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Model: | Contour S3.4 |
Category: | Speakers |
Suggested Retail Price: | $5000 |
Description: | Contour S 3.4 two-way floor standing loudspeaker. Impedance: 4ohms; sensitivity 88dB; power rating: 300 watts. First order crossover. Dimensions: 190mm × 1200 × 340mm. |
Manufacturer URL: | Dynaudio |
Review by mfish (A) on April 17, 2003 at 11:17:36 IP Address: 144.223.81.146 | Add Your Review for the Contour S3.4 |
As my wife ran up the stairs in our home to see me, two things were obvious; one she was smiling, and secondly she had tears welled-up in her eyes. "those ARE Amazing" she said, referring to the new Dynaudio S3.4's
And so it begins...
I had originally heard from a journalist in Europe (well over a year ago) that the Contour line was being 'worked-on & re-visited' by Dynaudio. I inquired around for months through dealers, web-sites, audio friends, and all was pretty quiet re; the new Contour line. As the months past I gained little snippets of confirmation and knew that it was only a matter of time till they were 'officially disclosed'. By the time I actually had them in my living room; I have to admit that my expectations were quite high. The proverbial "bar" had recently been raised by the purchase of the Dyn Special25's that were enjoying their sweet-spot in our living room for the past few months. My wife and I thought that THAT was the last model for us for a long time. However, the curiosity of the new Contour line proved to be too much for us and we ordered a pair.
Note: [We also considered the choosing the larger S5.4 model but it didn't pass the room-friendly 'how-tall is it ?' test. The S5.4 does have the Esotar2 tweeter as well as an additional driver; compared to the the S3.4 model which houses the newly designed Estotec tweeter and newly designed mid/bass drivers. The S5.4 is a 3-way design; the S3.4 a 2 ½ way design. Other models we auditioned during the past year included the WilsonAudio Sophia, WilsonAudio WP6, Thiel2.4, Dyn Confidence2's, Contour3.0, and Dyn Contour3.3, Dyn C3, and B&W Nautilus802, and a few others]
The S3.4's arrived double-boxed a few weeks back and had a fairly easy and un-eventful break-in period as I played them continually with 2-channel audio and 2-channel dvd films at various volumes. Compared to the Special25's (more on the S25 later) which took well over 2-monthes to fully break-in; the S3.4's were quick to open up and relax. Cosmetically the S3.4's are a simple and refined Danish design with subtle cues from the more expensive Confidence and Evidence lines. The black base plinth's are a wonderful touch and anchor the S3.4 to the floor and incorporate a spike-level-adjustable feature from the top, i.e. you don't have to turn the S3.4 on it's side or upside down to adjust the spikes. The grill-cloth's are situated on the drivers metal face plates via hidden magnets, and can be taken on and off with a slow and steady pull; these are not flimsy connections at all and the magnetic tightness is surprising; no plastic nubs to break-off. The grills hug the corners in a tear-drop fashion and perfectly align with the outside perimeter of the drivers. From the profile view, you are able to see through the grill spacing and the profile of the drivers edges as well as the round side of the tweeter. All of it is tightly nestled behind the grills; giving it a 'multi layered sandwich effect'. The (2) 6.5" newly designed drivers reside vertically above the newly designed 1" soft-dome tweeter. The fit and finish are flawless; as one should expect in any loudspeaker priced at $5,000. Standard WBT clear binding posts (no bi-wire; i.e. clean and simple) are found at the bottom rear. The S3.4 are not imposing nor bulky, and will not physically overwhelm a smaller/medium sized room; as their footprint is very small and reasonable. Sliding them on carpet is a breeze. For comparison purposes: the front dimension of the S3.4's are narrower and slightly taller than the S25's (if you have the S25's on 24" stands), and the depth is very similar. Overall, the look and stance of the S3.4 is not predominantly "rectangular" as you'd expect, instead you will find your eyes following the hour-glass curves of the face-plate/grill clothes tear-drop shape directly flowing down towards the complementary curves of the base-plates.
So my wife rolls her eyes as I unpack yet another pair of speaker box's (S3.4) in our living room, I smile back to her and say: "...I know, I know -- let's just see how they do..."
After initial S3.4 break-in we both picked our most familiar and favorite cd's and dvd movies from the bookcase, and the evaluation began. (Note: music and film listed in a later section).
