The Official Dynaudio Speakers Thread

[rded]

Originally Posted by Getus

Here is a up-date on the status of the sub500:

It will be send to my dealer on the 25th of April.
So in week 17 it will be in my possession

I olso added a Rotel 1575 amp to the mix
So now a have the Rotel 1572 and 1575 so that makes 7 channels of power!!

My question to all you Dynaudio lovers is:

Wich do you think is better the Focus 220MkII, the Focus 360 or the Contour s3.4?

I have the Focus 140's as surround and the Focus c200 as center.

Congratulations Getus.

Well, it really depends on your budget as the 3.4s and Focus 360 cost more than the 220mkII as it is a notch below the 3.4 and the 360 as far as price and performance.. For shear Musicality, the Contour S3.4 is the hands down winner. The Focus 360 IMO lacks presence in the midrange despite having an esotar 2 tweeter. The 3.4 is extremely balanced and linear but if you want just stupid loud-ear bleeding output yet still pretty coherent, get the 360; a bigger room is also recommended as the 360 is a lot harder to integrate and demands a "bigger stage" in which to perform.

[Getus]

Well the 3.4s is a little cheaper than the 360. And i do not have a big room.

Mmm i wonder wich sounds best with the focus Center. I can olso go with the 140's as fronts because i have a nice sub......

[rded]

Originally Posted by Getus

Well the 3.4s is a little cheaper than the 360. And i do not have a big room.

Mmm i wonder wich sounds best with the focus Center. I can olso go with the 140's as fronts because i have a nice sub......

Hmm...Good question. I have not heard the focus center in a very long time. Since they belong to the same family, I think the 360 is better matched to the Focus Center and the same is true to 3.4 with the SC center.

I like the tonality and smoothness of the 3.4s( I am also biased as I used to own the 3.4s ). The 360 has a lot more bass output though. Since you have an excellent sub, I'd say go for the 3.4s vs the 360; but don't take my word for it, you have to listen to them yourself.

[Getus]

Thanks for sharing your opinion Rded!

I think i will save up for a better ssp first.
And keep my 5.1 setup with 4 focus 140's. Because as i mentioned before i do not have the luxery of a big room.

[rded]

Originally Posted by Getus

Thanks for sharing your opinion Rded!

I think i will save up for a better ssp first.
And keep my 5.1 setup with 4 focus 140's. Because as i mentioned before i do not have the luxery of a big room.

Think Special 25s They are getting re-issued but only in the birch maple finish. Boy, I'd like to get myself a pair of those and put the Sapphires back in the crate for awhile. Anyway, rumor has it that the contour/confidence series is getting replaced soon....so you're better off with a special model that never gets replaced.

[Getus]

Originally Posted by rded

Think Special 25s They are getting re-issued but only in the birch maple finish. Boy, I'd like to get myself a pair of those and put the Sapphires back in the crate for awhile. Anyway, rumor has it that the contour/confidence series is getting replaced soon....so you're better off with a special model that never gets replaced.

Hey, good suggestion! The 25s! maybe that is what i need. Because they are smaller than the 3.4s or the 360.

But i believe my dealer does not have these for audition (yet). You think the 25s mate wel with the 140s?

[rded]

Originally Posted by Getus

Hey, good suggestion! The 25s! maybe that is what i need. Because they are smaller than the 3.4s or the 360.

But i believe my dealer does not have these for audition (yet). You think the 25s mate wel with the 140s?

Dude, the Special 25s is a kick ass bookshelf. It's a lot more hard hitting than the 3.4s or the C1s and will give the Focus 360s a run for its money in the bass department. Remember, it has Confidence level Esotar 2 tweeters and Evidence level woofers None of the dealers will have the 25s for audition because they were discontinued after the 5000th pair was produced; unless they retained their demo pair from way back. Once in a while some dealers get trade in but they sell very quickly. The 25s WILL mate very well with the 140s.

[Getus]

Originally Posted by rded

Dude, the Special 25s is a kick ass bookshelf. It's a lot more hard hitting than the 3.4s or the C1s and will give the Focus 360s a run for its money in the bass department. Remember, it has Confidence level Esotar 2 tweeters and Evidence level woofers None of the dealers will have the 25s for audition because they were discontinued after the 5000th pair was produced; unless they retained their demo pair from way back. Once in a while some dealers get trade in but they sell very quickly. The 25s WILL mate very well with the 140s.

Haha well if that is the case, then i think it is a NO then. Because like you said if they get a trade in.....

