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Mini Monitors - Dynaudio and JM Labs

After 11 years with my Thiel CS22 floorstanders, I’m ready to make a change and have decided to try out some mini monitors because of room size 15’x17’x7.5’ and the fact that I have a REL Stadium III to take care of the low end. I’ve narrowed my search down to two brands, Dynaudio and JM Labs. I’m looking at the Micro Utopia Be and either to the three Dynaudio models, Confidence C1, Special 25, or Contour 1.3SE.

I listen to pretty much all types of music but the majority being Jazz, Rock, and Alternative. One thing about the Thiel’s that I have always had a difficult time dealing with was that the listening position was extremely critical. The way that I have my speakers positioned, only one person at a time could truly enjoy the music from my Thiel’s. I’m hoping that I can improve my predicament with the speakers listed above as well as moving a step up in the quest for the absolute sound. I believe I have plenty of power to drive any of the speaker listed. A list of my associated equipment is listed “my system”.

Please, your recommendations or comments are welcome if you have compared or owned any speakers listed above.
islandflyfisher

Showing 6 responses by washline

washline
208 posts
 
I would take the Micros in a landslide over the Dynaudios. I've heard both of the monitors in a number of different contexts and they simply didn't get the highs right for me, despite the deep soundstage. I really wanted to like them too. The dealer who was pushing them was a great guy and I wanted to give him my business. But the Micros are something else altogether. A truly amazing speaker.
washline
208 posts
 
I strongly disagree on the comment about the "marketing" around the beryllium tweeter. If there is "hype" around this tweeter, it's because it's that good. It's both the material AND the inversion that makes the difference. Sorry but I've heard the esotar domed tweeter on pretty much the entire confidence line and I wasn't impressed. It lacks the extension of the beryllium. And as I said before, I really wanted to like it. Nothing would have made me happier than giving the Dynaudio dealer my business, but the fact was that the JM Lab speakers were more impressive.

I agree that the Micros lack the bass extension. You need to use them with subwoofers. They only go down to 50 hz. What do you expect?
washline
208 posts
 
Goatwuss, don't be silly enough to assume what my ears can and cannot hear. Speak for yourself, not for other people's organs.

If it's true that people cannot hear beyond 20 khz, then why is it the case that the brain processes signals above this range even when, as in the case of listening to high resolution audio compared to CDs, some people claim to not recognize any differences?

http://www.edn.com/article/CA276213.html#ref
washline
208 posts
 
Goatwuss, a run-on sentence is a sentence in which a compound sentence receives no comma between independent clauses and before a coordinating conjunction. Sorry but none of my sentences qualify. As for the text I cited, please check note 5. That was my reference point.
washline
208 posts
 
Goatwuss, he cited the study, not me. I cited his citing of the study. And in doing so, I don't necessarily endorse his conclusions, so whether or not he seems to "contradict" what I say, he has admitted this study in his paper.

"I would argue though, that in the grand scheme of all things audio, and what is important vs non-important, that high-frequency extension above 25khz is trivial in significance."

How would you know if you can't hear it?

I just listened to Dynaudio C1's once again this past weekend. My opinion hasn't changed. Sorry to say. The Micro Be's mop the floor with these monitors.
washline
208 posts
 
I've heard the C1s in a number of different contexts, with a variety of amplifiers, and no, I've never been very impressed with them. But I wanted to be. I really liked one of the dealers.

"Because otherwise, your evaluation would be meaningless."

Only to you perhaps. To me it wasn't meaningless at all.
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