Short answer: the Arendal 1961 Monitor. It ranks #8 of 178 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.3/5, at $1,150. The Dayton Audio OPAL1 ranks #58, rated 3.6/5, at $1,038.99, $111.01 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The Arendal 1961 Monitor is the better-sounding pick. A physically robust build the reviewer calls “a little bit of a tank,” delivering low compression, low distortion, and overall really good neutrality: one of the reviewer’s top 10 picks under $1,500 across roughly 250 speakers tested. The tradeoff: Bass rolls off around 70-80Hz, so it cannot be used as full-range mains for music without a subwoofer, and a sub is recommended for home theater use as well.
The Dayton Audio OPAL1 is the more accurate, deeper-bass option. A 2-way bookshelf speaker with a 5.25” mid-woofer (large surround) and a 1” dome tweeter, plus two passive radiators on the rear panel. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.08 against 3.38 for the Arendal 1961 Monitor. Its bass reaches about 55Hz before falling 3dB, against 84Hz for the Arendal 1961 Monitor. The catch: Measured average sensitivity is notably low at about 75.7dB (well under the 78dB spec) due to a nearly 3dB dip through the midrange, and the reviewer needed serious amplification (monoblock power amps, not just a compact streaming amp) to drive them to real listening levels for bass testing.
Buy the Arendal 1961 Monitor. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $111.01 you would save on the Dayton Audio OPAL1 does not close the gap.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Arendal 1961 Monitor | Dayton Audio OPAL1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1150 per pair | $1,038.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #8 of 178 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #58 of 178 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 30Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 84Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 55Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1500Hz | 2,200Hz |
| Dimensions | 16.6”H x 6.4”W x 5.9”D (421.6 x 162.6 x 149.9 mm) | 14”H x 7”W x 9.5”D |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal (4.3 ohms minimum @ 4.4kHz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.9dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 75.7dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner; 78dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 2 x 5.5” woofers, 28mm tweeter | 5.25” mid-woofer, 1” dome tweeter, dual rear passive radiators |
| Weight | 16 lbs (7.25 kg) each | 20.7 lbs (9.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed | passive radiator, rear (dual) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.38 | 5.08 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.69 | 6.58 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 32Hz - 20kHz (-3dB, half-space, manufacturer specified) |
| Power Handling | - | 200W RMS (75-200W recommended amplifier power) |
Frequency Response Compared
Both speakers’ spinorama measurements, overlaid. A flatter line is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. Each curve is shifted so its average from 300 Hz to 3 kHz sits at 0 dB, so loudness differences between the two are removed and only the shape is compared. The two were measured by different sources, so small differences, especially in the bass, can come from the measurement setup rather than the speakers.
Measurement data: Arendal 1961 Monitor (measured by Audio Science Review) and Dayton Audio OPAL1 (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner), via spinorama.org.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Arendal 1961 Monitor: $1150 per pair Arendal Sound $1150 eBay
Same family: the Arendal Sound 1961 Bookshelf (smaller bookshelf, ranked lower, rated 4.2/5), the Arendal 1961 Tower (floorstanding, rated 4.4/5) and the Arendal Sound 1961 Center (center, rated 3.6/5).
Pros: A physically robust build the reviewer calls “a little bit of a tank,” delivering low compression, low distortion, and overall really good neutrality: one of the reviewer’s top 10 picks under $1,500 across roughly 250 speakers tested. Works well both as home theater mains and as surrounds. Independent ASR Klippel measurements corroborate the low-distortion finding: THD at 86dB SPL/1m stays well below the reviewer’s audibility threshold, and even at 96dB SPL/1m it stays “far better than most bookshelves” thanks to the built-in high-pass filter that protects the woofers. Measured bass extension of 84Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85.9dB.
Cons: Bass rolls off around 70-80Hz, so it cannot be used as full-range mains for music without a subwoofer, and a sub is recommended for home theater use as well. Vertical radiation window is narrow, typical of MTM (mid-tweeter-mid) layouts (tighter than a standard two-way’s roughly ±20°) so a second home theater row sitting above or below the tweeter axis will hear a noticeably different tonal balance. ASR’s CEA2034 measurements show the response is elevated above 2kHz with resonant peaks around 3kHz and 9kHz, leading the reviewer to predict it will “likely sound bright.” Those same resonances show up as lingering ridges in the cumulative spectral decay (waterfall) at 96dB SPL/1m.
Full Arendal 1961 Monitor review and specifications →
| Released | Jul 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 84Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1500Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 16.6”H x 6.4”W x 5.9”D (421.6 x 162.6 x 149.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 2 x 5.5” woofers, 28mm tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (4.1 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.9dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.69 |
| Weight | 16 lbs (7.25 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | sealed |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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Dayton Audio OPAL1: $1,038.99 per pair Dayton Audio $1,038.99 eBay
Pros: A 2-way bookshelf speaker with a 5.25” mid-woofer (large surround) and a 1” dome tweeter, plus two passive radiators on the rear panel. A bass shelf in its response lets it sit closer to a wall than many speakers without sounding overly boomy, a similar design trait to the KEF R3 Meta. Measured F3 of about 55Hz and F10 of about 30Hz. Harmonic distortion is good for a 5.25” mid-woofer at both 86dB and 96dB output, and dynamic range/compression is reasonably well controlled up to about 96dB. Horizontal radiation of about ±60° lands right in the reviewer’s personally preferred range for soundstage width. On-axis, the sound is a little forward-leaning rather than dull, and EQ can bring back midrange fullness and a bigger sense of image spread if the stock tuning’s slightly recessed midrange isn’t to your taste. Measured bass extension of 55Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 75.7dB.
Cons: Measured average sensitivity is notably low at about 75.7dB (well under the 78dB spec) due to a nearly 3dB dip through the midrange, and the reviewer needed serious amplification (monoblock power amps, not just a compact streaming amp) to drive them to real listening levels for bass testing. On-axis response is within only about ±3dB (a 6dB window) (not very linear) with a mid-range scoop and a bump around 1kHz that makes the sound a bit forward and less full than a neutral reference; EQ can address most of this but makes the image slightly more diffuse in exchange for added fullness. A roughly one-octave-wide diffraction dip between 3-5kHz can’t be corrected with EQ, since boosting it raises reflected energy in a band that’s already elevated off-axis. Top end rolls off fairly quickly above about 10kHz on-axis, and toeing the speakers out more than about 10° loses noticeable air and cymbal/hi-hat detail: best kept close to on-axis. Multitone distortion jumps substantially between 87dB and 96dB SPL/1m, so headroom for loud listening is limited. Vertical window is tight at about ±20°.
Full Dayton Audio OPAL1 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 30Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2,200Hz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14”H x 7”W x 9.5”D |
| Drivers | 5.25” mid-woofer, 1” dome tweeter, dual rear passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 32Hz - 20kHz (-3dB, half-space, manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (4.3 ohms minimum @ 4.4kHz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 200W RMS (75-200W recommended amplifier power) |
| Sensitivity | 75.7dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner; 78dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.08 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.58 |
| Weight | 20.7 lbs (9.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator, rear (dual) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons