Dynaudio Focus 140

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Archive through April 29, 2006Elderion100
Archive through February 14, 2006michael campton100
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Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 155
Registered: Jun-05
thats an issue i've been mulling over and hope to test out sometime, whether more power(than my 80w) will offer any advantage at low or moderate levels. so often i read of people getting more out of there speakers with more powerfull amps, but then i also hear of people looking at the power display thingy on mcintosh amps and being amazed that they arent even using 10w at moderate volumes. [i've cranked it up to 95db with my 80w amp and didnt notice any strain.(my ears wont take more).]
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 156
Registered: Jun-05
i've been mulling over that issue and hope to test out sometime, whether more power(than my 80w) will offer any advantage at low or moderate levels. so often i read of people getting more out of there speakers with more powerfull amps, but then i also hear of people looking at the power display thingy on mcintosh amps and being amazed that they arent even using 10w at moderate volumes. [i've cranked it up to 95db with my 80w amp and didnt notice any strain.(my ears wont take more).]
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 3191
Registered: Feb-05
Nuck the 985 has the power but the Dynaudio's want the kind of amps that can double their power into 4 ohms. Best to drive them with high current high quality amplifiers. Rotel makes a nice midfi amp but the Dyn's are really a high end speaker and they need that next level up to really sing.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 2360
Registered: Dec-04
Art, the 985 is proven to 90% full out into low impenece loads(my Psb's certainly qualify) delivring 190wpc at full function.
What would be the next step up, do you figgur?

Note: ain't nobody in the room at that volume.
Note: No animals were in the house at the time.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 2361
Registered: Dec-04
Sorry, that would be 190% and equal watts.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 3196
Registered: Feb-05
Nuck, I used to have a Rotel RSX965 AVR with a Rotel RB981 power amp for the front 2 and a Rotel RCD971 cd player modified by NWAL Legend. I am a big fan of Rotel and would run Paradigm Studio series stuff with it. It will definitely power the Dyn's but the Rotel won't do the Dyn's justice. Even the Studio's sound far better with better amplification and sources. So yes, the Rotel can run the Dyn's, but no, it ain't ideal.
 

Silver Member
Username: Eld

Texas

Post Number: 182
Registered: Dec-05
Bvan,

The people I know who gets the Sunfire and MacIntosh amps get them for the details and clarity improvement at low to moderate volume, not for loudness. Power effects everything the speaker does, not just volume. The key is dynamic power, which the bigger motor will give you. An 300 hp engine in a Porsche 911 will perform better than a 120 hp cylinder engine, but they both will get to 100 mph (loudness). I think your 140 can be markedly improve with more quality power and the Arcam as the source. :-)

Nuck,

Your amp would not drive most Dyns to their potential, but it is an awesome amp for the value. :-)
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 159
Registered: Jun-05
Elderion.
I'm happy to accept that. i can imagine a high current amp that doubles it power into 4 ohms would be advantageous, its just that i cant imagine what good 200 watts is over 80 watts if youre only using 10 of them. unfortunately i my knowlege of electronics is severly limited and so i'm working with a very simple, and obviously wrong, mental picture. been thinking maybe some night-courses are in order..

cheers

b.

p.s. are these good specs?

Maximum Current - Peak: 16 amperes
Maximum Current - Continuous: 9 amperes
Dynamic Headroom 3dB
Power Supply Transformer 0.5kVA
Power Supply Capacitance 40,000µF

this from the moon i-5 which is meant to be a very good amp for the contour series. its only 70/110 into 8/4 ohms so i'm trying to figure out what makes it so special
 

Silver Member
Username: Eld

Texas

Post Number: 184
Registered: Dec-05
Bvan,

You know I'm a hydraulic engineer and not an electrical engineer. :-) I want to take a refresher course on circuit design as well, since it has been like 9 years since I took one.

Two main things that affects dynamic power:
1) Energy Head
2) Friction Loss

By increasing overall amp power, you would increase the Energy Head. By reducing the friction loss between the power source and the speakers you would aslo increase the dynamic power speed. This is what the moon i-5 is relying along with nice current and power source. I do not have personal experience with the moon i-5, though.

It is best to have both, nice energy head and low friction loss. :-)

Test some amps at home and see if it improves your speaker performance.

Cheers.
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 164
Registered: Jun-05
bad new. my dynaudio dealer is having a 20% off sale on everything in the shop. this on top of another 25% i get back when i leave the e.u is tempting me to bust out the credit card before heading to oz, where everything is overpriced anyway.

thinking about getting a sub back in to my system. martin logan grotto would have been my first choice from what my dealer has(alas, no rel). but its priced at $2000 here($1000 in the u.s.). the dyn sub250 is $1000 and on par with u.s prices, so i'm thinking of buying one of these, again.

i was happy with the my last 250, selling it only to finance an upgrade to the focus line. that said, i've not heard any other subs so have nothing to judge it against.

i asked here once before on opinions of the dyn sub250 but got no response. i'm just asking the same question again, incase someone has had the chance to listen to it of late? frank possibly?

is it the best i can do relitive to 50-100% overpriced competition?

thanks for any input,

b.

p.s dealer doent have the grotto available for comparison
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1353
Registered: Sep-04
Dyn sub - no thanks. Too big, too boxy (soundwise). I really like the Velodynes - more than the RELs too!

As to the Moon, I like the 500VA transformer. This means it'll have plenty of current to swing in a hurry.

Regards,
Frank.

 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-06
Hello, guys.
Bvan, I'm thinking of buying a pair of Focus 220 at what I guess is your local Dynaudio dealer.. And yes, I'm going for that 20% deal! ;)

But, I need a reciever to go with the 220's.
I'm considering Denon 3806, Rotel uhm - 1057?, Arcam AVR300 and Harman/Kardon 7300.

The HK 7300 appears to be great, but I'd rather have a reciever without a fan..

