This is my first post in this forum, however I've been here for a while as a reader. I want to upgrade my current system consisting in a Marantz SR-5500 A/V receiver with Infinity speakers (all studio monitor series SM-215 fronts, SM165 rears and SM video as center). My room is 7m(L) x 4m(W) x 2.5m(H) and I use my system 60% music, 30% HT. So I want to end up with a multichannel system capable of decent stereo sound and also good for multichannel music and movies.
My wife prefers less intrusive speakers, so I'm looking for a pair of high quality monitors. I liked a lot the Dynaudio Focus 140 with Accuphase amplification but here in Mexico a pair of 140's costs 2068 euros (more than 2600 USD) exceeding by far my budget of $2000 USD for speakers. The Focus 110 has much better price: 1378 euros and the Audience 52SE 1435 euros.
I've auditioned only the Focus 110 and I liked them (not as much as the Focus 140), but I want to know if the Audience 52SE is a better product as its price tag would suggest. I know that my current Marantz receiver may be too little for any of them, but at the end of the year I will also buy a separate stereo amp to drive the front speakers.
Javy, I listened to all 3 speakers recently, and to me, the 52SE did not cut the jalepinos. The 140 was far and away the best of the lot, the 110's were a little small for my tastes, which tend to run into some heavy rock. The 110's were perfectly fine with James Taylor and a few cartoon music cd's I brought, but paled as compared to the 140's. The 52's are an imitator of the depth and staging that the little guys can present.
Liona Boyd's 'small gift' was stunning on the little 110's and I would like to try them at home for any acoustic guitar tracks at all, without A/Bing Art's Proac 110's as well, I find them rather engaging, but limited for gutsy electric stuff.
From my seat here, I discount the 52's(not out of hand), they are not the best that Dyn has to offer, wheras the 110's and 140's surely are.
I concur with some of what the Nuck says. I prefer the 110s to the 52SEs. I think this is because the 110s are cleaner due to their far better construction. I agree that the 140 is much more speaker, but it does need far more amplifier to drive it.
Amplification is always an issue with relatively inefficient small monitors. The 110s are no exception and they love power. The problem is finding a powerful amplifier that doesn't sound ponderous. It doesn't have to be an extremely powerful amp, just be able to deliver the power quickly.
In your room, you would get better results with the speakers on the long wall than the short wall and about 0.5m away from the wall. Again, for best results tow them in only very slightly, the less the better, and do not place them too far apart - 2m is more than enough. This is, of course, totally dependant on your lovely lady who I'm sure would have a firm idea of what is possible and what isn't!
As to prices, here in the UK, the speakers retail for similar amounts to what you are paying in Mexico...
I really appreciate your help and guidance here. Frank, unfortunately I will not be able to use the long wall as you suggest, not only for cosmetic reasons but also because I cannot move the TV to that wall... maybe it's time to get a plasma too
The amplifier I have in mind is the Odyssey Khartago (110W @ 8 ohms, Class A/AB, 400 VA Transformer and 30 Amps of current). I think it will be sufficient even for the 140's. The Odyssey dealer here in Mexico can ship me one unit for an in-house demo, unfortunately he Dynaudio distributor doesn't allow me to do this so I must have the speakers first and experiment with different combinations.
One more thing, Do you think the Dynaudio stand 1 will be enough for the 110's??
I thought that would be the case, just wanted you to have the advice.
I don't know the Odyssey amplifier at all. The specs you quote seem pretty good and after doing a bit of research on the internet all I can say is I wish they quoted their specs into 4 ohms as well as 8.