First things first:
How well do the S3.4's image ?
In a word: Superbly
Reasoning: You should know that imaging is one of the quality's that we are very fond of when auditioning speakers and eventually a big factor when selecting them for our home. Typically we are not huge fans of big floor-standing loudspeakers because they don't always typically image as well as smaller 2-way (physically smaller box) monitor(s). Well, the S3.4's do image equally as well as our S25's and prior 1.3SE's. In many ways the S3.4's bettered the smaller box models with respect to the height, size, and depth of the image. Not only does the 46" tall S3.4 disappear -- it does so, easily. We have owned most B&W Matrix models, a few B&W Nautilus models, and the WilsonAudio Witts. Many of them a fine speaker; however in most cases the imaging and overall picture/image of the music would suffer. An example of this is when you are listening to your audio/video system and then find yourself glancing directly over to one of the speakers. If the physical speaker is calling attention to itself; then you are not 'at that moment' immersed in the music - rather you are now listening 'TO' -or- 'AT' the music. This is also known as a distraction.
For us, loudspeaker "imaging" is like a magic trick (illusion); similar to when the magician (in our case the loudspeakers) is really good, you don't realize you are being tricked; you just enjoy the "magic" (music) first and foremost. However, when the magician is bad then you start noticing things or looking where you shouldn't be; or analyzing it; then you miss the “magic” part of the "show"; i.e. the trick isn't sooo magical anymore because you weren't fooled. In this case the S3.4's image superbly, as we have yet to catch ourselves being distracted by the speakers themselves.
How do they (S3.4's) sound ?
In a word: NATURAL(organic)
Reasoning: The S3.4's have a very ‘tangible’ and un-processed quality, and they are not like any prior speaker we've owned or auditioned. The S3.4's possess a new and exceptional 'voicing' as compared to all older models of Dyn's. The only way that I can articulate what my ears hear is to say that the timbre and resonance character has been made more organic and integrated. Part of what constitutes the organic flavor is the smoothness between drivers and overall tonal balance (not lean; not heavy; not light; not dark) as well as the drivers themselves; also the inverted driver array. The voicing of the S3.4's is one of it's greatest strengths and should appeal to many who audition them. There is a real sense of flow that you will immediately notice upon your first audition. Note1: [I'm not sure what Dynaudio uses for electronics to voice their speakers when they designed and developed their new Contours; but I bet it isn't the same gear as what they used to design and voice the prior Contour models. I heard that they used Gryphon electronics at one point. I digress, but I definitely prefer the new 'natural' character and voicing of the S3.4 in comparison to say the Dyn C2. The Confidence2 is a $12k loudspeaker that I've auditioned 3x in two different locations/systems. It has (2) Esotar2 tweeters, but each and every time I auditioned them I was left 'slightly cold' (no offense to Dynaudio) but for $12k I want some deeper bass; and I want imaging that extends past the vertical planes of the front face-plate; not just between the speakers.] Note2: [In comparison for less than ½ the cost of the C2 you can own the S3.4's and I think that the S3.4's give the C2 more than serious competition. In fact you can own both the S25 and the S3.4's and still have $2,200 left over.... Something to consider]. In short – think of the S3.4 sound as an open flowing natural portal without resistance.
Example:
Mark Knopfler - cd.The Ragpicker's Dream [warnerbros 9 48318]
Track 4 (on S25’s): definitely a subtle and slightly nasal quality in voice, slight boominess heard but not always discernable, piano is subtle, drum stick tap is in rear of image is heard but cannot hear the ‘wood’ of the drumstick.
Track 4 (on S3.4’s): nasal quality is still there but not as high pitched. Smoooooother overall, less analytical sounding; piano is rendered nicer in it’s tones; staging is relaxed and clearer and each note hangs for extended time, drum stick tap is now more closely miked and detailed – sounds like ‘wood’ tapping metal. Huge difference.
Track 8 (on S25’s): I hear the rhythm but don't sense it's impact, voice is warm and raspy, guitar is clean and clear without problems, turn it up picture is retained, no edginess.
Track 8 (on S3.4’s): kick drum and backing vocals are richer and realistic with some depth; layering and spacing (depth wise) of instruments is more precise and easy to pick out.