After reading this thread and reviews elsewhere, I'm thinking that the AVR300 would be the best choice.
(Although the coming AVR350 also would be nice, with HDMI switching and better pre-amp)

As well - I'd need a sub. Frank - are all the Dynaudio subs bad, or would (for example) the larger sub300 be all right?
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 166
Registered: Jun-05
hey trond. nice to hear from another copenhagenian.

cant offer much much of an opinion about receivers, but i know the arcam avr300 is a good one, and the room correction on the 3806 looks interesting(though i'd rather just equalize the sub with a bfd)

i've never heard the dyn subs being called bad. maybe not the best for the money. but at 20% off, and compared to imported brands like velodyne which are hiked up another 30% i think they might be a good bet.

theres always dba and hififorall? last week they had the b%w pv1 on sale for 8999 at hifi klubben. dont know if htey still do, but that would have been the go.

what about the 140's and a bigger sub such as the dyn sub500?

they still dont have any of the focus in stock to demo i believe? youre welcome to come over to norrebro to listen to my 140s with arcam amplification.(tonight i'm bringing home th prima luna prologue 2 to listen to!)

cheers

b.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1357
Registered: Sep-04
Trond,

In my opinion, it would be very good indeed if you could stretch to the new AVR350. I know it's another 400 euros or so. I played with it for the first time last week and it was obvious from the get-go that it is far better and more powerful than the AVR300. Now this wouldn't be a problem normally but the Dyns are single-wired so you can't biamp and this means that you really need as much as you can from the single channels.

Do not count the HDMI switching as a major reason for the purchase.

As to the Dyn subs, I only heard the 300. Very big and noit particularly impressive in my opinion. Of course if you're getting 20% off this may be a good deal, but it's certainly worth checking out the other subs if possible. I am amzed at how good the Velodyne is even though it is much more expensive than in its native land. This makes it a veritable steal back 'home'.

At the least, try to get a comparative demonstration.

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 2
Registered: May-06
Hello, Frank.

I've read a couple of previews, and as far as I can tell, the main differences between the AVR350 and the AVR300 are the pre amp stage based on the AVP700, the Stealth Mat thingy and the HDMI switching.
Both the AVR350 and the AVR300 are spec'ed at 7x100W, both weighing in at 16.2kg.

The better sound quality would be the main reason for going for the AVR350 - the HDMI switching is merely 'nice to have'.

Bvan - I'd love to get a first-hand Dynaudio demonstration - we'll PM later.. ;)

Cheers!
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 175
Registered: Jun-05
yeah, send me a pm. would be nice to have a fellow music lover over. my girlfriends away till tuesday so there'll be some serious listning going down in my house anyway.

you can take me up on the apollo challange if you will. but now that the player is broken in and sounding a bit more distinctive i should lower the purse to a 6-pack instead. (dont worry if you dont know what i'm talking about:-)

btw, i know someone (me mate dave) that's selling an arcam A85 with 7.1 module, real cheap. hehe (damn i want that prima luna!)

cheer

b
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 180
Registered: Jun-05
got your pm trond. if you didnt get my reply give me a call on 60630515. cheers

b.
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 3
Registered: May-06
Hello, guys.
I had a blast listening to Bvan's 140's yesterday.. The speakers had a beautiful sound, with nice holography and a wonderful sound. They went quite low bass-wise and packed a good punch. What really won me over, though, was all the subtle nuances - Roger Waters' Amused To Death had suddenly twice as many details. Mmmh - can't wait to get some Dynaudios in my own living room..
Oh well - now I know I won't buy the 140's as rear speakers - if the 110's are _half_ as good as the 140's they should be more than adequate for the task.

The local dealer tell me that they're getting some Focus speakers quite soon - can't wait to listen to the 220's, although I might go for the 140's with a sub..

Cheers!
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 2437
Registered: Dec-04
A Danish club on the forum, very good!
Trond or Bvan, what was the gear you finally listened on?
Bvan, you have had a bunch of stuff through your place and I kinda lost track!

Skol!
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 181
Registered: Jun-05
nuck, was the apollo/arcam a85 setup.

will be another week before the arcam gets replaced by a prima luna prologue 2(which apart from sounding excellent has no problem driving the 140's with its 40 watts)

cheers

b,
 

New member
Username: Byam

Post Number: 1
Registered: May-06
I came across this thread today and thought I would jump in. In January I purchased a pair of Dynaudio Focus 140's along with the Stand 4's to replace my Paradigm Studio 40 v.3's. I am using a Musical Fidelity a3.2 integrated amp and a a3.2 cd player. For a subwoofer I have a REL Strata III. My room is 18x12x8. Right out of the box the 140's sounded much better than the Paradigm's. Now that they have had a good 200 plus hours of breaking in they sound very good. I think a bit more power than the 115W into 8 ohm/ 185W into 4 ohm that the A3.2 supplies would give an even better sound. The dealer I bought them from was using a Krell 200W integrated amp with the 140's. The extra power helped noticeably. But my stereo budget is busted for now. In the mean while I am enjoying this system.
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 195
Registered: Jun-05
thanks for posting bill.

in what way do you think the sound would improve by feeding them more power? (apart from being able to play them louder)

as you might have read, this is something i'm trying to figure out. i've just gone from 80 to 40 watts.

cheers

b
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 196
Registered: Jun-05
stereophile review of the 140

http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/506dynaudio/index.html
 

Bronze Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 65
Registered: Mar-06
Hi Bvan and Bill

with respect to amplifier wattage, it is only my guess, but I don't think its the pure number of watts that count, but really the quality of the amp.

In the scenario that Bill describes (Krell vs Musical fidelity), it is probably the overall superiority of the Krell in all areas, dynamics transparency etc that makes it sound so much better than the A3.2 integrated, when mated to the Dyn 140's.

There is one property of high powered amps that may have some bearing though. Most high powered amps have a very low output impedance, thus providing good damping to the bass driver. Since the speaker coil can act as a generator also, and a low impedance amp better damps this back-emf generated by the speaker.

I have seen this bourne out with a number of high quality solid state amplifiers. They have a high numerical damping factor (the ratio of the output impedance of amp, to the impedance of the speaker). And in practice this tends to always play out as a taut well damped 'fast' bass response.

This is one of the reasons I prefer SS to tubes, also my taste in music is 90% rock, so SS seems to suit me.