I heard the C1 there magical! But again a little bit more expensive then the 3.4s or the 360.

This are the retail prices here in The Netherlands:

3.4s: € 5000,-
360: € 5500,-
C1: € 5980,-
140: € 1850,-

All these prices are for a pair.

[rded]

Originally Posted by Getus

Haha well if that is the case, then i think it is a NO then. Because like you said if they get a trade in.....

I heard the C1 there magical! But again a little bit more expensive then the 3.4s or the 360.

This are the retail prices here in The Netherlands:

3.4s: € 5000,-
360: € 5500,-
C1: € 5980,-
140: € 1850,-

All these prices are for a pair.

The Special 25 retail for $6000 US. So I take it will be close to the price of the C1. Given the situation, it'll be tough for me to decide between the 3.4s or the Special 25s. But you can't go wrong with any of them...

[Dase]

Originally Posted by Getus

Here is a up-date on the status of the sub500:

It will be send to my dealer on the 25th of April.
So in week 17 it will be in my possession

I olso added a Rotel 1575 amp to the mix
So now a have the Rotel 1572 and 1575 so that makes 7 channels of power!!

My question to all you Dynaudio lovers is:

Wich do you think is better the Focus 220MkII, the Focus 360 or the Contour s3.4?

I have the Focus 140's as surround and the Focus c200 as center.

Considering what you already own in the Focus series, I would stay within that series also for fronts.

The Contours are nice but may not match as well with your center. The 220II's are such great speakers, and are what I wanted to place in my home (still may for a 2 channel rig someday) but I didn't have the funds for them and their counterparts and the power to push them.

If it was me and I listened more to music I would get the 360's. That way I have the largest, most capable tower in the Focus line for music and my HT would still be incredible. If you can't float the cost of the 360, and are more geared toward movies, I would pick up the 220II's. They are no slouch and would still sound fantastic with either.

As always, the best advice is to listen to them yourself and make your decision based on your goals and what your own ears tell you. Congrats on an A+ speaker choice.

Edit***

I didn't read far enough to see that you are already being assisted by the dynaudio master . Rded's recommendations are solid and he makes great points. Good luck on whatever route you take!!!! Oh and HI RHETT!!

[rded]

Originally Posted by -dase-

Considering what you already own in the Focus series, I would stay within that series also for fronts.

The Contours are nice but may not match as well with your center. The 220II's are such great speakers, and are what I wanted to place in my home (still may for a 2 channel rig someday) but I didn't have the funds for them and their counterparts and the power to push them.

If it was me and I listened more to music I would get the 360's. That way I have the largest, most capable tower in the Focus line for music and my HT would still be incredible. If you can't float the cost of the 360, and are more geared toward movies, I would pick up the 220II's. They are no slouch and would still sound fantastic with either.

As always, the best advice is to listen to them yourself and make your decision based on your goals and what your own ears tell you. Congrats on an A+ speaker choice.

Edit***

I didn't read far enough to see that you are already being assisted by the dynaudio master . Rded's recommendations are solid and he makes great points. Good luck on whatever route you take!!!! Oh and HI RHETT!!

Hey Brandon I am no Dynaudio master; just an obsessive enthusiast like you and most members here. Given the age of the Contour and the Confidence series, it's probably best to stick with the focus series or get the Special 25s but the finish may not suit Getus or a lot of people's tastes. But, the process of selecting the speaker for oneself is always the best part of the journey

[callas01]

Originally Posted by rded

Hey Brandon I am no Dynaudio master; just an obsessive enthusiast like you and most members here. Given the age of the Contour and the Confidence series, it's probably best to stick with the focus series or get the Special 25s but the finish may not suit Getus or a lot of people's tastes. But, the process of selecting the speaker for oneself is always the best part of the journey

oh yea.... I love just listening to speakers I don't have the intention of buying. I just love speakers..

[rded]

Originally Posted by callas01

oh yea.... I love just listening to speakers I don't have the intention of buying. I just love speakers..

Steve,Since you love speakers that much, why don't you come over to Chitown this summer so you can have a listen to the Sapphires. I just read a stereophile article that the 1000th pair is set to be auctioned sometime soon and the proceeds will be donated to Doctors without borders. They are gone folks.....

BTW, I am serious contemplating on trading in my Arcam AVR 600 for an Octave piece. We shall see what the next few months will bring. So far 2010 has been brutal for me Financially, mentally and emotianally. Sheesh

[callas01]

yea... the baby is due in august, you really think the wife is gonna let me go ANYWHERE??? sheesh.

