro!
Gracias por la comparativa.
¿Qué modelo de soporte tienes para los altavoces?
Thanks for the comparison.
What model of speaker stand do you have?
I love Kef!
Me too. I'd love to test teh KEF R3 - I hope I'll get it done sometime.
In this sound test, KEF Q350 sounded more balanced.
Leave the grilles of the Dalis on. Then you get a much better v-curve and for your ears a more satisfying less harsh sound in the high range.
Tbh I loved the Dalis sound just the way they were without the grilles.
@@georgedomse If I leave them off in my mid sized room here I havevto lower Bass and Treble on the amp by one.
Dali is kind of clear winner. Sorry guys. More refined. Bass feels deep. Natural and balanced. Highs are crisp in both but the overall balance makes the Dali's winner of comparison.
Ofc clear winner if you say so. Big bass big v shaped sound perfectly natural and balanced
Dali for me...!Kef is great but Danish openness and airless is taking over with exceptional bass for class deeper than kef.
I just change from kef to dali 2 hours ago...this is my opinion. Dali have a deeper and better bass, better mids, sparkling, but(it s a big but:)), kef sound smoother and it s sound more hifi for me. My setup it s audiolab 7000a and wiim pro plus for equalizer, when i play to kef s, i hear every detail, treble it s much smoothly, much cleaner, like you hit a piece of crystal. When i play from tidal a 192 kbps track on kef immediately i hear a big difference. On dali i tried a lot of tracks on different quality and it s not sound different, it s sound more musical all around. Kef doesn't forgive bad quality tracks, maybe i shoud go for kef r3, i don't know... I will keep for more burning. So actually for me kef sound better with some equalizer. It s just my opinion. All the best!!!
Definitivamente e incluso los bajos son excelentes gracias por compartir
Te BEST, Dalí, for me.
I just found that sibilance occurs at between 4n8 kHz, for female voices slightly lower for men. I don't wish to listen at high levels so I'm leaning more n more to the Dali, now with only a couple different sets to compare. Really liked this comparison..
Fair enough. I swapped the Dali's for a pair of KEF LS50's (a red one), which offer less of that high range extension but more lush sound (to my ears at least).
Thanks for watching!
So, you believe the ls50 to have a warmer sound than the Dali, say for near field listening?
@@robertwoodward9231 well, warmer is a very broad term, but yes. KEF's are generally warmer than Dali's, and the q350 is more laid back, with less highs than the Oberon3. At the same time this comes at a cost of some clarity.
@@georgedomse Wah, thanks George for the video, but it seems to show big difference between how those speakers are perceived in real life vs from the videos then because i hear the comparison test with a good pair of decently faithful studio monitors (Event Alp 5) and soundcard, and in this video the Dali sounds more like a rich laid back sound as would be the QAcoustics 3030I say, whereas the Kef seems to be just air and brightness like some Klipsch would be. Interesting...
@@alanalain4884 The Dalis have a distinct rise in the high frequencies over the KEFs, which gives them more detail and clarity - at the same time they are prone to sibilance with lesser recordings or movies. The bass is also tighter on the Dalis, and the soundstage depth is better percievable. The Q350 have the KEF house sound: less resolving but eaiser on the ears than the Dali. and better intrument separation and center image. With the KEF you need a good amp that controls the bass otherwise it will become soft and overbloated. Bear in mind, that words cannot describe the experience, both are awesome for their price - I would still choose the Dali.
Un giorno capirò come si possa valutare il suono di un diffusore attraverso l’ascolto da UA-cam, probabilmente da un telefono.
Dali is much better!
Why?? I have Rubicon 2!
Dali brings the magic..
I’m glad I got the best bargain on eBay here in the UK got a brand new pair of DALI Oberón 3 for just £345 with £75 off promo from eBay & they sound brilliant peace ✌️
Dalí tiene un mejor Acento de Bajos , pero son impresionantes vas es si pudieras conectar las cuatro sería más que EXELENTE !
My Dali connected to Rotel a11tribute , sounds lighter and more natural than kef for me
The Dali seems good in this room + recording, however due to the placements and depending on the mic used, I think they'd sound very different in real listening. In a different test and in certain real life experiences I found Dali to be treble happy with a character I don't prefer.
I may also toe in the speakers a bit due to the close proximity of walls and small room.
