The Official Dynaudio Speakers Thread

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by Spurrier Sucks

Just basing this off of my musical taste compared to some others that I know of, Steve and Factor, but I think I probably would too. Of course I've never heard the 160s so it's only speculation on my part. I do know, however, that I really do enjoy the Totem speakers that I have heard. They just leave me wanting a little more each time I upgrade. That may be a me problem and not Totems problem. I may not have the money to put into a speaker that keeps me satisfied.

You know what John it is the same for me as much as Totems make me Happy I just feel I need to try something else and try to seek for better.

I had Rainmakers I wanted Hawks and ended up with forest just when I thought I was done Totem releases the Forest Signature. After hearing the Wind Design at my dealer I wish I had 15 K to spend on speakers

[callas01]

Originally Posted by Spurrier Sucks

Just basing this off of my musical taste compared to some others that I know of, Steve and Factor, but I think I probably would too. Of course I've never heard the 160s so it's only speculation on my part. I do know, however, that I really do enjoy the Totem speakers that I have heard. They just leave me wanting a little more each time I upgrade. That may be a me problem and not Totems problem. I may not have the money to put into a speaker that keeps me satisfied.

you still have to hear the 260s.... so you never know.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by BigAl87

You know what John it is the same for me as much as Totems make me Happy I just feel I need to try something else and try to seek for better.

I had Rainmakers I wanted Hawks and ended up with forest just when I thought I was done Totem releases the Forest Signature. After hearing the Wind Design at my dealer I wish I had 15 K to spend on speakers

For the first time... I really have no feeling like I need different speakers. I really don't need a different amp, but since Im going to go all digital here, the Uniti just makes the most sense for me.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by callas01

For the first time... I really have no feeling like I need different speakers. I really don't need a different amp, but since Im going to go all digital here, the Uniti just makes the most sense for me.

Not for now until you want to upgrade again, you said the same thing after the X16 and after the 160, it will happen again once you get a to heard the SN 2 Hi-Cap with C2 combo in a year from now .

I'll tell you what I can tell you I don't feel the need really to upgrade either but if I had an offer for te Wind Desing to be given to me right not I would take them for sure and I am not talking Winds, I am talking Wind Designs.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by callas01

you still have to hear the 260s.... so you never know.

Great speaker indeed, just had to hear it with a bad T+A, wish they would have chosen a Naim, an Octave with KT88. That T+A just sounded so bright with them.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by BigAl87

Great speaker indeed, just had to hear it with a bad T+A, wish they would have chosen a Naim, an Octave with KT88. That T+A just sounded so bright with them.

see I don't know how you find T+A bright, its overly warm sounding. octave to me is a for aggressive and forward sounding product then the T+A.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by callas01

see I don't know how you find T+A bright, its overly warm sounding. octave to me is a for aggressive and forward sounding product then the T+A.

This is why it is super important to use same source material, same amp, same source and same cables when it comes to do an assessment on speakers as the 260 with T+A I swear what I heard was not warm at all and neither were the 160s when I had to listen to them on the T+A.

I would have to reassess a T+A product vs a naim product with let's say Blue Heaven Nordost Speaker cables and interconnects and compare the 2 with the same recording.

Room is important too.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Flashback: That Dyn and T+A combo at TAVES some years back was some of the worst sound I've ever heard. I'm surprised my ears didn't start to bleed right away. Warm? Not in this lifetime! And I'm not the only one who felt that way. I was talking to Frederic Beudot from 6Moons about that combo a few weeks back at that dinner party I went to, and he couldn't agree more.

I'm going to TAVES again in a few weeks and I'm really hoping to hear some Dynaudio speakers with properly matched gear. PTplayers (Rob) and I will also be spending some time in the Naim room.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by Johnny Vinyl

Flashback: That Dyn and T+A combo at TAVES some years back was some of the worst sound I've ever heard. I'm surprised my ears didn't start to bleed right away. Warm? Not in this lifetime! And I'm not the only one who felt that way. I was talking to Frederic Beudot from 6Moons about that combo a few weeks back at that dinner party I went to, and he couldn't agree more.

I'm going to TAVES again in a few weeks and I'm really hoping to hear some Dynaudio speakers with properly matched gear. PTplayers (Rob) and I will also be spending some time in the Naim room.

Yeah I felt the same way but this is why I said it is extremely important that comparison has to be made with all the same source material same cables in the same room with the same speaker to judge the sound of the amp and internal dac of the T+A.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by BigAl87

Yeah I felt the same way but this is why I said it is extremely important that comparison has to be made with all the same source material same cables in the same room with the same speaker to judge the sound of the amp and internal dac of the T+A.