What about the bass ?
One criteria that we both dislike when auditioning any loudspeaker is: the amount of manufactured bass "bloom" in the lower bass regions. Many other loudspeaker makers seem quick and proud to cloud the lower regions with something other than musical instrument reproduction; we refer to it as "made-up bass noise". While listening to the S3.4's we did not hear any discernable made-up bass or artificial bloom - Period. What we did experience was fluent and expressive bass notes from real instruments. In comparison to the the S25's and 1.3SE's: both of those models are not able to match the frequency response of the S3.4's. Note: [We personally dislike the idea of trying to marry a sub to two main speakers. Given all the variables: the sub's volume/loudness, the x-over, the integration; the positioning, the quantity of sub's, etc etc. We prefer to take a speaker the way it comes (whether it be a 2-way or floor stander 3-way) so as to avoid the associated anxiety of integrating a subwoofer; and not having to ask: "is the sub(s) finally optimized ? lets try another setting and position for the sub....forget it." For a dedicated home-theatre, I can see using subwoofers.] The S3.4's have remarkable bass response; I cannot quote you a frequency range as of this writing; but it puts a smile on our face everytime the S3.4 starts digging deep - and it does so without adding any artificial ingredients, and it does so easily.
Example: Norah Jones - dvd.Live in New Orleans [blue note]
Track 5 (on S25’s): cymbals guitar piano - spot on, vocals overlay everything
Track 5: (on S3.4’s): bass line is much livelier and complements the song, piano is not as sparkly want to turn it up up up
Track 9 (on S25’s): sounds clear but something is lacking - boogie factor, organ is solid, lower bass is slightly muted; vocals are even
Track 9 (on S3.4’s): vocals seem smoother; kick drum is now felt - i.e. we have boogie factor !
Example:Steve Tyrell - cd.Standard Time [columbia ck86006]
Track 2 (on S25’s): firm bass, voice seems light and a touch of honky, piano is there but slightly veiled.
Track 2 (on S3.4’s): voice is more relaxed and less honk; piano notes are deeply in my ears like a pair of headphones
Track 7 (on S25’s): not much outside the physical sides of the box, narrow soundstage, piano is nice and clean, bass line is quiet,
Track 7 (on S3.4’s): larger soundstage; nothing beaming strait out of the speaker, bass line is more distinguishable, piano keys are easier to visualize; effortless and lot’s of breathing room between instruments; not darker but more “mood” in the song.
Is the new Esotec tweeter as good as the Esotar2 tweeter ?
In a word: yes
Reasoning: well, of course it depends on you, and your taste. We prefer the new Esotec more often than the Esotar2. Why ?, well on certain source material we found the Esotar2 (used in the Dyn S25) to reveal everything to a degree that some may find or refer to as 'too revealing'. The Esotar2 has many incredible attributes but can be less forgiving if you are not listening to well recorded material and have a substantially funded rack of electronics. The Esotar2 is a wonderful tweeter most of the time. The new Esotec seems to be as smooth without going to the 'Extreme fine line' of the Esotar2, In other words, you can probably enjoy more 'less perfectly recorded material' without reaching for the volume 'down' direction. I am most curious what the S5.4 will sound like with the Esotar2 tweeter in it; w/ similar design and construction as the S3.4's. Don't get me wrong, the Esotar2 with the right equipment and right source material is an unbelievable tweeter; probably the very best I've ever heard (under ideal source material and gear). Under less ideal conditions though - the Esotar2 tweeter can occasionally sound slightly "over exposed" NOT nasally; not hard; not fatiguing, not metallic, .. the kindest words too describe it could be that it: "dance the fine line of too extreme”. The only other tweeter which floored me was the original Esotar (found on the C3’s); sometimes I think that is sweeter than the Esotar2. In summary, for everday listening of 'non-audiophile recordings', as well as dvd films; the new S3.4 Esotec driver is SUPER SMOOTH and never sounds 'over exposed'. Note: [The same/new Esotec tweeter found in the new S1.4's should easily rival the 1.3SE's tweeter; making the 1.3SE tweeter seemed prematurely rolled-off. We lived with the 1.3SE's for more than 2-years and we are confident (in our experiences) that this new tweeter is more musical and natural sounding than the version in the 1.3SE's; and a smidge more forgiving that the Esotar2. ]
Example: Joni Mitchell - cd.Hejira [asylum 1087-2]
Track 3 (on S25’s); here comes the fine line of too much resolution on the upper voice of Joni through the s25's... reaching for the remote, imaging is very very good though. Bass line is quick and below the physical box of the speaker, harmonica is sweet and layered with the voice
Track 3 (on S3.4’s): listenable all the way through. Much different experience with the high frequencies, can play at same volume without wanting to turn it down
Track 8 (on S25’s): voice is getting muttled in the instruments and the chorus section get's bright and edgy.
