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Dali Oberon 5 5.1 Speaker Package review: A stylish, pleasant-sounding home cinema system

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Full, honest and warm - these clever performers will make the best out of any home cinema soundtrack

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Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Home cinema speakers are about lifting your home entertainment onto a higher plane of existence. It’s all there on your video content just waiting to be unlocked: a beautiful soundtrack, clean dialogue, big-hitting bass and surround sound effects all projected onto a soundstage with you at the centre. 

All you need is a great package to unlock it. Could that be the Dali Oberon 5 5.1 Speaker Package?

Build and compatibility

(Image credit: Future)

Upfront are the Award-winning Dali Oberon 5 floorstanders. The surrounds are either the five-star Dali Oberon 1 standmounters (£1699), which is the package we're testing, or the compact Dali On-Wall speakers (£1799). Either way, they have tidy MDF cabinets, with a choice of Black Ash, White, Dark Walnut and Light Oak finishes.

We feel rather blessed to be sat in the middle of the beautiful two-tone light oak options which are attractive, subtle, modern and the kind of speakers that would suit most rooms. 

At just 83cm tall, the two-way front pair is as unobtrusive a set of floorstanders as you’ll find. They’re significantly smaller in every dimension than its main speaker package rivals, the Elac Debut 2.0 Home Theatre System and Q Acoustics 3050i Cinema Pack – and that’s well worth considering if you have limited space in which to house your 5.1 system.

(Image credit: Future)

The Oberon 5s have a fairly large and lightweight 29mm soft dome tweeter, and that allows it to dip into lower frequencies to help integrate itself with the sound coming from the woofers.

Those two 13cm mid/bass drivers are made from Dali’s wood fibre/fine grain paper pulp choice of cone material, which the company believes is the best available balance between rigidity and low resonance.  

They’re positioned within a low-loss surround using spider suspension to focus on micro details with maximum transparency. All three units within each speaker are linked with a single-wired two-way crossover, giving a sensitivity of 88dB/W/m and a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.

(Image credit: Future)

It’s a similar story for the shoebox-sized Oberon 1 surround speakers. There’s just the one midrange driver here, and Dali has made these standmounters as versatile as possible by adding a wall-mounting attachment. 

While they sound better than most hung like this, we’d recommend setting them around 30cm into the room for maximum clarity. 

One of the key make-or-break battlegrounds of a speaker package is the centre and it’s the Oberon Vokal that is tasked with that job here. 

It has the same selection of drivers as the floorstanders arranged with the tweeter in the middle and the front-facing bass port just underneath. That arrangement has been chosen to help achieve a wider dispersion pattern and make positioning less fussy.

(Image credit: Future)

Last but not least, is the subwoofer. It’s a Dali Sub E9-F, which is a relatively small cube that comes in Black Ash, White or Light Walnut. An aluminium-coned, 23cm woofer sits inside the MDF enclosure which itself sits 3cm off the floor, thanks to some rubber legs, creating enough space for a downward-firing bass vent to work its magic.

It’s powered by a 170W RMS Class D amplifier and has a heavy magnet motor system with a four-layered, long-stroke voice coil designed to keep the cone up to speed with the amp’s signal. There are controls around the back for fine-tuning the speaker to your room with dials for gain and crossover.

Sound

(Image credit: Future)

We fire up the projector and head to Deadpool on 4K Blu-ray. The film opens up with the kind of scene that puts home cinema sound through its paces. It’s chaotic – with explosions, dialogue, cars zooming left and right, and plenty of thumps and amusing details as henchmen meet their grisly ends. The Dali Oberons perform the job admirably.