In a perfect world that would be the way to compare any 2 or 3 products, but I don't think anything could have saved that combo. Anyway, there is a new distributor in Canada for Dynaudio (Gemsen) and they will be showcasing the new Dynaudio XEO's. Mystic Audio will also have Dynaudio speakers, so I hope to have a good audition this time. Kinda nice that both are next door to eachother at the show. I'll try and take some pics and take note of the specific models.

[prerich]

Wow, I'm was shocked to find out that Dynaudio (home) is available through online means now (via Musicdirect.com). It seems that the online model is beginning to take hold.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by prerich

Wow, I'm was shocked to find out that Dynaudio (home) is available through online means now (via Musicdirect.com). It seems that the online model is beginning to take hold.

Hi David, impossible to negotiate a price though online, same with Totems, they have online authorized dealers but those dealer have a store normally but to get a price online will be impossible since their is never announced rebates for thos brands. You will also realize they are entry level DMs and Xeo wireless

[Twm1988]

Well, my audition of the Model Ones went very well! Went in early and got in and set up the Anthem, then connected the M1S’s and center.

My impression of the speakers is pretty great. I found them quite comparable to the 160’s in a few area’s. I would say the 160’s are the more transparent speaker, and slightly more neutral. I found the Totems were slightly warmer sounding than the 160’s, but still very neutral speakers just a little coloring in there to my ears. I now hear even more how neutral and balanced/even the 160’s are. Detail resolution was similar, but I believe I could hear the dip in the Totems because I noticed a bit of a laid back sound to them, which also gave a sense of slightly less detail than the 160’s. High frequency’s were very similar in both speakers in their smoother presentation, there was no harshness in either Dyn’s or Totems (unless cranked really loud, but separate amp would probably smooth it out) and no brightness either. The imaging is pretty close, though I would give a slight edge to the Dyn’s just for throwing a bigger soundstage at you and placing instruments with a bit more space/separation. But comparing the M1S to the 110’s or Excites, I think Totem would come out on top of those two.

Of course the Dyn’s sounded noticeable bigger, but not hugely so. BigAl you were right about the M1S’s sounding so much bigger than their size. Hard to believe the Totem has 5.5” driver and the Dyn has 6.7” Would have thought the M1S had 6-6.5” driver in it!

Though I probably prefer the 160 by just a bit overall, the Totems just had something to them that is tough to describe, something magical like a lot of people say. Very easy and fun to listen to and makes you want to lean into them and crank it up! I don’t think that you could go wrong with either one, neither is really better, just different and a matter of personal preference and what you use it for. There wasn’t anything I disliked with either of them. For pure music I think I would slightly prefer the M1S, but for movies (much like the Anthem vs. Arcam) I am drawn to the 160’s movie presentation.

Bottom line is I know now that the Anthem mates very well to both the Dyn’s and the Totem’s, and I will definitely be picking up that demo 710, I called my dealer and he’s packing it up and keeping it saved for me. So now im just gonna enjoy my last day and a half before returning the 160’s. I may listen to the Excites, but I am pretty much in love with the 160’s and completely addicted to their transparency.

I think after purchasing the Anthem and then having to wait a while for the speaker purchase, in that time I can go back from time to time and hear the 160’s with a few different speaker cable combinations and have everything picked out for when I do get the speakers, then maybe get a good package deal on cables & speakers. The Totem dealer said he heard the Dyn’s (not sure which model though) wired with Nordost Blue Heaven and was very impressed, though he prefers Totem and has Totem Forest Sig’s himself.

[callas01]

I had a feeling that you'd very much enjoy the M1Ss. I had no doubt that the M1Ss have something special to their sound, just as the sttaf and Arro had when I heard them.

The 160s are equally special, with transparency that really trancends it's price. When I was first deciding on speakers, I was between totem and dynaudio as well, and I felt very similar, dyns were better for movies and the music I listen too, plus they were just as special if I did want to listen to jazz or vocalist.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by prerich

Wow, I'm was shocked to find out that Dynaudio (home) is available through online means now (via Musicdirect.com). It seems that the online model is beginning to take hold.

The DMs have been on their site for a few months. I heard that MD tried this before but it didn't work well for either side. So they must have come to a mutual agreement this time.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by Johnny Vinyl

Flashback: That Dyn and T+A combo at TAVES some years back was some of the worst sound I've ever heard. I'm surprised my ears didn't start to bleed right away. Warm? Not in this lifetime! And I'm not the only one who felt that way. I was talking to Frederic Beudot from 6Moons about that combo a few weeks back at that dinner party I went to, and he couldn't agree more.

I'm going to TAVES again in a few weeks and I'm really hoping to hear some Dynaudio speakers with properly matched gear. PTplayers (Rob) and I will also be spending some time in the Naim room.