Track 8 (on S3.4’s): imaging is spot on; voice is sweet without being edgy, guitar plucking is apparent
Example: Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane - cd [xrcd nj8276]
Track 4 (on S25’s): Clear and open, superb imaging well above height of speaker top
Electric guitar starts in w/black quiet background; sax comes back in to accompany; very nicely executed
Track 4 (on S3.4’s): matching S25 on realism; however there is more ‘ambiance’ of the recording setting and enviroment; bigger sense of space around the musician’s
Track 5 (on S25’s): Clear but depth of soundstage arrangement is short - not deep, once too many instruments the picture gets flat.
Track 5 (on S3.4’s): Soundstage is larger and doesn’t lose the mood of the music when all instruments are playing at the same time; no congestion.
Summary:
I have lived happily with the 1.3Se's, S25's and the S3.4's. The 1.3Se are easily outclassed compared to the S25's and S3.4's with respect to overall sound, range, dynamics, and resolution. So it comes down to the S25's and S3.4's. I have played them side-by-side in my house and we both are confident in our observations within the context of our system; we cannot tell you how these perform under different equipment and room etc. Our listening indicates that the S3.4 has an inherent level of finesse and sonic strength that moves beyond the outstanding qualities found in the S25. Since the S25 has a 25-year warranty and is limited production; as well as the Esotar2 tweeter - it could be the last speaker purchase for many people and they could be completely satisfied for a very long time. The S25 does tend to omit some lower hz information (by design) which further illuminates it’s mid-range and upper strengths.
The Dynaudio S3.4's Contours in contrast, embody a new and Natural voicing that convincingly sounds right on most source material. The S3.4's present a strong organic character when portraying instruments and vocals; without the additives. The soundstage is always well developed and reachable. There is an ambience of space which is larger and more enveloping as compared to the S25. The rhythm and boogie-factor is felt in spades. They are well balanced, and very smooth, portraying all the beautiful timbre's and musical textures more times than not --without dancing the fine line of over extending it’s resolution capabilities.
To convey the intrinsic magic many of us search for in a loudspeaker, and given it's asking price and performance - I dare say that with the Dynaudio S3.4 we have " a new Classic".
Bravo Dynaudio, and thank you !
..........................
System:
Amp:
Plinius 8200mkII integrated amplifier
Transparent Cable :
MusicLink Ultra (new product/model with OpusMM technology) interconnect cabling
MusicWave Ultra (new product/model with OpusMM technology) loudspeaker cabling
Power Accessory:
Richard Gray's Power Company - RGPC 400S
Signal Cable - Magic Power AC Power Cord (10-gauge hospital grade)
Source: (In process of upgrading)
Sony DVD/CD Player (2-channel audio & dvd 2-channel; dual purpose)
Loudspeakers:
Dynaudio S3.4 Contours
Dynaudio S25 (special anniversary)
Dynaudio 1.3SE (special editions, owned for 2years no longer have)
Target R6 speaker stands ((4)x 4" pillars, filled with sand)
Video
Sony 32" (replacing with Sony HiDef XBR)
Music & Films used during review:
James Taylor - cd.October Road
John Coltrane - cd.Coltrane [impulse impd-215]
Joni Mitchell - cd.Hejira [asylum 1087-2]
Mark Knopfler - cd.The Ragpicker's Dream [warnerbros 9 48318]
Steve Tyrell - cd.Standard Time [columbia ck86006]
Kenny Burrell & John Coltrane - cd [xrcd nj8276]
Norah Jones - dvd.Live in New Orleans [blue note]
James Taylor - dvd.Live at the Beacon Theatre
Minority Report - dvd [dreamworks]
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon - dvd [superbit sony]
Product Weakness: | Please read review for details. |
Product Strengths: | New Natural voicing without the additives. Can easily serve dual-purpose of 2-channel and home theatre applications. Small footprint. |
Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
Amplifier: | Plinius 8200mkII |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | None |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Sony |
Speakers: | Dynaudio |
Cables/Interconnects: | Transparent Cable w/new MM technology |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Listed in Review |
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | Richard Gray's Power Company - RGPC 400S |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Follow Ups:
spec's now on Dynaudio web-site
Hello "mfish",
superb review ! What can I say ? I guess I felt like someone tasting a good wine, but then struggling to find the right words to describe it ! And it looks so easy in your review.....