Dali Oberon 5 5.1 Speaker Package tech specs

(Image credit: Future)

Finishes 4

Bi-wired No

Fronts
Dimensions (hwd) 83 x 16 x 28cm

Weight 10.8kg

Surrounds
Dimensions (hwd) 27 x 16 x 23cm

Weight 4.2kg

Centre
Dimensions (hwd) 44 x 30 x 16cm

Weight 7.45kg

Sub
Dimensions (hwd) 31 x 29 x 31cm

Weight 11kg

 

There’s a beautiful rasping quality to a motorcycle as it zips across the picture trying to avoid a tumbling vehicle pile-up. It shifts across the soundstage in a wonderfully integrated fashion and, like the rest of the moving action, we’re never aware of the sound passing from speaker to speaker but more through the space around us which is exactly how home cinema should be.

There’s surprising authority and power to this relatively diminutive package as well; not as much as the crowd-pleasing Q Acoustics 3050is, perhaps, but the Dalis hold their own.

The hits are huge as airborne vehicles slam into the road with terrifying weight and every bone-crunching punch sounds as though it has been delivered with super-human strength, but the details of twisting metal and the splattering blood aren’t steamrollered by the thuds.

Switching to dialogue scenes with Wade Wilson and we’re blown away by the way the Dalis convey the character in his voice. The dynamics and detail from the centre speaker give a fabulous sense of the roughness of his timbre.

There’s more credibility to the hard-boiled background of the character as the speakers express the cracks in his tone, which you imagine are caused by things Wilson has seen and done as a Special Forces soldier. The muffled quality of his speech through the Deadpool mask is good enough to hear the texture of the disguise itself.

(Image credit: Future)

There are incidental moments where the detail is not quite as fine and singular as with the more delicate Elac Debut 2. 0s — a glass placed upon a table, the safety clicked off a gun, for instance — they’re all present, but not quite so beautifully three-dimensional. Instead, what we have with the Dalis is the best of both worlds, and a definite overall step-up in sonic terms.

While the sub can create quite the rumble with the gain turned up high, it’s best to dial it down for a more subtle response. At sensible levels, it still delivers enough atmosphere and tone. If serious weight is what you need, then you can always upgrade to the Dali E-12F with its 30cm driver.

Verdict

Lean, attractive, interesting and unfussy: these words are equally apt for both the aesthetics and acoustics of these clever performers.

The Dali Oberon 5 5.1 system presents every frequency in full, but with honesty and warmth that brings the best out of any soundtrack. They’re transparent but fun, powerful but subtle; we’d have them round to ours any day.

SCORES

MORE:

Best speaker packages

Best AV receivers: brilliant home cinema amplifiers

11 of the best film scenes to test surround sound

How to set up your home cinema speaker system

See all the What Hi-Fi? Award 2022 winners

Dali Oberon 5 5. 1 Speaker Package: Price Comparison

£1,649

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What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Read more about how we test

Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Home Cinema Pack review: refined sound at an excellent price

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Fluid, composed and consistent, the Wharfedale 12.1 Home Cinema Pack is a mature yet affordable surround sound system

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Cons

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

It’s not always easy to be part of a large, successful dynasty. Just ask the Windsors. Despite the inherent advantages of belonging to a prosperous lineage, it can be tough to make your own mark and be noticed – for positive reasons at least. 

Similar to the Royals, fellow British institution Wharfedale and its Diamond series of speakers have a long and storied legacy (albeit with significantly less scandal), as well as a bit of a German connection. Beginning in 1982 with a single model, the accessibly priced Diamond range is now in its 14th generation, slightly confusingly known as Diamond 12. This generation consists of three sizes of stand-mount speakers (12.0, 12.1, 12.2), two options of floorstanders (12.3 and 12.4) and a single centre speaker (12.C).

But there are no hereditary hangovers to be found here. For Diamond 12, Wharfedale brought in German-based designer Karl Heinz Fink, previously heavily involved with Q Acoustics, to makeover the range from front to back. Almost every aspect of the construction from the cabinet to the driver material has been revised, and the result is a surprisingly charming, affordable and well-engineered line-up of speakers for a stereo or 5.1 (or more) surround set-up.

