Danish loudspeakers: Dynaudio & System Audio


Recently, I've auditioned a pairs of Dynaudio Focus 110, I'm pretty impressed with the sound, but if I choose to buy the Focus 160, I'm a bit worry on the bass resonance problem due to rear ported design, some Dynaudio users report such problem too. I'm living in a medium room, where space is very limited, thus I'm considering to audition a pairs of System Audio Mantra 5, same Danish loudspeaker design, seem well regarded from some of the feedbacks, though I have to contact them to check whether any audition available in Malaysia, from the Website I'm able to search out a location though. Anybody heard of the System Audio speakers, any opinions or impressions how it sound?
128x128wim1983

Showing 5 responses by lowrider57

Have you considered Dali, another fine Danish speaker?
They use a dome tweeter combined with a ribbon tweeter and and a bass driver. And they use a front port.
Wim1983,
I'm not a Dali owner, I've auditioned many models and I really love their monitors; smooth highs, tight bass. Sorry I can't advise you on stands, but Bill_k has good advice for your audition.
Jl35, you're right of course.
The lower-tier floorstanders have front ports, including the Lektor monitors. I had to look it up, sorry for the misinformation.
It's been a while since I listened to some Dali monitors and they were Helicon's; no front port.
Wim1983,
The PSB Synchrony One B, like all PSBs, has a very nice warm feel to it and a huge soundstage. It's very enjoyable to listen to and capable of smooth mids and deep bass, but it's rear-ported and needs to have room away from the wall. Too close to the wall and you won't get detail in the bass.

That's due to the 6.5" woofer. I hope you like them, but the Focus 160 is the better speaker. You'll need to use some room treatments for any speaker you choose.
To minimize low frequency reflections, which will be heard as a thickening of the sound, the loudspeaker models can be adapted to the room’s acoustic character by using foam plugs in the bass reflex port.

Yes, that does help in certain situations. If you are getting bass boom in very low frequencies, use the plug. At a higher bass frequency, and I'm just guessing above 60Hz, when using the plug the speakers will not sound as open. I think it's better to use bass traps or some acoustic treatment.

As for reflections causing a thickening of the sound, and I think we all have experienced this when setting up a room, the answer is to treat the room and/or move the spkrs further from the walls.

There are other speaker manufacturers who use port plugs, or at least recommend stuffing foam rubber in the port. I played with the plugs on my PSB Synchronys and they ruined the sound of Classical music, but were very effective on heavy Rock basslines. And I was also using room treatments.