Anyway, I read with interest about the "imaging" capabilities of the 3.4. How do they stack up against Avalon, particularly the model Arios ? I've got the Dyn.Contour 1.8mkII and although I like the resolution and how deep the bass can go, they lack the "emotion" (soundstage) so that is why I would like to take a step forward by either moving to the 3.4 or even 5.4 or switch entirely to Avalon...Just wondering if you have auditioned the Avalons as well....
cheers and thank you for your feedback
MikeF
Dynaudio drivers have a reputation for bottoming out at the extremes. I've never heard it on my 1.3SEs, but check the review for the Contour 3.0 on Dynaudio's website... I think it's the Stereophile review.
if you are bottoming out those drivers... that's gotta be playing Super loud... I've never heard a Dyn do that.
HiGreat post!
Your review of the Contour S3.4's has gotten me interested. I have always wanted floorstanders but like you have preferred monitors for their imaging qualities - your review suggests that the S3.4's is the best of both worlds - even preferring them to the S25's which you also have, with the differnce being a trade-off between the Esotar 2 tweeter with extended treble detail and a 25 year warranty for more low bass and what seeme to me as a larger soundstage.
Am still contemplating the S25's after hearing them about a month ago.My initial thoughts as follows.
With a placement of about 2 feet from the back wall, I liked them with the following exceptions:
1. Bass seemed a tad boomy and not well defined especially extreme low bass.
2. Vocals a little chesty and imaging not as focussed.
3. Tried them with the bungs in the rear port but the sound was definitely worse ie. more closed in.This placement is all I am able to afford, so concluded with the help of other posters that the above symptoms were:
1.Reflective of the too close placement to the rear wall OR
2. A case of them not being broken in enough.
I have now tried the S805's and SF Cremona Auditors as suggested and still prefer the S25's with the caveats I mentioned. The S805's seemed to have an exaggerated treble and the SF Cremona Auditors did not exactly grab me. Couldn't try the Wilson Benesch's as there are no dealers for them nearby.
Now the S3.4's seem like a good contender and the choice is between them and the S25's. You have the S3.4's placed in the same spot as the S25's. My envisaged placement is as follows. The listening area or living room is around 1000 square feet -- open space but irregularly shaped. I intend to place them in the living room and cannot afford to place them too far out from the back walls -- I can only manage about 25 inches from the back wall (from your review it seems that you have about a 12 inches more) and 90 inches between the speakers, with another 166 inches of space to the right speaker, which has furniture and other decorations. The left speaker actually follows the entrance doorway and my listening spot is actually 100 inches to the front of the speakers.So in your view, being an owner of both the S25 and S3.4, which would work better for me?
Thanks in advance
Hi JimmyHow about building a small pair of bass traps based on Jon Risch's recipe, and then placing them behind your speakers, right against the wall. They need only to be as high as the speakers themselves, and that should relieve most of the boominess. And if you cover them in a nice fabric that matches the room aesthetics, the WAF will not be that low either. You'll have to speak to Jon about a suitable type of fabric to cover them. I think these might go a long way to relieving your the boominess, and then you can look at both the 25s and the 3.4s. I'm not sure if the 3.4s will work in your room, but if you have made the trap, auditioning both in your room (one pair at a time!) will tell you which will be best.
after re-reading your specific measurements, is the space between the speakers going to be 90 between the inside (facing) walls of the speaker or is it 90 tweeter-to-tweeter ? anything less than 8' tweeter-to-tweeter may have me slightly concerned as their (S3.4) sound is very large and would benefit from the space between.with 2' behind the speakers; I'd recommend more but you may be able to use either model with at least 2' behind them...
and with 8' to the listening area; I think that may be too close for the S3.4's -- the S25 would be ok.