In concept though, I do like the hybrid approach though, e.g. valve pre-amp with a SS power amp. Or indeed some of the hybrid integrated amps like MF's nu-vista's (where the valves provide the voltage gain, and trannies swing the current in the output stage). But alas, this is all hypothetical due to budgetary constraints.

cheers
Rav

 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1369
Registered: Sep-04
Trondster

I've played with the 350 a couple of times now. It's odd. The paperwork all says that there's not that much to differentiate the 350 from the 300. In practice the 350 appears to have a lot more grunt and control than the 300. Let's just say we don't expect to sell many 300s with the slight difference in price to the 350 (slight is a relative thing). It's that much better.

I agree the HDMI switching thing is a side issue.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 200
Registered: Jun-05
hey trond. you decided on the 220's or 140's yet? let us know how it goes. sale ends soon i think. cheers

b.
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 4
Registered: May-06
Hey, Bvan. The sale is this week and the next. I'll phone the store tomorrow to ask when they will get the Focus speakers in the showroom.
..They'll hardly be able to break in the speakers before the sale ends, though.. ;)

The 350 is still a wee bit overpriced in Denmark - I'll ask for a lower price, or I might go for the 300 instead..

Cheers!
 

Silver Member
Username: Eld

Texas

Post Number: 187
Registered: Dec-05
Bill,

Congrats on the 140's and welcome to Dynaudio family. :-)

Ravinder is correct about wattage quality as well as quantity. That is why the pro-amps are so much cheaper. The Krell have both quality and quantity and really does make the 140 shine. I hope you can upgrade to a Krell amp class in the future because they really bring out the 140's abilities. Potential energy does play a nice factor. Just because a mountain isn't moving doesn't mean it's not blocking the wind. I listened to the Focus 220 on Classe monoblocks, pretty nice!!

Bvan,

Tubes and Solid State both have their pro and cons, can't compare the wattage directly, because it's like comparing a diesel engine to a gasoline engine. I like low bass and super highs with lots of dynamics as much as Ravinder so I like a quality solid state amp. I'm one of those weirdos that enjoyed the sound of fingernails on the chaulkboard. :-)

Frank,

I still think the 250 is one of the more musical subs I have listened to, haven't gotten a chance to listen to the 300 or 500 yet. The Velodyne are really awesome though. :-)
 

Silver Member
Username: Eld

Texas

Post Number: 188
Registered: Dec-05
Sorry Frank and Trond,

I thought you guys were talking about Dyn subs instead of Arcam receivers. :-O
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 201
Registered: Jun-05
trond, dont know if you read the stereophile review of the 140, but i've never heard a reviewer talk about the difference between pre/post break-in with such strong language. might be that you want to avoid listning to the speakers if they got less than 200hrs on them, even if it means buying blind.

elderion, i'm thinking of a velodyne spl-r to go with my 140. its the only sub i know of that allows equalization with speaker level inputs. (my new amp doesnt have pre-outs so my bfd equalizer no good). one youve heard an equalized sub there's no going back i recon.

cheers

b
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1370
Registered: Sep-04
Bvan

REL subs allow you to connect to them either at line level, speaker level or both line and speaker at the same time. The REL detects when a line level signal is coming in and automatically switches to that when necessary.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 202
Registered: Jun-05
frank, but then no eq possible. i'll still make some d.i.y bass traps, but want to also use some sort of parrametric eq on the sub. cheers

b
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1371
Registered: Sep-04
The limitation on EQ is that although you can modify what the sub puts out, you can't cater for localisations in the room. For example, my room has a vicious node at about 70hz where my wife sits. Just 18 inches away where I sit next to her on the sofa, the node has vanished. Therefore, she hasn't been enjoying my system half as much as I have. Bass traps may help with this kind of local issue, and if so, they'll do a much better job.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 203
Registered: Jun-05
yeah, its a bit of a one man show sometimes. but also often a one woman show.

seems that some peaks that eq can bring down are very location specific, but others seem to be somewhat constant through out the room. could be wrong, just what i remember from my meter-happy days.

b

but if i land up in a perfect room and get it flat to about +-6db with only bass traps, then i'd happily get a rel or martin logan. or a sub with high-passed speaker level outputs. is there such a thing i've been wondering????
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 5
Registered: May-06
Bvan,
I'm not sure if the shop will get the speakers before the sale closes anyway - but I should be safe buying the Focus speakers blind, I'd think. I've read so much praise about them, and what I heard at your place really confirmed that..
What I liked the most was that the speakers simply disappeared - I just sat there, the band in front of me; with my eyes closed I would be unable to pinpoint the speakers..

I'm not sure about the difference between the Focus 220 and the Focus 140, though, as I have never heard them side by side. Would it be worth it going for the 220?

My room is 3.8m x 5.65m (12.5ft x 18.5ft) with an opening (1.6m x 2.4m (5.2ft x 7.8ft)) to one side - about 25m2 or 272sqft.


I'm not sure if I'm going for the AVR300 or the AVR350 - the 300 is at 16200DKK (about 1485£), while the 350 is at 20700DKK (about 1897£). I'll get a 20% discount on both, but I'm not sure if the price difference is worth it..
If I recall correctly, the recommended prices in the UK are 1300£ for the 300 and 1500£ for the 350..

Cheers,
Trondster
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1372
Registered: Sep-04
You should never buy blind, especially as you go up in the HiFi world. If you spend what you perceive to be a small amount of money on something then you won't begrudge its performance either way, but if you spend a lot on something you would certainly feel that keenly. I'm glad to see that you've heard Bvan's speakers so at least you have some appreciation of what they do.

The 220 is much more speaker for the money. However, this means its interaction with the room is that much more emphatic. If you have an average or above average sized room (13ft per side or more), then the 220 could be the one to go for, but if not, then the 220 could overwhelm the room.

You have the prices right for the Arcams in the UK. It seems to me that the markup on the 350 is higher than it should be. The £200 difference in the UK is a no-brainer, the 350 is that much better. However, £400 is a lot more. If you went with the 220s I would suggest the 350 because it has far better drive and control even though it's meant to have the same power rating. A 300 can control 140s well. It's interesting that when I demo the 350 I run it at about 71db, but I run the 300 at about 85 for the same volume. That's the kind of difference the 350 makes, so if you can afford it, go for it.