Price

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

There are several possible ways to configure combinations of Diamond 12 models in a home cinema environment. Here, we’re testing a system comprising a quartet of the excellent, mid-sized Diamond 12.1 bookshelf speakers for fronts and surrounds (priced at £249 / $399 / AU$699 per pair), with the 12.C in the middle (£229 / $229 / AU$575) and the SW10 powered subwoofer (£349 / $ 599 / AU$1149) supplying the bass.

In the UK, this system is called the Diamond 12 Home Cinema Pack and can be picked up for £999 – a saving of £77 over the cost of buying everything separately.

Build

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

Diamond 12’s redesign began with the construction of the cabinet, and the result is a solid, smart, understated build. Available in four shades of matte wood grain, the classic design is neatly offset by a high-shine baffle in solid black or white.

The engineers created the panelling from varying thicknesses of MDF that, together with spot bracing, help better control unwanted resonances. The boxes have a substantial feel but aren’t visually obtrusive. They also look more expensive than they are. Each of the speakers has a claimed 8 ohm impedance and two sets of terminals for bi-wiring, with mirror-finish metal straps included for non-bi-wired set-ups.

Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 Home Cinema Pack tech specs

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

Diamond 12.1:

Type 2-way, bass reflex

Max power 100W

Sensitivity 88dB

Impedance 8 ohms

Frequency response 65Hz to 20kHz

Dimensions (hwd) 31 x 18 x 28cm

Weight 6.8kg (each)

Diamond 12. C centre

Type 2-way, bass reflex

Max power 120W

Sensitivity 90dB

Impedance 8 ohms

Frequency response 90Hz to 20kHz

Dimensions (hwd) 18 x 48 x 21cm

Weight 8.5kg (each)

SW10 subwoofer:

Amplifier output 200W

Sensitivity 110dB

Line input impedance 10 kilo ohms

LFE input Impedance 5 kilo ohms

Frequency response 40Hz to 120Hz

Dimensions (hwd) 42 x 34 x 38 m

Weight 16.5kg (each)

The 12.1 stand mounters have a two-way rear-ported design featuring a single 13cm mid/bass driver composed of something called ‘Klarity’, which is not a Kardashian but a new polypropylene composite cone material with mica added to improve rigidity. The Klarity cones are driven by a magnet with an aluminium compensation ring to minimise the effects of fluctuations in inductance that can occur as the voice coil moves.

The 25mm textile tweeter domes, meanwhile, are almost completely exposed, with a high gloss coating and a design intended to offer wide dispersion, smooth response and strong dynamics. The two drivers are linked with a carefully calibrated crossover that the company says uses premium components. The 12.C is configured similarly to the 12.1, but with a pair of 13cm Klarity drivers and a single tweeter.

The SW-10 subwoofer is available in matching wood finishes with the same polished baffle housing a single front-facing 25cm long-throw driver. Hidden at the rear are physical controls for level, phase and auto-sense (the sub comes out of standby when a signal is received), as well as two RCA inputs. Perched upon four stocky feet, it sits at 42cm high and, despite it being the smallest sub in the four strong SW series, it is by no means tiny. However, the quality of the build means it resembles a handsome piece of furniture rather than an awkward black cube and, especially given its performance, we imagine most people will be happy to make space for it in their living room.

Sound

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

The tautness and dexterity of the SW-10 is immediately striking when the Diamond 12.1 HCP gets playing. It’s an incredibly musical sub and it blends seamlessly with the smaller speakers, which themselves have an. impressively well-integrated low end. The result is rich and lively sound, particularly with films with a heavily featured score. When watching Amelie, Yann Tiersen’s famous accompaniment bursts with warmth and depth while there’s an undeniable snappiness across the board that isn’t limited just to high transients. Despite this responsiveness when things get busy, the 12.1s maintain a strong control, with a secure sense of authority and cohesion.

The sonic agility of the package is displayed well in the scene in which Amelie meets the photo booth repairman for the first time. Here, the stylised, heightened sound design is matched up with the choppy film editing and each sudden effect bursts dynamically with confidence, drama and uniformity around the viewer.