HiWith my current monitors, they are over 6 feet tweeter to tweeter. I can manage 90 inches tweeter to tweeter - I do not have a lack of room lengthwise only from the back of the speaker to the wall.
Forgot to mention, I have marble flooring with no rugs save a large tapestry on the wall adjacent and behind the listener's position so that could be a minus.
I could also do more than 8 feet to the listening area - the 8 feet seem optimal for my current monitors.
Once again, would like the larger soundstage but am unable to place them furher out into the room and am worried about boom.
Thanks
First and foremost:I believe that you could be very happy with either the S25 or the S3.4 in your listening environment as you described (assuming a few things)…
1.) that your electronics & cabling are a good match with the Dyn’s.
2.) that your room is not currently highly reflective with lots of echo/bright/reverb sounding; like if you clap your hands in the room, (specifically w/respect to the S25).
3.) that you won’t have big bulky furniture in the direct path of the tweeter (specifically w/respect to the S3.4 whose tweeter position is inverted i.e. lower)
4.) you will give as much ‘breathing space’ around the speaker as possible; to whichever model you end up with.My suggestion is this:
Focus more on what kind of ‘listener’ you are at this point; instead of which speaker (S25 vs. S3.4) to choose.If you determine that you value and ‘listen for’ every single upper frequency micro-detail on every single track – at every sitting, when enjoying your system; then I’d go w/the S25. Note: that the S25 will highlight the detail even if it isn’t well recorded or produced. It’s a slippery slope. You get all the good; as well as all the bad. The S25’s will not sugar-coat your source material – ever.
I got this feedback today directly from Dynaudio North America in an email Re; the S25 :
“Regarding the high freq from the Special 25, it was designed to be more energetic and slightly more forward than other Dynaudios with the same
tweeter. Dynaudio has found that most audiophiles prefer a heightened sense of detail and resolution in the highs and have decided to make this one speaker that offers that quality. It is extremely revealing, as you have already found.”
I enjoy a variety of musicians and films (cds & dvds) and not all of them are well produced/recorded audiophile pressings; and I can play more of those on the S3.4 than the S25’s. I can’t speak for your choice of source material preferences etc but it’s something to consider.
Remember, I still highly value imaging and resolution; so I am not giving that up. Also, the ‘immersion factor’ I detailed in my review is very very important.
There is certainly lower hz information that the S25 does not do; nor will it ever, and you’ll never hear it or feel it like you can on the S3.4’s.
Conversly, the S3.4 (which has a slighter smoother and definate larger sound compared to the S25) may not extract every single nuance of the S25 – it is [in my opinion] a more natural and better tonally balanced speaker. In other words, I think the S3.4 ‘s relay more information in a more balanced fashion than the S25, without obvious compromise.
Both models would work in your living situation (if above #1,2,3 are true).
HiThanks for the feedback.
1,2 and 3 are alright. As for 4, speakers will be to the front and next to equipment racks between them with a TV on another equipment rack behind and next to one speaker. The other speaker is next to a longish doorway and is clear of any side wall.
With 2, are you implying that the S25's are more difficult to place than the S3.4's? I would have thought the other way around since the S3.4's would have more bass.
Spoke to the local dealer today who emphatically recommended the S25's saying they were like a scaled down Evidence. He also mentioned the S1.4's saying that he preferred the 1.3 SE's as the S1.4's seem to be more aggressive - that seems to differ from your account of the new Esotec.
Personally, I prefer a more balanced sound and am loth to having to reach for the volume control when it comes to hi-res treble. My worry is placement as I mentioned that I found the S25's a tad boomy and am not sure if the S3.4's will be better placed in the same position in that respect. As for the more resolving treble qualities it is not something I am a big fan of having lived with metal dome tweeters for quite a while. The larger soundstage is definitely a plus for me.
Thanks
just a couple thoughts, since I've not auditioned the 1.4's I would have to assume the dealers observations as accurate. However, assumming that the 1.4's are fully broken-in; I am most curious as to what electronics and cabling he is using w/the 1.4's...my Plinius and TransparentAudio cabling is on the neutral to-> to warmer/analog side of the fence. No offense to SimAudio owners but I have heard Sim (moon pre & power) with the Dyn's (Se's & S25's) and there was a lot of glare and bite; nothing romantic sounding or warmth in the presentation.
are you able to get the s3.4's into your home for an audition ?
that's really the most preferred route... or the S25's ?