Regards,
Frank.
PS - Those demo settings are loud by the way!
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 204
Registered: Jun-05
tough call trond.

my room also 25m square, did you find the 140 sufficient for music? i get -6@30hz. stereophile reviewer said he got "fairly solid bass-drum whacks at 35hz"

my reasoning is as follows: for the price of the 220, you could get the 140+sub. this would allow greater fine tuning of bass(placement, level, eq) and no risk of overwhelming the room. might be better for music(if its not, run only the 140's), and will get you a lot lower with movies than the 220's alone.

with the 140s you can also get away with less power so the avr-300 should be fine.

hopefully some more perspectives might be offered here. your call in the end. cheers

b
 

New member
Username: Byam

Post Number: 2
Registered: May-06
Elderion,
Regarding your Tuesday, May 16 post welcoming me to the Dynaudio family. I bought the 140's because I already had a pair of Audience 42's in my bedroom system. I'm using a NAD c320bee integrated, c542 cd player, and c442 tuner with them. It makes for a pleasant small room system.

Warm regards,
Bill
 

Bronze Member
Username: Dfantom32

Irvine, CA USA

Post Number: 99
Registered: Feb-06
welcome bill!!!

Another member of Dynaudio club...!!!

:-):-):-)
 

Bronze Member
Username: Dfantom32

Irvine, CA USA

Post Number: 100
Registered: Feb-06
Sorry guys if I'm not able to stop by here and chit-chat...I think you know why..?!?! hehehe

Too busy listening with my system and feel it thouroughly...hehehe

So far I'm very happy with my setup, the mids is clear and the soundstage is wider and big. Also when I'm watching King Kong, where the T-rex and King Kong fighting oh man sounds great and clear.

Anyway, most of the times after work I always listening on slow music such as ballads and slow beat music. Oh man it's a great in my ear so live and clear. Sorry guys if I cant explain exactly what I'm getting from my setup but the bottom line is me & my wife love it. So that's all I can say and maybe next time I will get a power amps...hehehe to get what I need to get from my speaker.

Also I did move and re-arrange my fronts and it makes a difference.

:-):-):-)



 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 3264
Registered: Feb-05
Sounds wonderful Adrian, glad you're enjoying your music. That's what it's all about.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1376
Registered: Sep-04
Bvan's suggestion of an extra sub is a good one. Something like a Velodyne SPL800R which has an element of EQ to it as well as going very deep very fast would do very well.

But it might cost a bit more...

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 6
Registered: May-06
Hello, all.
Just listened to the Arcam AVR300 at the dealers - although with different Dynaudio speakers, two properly run-in Audience 52SE. (I'd say that Bvan's 140's sound better, though..)
The reciever sounded quite good - nice sound and beautiful perspective. The upper bass sounded slightly boomy, but that was probably the tiny room.

As I will be using the speakers mainly for listening to music, but also for movies, I'm planning for a leap of faith, buying 'blind' a pair of Focus 220's, a Focus 200C and an Arcam AVR-300/350. (Haven't completely made up my mind on that last one yet.)

Frank, as I'll get the 20% discount, the price difference will 'only' be about 330£ for the 350. The 20700DKK seems to be the official price point here in Denmark..
My room looks like this:
      3.80m 
+-------------+
| |-Screen-| +----+
| F C F |
| | 2.40m
5| |
.| +----+
6| | 1.60m
5| |
m| |3 F - Front speaker
| X X |. C - Centre speaker
| X X |6 R - Rear speaker
|R R|5 X - listening postitions
+-------------+m
..I'd think that the 220's won't be 'too big' for the room..

I've thought about this for a while, and I think my dream setup would be having the 220's up front. I'd still get a sub eventually, but that's for later - for now, I'll go with my old rear speakers and without the sub.. I think.

Mmmh. Can't wait to order myself some Dynaudios - finally! I've wanted a pair ever since I listened to a pair of Audience 15's at a friend's house many years ago.. :-)

Cheers,
Trondster
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1380
Registered: Sep-04
Trondster,

If you opt for the 220s, then you should definitely go for the 350 if possible. It's a question of better matching and bandwidth.

The room's not particularly wide. I wouldn't put the 220s more than 2 metres apart, and they would probably want to be set dead straight, maybe a very little toe-in. As you have the space, try not to put the rears right in the corners in order to avoid the 9db bass lift you get there.

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 7
Registered: May-06
Frank,

Just ordered myself a pair of 220s along with the AVR-350. Can't wait to hear the goods in my own house - I hope I made the right decision..
Delivery takes a couple of weeks, though. :-(

The speakers will probably be placed a bit further apart than 2m, as my humongous 104" screen is a tad wide.. If there is a noticeable difference, I could move the speakers back and forth for listening to music, I guess.. Still, I think I'll go for a more permanent emplacement where they sound great without impeding the view.. ;)


Bvan - you must definitely drop by later - it would be fun to compare the sound to the 140's.. :-)

Cheers,
Trondster
 

Silver Member
Username: Dfantom32

Irvine, CA USA

Post Number: 105
Registered: Feb-06
Art,

I agree with you..thanks!!!

As long were happy thats all it counts!!!

Cheers!!!
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 209
Registered: Jun-05
thanks, would like that. i'll give you some time to run them in a bit.(you know the wiring-out-of-phase-with-blanket-over trick?)

let us know your impressions.

if the low end does prove a bit much dont get to upset, it is fixable with a trip to silvan and some hours with a hammer and nail. heres a good place to start:

http://www.ethanwiner.com/acoustics.html#bass%20traps

cheers

b
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 8
Registered: May-06
Adrian,

I'm envious.. I'm _really_ looking forward to play with my own Dynaudios. Argh! Only a few hours since I ordered them, and I'm already getting impatient.. ;)

Cheers,
Trondster
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1383
Registered: Sep-04
Only two weeks? You're doing well! :-)

I'm glad you went for the 350 since it is appreciably better than the 300 and you need the extra grunt with those 220s.

Ah well, you'll just have to get used to twiddling those thumbs for 2 weeks.

As to location, provided you are further away from the speakers than they are apart, it should not pose a problem.

Congratulations!
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 9
Registered: May-06
Well - the dealer prepared me for waiting up to three and a half week or so, especially for the amp..

