I own the 1.8mkII. I agree that the 1.3se does have amazing bass for a monitor, but the 1.8mkII has amazing bass for a small floorstander. No matter how you look at it, if you want that last octive, you will have to add a sub to the 1.3se. I did not want to add a sub and found the 1.8 was a reasonable compromise. The 1.8 will not give you that deep deep lower half of the last octive, but it is noticeably heavier than the 1.3se. I found that no sub, even the excellent REL's can keep up with the speed of the contour line, thus there is always that un-natural disconnect that can be annoying with some types of music especially rock. The sub works great however, if all you listen to is classical. This choice between these 2 speakers is a personal one. Most people who opt for the 1.3se do so because they can live without that last octive, or don't mind the Sub combo. I found that the 1.3se only bettered the 1.8 when listening to music that was mainly vocal. I listen to mostly Jazz instrumental, some rock and some classical, so my choice was to get a little bit heavier bass and the rounder fuller sound I find in the 1.8.
Dynaudio 1.3SE question
I'm looking for a pair of speakers, and was considering the Dynaudio 1.8Mk2 (great speaker), but have heard that the 1.3SE is much better (despite being a monitor). If I go with the 1.3SE, I will go used, so I don't want to bother my local dealer to listen to them. So, I have two questions:
1. Is the 1.3SE really that much better than the 1.8Mk2?
2. How does the 1.3SE compare with the Merlin TSM-M? I've never heard a Merlin, but have heard many good things, and am curious.
My music preferences include jazz, folk, rock, heavy metal, electronic... you name it. I actually live in an apartment, so the speakers have to fit into my living room. I'd eventually like to add a sub to the system, for the extra low end. I don't have electronics yet, because I'm waiting to decide on a pair of speakers. When I decide, I will try to build around the speakers. By the way, I also like "fast" speakers (at least I think that's the term)... in other words, I like a speaker that can articulate fast transients in the music, particularly quick percussion beats. I also like nice separation and "air" (it is difficult to describe sounds, isn't it?) and detail. I'd appreciate any input... by the way, this is a great resource for audio enthusiasts!
Dennis
1. Is the 1.3SE really that much better than the 1.8Mk2?
2. How does the 1.3SE compare with the Merlin TSM-M? I've never heard a Merlin, but have heard many good things, and am curious.
My music preferences include jazz, folk, rock, heavy metal, electronic... you name it. I actually live in an apartment, so the speakers have to fit into my living room. I'd eventually like to add a sub to the system, for the extra low end. I don't have electronics yet, because I'm waiting to decide on a pair of speakers. When I decide, I will try to build around the speakers. By the way, I also like "fast" speakers (at least I think that's the term)... in other words, I like a speaker that can articulate fast transients in the music, particularly quick percussion beats. I also like nice separation and "air" (it is difficult to describe sounds, isn't it?) and detail. I'd appreciate any input... by the way, this is a great resource for audio enthusiasts!
Dennis