HiI have already auditioned the S25's and liked them with the reservations of some boominess as I mentioned in my first post. Using a Krell FPB200 and Cardas cables and didn't hear glare in fact liked the midrange and treble.
The dealer wasn't keen on a home audition of the S3.4 given its size.
Dunno about the electronics and cabling - the dealer didn't mention as I just asked him over the phone.
I was concerned more about the placement and figured you would be able to tell since you have both the S25 and the S3.4.
Thanks
Jimmy
Both models would work in your living situation (if above #1,2,3 are true).> > Should read: < < <
Both models would work in your living situation (if above #1,2,3, and 4 are true).
Grest review, cannot wait till the dealer here gets them in to listen to, however i am interested to know if you have gotton a chance to listen to the new audience line, the reps at dyn audio claim there have been a lot of changes to the line. any thoughts will be greatly appricated.
Hello, I've not heard any details of the 'new' Audience line.. sorry. Please update this thread as you get details. Thx.
this is the info i have received from Dynaudio about the audience line: 1) they are now available in wood grain finish for 10% more.
2) front baffle now has thicker mdf board from previous Audience line.
3) Cabinet has more internal bracing over previous models.
4) They claim more of the original Contour technology has been trickled down to te Audience line, however i do not know what and how much yet. I will update this as i find out more, they do claim the Audience is a great value if you cannot afford the Contour line. The Dynaudio dealer only has an older Audience pair here and is waiting on new models that should be in soon.
Contour S 3.4 is on my shortlist.
I don't finde it's a great review. There are no seamless speakers and I'd like to hear about it's weakness.
1.) Can you prove that no 'seamless' speakers exist ?2.) My review was pretty clear in that it described the Esotec tweeter as not quite as detailed as the Esotar2; many could infer that as a weakness.
I've got a question. One of my new Dynaudio 3.4's makes a popping noise during action scenes when we are watching a movie. I haven't heard it any when just playing music even when I crank it up. Any ideas? I assume it means that the speaker is being overextended, but I wouldn't think that with 200 watts per channel that they are being overdriven.
hmmmm. They are rated for 300 watts, has anything else changed in the system at the same time as the S3.4's ? have you checked and ensured that the speaker cables are all connected perfectly at the amp and speakers themselves; as well as the interconnects ?what is your Amp and Model and power ratings ?
is it only during loud action sequences -- i.e. can you hear it ever at medium or lower volume ? lastly: And this popping never happens on loud 2-channel audio ? only on home theatre ? ... just trying to rule out what we can.
Mfish, thanks for answering. I own a B&K power amp model 200.5. It only does it during loud action scenes on movies. I switched the speakers from left to right and am going to watch another tonight to see if the popping also switched sides. I'll let you know if the noise also switched sides.
ps.the S3.4's are able to play a lot louder than the S25's (we're talking without any sense of strain at all). They can go Very loud without getting compressed...
Great review mfish & congractulations,I wonder how much the lower tweeter position aswell as the higher midrange/bass of the S3.4 could be attributed to the reduction in detail & increased smoothness to the sound; with the tweeter being further away from ear level as compared to the S25, you could try sitting on the floor to get closer to ear level & see how this affects the sound.
I would like to here your opinion of the difference between the S3.4 & the S5.4 as you have a good understanding of the characteristics of Dynaudio speakers at different price points.
Hello, thanks for the kind words,I've actually sat closer to the ground when changing cd's & dvd's and heard the 'highs' at ear level and it still sounded quite good; i.e. not bright or overly-etched. The tweeter just comes across consistently as smooth and never overly aggressive. What's interesting is that while sitting on the floor the bass response is still part of the picture eventhough its 4' above my head (when sitting on the ground).
With respect to the S5.4, I've not been able to audition it yet. Though, I'm very curious how the Esotar2 performs in this inverted driver array set-up (now found on the new Contour Line).
thx,
M
You also mention the N802's in your post. Could you tell me
what the 802's lacked compared to the Dyn's ?