Edit : It seems like you're getting things sorted out in later videos. Corner absorber and toe in definitely has better clarity/less reverb :)
Dalis are not meant to be toed in as they will have a terrible response throughout and sound real bright.
@@AbsoluteFidelity spot on.. i have them toed in and i always wondered that.. because when i sit between them it sounds perfect and you hear all the detail. i will move them right now!
Dali all the way. Im proud to have them. Came here again to check if something else gonna beat my dali's or not. But naahh....
I own the KEF 350's but for me the Dali's suits my preference as they're warmer, but again its personal preference. The KEF's are more natural sounding IMO, but I'd have to listen to the track on my AKG headphones to workout the recording production style first so it's not accurate with a 2 way battle. Need a baseline of the headphones first perhaps. Subjective as always.
Sound just below B-W 606's the Dali I meant.
I heard the BnW 606 S2 on some occasions - way too bright, shiny and aggressive for me. The Dali are not like that. Indeed they can be sibilant with some music or in some rooms, but the clarity on the Oberon 3's is incredible.
@@georgedomse I should have phrased that different. I like the Dali..I'm leaning to something warmer like sonusfaber. Need a listen at a shop. Thanks..
@@robertwoodward9231 I have another video comparing the Sonus Faber Lumina 1 to the KEF LS50. For my ear, the Luminas are, again, brighter than the Dalis. Then again, you are right - you must try them yourself to hear what you like best.
It's like the kefs are on AM Radio and the Dali's are on FM. 🤣
You got the point!
i see you compare dali with kef ls50/q350 and ACoustic energy and i hear Dali way much better than these 2 famous brand and surprisingly the price Dali O3 is way much cheaper than kef and AE .
I wouldn't say Dali is "better". It is a more popular sound with a tilted high frequency that makes it sound reapply clear. At the same time it is a bit prone to sibilance. If you are looking for a lively, sparkling sound, the Dalis are very good. The KEF's are more laid back and easier to listen for a longer time.
I bought the Oberon 3's today, they sound much more textured and organic than the KEFs.
Great to see a LG tv as source. On my headphones (X3), the Dali's sound horribly overdone. Need to hear them directly to judge. If you can tell from this video you might as well buy Bose.
For watching TV I uses a Sonos soundbar with surrounds. Music listening was reduced to zero.
Q350 WIN for me !
Sibilance is what makes the difference the most, too much music where it would annoy me. I'm very sensitive to it and send headphones back for it as would i with speakers.
Kef!!!! 👍
szia, nagyon jó összehasonlitás! basszus és komolyan ekkora különbségek vannak? még a videón keresztül is elég határozottan kijön hogy a dali jóval dögösebb, dinamikusabb, élőben milyen?
A videóban a KEF basszusreflex nyílása be volt tömve a gyári szivacsaival, mert amúgy túl sok a szobámba. Ez a leglényegesebb különbség a mélyek tekintetében: a Dalié megfogottabb, feszesebb, a KEF pedig folyósabb, brummogósabb. Közepekben a KEF picit édesebb, fűszeresebb, míg magasakban ismét a Dali jobb, mert tisztább, fényesebb.
@@georgedomse jaaaj vagy úgy, értem, ezen a két hangfalon gondolkodom leginkább, az ár érték arány is számít nagyon, sok lehetőség van még, nem akarom elkapkodni. Cambridge Audio AXA35 az erőlködőm, előtte egy Dacmagic100 as van és laptop a forrás
@@ijolesz hallgasd meg őket. Nekem az Oberon jobban tetszett, főleg filmezésnél.
Dali oberon 3 was on another level. Those kef's sound almost mono in comparison. The depth, soundstage, everything was better with the Dali.
Don’t like the KEF for some reason. Everything coming out of the centre. Lacks separation to me. Great upper mids, treble detail and wide soundstage, but jumbled. The Dali sounds really good.
Dali Oberon 3 all the way!
I'd prefer DALI because of its more expressive bass
Listening on my KEF q150s w/ SVS Micro 3000 sub ;) .. The low end on the Dalis was MUCH more pronounced - probably lower extension. Seems like it'd be a great speaker for rock or heavy metal. I love my Kefs for some rock, but it starts to get overwhelmed and lose cohesion with certain Smashing Pumpkins tracks or high energy metal at mid-high volume.
Could you tell me the brand of speaker stands you're using. They look really nice. Thanks.