However - I spoke to the dealer today, and they said that they expect everything to arrive this week! Both the amp and the speakers should be there by friday, or if I'm really lucky, this wednesday.. Whoohoo!!

Now I only need some cable - I need a long digital audio cable, optical or coax, about 8-10m (26-33ft). Any suggestions for type/brand/price range?

My current setup has the DVD player next to the projector, hooked up with an RGB Scart - I'm not buying 10m scart/component cable that I won't use later - the digital audio cable can later be used for hooking up my computer.. I'll buy a 10m HDMI later, when I buy my next DVD player, but as the AVR-350 does not upscale from component to HDMI, I'd think that my best option for now is a long digital audio cable..

Cheers,
Trondster
 

New member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 10
Registered: May-06
Hey, all.

The dealer was way off by suggesting that the speakers/amp would arrive in several weeks. Everything arrived today, and I'm right now warming up my brand new pair of 220's with some Massive Attack..

Just one question, though:
They get better? %)
Haven't even plugged them in to my new amp yet..
Finally - a member of the Dynaudio family!

Cheers,
Trondster
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 214
Registered: Jun-05
woohoo! christmass come early, you must be stoked.

what you mean, can music get any better? or your setup?

let us know how it goes. and try take it easy on those drivers for a few days i recon.

cheers

b

if you need some help with setup, test disk and meter perhaps, just send me a pm.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1391
Registered: Sep-04
Play them at reasonable volume. Don't 'take care of the drivers', but do run them in. In other words if they fill your room with sound (average to large room), then that's fine. Keep a signal going through them for a few days if you can. Put the tuner on or put a CD on repeat. This will loosen them up over the next week and they'll settle down by Sunday. If you don't, then it'll take longer to run them in (about 200 hours). The bass will gain tunefulness, the treble will remove some glare, and overall they'll sound more cohesive when they're run in.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 215
Registered: Jun-05
dont have a party with them the first few days is what i was suggesting. the usual munufacturer recomendation. i think dynaudio used to say something like this in the older manuals, but not the current ones.

i'ver taken a demo 52 and a sub250 home that both had apparent woofer damage- noise and port chuffing at only moderate volumes. the dealer thought it was from people taking home the new speakers and running them too hard out of the box. you ever experienced anything like this frank?

b
 

Bronze Member
Username: Techtor

CopenhagenDenmark

Post Number: 11
Registered: May-06
I'l be playing them at moderate levels for the next couple of weeks, I'm not going to endanger my beautiful new speakers.. :-)

Regarding my 'They get better?' statement - I'm very happy with the sound out of the box, and I'm thrilled with the prospect that they're going to be _even better_ than this when run in.. Mmmmh.. Hi Fi.. :-)

I won't bother putting the two front speakers front to front, as I need to run in the centre speaker as well..

At the dealer's I listened to a pair of 52SE's along with an AVR-300, and the sound I'm getting now with my not yet run-in 220's and the AVR-350 is much better, I'd say..

I ended up with an 8m digital coax, by the way, connecting my DVD player to the amp..

Bvan - I'd love to get a visit from you - we'll PM later.. :-)

But - now I got to sit down for some serious listening..

Cheers,
Trondster
 

New member
Username: Byam

Post Number: 3
Registered: May-06
Trondster,
When I got my Focus 140's they sounded better out of the box than my Paradigm Studio 40 v.3's that I had for a couple of years. After a couple hundred of hours they got much better. You are in for an increasingly enjoyable system. Have fun.
Warm regards,
Bill
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1394
Registered: Sep-04
Bvan

Nope. Never had that experience. I have had customers blow their speakers (even Dyns with their huge power handling capacity), but not when they're new.

Trondster, the speakers will get appreciably better. You can't tell now because they're such a change from what you're used to, but they are sounding a bit tight and restrained. once they're run in, you'll get it! :-)

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Dean45

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-06
I am interested in purchasing a pair of bookshelf speakers.

I am interested in the Focus 140's, I am also sort of looking at the 52SE and the B&W 705.

I listen to classical music 85% of the time. I have a close to 20 year old 50 watt Yamaha receiver and a 1 year old Rotel 1072 CD player. I don't usually play music very loud.

I would appreciate your opinion on how the Focus 140 would perform with classical music?
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 240
Registered: Jun-05
hi dean.

they are very good on classical, though you might want to concider a more full-rangish floorstander if possible, or sub, if you listen to a lot of full scale orchestral works.

But, i dont think your receiver is up to the job of powering dynaudios or even b&w properly. infact i'm convinced. i would look into getting a more powerfull intergrated amp, or even power amp to use with the yamahas pre-out. but you'd want to listen to a few options before you buy, both amps and speakers and the combinations therof.

alternative would be to get some higher efficiency speakers(>90db/w) such as proac studio 140's or the like.

hopefuly you get some further advice here from the other members. cheers

b
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1430
Registered: Sep-04
Dean,

I'm inclined to agree with Bvan here. A 20 year old Yamaha is unlikely to be able to supply the clean power needed by the speakers to do them justice. It's not just a matter of the receiver not havng much power but more a limitation of its preamp section. Most Japanese receivers of that era are quite limited in terms of resolution, frequency extremes, background noise and clarity. You'd probably get better results by combining your (reasonably good) CD player with a more modern amp/speaker combination for the same price as the Dyns. Here in the UK you could get a Naim Nait5i with Naim n-Sat speakers for about the same money as a pair of FOCUS 140s, and that would be a much more musical combination than you're considering.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 2883
Registered: Dec-04
The 705s will just die a painful shallow death.
 

New member
Username: Dean45

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jun-06
Naim 5i and Naim n-sat for the same price?
I hope you know I mean the Dynaudio focus 140.
I think the Naim 5i and Naim n-sat speakers would cost about twice as much?

