Dynaudio Excite X16 vs. Dynaudio Focus 140

Disclaimer: We are a Dynaudio Dealer

The Excite X16 is a very linear loudspeaker and has no bad habits. It "plays well" with all gear and types of music as well as recording quality. As with all Dynaudio products, the X16 has outstanding build quality. This carries a large price/performance ratio.

The Focus 140 takes the performance to the next level over the X16. In addition to approaching the Reference styles of the Contour/Confidence series, all of the Focus series have a built in "fun factor." The 140 (by design) has a bit of a bass hump so it plays much larger than it's size. You will be amazed at what you hear from this compact monitor.

Hope this helps

Would you say the the 140's are smoother sounding and the X16's are a tad more brighter sounding?

Thanks for your help.

The Focus line's emphasis leans a bit toward the mid range. The Focus line's fit & finish are excellent but that should be expected because their prices are higher. In the looks dept, the Focus line is better but they are also harder to drive.

In the looks dept, the Excite line is not as appealing as the Focus line IMHO.

The Excite line is one notch below the Focus line but that does not mean they are inferior. In the March issue of Stereophile, Bob Reina said that the Excite X 12 is his new under $2K standmount reference. JA also agreed that unless you have a "cost is no object" budget for your next standmount speaker, it is almost impossible to beat the X 12.

In addition, Dynaudio confirms that the Excite line was designed to be "budget electronics friendly" which I see as a big +.

This is how I would describe the Dynaudio lines:

Evidence top of the line = Lexus LFA 11/12
Confidence = Lexus IS F/10
Contour = Lexus LS 10
Focus = Lexus GS 10
Excite = Lexus IS 10 (handsome, great fit & finish, full of luxurious amenities, fun to drive sport sedan yet more budget friendly with many consumers)
DM = Toyota Avalon/Camry SE

I'm not sure what exactly "DedicatedAudio" was getting at but the whole "fun factor" is a load of bull.

There are three basic differences between these two models. And these three things dictate the difference in cost.
A) Cabinet. The Focus is more rigid.
B) Drivers. The Focus uses the Esotec2 Tweeter with a neodymium magnet. This tweeter's response is nearly identical to their incredible Esotar2.
C) Crossover. The Focus crossover uses superior parts selection as well as including more elaborate impedance correcting circuits. So it is incorrect to claim that the Focus is more difficult to drive. It may have slightly less sensitivity but it is NOT more difficult to drive.

All of these things add up to significantly improved performance.

To put things into perspective.... Short of the ultra elaborate cabinet that goes with the Focal Utopia Diablo, all the parts that go into the Focus are on par with that level of speaker. Literally. And at a fraction of the cost.

Bottom line. The Excite is outstanding but if you can afford the Focus you absolutely will not regret the extra cost.

(Honestly, I would expect a "Dealer" to know these things off the top of their head. hmmmmm)

This is what Bob Reina at Stereophile said about the Excite X 12

"Comparisons
I compared the Dynaudio Excite X12 ($1200) with the Amphion Helium2 ($1200), the Monitor Audio RS6 Silver ($1200), and the Epos M16i ($1995). (All prices per pair.)

The Amphion Helium2's midrange was very close to the Excite X12's, if a touch less silky. The highs were a little less detailed, delicate, and airy, but low-level dynamics were equally lifelike and linear. The bass was almost as clean as the Dynaudio's, but the X12 had much better high-level dynamics, despite the fact that the Amphion has the slightly larger cabinet.

The floorstanding Monitor Audio RS6 Silver's midrange was nearly identical to the Dynaudio X12's in timbre and detail, and its highs were more extended but not as delicate. However, the RS6 Silver's bass extension and high-level dynamic slam were far superior to the X12's.

The Epos M16i, another floorstander, had a gorgeous, silky midrange and the most detail and ambience retrieval of all four speakers. Its highs were as extended as the Dynaudio's, but the X12 sounded a bit silkier. The Epos's bass extension and high-level dynamics were also a little more deep and "bloomy" than the Dynaudio's.

Wrapping up
I frequently receive e-mails from readers who ask me to weigh the tradeoffs of the various speakers I've reviewed. With the Dynaudio Excite X12, there are no tradeoffs. It sets a high standard of excellence in every meaningful sonic parameter, whether in absolute terms or with respect to its price and size. Having heard so many excellent speakers in recent years, I thought it would be hard to find an affordable bookshelf model that would stand out from the pack. I was wrong. The Dynaudio Excite X12 has become my new benchmark for loudspeakers costing under $2000/pair."