I guess they were Söund Arts stands but honestly, I can't 100% remember anymore.
Dali sounds more airy but the treble seems a bit artificial
Dali Oberon 👍
RIP Chris Jones 😔
Dali 👍🏼
dali s better for the sound ...but air and image?
Dali applause!The room is too small for them.
Dali 👍👍
I have the KEF 350s and I think they sound great. But listening to the second track, Creep, particularly when the trumpet comes in on the chorus, the Dali's blow it out of the water. The KEFs seem very veiled.
The Dali's are incredible clean, but that comes at the cost of some sibilance. If you can live with that, the Oberon 3's are a great choice.
@@georgedomse No, I don't like fatiguing speakers, so the 350s are fine. I guess you can always turn down the treble if you have preamp controls.
@@georgedomse From what I understand the Dali's were voiced with the Grilles on. That may solve any sibilance issues 👍. Dali's take it in this faceoff !!
@@steventsimtsos4029 maybe? I don't know. I don't have the Dali's anymore and I never used the grilles. I had no big issue with sibilance (as in I didn't care because the rest was so satisfying).
@@georgedomse What speakers replaced the Dali's ?
I like the Dali too but if I remember correctly, the speakers were designed and Dali recommends the grills remain on. Otherwise, the speakers may sound too bright. Any opinions, thoughts?
Make sure to not toe them in, at all. But basically yes, they can be pokey, bit with the grills on I found them a bit veiled.
@@georgedomse Thanks. Always keeping my eye out for something to try/buy especially if it becomes discounted/discontinued. Was looking at Wharfedale 225 and thought perhaps well, there's Dali Oberon 3 too, but at a much higher price.
Decided not to pursue either, instead bought MartinLogan 15i and getting accustomed to its sound. Definitely opposite of the two larger mentioned speakers. But I have a warmer, softer sounding set while it doesn't have the bottom end of the larger ones (225 or O3), doesn't hold back on details in music, it has more bass and bass quality than O1 but its mids and highs are for me very musical and wispy at times.
While there can be some glare in sibilant passages, it does alot of things that I liked that beat out many other smaller speakers including Dali Menuet SEs (overly refined) but highly resolving as well as Quad S2 which for music left me disinterested. It also had a very flat stage, no depth at all.
SO, if you ever get a chance to listen or pick up a pair of Triangle Color series or the zeta series (same drivers and X/O), I think you would hear what I mean.
Not better in resolution and detail but as an overall budget speaker very nice that puts out a very musical rendition. I like the ML 15i for what they do and for movies and some music, its nice. So I swap between the two depending on mood. I much prefer both over the Dali Oberon 1 too. For desktop I managed to snag Opticon 1s at half price and they perform better for me than Menuet SE in nearfield in detail/texture.
Difficult to justify for my current space and that I don't listen at loud levels much larger speakers and more expensive speakers, although I can't say the O3 is large. Something about smaller drivers in a small box that appeals, just add a sub for some added punch and weight.
BTW, I have heard the 225s and if warmth is what one wants, they have that in spades. You give up some air and bite but can also sound musical. Now discounted to $300. Seems a decent enough price.
I'm currently experiencing this video with Dali Oberon 1. Dali Oberon 3 sounds much better with its lower frequency performance and detailed soundstage. KEF Q350 is also good but Dali Oberon 3 is even better. Thanks for the comparison.
Кефы рулят.!
Szia,jól érzem hogy a Dali sokkal közelebb hozta az énekesnő hangját?
Imo Kef is handling vocs and acoustic guitar, etc more naturally. Dali is sweeter in those areas if that makes sense, I like it though. What I like about the Oberon 3's is that the play the whole range, the whole song if you will. Outstanding speakers. RATM comparison sounds like it's not even fair. Great stuff!
Can you please comment on which of the two speakers has better sounding vocals?I mean which renders better centered image.
I can only tell you which was better in my system (as seen in the video). The Dali's have a deeper 3D soundstage going behind the speakers, and better center image, but the KEF's will "wrap around you" more. If you listen to Roger Waters' Amused to Death, the mumbling at the beginning will be more behind you with the KEF than the Dali's. It's not a huge difference though.
All in all, the Dali's will win as for soundstage and imaging.
Aren’t you worried about reflection off the side walls in your hifi alcove ?
Not really, no. Apart from the 50cm/2 feet you see in the videos, there are no side walls at all, the room is open to the left and to the right.
