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Dynaudio Special Forty vs. Contour 20

Hey all - new account on Audiogon, but not new to the site. I used to be a reviewer for a now-defunct publication and have spun off my own audio blog, The Audiophile Weekend Warrior (TAWW). As you can tell from the name, I'm trying not to take myself too seriously. :)

Anyway, thought I'd spin off some discussion here based on my recent quick audition of the Dynaudio 2-ways:
http://taww.co/post/168720946672/quick-take-dynaudio-special-forty-contour-20

Context: I'm searching for a new reference speaker to upgrade my Merlin TSM-MXe. In short, I liked the Special Forty better, but neither really did it for me. Fire away with the questions/comments/flames! :-D

Cheers,
MIY
http://taww.co
128x128taww
ulsc
1 posts
 
Hi there from a newcomer from Denmark. I have heard the special 40 but I already have Focus 160 same size. Major bass and super high resolution and not that difference for me. After 6 year the CEO of dynaudio is comming to my place  him self and pick up my focus because of  a reclamation. He will give me a lent pair  of their new series... That's custumeseevirvic.Sorry for my T9. BR Ulrich
seasdiamond
44 posts
 
@ulsc

Reclamation? Was your Focus 160 a demo pair?

cortes
34 posts
 
@taww,

I've been surfing your blog. Highly recommended, with common sense and really very well written. That's a skill that I envy;-). 

I've being looking at your posts on the Audiovector SR1 arretee. It's the size and price I'm looking for an upgrade of my monitors.  The documentation on audiovector site is not good, but seemingly there is an active version
https://audiovector.com/discreet.html

it's not clear to me even what type of amplifcation they are using.  Have you listenned to the active version?. 
rja's avatar
rja
2,356 posts
 
Always wonder how the Special 25 would fit in the conversation.
I occasionally see them available.
taww's avatar
taww OP
124 posts
 
Hi @cortes - thanks for the kind words about the blog, always happy to hear if it's useful at all. I've fallen a bit behind on reviews the last few months (day job keeping me busy) but try to keep up with more regular updates on my Instagram/Facebook.

I haven't heard the active version of the Audiovector. No idea about the internal amp, but I can drop Mads Klifoth @ Audiovector a line to ask. It's possible with the flexibility of active, the integration between drivers will be even better - it's quite excellent as-is on the passive SR 1 Arreté, but with perhaps a bit of energy loss that my colleague Martin DeWulf referred to at the end of his quick take review. I've taken some rough in-room response measurements and see a little room for improvement in the 2-3kHz range that seem related to his (and my own) listening observations. That said, still a superb speaker, and IMO a meaningful step up in resolution and accuracy vs. the Dynaudios.
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