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

The soundfield is smooth and although swapping the front two speakers for floorstanders would certainly provide more scale, there is something to be said for the consistency of tone created by using the same speaker for fronts and surrounds.

Also in this respect, the 12.C centre speaker is well-matched to the 12.1s and, unlike with so many other packages, pulls its weight equally. We watch sonic psychological drama The Sound Of Silence and find that audio-obsessive protagonist Peter’s ultra soft-spoken, emotionally repressed dialogue is well projected with clarity and nuance. Set in the bustle of New York, Peter’s job is to rid the city of unwanted ambient sounds and as he pads around his clients’ apartments hunting for creaking floorboards and whining pipes, the Diamond 12 HCP digs up plenty of domestic detail and subtlety, making us feel the need to check if it’s actually our air conditioning unit making the annoying hum.

To give these tabletop-sized boxes a bit more of a vigorous challenge we try Blade Runner 2049 and they project the meaty, sonorous score with both composure and charisma. In the scene in which Ryan Gosling flies to the orphanage there are plenty of delicate nuances, from the sound of the raindrops landing on the windscreen to the wiper cleaning them off. Later on, when things inevitably start to get explosive, the 12.1s still deliver with balanced but compelling force.

Verdict

(Image credit: Wharfedale)

With poise, effortlessness, cut glass diction and charisma, the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP is essentially the Audrey Hepburn of home theatre speaker packages. It offers rich bass without sacrificing or overpowering the mid and treble, presenting a mature sound that’s rich in impact, agility, detail and sensitivity.

Large enough to provide cinematic scale with a wide soundfield, but discreet and affordable enough to be accessible to a variety of audiences, the 12.1s prove to be an excellent choice for both music and film.

SCORES

MORE:

The best home theatre speaker systems

Read our review of Q Acoustics' 3010i 5. 1 Cinema Pack 

Read our review of the KEF Q350 AV 5.1

Read our review of the Dali Spektor 2 5.1

See all the What Hi-Fi? Award 2022 winners

Wharfedale Diamond 12.1 HCP: Price Comparison

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£1,228.85

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What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Read more about how we test

How to choose a surround sound system

How to choose a surround sound system in 2022? Basic selection criteria, examples of suitable solutions for any room and any budget.

Choosing a surround sound system is one of the most creative and individual challenges. Unlike the rest of your home theater like your TV or projector, acoustics requires you to consider a lot of factors. These factors include the space in which you plan to place the system, your sound preferences, interior design, and more. nine0005

So how do you choose the right acoustic package? We have outlined 4 basic steps to follow before you decide to buy a surround sound system for your home theater.

1. Evaluate the acoustics of the room

First, you need to decide on the room in which you plan to place the speakers. If it's a very small space, then a high-quality multi-component surround sound system would be overkill. Instead, you should consider buying the best soundbar for your TV. Many modern models offer surround sound technologies such as Dolby Atmos , DTS:X , IMAX Enhanced . You can also choose a soundbar with a subwoofer or a soundbar with rear speakers to widen the soundstage and get true cinematic sound.

Example: Devialet Dione multi-channel soundbar

Read: Best soundbars 20220004

Why does the size of a room matter? The point is that you need to provide enough space between the speakers to avoid sound wave interference. As a result of the collision of waves emanating from different sources, the overall sound of the system becomes muffled and less clear. Limited space and improper placement of components can cause a 7.1 channel system to end up sounding worse than a 5.1 channel system.

Example: Monitor Audio MASS 5.1

As a general rule, for rooms larger than 35 square meters, 7.1 or more channels will be the best option. For smaller rooms, a 5.1 surround sound system is worth choosing.

In specialized large-screen home theaters, users most often purchase full-size floor standing speakers. Only with them can you count on room-filling sound effects.