Don't know why I prefer Dali.
dali oberon 3 very good , good bass.
Bof, Kef sounds always like ambience music to listen in the living room while a good firewood burning…
Is not serious audiophile, Dali shows good detail quality and less colored music without being boring…
Even the super small Katch G2 or the Oberon 1c sound good, I never tried passive speakers form Dali…
Ez magyar név? Annak tűnik...Dali ikonom van ikon 2 első széria , a ribbonos , polc ,vagy "monitor" ahogy tetcik , nekem szuperül bevált, egy régi 1998- as Yamahával hajtom, hibátlan 😉👍
Wich is better for 5.1?
Depends on your taste. Both offer front/back/surround/center options (smaller and bigger speakers). I prefer the Dali, but your mileage may vary.
Kef's vocals on the chris jones song are clean; however, dali creates a better atmosphere for bulls on parade 🤔
El Kef suena como mas cerrado, como que lo instrumentos van hacia las voces El Dali suena con mas cuerpo y mas amplio. Es dificil de describir! 😁
Dali❤
The Dalis win if you ask me.
Oberon 3 are perfect
Sorry to for being so forward, but you really need to do a few things to improve room acoustics. Obviously I can't hear how it actually sounds as this is recorded, but I can still tell that there's issues with reverberation.
As there is no sound absorbing, nor sound diffusing surfaces in your room, the sound waves reflect and rebounce between walls/ceiling/floor.
The good thing is that improving room acoustics dramatically isn't expensive at all. At the cheapest, you could just buy a thick and heavy carpet on the floor, which would eliminate much of the 1st reflections from the floor boundary. Pieces of sound absorbing acustic panels on each wall to the 1st reflection points will do plenty aswell. For a 100-200€ investment on basic room acoustics you will get a huge and very noticeably improvement. Actually much much more than you would get by paying +1000€ more on the hifi gear. Sadly too many ignore the importance of room acoustics, and since in a non-treated room +90% of the perceived sound is actually room acoustics interference and reflections.
Tip: To easily find the 1st reflection points on the walls, you just need a mirror and someone to hold the mirror on the wall while you sit at the listening spot. When you see your left speaker in the mirror placed on the left-hand wall, that's where you'd want to place the acoustic panel. Then just do the same for the right speaker and the right-handed wall. Height-wise you would place the panel/material at the tweeter level.
Tip2: Clap your hands in the room and just focus to the reverbation and echoing caused by the room. There shouldn't be any noticeable reverberation or echoing by ear in a better sounding room, however by measuring wou would see echoing (caused by the sound waves reflecting and bouncing between any flat hard surfaces) as long as a few seconds on the lower frequencies. When you think about it, it becomes obvious at some point; if the hand clapping makes your room become alive (bad thing), it most certainly will become alive when listening to music aswell.
PS. I strongly encourage everyone - regardless of whether it's your hifi-room or livingroom - to do your due diligence on the basic room acoustics. It will not only make your music sound much better, it will also increase your wellbeing and comfortability via lowering the reverbing/echoing and greatly reducing background/ambient noise. It's not by accident that most public indoor areas are acoustically treated to improve comfortability, physical and mental wellbeing and ease of conversation - and to minimize irritability and cognitive stress caused by the above mentioned issues.
Oh, I forgot to mention that you should absolutely leave as much room between the speakers and sidewalls as possbile. This speaker placement is almost as bad as it can be, only thing worse would be that they would be in the corners of the room.
I know it's t tight spot, but it's also small room so you will greatly benefit from simply placing the speakers closer to each other and moving your listening spot closer to the speakers. You should really consider making it more of a near-field set (~0.5-1.5m listening distance) as your ears will receive much more direct sound from the speakers and much less room interference.
Near-field or not, though, you really should try to get as much space for the speakers as possible. Also with the Kef's you could benefit from simply toeing-in (turning the speakers to an inwards angle instead of parallel to the wall). Dali's are actually designed to be placed parallell to the wall, but with the Kef's and their co-axial drivers = more directive tweeter you can fiddle with toe-in angles.
@@keijokelvoton8936 I am listening through a set of beyerdynamic T1s v1 (one of the best ever) and a Berson conductor 3 Amp/Dac and can tell you that his demos are among the best I've heard on YT
Dali WOW WOW WOW !!!
Dali wins again, more presence, engaging, full-bodied.