While we are upgrading my receiver though, would a Naim 5i be able to power most speakers including the B&W 705, or floorstanders? it is only 50watts. If I bought it and decided to put off buying speakers till later.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 3376
Registered: Feb-05
Those are 50 very special watts Dean. The little Naim can't drive some speakers to ear splitting levels but it can fill most rooms with beautiful sound given a reasonable speaker to drive and the 705 is such a speaker. I'm not sure how they would sound together but that's your call.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1438
Registered: Sep-04
Dean,

You're right, I was a bit off, sorry. In the UK, the FOCUS 140 costs £1200. The Nait5i costs £725. The n-Sats cost £695, combining to £1420. £220 is about $350.

I know the Nait5i is only 50w. However, it's got more drive than you'd credit the little thing (and it's not a receiver so a tuner would come into the frame). I have had very good success driving FOCUS 110s and it can drive 705s too. The 700 series is beautifully made and the 705 is a fine speaker, but all 700s need a lot of space around them and they have a very definite character about them due to the big bass they produce. The 705 has the most controllable bass, but even then I find it too much (it's a mid-bass bloat really). The 700 series has not sold at all well, very disappointing since they really are very well made indeed.

The Nait5i is a very good combination with all Dynaudio Audience speakers except the 82. The FOCUS 140 and 220 are a stretch too far in my view. Musically, even a Nait5i/Dynaudio 42 is likely to be a better solution than the Yammie/FOCUS140. It's also capable of driving Totem speakers up to Hawks (Arros are a particularly good combination), ProAcs up to Studio 140s, and various other speakers. The main criterion for any Naim amp (even their top of the range 500) is that the impedance in the speaker should not dip below 2 ohms.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Clarence_y

Illinois USA

Post Number: 26
Registered: Apr-06
Frank,

In your opinion which amps either integrated or seperates would be fitting to power Focus 140 or in my case the 220s and having them produce the wonderful sound I know they are capable of? Price range would be between $1,000 to 1,400 US. I have heard them with the NAD 162/272 combo but I'm thinking they can be capable of more with the right amp combo.

Thanks in advance.
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 243
Registered: Jun-05
clarence, i'll chip in with my opinion for what its worth.

to do the 220s justice i'd personally take my $1400 to audiogon and look for some intergrated amps from bryston, krell, yba, arcam, creek, classe, plinius, musical fidelity, unison,sugden, nad silverline, rotel etc. look for >100W if possible. $1400 just buys you into the intergrated big league if youre shopping used. of course this makes it difficult to hear before you buy. but there is a weath of info on the net from people successfully matching their upper-line dynaudios with the above brands, so you do have something to go by.

cheers
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1445
Registered: Sep-04
Bvan makes a good point. There aren't any amps, integrated or othwerise, that I can think of that will do FOCUS 140s justice for that kind of money. Typically I look at spending more on the amp than the speakers for best results, although your marketplace is very different to mine (UK).

Regards,
Frank.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Clarence_y

Illinois USA

Post Number: 27
Registered: Apr-06
Bvan and Frank, Thanks for the suggestions and advice I truly appreciate it. I am hesitant to go the used route due to the fact I wouldn't be able to listen to the equipment prior to purchasing it.
I may have to put off my purchase decision then until I've saved a bit more money as I really liked the Focus 220s that I listened to. With my current funds I'd have to drop down to the Audience line looking at either the 62s or 72s. I've already listened to the Audience 122 and wasn't that impressed but that was after listening to the 220s so it wasn't really a fair comparison.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1452
Registered: Sep-04
Audience 122 - yuk. One of the few Dynaudios I really don't rate. Designed for HT and really suffers for it. 62s and 72s are a lot better for similar money.

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Johnli08540

Princeton, New Jersey US

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-06
I just bought Outlaw RR2150 and Nad 542 CD player. I am looking for a pair of speaker for classical music (95%). I narrow down to Dynaudio 140, 110, 52SE, Spendor s5e and Harbeth HL-P3. The RR 2150 has 100 W at 8 ohm and 160 W at 4 ohm. Could it drive those speakes? 140 is 200 W at 4 Ohm. I will apprecaite if somebody could give me suggestion.

Could I used other brand stand for 140? Is it make different?

Thank you in advance.

John
 

New member
Username: Dean45

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jun-06
I first posted here about the 140's everyone told me I did not have enough amplification. Sence then I have been looking at amplifiers. We need to here or in another section have a discusion about amplifieres between 150 watts and 250 watts that people can still afford. Say between $1500.00 to 2500.00. I would like to persue this discusion.

I have sence notice there are some other interesting speakers out there, also I have listend to the 140's some more once they sounded good, twice they sounded closed and muffled.???

Just a few minutes ago a dealer ( actually the son who seems to run the place now) I visit who sells Dyno called me and said and said he was thinking of getting rid of his personel 140's because he is moveing to floorstanders. He said he's had them about a year and he asked if I was interested. I may have to make a decision about the 140's whether I have amplification yet or not.
I am wondering if I like them that much. What do you guy s think about buying them used like this?
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 3396
Registered: Feb-05
Used often represents a great value. Check the condition and find out how he's been driving them (what amplification) and what he listened to. It may represent an opportunity to get a great speaker at a very good value. But do you really like them?
 

Silver Member
Username: Bvan

Cape Town, Copenhagen,...

Post Number: 245
Registered: Jun-05
I agree with Art. Finding something used is usually a boon. But you need to trust your ears and eyes. Have a listen firtly, but also have a look, especially at the tweeters. Dents in the tweeters might not effect sound but will effect resale value. Use this point to knock the price doen a bit more. Also look at the screws round the driver. You can usually tell if there has been a scre driver in them. Again, this does not neccessarily spell danger, but is worth asking about, might put him on the back foot if youre wanting to bargain a bit.

I'm glad you've also realized there other good speakers out there. But I'm also surprised you found the Dynaudios muffled this time. Was it familiar music and in a familiar room? While there are no doubt more 'unmuffled' speakers out there, even at that price(like the Proac 1sc's I just heard,) I would not have thought the Focus speakers would ever have been accused of being muffled, relitive to most other $2k speakers. I just would hate you to miss out on what MIGHT be a very good speaker for you due to some extraneous factor.

I wouldnt worry about buying speakers before amp. Infact this is the way I would do it unluss concidering low power tube amps maybe.

