The Dayton Audio OPAL1 ranks #14 out of 25 total Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See Top Recommended Speakers By Attribute for all the top speaker suggestions.
#14 Dayton Audio OPAL1: $1,038.99 Dayton Audio
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.
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°.
How it compares: Just above it: Neumi Silk 4 - $839 cheaper, 6.8Hz higher bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: JBL Studio 530 - $640 cheaper, 10.3Hz higher bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 30Hz |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 55Hz |
| Drivers | 5.25" mid-woofer, 1" dome tweeter, dual rear passive radiators |
| Sensitivity | 75.7dB (measured by Erin's Audio Corner; 78dB manufacturer specified) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator, rear (dual) |
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