[rded]

Originally Posted by callas01

yea... the baby is due in august, you really think the wife is gonna let me go ANYWHERE??? sheesh.

Perfect time for you to escape dude!

[Getus]

Originally Posted by rded

the process of selecting the speaker for oneself is always the best part of the journey

I agree to that statement.

Before i bought the 140s (wich is half a year ago) i compared them to Focal JMlab, B&W and the Excite serie of Dynaudio. The focus serie where the most expansive of them all. At that time my system containt JBL Northrigde speakers and the Onkyo 705 receiver. The speakers were (and stil are) the E10's. The smallest of the series.

The original plan was to buy a separate amp, and 3 speakers. A center and two bookshelfs as front speakers. (Wich i could use as surround speakers later on)

I took me one day to decide that i would be Dynaudio. I still couldn't make my mind up if it would be the Excite or the Focus serie.
After one day of comparing the X12,16 and the 110 and 140 i made up my mind. The 140's where the one's that came home with me.
Then i compared a Primare amp against the Rotel 1572 amp on the focus 140's. I could not hear a big of a differance that justified the bigger price tag on the Primare amp. So the choice was made:

A Rotel 1572, two Dynaudio Focus 140 and a Focus C200 center.

After saving up half a year i wanted a better sub. Because i was still useing the JBL 150p Northrigde sub. So i went back to the dealer.

After 2 day's of comparing B&W, REL and the Dynaudio sub500 we had a winner

The detail in music with the sub500 is brilliant! And she could shake the room with movies It souds so wonderfull with the 140's that you can't here wich is playing the bass. With the REL i could still hear that the bass was not coming from the front speakers. I could not tell where the sub was located, but you could still hear it was a subwoofer handeling the bass.

As you know i'am still waiting for the sub to arrive so i can't show you guy's any pictures of "her" yet.

4 Day's ago i decided it was time to buy yet another amp. To make the 7 channel surround complete. Wich amp that was going to be was not hard. Because i all ready own the 1572 the 1575 was the logic choice.

So now i need to save up for 2 140's as surrounds (still have the JBL's)
2 front speakers. And a maybe a other ssp.

Sorry for any bad spelling mistakes. Because English is not my Motherlanguages

[Getus]

It looks like i will get my Sub on Saturday! Had a phone call from my dealer. He said he will get in on Friday and then he will deliver it the next day!!!

Still keeping my fingers crossed at my back because i had some bad luck before

I will keep you guys posted!

[callas01]

Getus.

Can you please compare and contrast the Excite X16s and the Focus 140s for me since you have had time with both. I am thinking of either of these or possibly the Dali Lektor 8s. I haven't heard the Dyns yet.

Thanks.

[Getus]

Originally Posted by callas01

Getus.

Can you please compare and contrast the Excite X16s and the Focus 140s for me since you have had time with both. I am thinking of either of these or possibly the Dali Lektor 8s. I haven't heard the Dyns yet.

Thanks.

Well here we go,

The first comparison i made was between the X16 and the Focus 110. Because they where in the same price category. € 1100,- for a pair X16 and € 1250,- for the Focus 110s.

I compared them all on the Rotel 15 series in stereo.

I liked the "spread"of the sound stage the X16 gave me. There image is excellent. The 110 sounded much smaller, they had a more "tighter" sound. The bass the 110s produced matched my likings better. The bass of the X16 sounded a little to "loose" for my taste. (Only a little)

So what i really wanted was the open and big sound stage the X16 gave me, with the tighter sound of the 110s. And that was what the Focus 140s could do for me.

They both have the sweet treble from the soft domes. They both have a excellent and open sound stage. Only the Focus 140s have a tighter sound witch i liked better. Maybe you can say the 140 sound is a little deeper in the bass.

I also noticed that when i was listening to them on insane spl's the Focus 140s sounded a little less "harsh" then the X16s. But i must confess that i never listen that loud when i am at home. So it was only that time. But they both handled it easy. So no worries there


You really should go listen to them for your self. But i hope this helps a little. If not feel free to ask more.

[Getus]

Again there where delays with my subwoofer. This is the story (again)

Dynaudio delivered the sub as promised to the importer in Germany. The importer shipped the sub to The Netherlands the next day. And then the delays started again. The transporter had some problems with it because it was put on a pallet. And is not easily moved. The transporter held it for 2 day at a warehouse, because they needed the plan for a truck before they send it to the town i live in.

Then comes the next issue: This Thursday i go for a vacation for about 2 weeks. So i won't be able to play with my sub for about 2 to 3 weeks.....