Replacements for Dynaudio Floorstanders


Hi there.

My current system is made up of the following: Dynaudio Contour 1.8 Mk IIs, Krell 300il, Benchmark USB DAC, and a laptop with lossless music.

I'm looking to introduce a little warmth in my system, seeing as the Dyn/Krell/DAC combo has miles of resolution, but doesn't offer much in the way of engagement. I'm considering selling my Dynaudios for a warmer pair of speakers that I hope to find on Audiogon. $4k is my limit. My thinking is a used pair of B&W Nautilus 802s or 803s. What other suggestions would folks have, in terms of speakers that have similar resolution to Dynaudio's stuff, but offers more warmth and darkness? One outside consideration of mine is a pair of Mirage OMD-28s. Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks.
velociti
You're right on both points, they are all inaccurate and one
must seek the sound they prefer, but some are more accurate
then others and those that are will not be warm with Krell
because the more accurate the speaker the more it resolves
the characteristics of what proceeds them in the chain. If a
speaker can manage to make Krell sound warm, I would say the
inaccuracy is significant.

Have you ever heard your speakers sound great, in another
system or with another amp where you really liked the sound,
and with the warmth you are looking for? For example, they
would sound quite different (better in my view) with a Pass
XA series amp, or their integrated, just examples of SS amps
with some degree of "warmth". The Dynaudio brand in general
will tend to sound like what proceeds them as they tend to
be more accurate than most and a clearer window to what is
on the "other side" (I think they are very desirable
speakers).

There is also the issue of warmth versus bloom where we use
the same words to mean different things or different things
to say one thing we have in mind. For example, a tube amp
like the Music Reference RM200 (or an older RM9) would
certainly give you bloom, but little of the type of warmth
that I think might be what you did not like about your
testing of tube amps - they do differ quite a bit, tube amps
that is, but what they do provide is the addictive bloom
that tube lovers love - they don't all love warmth (which
can be pejorative depending what one has in mind when using
the word).
Since this is a free-for-all, I will throw my hat in the ring: I think the OP's warmth problem has nothing to do with his speakers. I think it's 50% the Krell and 50% the Benchmark. Changing either or both might solve the problem. Changing the speakers, I fear, will be a frustrating lesson in misdiagnosis.

Of course, I am guessing, like everyone else.

Bryon
I second the vote for a NAD C165/C275 setup to replace the NAD and it's dirt cheap compared to the alternatives. Sam Tellig reviewed the integrated version and said it punched way way out of it's class and I agree. I used to own this NAD combo with Dyn Contours and most people would think it was a high end tube system, no lie. Extremely full bodied sound wiht bags of rich harmonics. Highly recommend you try it with your Dyns.
I agree. Revealing speakers, Krell amp and a Benchmark Dac, with AQ cables and stock power cords.. sounds bright just sitting there...If it was me, well not the geared I'd have put together, but if it was me I'd replace the Dac with a W4S, or Lavry, replace the AQ wires with Cardas, and replace the stock power cords with the Shunyata Venom 3..
What seems clear through the thread is that few think changing the from the Dynaudio is the right first step,