My local Dyn dealer had T+A prior to Dynaudio being the distributor for NA. I've heard the T+A with more then just Dyns, I've heard their low-end to newest high-end HV series and their older V series. Never have they sounded bright. Now, I have heard both octave and audio research, and the octave sounds bright-ish to me. The octave doesn't sound like traditional tube gear, where AR sounds tubey with good well defined bass.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by callas01

My local Dyn dealer had T+A prior to Dynaudio being the distributor for NA. I've heard the T+A with more then just Dyns, I've heard their low-end to newest high-end HV series and their older V series. Never have they sounded bright. Now, I have heard both octave and audio research, and the octave sounds bright-ish to me. The octave doesn't sound like traditional tube gear, where AR sounds tubey with good well defined bass.

It's an interesting thing this difference or perspective we have of what constitutes bright. It is obvious that we each have different listening preferences and tolerances. Neither one is either right or wrong. More importantly however is the fact that none of us can really rely on the comments by users or the reviews from audio writers. We MUST audition to get a true perspective.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by BigAl87

Hi David, impossible to negotiate a price though online, same with Totems, they have online authorized dealers but those dealer have a store normally but to get a price online will be impossible since their is never announced rebates for thos brands. You will also realize they are entry level DMs and Xeo wireless

Oh yeah, I didn't expect for them to carry the Contour line. However - Dynaudio is making a big push with their wireless speakers. It seems like they are all in with wireless.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by prerich

Oh yeah, I didn't expect for them to carry the Contour line. However - Dynaudio is making a big push with their wireless speakers. It seems like they are all in with wireless.

Dynaudio, through it's Canadian distributor, will have the entire XEO line at TAVES next week. I'm sure that's going to be a popular room.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by Twm1988

Well, my audition of the Model Ones went very well! Went in early and got in and set up the Anthem, then connected the M1S’s and center.

My impression of the speakers is pretty great. I found them quite comparable to the 160’s in a few area’s. I would say the 160’s are the more transparent speaker, and slightly more neutral. I found the Totems were slightly warmer sounding than the 160’s, but still very neutral speakers just a little coloring in there to my ears. I now hear even more how neutral and balanced/even the 160’s are. Detail resolution was similar, but I believe I could hear the dip in the Totems because I noticed a bit of a laid back sound to them, which also gave a sense of slightly less detail than the 160’s. High frequency’s were very similar in both speakers in their smoother presentation, there was no harshness in either Dyn’s or Totems (unless cranked really loud, but separate amp would probably smooth it out) and no brightness either. The imaging is pretty close, though I would give a slight edge to the Dyn’s just for throwing a bigger soundstage at you and placing instruments with a bit more space/separation. But comparing the M1S to the 110’s or Excites, I think Totem would come out on top of those two.

Of course the Dyn’s sounded noticeable bigger, but not hugely so. BigAl you were right about the M1S’s sounding so much bigger than their size. Hard to believe the Totem has 5.5” driver and the Dyn has 6.7” Would have thought the M1S had 6-6.5” driver in it!

Though I probably prefer the 160 by just a bit overall, the Totems just had something to them that is tough to describe, something magical like a lot of people say. Very easy and fun to listen to and makes you want to lean into them and crank it up! I don’t think that you could go wrong with either one, neither is really better, just different and a matter of personal preference and what you use it for. There wasn’t anything I disliked with either of them. For pure music I think I would slightly prefer the M1S, but for movies (much like the Anthem vs. Arcam) I am drawn to the 160’s movie presentation.

Bottom line is I know now that the Anthem mates very well to both the Dyn’s and the Totem’s, and I will definitely be picking up that demo 710, I called my dealer and he’s packing it up and keeping it saved for me. So now im just gonna enjoy my last day and a half before returning the 160’s. I may listen to the Excites, but I am pretty much in love with the 160’s and completely addicted to their transparency.

I think after purchasing the Anthem and then having to wait a while for the speaker purchase, in that time I can go back from time to time and hear the 160’s with a few different speaker cable combinations and have everything picked out for when I do get the speakers, then maybe get a good package deal on cables & speakers. The Totem dealer said he heard the Dyn’s (not sure which model though) wired with Nordost Blue Heaven and was very impressed, though he prefers Totem and has Totem Forest Sig’s himself.

I said that, the dreamcatchers operate that same magic

I know cause I heard them on several occasions and seriously the music just captures you with them, The 160 are transparent and also have the ability to disappear, I love the 160 with Naim, Naim, Naim.

I had a feeling you were gonna go for the 160 . for movies honestly transparency won't give you much more than what the M1S, it would be difficult for you to even realize what speakers are playing between the 2. Hollywood is much easier than music to reproduce. nonetheless both are great speaker and I am sure you will be happy with the 160. My choice would be to mate them with Naim for the time you will listen to music

Blue Heaven would run you a little more than White Lightning but White Lightning is great already, the AudioQuest Type 4 is excellent for it's price. Try to compare White Lightning and Type 4 AQ to see what you prefer ideally make sure both cables have run for several hours and try to do a blind test.