Go have a good listen to them at the dealers sons place, and hopefully they sound good to your ear. Take note of what amp he's using and ask questions in this regard. I dont think you'll have trouble finding suitable amplification in your price range.

cheers

b.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1455
Registered: Sep-04
John,

That sounds like plenty of power to drive the 140s. I don't know what the combination will sound like of course, since I don't know the Outlaw kit.

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Dean45

Post Number: 5
Registered: Jun-06
Well for some reason irrational reason I just picked up a pair of used Dyno Focus 140's. They sound great so far.
Do you guys and or 140 owners ever listen to the speakers with the grills off. What are the rules on this? I have never seen a more beautiful speaker(rosewood) with the grill off in my life, how can you cover them up with the grill?
 

Silver Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 123
Registered: Mar-06
Hi Dean,

agreed the Focus line of speakers are very pretty.

I guess manufacturers make grilles for people who have young children in the house. Otherwise your Esotec tweeter may be mistaken for a Fisher Price type on/off button!!!

I perform all my critical listening with the grilles off (but I have some humble NAD 802 speakers, not expensive Dynaudios....)

ciao
Rav
 

New member
Username: Byam

Post Number: 6
Registered: May-06
Anyone familiar with the NAD M3 integrated? Anyone Heard the 140's driven by this amp. I have a pair of 140's currently driven by Musical Fidelity a3.2 integrated. I am thinking of upgrading my amp to something more powerful. My short list is the Musical Fidelity A5 integrated or the NAD M3 integrated.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 127
Registered: Mar-06
Hi Bill,

there was some discussion about the NAD M3 in the integrated amps section of this forum:

https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/194942.html

Seems that some of the folks were a little under-whelmed with the M3.

-Rav
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1466
Registered: Sep-04
Dean

I always play them with the grilles off. They're more open and detailed that way.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Nsanghani

Chicago, IL USA

Post Number: 34
Registered: May-05
I got my Dynaudio 140's and looking forward for them to break-in. They are placed on Dynaudio Stand 4's. Any suggestions if I need to add play sand in the stands?

Thanks
Neeraj
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 3411
Registered: Dec-04
Neeraj, i think that is recommended for that combination, maybe Frank will confirm that.
Those 140's need a solid base so as not to transmit their lower registers into the floor, thus depriving you!
Nice setup, my friend, do run them in and enjoy!
I think they need over 100hrs to get up to full potential.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 3456
Registered: Feb-05
Congrats on your 140's. You'll not only need to check on whether to fill your stands but also how far to fill. For some speakers and some stands only a little over half full is the recommendation. Your Dynaudio dealer or rep should know...enjoy!
 

New member
Username: Cybervision_

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jul-06
I'm thinking of going from floorstanding JMlabs to a pair of Focus 140's because I'm off to study, and my appartment is not really big. My amp is an Atoll IN100, which rates 2x100 watts, but it delivers a lot of power. Do you think it will be a good combo?

Also, there are no stores anywhere around here where I can see them for myself in different finishes, and there are not many good pics of them, besides commercials, that show the different finishes.

Could some of you who are so fortunate to own a pair of Focus' take a picture and post here or send me on an e-mail? I would appreciate it tremendously.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1524
Registered: Sep-04
Neeraj,

IIRC, Stand 4s come with sand already in them. I could be wrong about this though. You need to check with whomever you bought them from.

Sorry JJ, no idea about your Atoll.

Regards,
Frank.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Byam

Post Number: 14
Registered: May-06
The Stand 4's do not come with sand already in them. When I got my 140's and Stand 4's I had to fill them. There are two tubes. The front one is sealed at the bottom and top by the plates. The rear one that accepts the speaker cable through it is not sealed by the plates. A couple of very thick plastic sleeves were packed with the stands. They fit inside the rear tube and can be filled with sand as well. I used a higher grade of sand from a hardware store that was stored inside so as to prevent any moisture. I filled both tubes full. With the weight of the stands along with the sand filler they are quite heavy and provide a solid base for the speakers.
 

New member
Username: Cybervision_

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jul-06
Does anyone here mind posting a picture of their 140i½s?
 

Silver Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 217
Registered: Mar-06
Hi,

not directly relevant to this thread, but I have been demoing various Dynaudios lately (Focus 110, 140, and Contour S1.4.

Today I bought an ex-demo pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.3se's in Bird's Eye finish :-)

Due to re-arranging things at home, I have not had a chance yet to listen to my new speakers at home. But I am vert pleased with my new speakers, and pride of ownership is quite high ;-)

More later, when I have had a chance to listen....

cheers
Rav
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 3487
Registered: Feb-05
Congrats Ravi! Great speakers...
 

Silver Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 218
Registered: Mar-06
Hi AZ,

thanks!

Although the Focus 140, is an excellent speaker for its price ($3000AUD here in Aus), I think I got more for my money by waiting until an ex-demo Contour 1.3 se popped up on the radar screen (I paid $3000AUD also for the ex-demo 1.3se...)

I am very happy with these speakers.

cheers
Rav
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1540
Registered: Sep-04
Contour 1.3SE - Excellent speaker. I've not done the A/B against 140s but I iagine it would be swings and roundabouts, and might even favour the 1.3SEs!

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Green_man

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-06
Hi,

got myself too some 140's. Question is how to amp them.
The catch is budget: not over £700 ($1000):-)

I bought recently CambridgeAudio 640A, which is overall nice, sure. But attached to 140s lacks punch and at the upper end is not very accurate with detail.
Ironically I could have even lived with it (and died happy), but then "accidentally" plugged the 140s to some real old school hardware (1980's, big power, lots of tubes) - and have lost my sleep since... The clarity expanded to almost intolerable level, and the bass just got... real furious!
I mean I know now what the 140's are really capable of, and therefore looking for a more suitable amp.

So the question is: could it be that the problem with the CA 640A is just its "modest" power - 65W? And by switching to a more powerful tool (say.. around 100W) could easily bring my 140s to life - without any excesses in the budget department?
Or the power isn't really the issue here?

...but in case it is, then I've thought of Roksan Kandy Mk L.III (120W), Marantz PM7200 (95W), NAD C352 (80W)...
?

thanks in advance:-)
 

New member
Username: Cybervision_

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jul-06
Generally one can say that an amp cannot be measured by watts alone. Even more important is the size of the power supply. That says more about how much rumble it can make.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 222
Registered: Mar-06
Hi Green man,

congrats on your new Dynaudio's.