2. Practical side

Many users have their own concerns about loudspeakers. Are you installing a home theater in a room where small children or pets can run around? In this case, we recommend that you choose a surround sound system with the speakers out of their reach. For example, set 9 would be a good choice. 0003 soundbar + subwoofer + rear speakers or pair of bookshelf speakers .

Also, if you don't like wires and cables, you can opt for wireless surround speakers. Of course, wireless speakers are inferior to wired speakers in sound quality, but the absence of wires simplifies the process of placing speakers.

Example: Denon DHT-S516H soundbar and Denon AVR-S750H receiver

Speaking of simplification, if you are not very familiar with home theater hardware, then your best bet is to look at complete turnkey solutions. These complete systems have everything you need to get the surround sound that accompanies your favorite movies. nine0005

All-in-one kits have their drawbacks. First, most often you won't be able to expand it if you want to add more channels. Secondly, it will not be able to provide the best sound quality. But it is certainly more convenient and profitable, and there will be no problems with component compatibility.

3. Focus on your budget

The last thing to consider is how much money you can spend. The simplest surround sound system will set you back several hundred dollars. True audiophiles can easily spend thousands of dollars on a single speaker, and once purchased, they are ready to spend hours reading instructions for customization. nine0005

There are a few things to remember here.

First of all, you get what you pay for, so a “budget” option will never blow you away like a Hi-Fi kit. If you're on a budget, you must consider whether or not you really need multi-channel audio. You might be better off buying a good soundbar than a home theater set with disappointing sound.

Second, if you're building your own surround sound system, you can always expand it as needed. For example, if you buy a multi-channel receiver, you can simply connect five good quality speakers to it to start with, and then gradually add more to them. This way you can split the costs into several parts and end up with a high quality home theater system. nine0005

4. Take the time to search

With the three previous points in mind, let's move on to the last step - researching the market and finding a suitable option. Read professional and customer reviews to make sure you're getting the right product for your space.

Be sure to see the speakers/soundbar live, but keep in mind that the acoustics in the showroom will sound very different from those in your living room.

Publication author

Airmotiv A1 – Emotiva Russia

SURROUND SPEAKER

Airmotiv A1 AirSpace™ are designed to be used as wall or ceiling reflectors or speakers in surround sound systems. Used in both standard and Dolby Atmos® and DTS-X™ immersive surround sound systems.

Typically, when configured as a direct or surround wall mounted surround speaker, the A1 is mounted using the supplied keyway mounting bracket and equipped with the supplied flat grille. When used as a ceiling speaker, the A1 sits on top of one of your main speakers with its active drivers facing the ceiling at an angle to the listener. A switch on the rear panel is used to select the optimal frequency contour for ceiling bounce exploitation, and the flat grating is replaced by an included directional control grating that provides a dispersion pattern that has been carefully optimized to minimize crosstalk and provide excellent localization with reflectivity. nine0005

Airmotiv Passive Loudspeakers: Legacy Music
Loudspeakers are one of the most important parts of your audio system. The one that connects you to the music you are currently listening to. It is they who turn ordinary electrical signals into emotional experiences, which we call music. Good speakers can make a big difference - just elevate a good audio system to the point where it truly delivers an exceptional listening experience. Our new Airmotiv passive speakers have been designed with this important mission in mind from the beginning. nine0005

They combine superior performance with great sound, enough to make your highest quality recordings truly appreciate. They also have an elegant appearance and excellent value for money. The Emotiva Airmotiv series is the culmination of years of research and experience in the production of both home and professional loudspeakers with superior performance and superb sound quality. nine0005

Our Airmotiv speakers have been designed from the ground up to perform equally well in an audiophile stereo or high-end home theater system. Our design philosophy is simple: If a loudspeaker is capable of reproducing the entire audio spectrum as accurately as possible, with very little distortion or coloration, it will sound good on any material - be it classical music, rock or your favorite box office movie.

