Lenbrook Americas, based in Pickering, ON, has launched the Dali Oberon C Series of affordable smart speaker systems, offering a wireless active solution for hifi enthusiasts and audiophiles.
The Oberon C series including the floorstanding Oberson 7 C, compact stand- or shelf-mounted Oberon 1C, compact and low-proofile wall-mount Oberon on-wall C, and the Sound Hub Compact, all of which will be available in November 2020.
Dali Oberon C is the active counterpart to the brand’s popular Oberon Series, sharing the same drivers and cabinet construction, while providing a new Sound Hub Compact wireless transmission preamplifier that the company says is “perfectly configured for contemporary home media installations where Bluetooth devices and smart TVs are the primary audio source.”
All three two-way Oberon C speakers incorporate a wireless streaming interface, digital signal processing (DSP), and a pair of 50-Watt Class D power amplifiers, one for bass/midrange driver(s) and one for the high frequency driver, in a module located on their rear panels.
The speakers come in a choice of four laminate cabinet finishes and supplied with a contrasting gray fabric: Matte White, Light Oak, Dark Walnut, or Black Ash. Use of the grille is optional.
Complementing the Dali Rubicon C and Callisto Series active loudspeakers, the Oberon C provides a more cost-effective, plug, pair, and play wireless Hi-Fi solution.
The Dali On-Wall C is a slim, discreet, and powerful on-wall speaker system. At its heart is the Dali Sound Hub Compact, which transmits Hi-Res audio in true HD quality (24bit/96KHz) to the Oberon C speakers while you takes control of the hub via its supplied infrared remote control or your audio source. The Dali Sound Hub Compact will automatically switch to whichever source is connected and can be hidden out of sight, if so desired, as the remote control connects via Bluetooth. The Sound Hub Compact Bluetooth input features AAC and Qualcomm aptX HD audio high performance codecs and enables smartphones, tablets, laptop or desktop computers, or any other Bluetooth audio source to easily and quickly play either locally stored or streamed music. Even Bluetooth-equipped TVs can be connected via HDMI to create a wireless TV audio solution.
The Oberon C Series speakers are also compatible with the Dali Sound Hub wireless audio preamplifier, which was originally introduced in the Callisto and Rubicon C Series. In addition to providing Bluetooth and a variety of wired audio inputs, the Sound Hub is equipped with facilities for future expansion and upgrade. For example, with its optional NPM-1 BluOS module installed, the Sound Hub can provide all the benefits of the BluOS hi-res multi-room audio ecosystem that manages stored and cloud music sources and playback, with support for audio streams up to 24/192. BluOS integrates with many popular streaming music services like Tidal, Qobuz, and Spotify as well as features support for FLAC, WAV, MQA, and other high-resolution formats and codecs.
“The Oberon C and Sound Hub Compact enhance Dali’s traditional speaker technology that the brand has made famous with an entirely new perspective on how to make great-sounding speakers for the modern lifestyle,” says Jeff Earl, Dali Product Manager for Lenbrook Americas. “In addition to Oberon C’s simple setup, ease of operation and superb sound, the Sound Hub Compact offers a more affordable wireless Hi-Fi option. For the best performance and experience, pairing Oberon C to the compatible Dali Sound Hub and NPM-1 BluOS Module turns it into a high-res (24-bit/192kHz), streaming, multi-room audio system.“
The Dali Oberon 7 C will be available in Canada for an MSRP of $3,499/pr., the Oberon 1 C for $1,999/pr., the Oberon On-Wall C for $1,249 ea.; and the Sound Hub Compact for $599 ea.