I think the best thing to do in your shoes, with a restricted budget, would be to look at the 2nd hand/ex-demo market, where your money will go a lot farther and most likely you'll get an amp suitable for your speakers.

I am experiencing brain fade at the moment so I cannot think of suitable contenders from the used market. But I am sure if you ring most local dealers they should have ex-demo and part-exchanged stock on hand. Also if feeling adventurous you could use Audiogon or Ebay.

In terms of new amps the obvious one to demo IMHO would be the new Cambridge Audio 840A, but this may stretch your budget just a little.

Of the other amps you mention, I think that they have the quantity of power needed but not really the quality needed to mate well with the Focus 140.

cheers
Rav
 

Silver Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 223
Registered: Mar-06
Hi Frank,

tend to agree with you, it is very much a pesonal preference type of decision.

I listened very extensively to Contour S1.4, Focus 140 and Contour 1.3se.

My order of preference was 1) 1.3se 2) S1.4 and 3) Focus 140.

I did read somewhere on a home page by one of the Dynaudio designers (Claus Futtrup) that the 1.3se is the Dynaudio speaker that was most purchased by Dynaudio employees, including the designers, whom he said normally never buy speakers 'cos they always are aware of something newer and better just around the corner.

In any case I am very happy with my purchase, but I have not yet had a chance to use them at home, since I only have a bi-wire loom of speaker cable. So i must either re-terminate or buy a newer better cable. I favour the 2nd option.

cheers
Rav
 

New member
Username: Green_man

Post Number: 2
Registered: Aug-06
Thanks Rav,

kinda suspected, that the entry level amps wouldn't do with 140s:-( Should have thought of consicuences before I fell for them..

But anyway, will soon audition the Marantz I mentioned - just to find out about the power thing - will there be more juice to the sound in general, or not. And then can proceed to the quality issues.

But the ex-demo/ 2nd hand from dealers idea is good:-) thanks again!
And yes, E-bay is too much of an adventure for me...

Also have thought of rebuilding some oldtimer (the tube amp I tried with the 140s is mine actually, and known as upgradeable, but it has as many flaws as advantages). But this is time/resources consuming and the result could still surprise the wrong way.
Just like to try the easier ways first.
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1543
Registered: Sep-04
green man,

I get the impression you're in the UK. You should be able to pick up a Naim NAC102/NAP180 pre/power combination for about £900 2nd hand (£2400 when new). This will whip anything under £1500 brand new and since it's a Naim it's almost bomb-proof and completely serviceable for sensible money long term. If £900 is too rich for you look at lower models from the Naim stable since there's a strong 2nd hand market for them - a 72/140 would drive your speakers nicely too (but you'd lose remote control and a little power) for about £700. Don't worry about Naim's conservative power ratings, they're bigger amps than they look.

If looking at new kit, you're really a bit below what's required for 140s but I guess I'd look at Arcam's A90, which is pretty good.

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Green_man

Post Number: 3
Registered: Aug-06
Thanks Frank:-) exactly the info I was hoping for!

Can't really let these 140s go to waste.
 

Silver Member
Username: Ravbains

MelbourneAustralia

Post Number: 239
Registered: Mar-06
Hi Nuck, Art,

I don't want to start a new thread, but just wanted to let you know that my new (to me) Dyn Contour 1.3se's are loosening up very nicely. I posted a quick first impression in Nuck's soul searching thread also.

My first impressions were of a very nice relaxed tonality, and a lack of stress and compression in the sound as compared to my humble NAD speakers. Also when you play them loud, with something that really rocks (the latest Placebo in my case), it's just pure enjoyment the lack of compression is amazing, the speakers remain totally un-fazed.

Also the bass extension is incredible for a modestly sized standmount speaker. The 1.3se's do a lot of bottom octave stuff, that was simply MIA with the NADs.

When it comes to the mid-range it has many virtues, many of which are subtle, like the lack of coloration and naturalness is something I only fully grasp when I substitute the inferior NADs back into the system. Vocals sounds fantastically natural and very un-coloured. Also well recorded piano sounds more natural than I have ever heard at home.

(BTW the high precision clocking from LC-Audio on my Sony gives it a timbral accuracy that is simply fantastic, and the Dyns really make the most of this. I cannot stress the importance of the clocking enough, it affects every fibre of the music, and there is no aspect of CDP performance which is not improved with an upgraded clock.)

But the bottom line for me is that this is a speaker I am really happy with, and often-times just leaves me with a stupid inane grin on my face.

cheers
Rav
 

New member
Username: Wooolf

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-06
Hi there,

I tested and loved the Dyns 72SE and then I read all your stuff above...

My amplifier is an 80W Proton AA 2080 with preamp AP 2000 II

Could it properly drive any of the 72SE, 82 or Focus 220 ?

In Switzerland here they are all at the same price or very near CHF4000 = $3200...
What would you say are the main differences between them in a not too technical way plz ;)

Cheers,
 

New member
Username: Wooolf

Post Number: 2
Registered: Aug-06
Right, After a good 2 hours listening I realy noticed a massive difference between the 72 SE and the 220. To me, or at least in hte shop I was (wires all over and the 200 wasn't plug right when I arrived...) the 72 SE sounded much much more precise in the mediums! to a point that in comparaison the 220 was rather poor in this part, for some tunes it was even missing somme bits compare to the 72SE but may be the 72SE were a little exessive in the mediums but never saturated or annoying.

otherwise, same very neat and deap bass that I loved and trebles very similar.

So, has any of you had the opportunity to compare any of these with the 82?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Nsanghani

Chicago, IL USA

Post Number: 36
Registered: May-05
I filled the Stand 4's with play sand and now the bass seems to be damp !! My understanding was that sand would improve the bass.

I would appreciate any thoughts on why this would happen and any advice what I should do to rectify it (other than remove the sand).

Thanks
Neeraj
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 1594
Registered: Sep-04
He he, hello Neeraj!

You need to adjust the amount of sand in the stands to give you the bass you want. I never fill Stand 4s more than half way!

Regards,
Frank.
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