Quality Workmanship Airmotiv
Each piece in our Airmotiv passive speaker range features thoughtful and meticulous design. All of them undergo intensive testing and careful listening on a variety of musical material to ensure the highest possible technical performance. Airmotiv™ tweeters provide flat frequency response, low distortion, virtually no compression, flat off-axis frequency response, excellent transparency, and unrivaled imaging. nine0005

Advanced midrange drivers with synthetic fiber cones provide a flat frequency response, detailed realistic mids with very low coloration. The woofers are designed with high temperature voice coils and vent holes in the center of the magnet to deliver crisp bass at all listening levels. Carefully engineered precision crossovers, audiophile quality film capacitors, coreless inductors, precision resistors where needed and critical. Now let's tie it all together. nine0005

Finally, for maximum rigidity and resistance to stray vibrations, our craft cabinets are constructed from thick, securely bonded, acoustically inert High Density Fiberboard (HDF). At the same time, the front panel is made of a solid solid HDF plate with a thickness of 25mm. The smooth and faceted 3D front panel design, borrowed from our studio monitors, not only adds a stylish, futuristic look to Airmotiv speakers, but also serves the very practical purpose of minimizing diffraction effects and reducing interactions with the surrounding room. nine0005

Sound Quality Airmotiv
Naturally, none of these technical advantages would matter if they didn't sound so great. After careful listening to our new Airmotiv speakers, we are pleased to report that they sound truly excellent with all styles of music: classical orchestras, chamber jazz ensembles, acapello, choirs, heavy metal and electronic music. When paired with any high quality power amp, any Airmotiv speaker will sound clear without coloration, delivering a properly balanced and high quality sound with very low distortion and excellent reproduction of the finest detail. nine0005

Each product in the Airmotiv loudspeaker range has been carefully selected for tonal and other characteristics to work together to provide a cohesive sound experience in any installation. Whether it's a regular stereo set, or a surround sound system.

Airmotiv features
Phenomenal sound quality and performance are not in themselves the hallmarks of great acoustics. That's why we've added a host of other features to our new Airmotiv passive speaker range. The front bezel is covered with several layers of black lacquer with a satin finish, which looks very elegant and attractive. Its surface is insensitive to fingerprints and small scratches. And the side and back panels are treated with a hard structured layer of black vinyl. nine0005

For those of you who prefer to keep the speakers covered, all Airmotiv speakers come with removable grills that attach with magnetic snaps.

Airmotiv™ Tweeter - Provides flat frequency response, low distortion, virtually no compression, flat off-axis frequency response, excellent transparency, and superior imaging.

High-tech mid-range driver with synthetic fiber cones - provides a flat frequency response, realistic and detailed midrange frequencies with very low coloration.

High performance synthetic fiber cone woofers with built-in high temperature voice coils and vents. Deliver clear, crisp bass at all listening levels. nine0005

Minimal Acoustic Signature™ Enclosure - Airmotiv's bevelled, angled outer contours serve to minimize diffraction and reduce interference with the room. An acoustically inert 25mm high-density particle board (HDF) front panel, 15mm side and back panels, and their reinforced mountings help reduce vibration and contribute to the clarity and fidelity of the Airmotiv soundscape. . nine0005

Durability and good looks - Multiple coats of black satin lacquer give the front bezel of the Airmotiv speakers an elegant and sophisticated look, while a durable yet accommodating vinyl finish protects the sides and back of the cabinet from damage and fingerprints.

Magnetic Grills - Provide a convenient way to keep your speakers covered, and are easily removed for cleaning, or to show your Airmotiv speakers to your audiophile friends. nine0005

Use them with or without grills — The front vanity of the Airmotiv speakers is finished in a black satin lacquer finish. Therefore, they look great both with grills and without them. Choose the look that suits your system and room decor.

Precision Crossovers - Carefully designed and optimized to work perfectly with all Airmotiv loudspeakers - we use audiophile quality film capacitors, coreless inductors, precision resistors where needed and critical. nine0005

Full 5 year warranty - you can enjoy your Airmotiv A1 for years to come.

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