Re; Nautilus; to be honest I couldn't get past the hyper-extended Nautilus tweeter. No matter what electronics; changing of cables/interconnects, there was always a 'focused edginess' and 'bite' which bordered on eye-bleed territory [for me]. I would bet that the next generation of Nautilus will tame down the over excited tweeters. I got much more listening pleasure out of the prior Matrix models. If you hold extreme super tweeter response in high regards -- the Nautilus models may be worth an audition. Not my cup o'tea though.
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Thanks mfish for this interesting review. It makes me think again about getting the Special 25 or waiting for the new Contours (they haven't yet arrived here in Europe ;-)).If someone needs information and pictures of the new Contour line, check this german site:
http://www.hifihenkes.de/PRODUKTE/DYN/dyn.html
Another german dealer site with new Contour pictures:
While I certainly can't read German, that's only $2,450 USD. If so, how much could shipping to the US cost? Perhaps I'm reading it wrong....?
If I'm reading it correctly, that is price per unit/piece. Multiply by 2 for a pair, or 4,500 EUR.
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That's the official price in Germany. The street price might even be 10% lower.But I don't know a german dealer who actually ships Dynaudio speakers. www.hifi-edition.de for example ships many other speaker brands, but Dynaudios can only be bought in their shop in Saarbrücken. Maybe this is a contractual restriction.
...show up with cash (US), arrange for the shipping; almost pays for the trip... well, almost. Just a thought.
sweet pics ! thx
Note: [my S3.4's are rosewood in color]
Great review!! Can you give us an idea of room size, speaker position (how far from front wall, side walls, listening positon)??
Hi, yes my oversight.S3.4's: located on short end wall (15')
Room: 20'l x 15'w
Sitting position: 13' (+/-) from front face of S3.4
Space from tweeter to tweeter: 8'
Space from tweeter to (front wall behind speaker): 3'
Decor: Rug, (3) windows w/thin drapes, (2) open doorways, large 5'x5' quilt on rear wall (behind listening position) wall, (2) couches, large area rug on top of wall to wall carpeting, standard height cielings (8' or 9').Currenly finishing the 3rd floor for dedicated listening room/home theatre. All gear and speaker(s) will reside there later this year. Room size will be larger than one listed above.
Best,
M
Clarification on speaker toe-in:I found that slightly more toe-in worked well w/the S3.4's.
The S25 seemed to do better when positioned almost strait-ahead.Could be the dispersion behavior of the Esotar2 vs the Esotec tweeter.
Note: I had a typo in last response; "cieling" should be "ceiling"
A question- how does the Sophia stack up? I have heard them many times, and owned 1.3SEs so I am curious to how the new Contours are against the Wilsons.PS. I found Acoustic Zen to be a great match with the Danes...
I believe the Sophia to be a very very good speaker. It can sound great on less $$$ expensive $$$ electronics, it's very dynamic and if need be; (home theatre ?) can play very loudly w/a nice punchy bass. It is room friendly, and has a smallish footprint (if you don't have a dedicated listening room).It's biggest weakness (in my opinion) is it's pricing. Yes, it's a Wilson, yes it's well built, and has a nice finish/style -- but $12k ?...mmmmm for a speaker that has a response of 30+ hz ?, not sure about that. for 12k I'd like a fuller range product.
The only other weakness [for me]; may be it's metal dome tweeter as it's not as 'romantic/intimate' as soft-dome tweeters in my experience.
Thanks for the excellent review of the 3.4s. I've not had a chance to get them into my home, but in my addition between the S25 and 3.4, I don't think that there was any way I thought that the 3.4s imaged better. I'm talking straight close your eyes and locate the speaker stuff, not depth and width of the soundstage. I'll be interested in hearing any follow-ups as the 3.4 breaks in.
Hi Dave,
My review was based on the S3.4's after 3-weeks of break-in time (various volumes, various source material, etc) ; I am pretty confident that my review was not premature, as the break-in itself was the 'friendliest' and easiest I've experienced from any Dyn model.
Re; imaging: I would never have believed it until we set them up. I don't even have to close my eyes to lose track of the physical speaker (s3.4) We thought for sure that the imaging of a 'floor stander' could never compete with the smaller monitors (1.3Se & S25's) -- we are MORE than pleasantly suprized, we are mildly shocked.
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