My Line Arrays and Dynaudio monitor - where to go


I’m close to pulling the trigger on a pair of Dynaudio Confidence C1’s but I’m hesitant.

I was at the CES show in Vegas to listen to a variety of speakers. We (wife and I) came away with the feeling that we weren’t getting what we wished for in our current line array speakers. There seems to be an emotional bond to the music that just doesn’t get communicated in some types of music. Some speakers we heard at the CES show had a 3D holographic image that was just mesmerizing. In particular the Dynaudio monitor line and the Opera monitor. Vocals as well were realistic and the image was simply “you are there” quality and this was the line under the Confidence series. Also great were the Silverline Boleros.

The line arrays I have are great and an unbelievable bargain but sometimes feel that the sound staging which is rather flat, vocals which are less than human and overall high frequency energy which is a bit unbalanced IMHO.
A few days before the show I dropped my Oppo BDP83 SE player off with Rick Schultz of Tweakaudio for some additional mods. He offered a solution to the excessive HF energy by felting around all of the tweeter drivers, there are 12 of them. I allowed a few days of break in for the player (caps were involved in the mod) then felted around the drivers. Between the mods which were spellbinding by themselves and the felting (done afterwards), we have some amazing sound coming from the line arrays. These may be the most dynamic speakers I’ve ever heard and I’ve heard a lot of them. Now I seemed to have tamed the HF problem as well. Imaging had greatly improved though not nearly the level of the Dyns or other fine speakers we’ve listened too. Vocal too still aren’t to what I’d wish they be. As well these line arrays are giants, 28 drivers in all and reaching at least 6’ high. But these speakers swing dynamically with bass way down low and highs into the Netherlands.

Reading the reviews on the C1’s they appear to be a world class speaker with amazing bass capabilities given the right amplification. I use Nuforce 9 SEV2 monoblocks (soon to be V3’s) and a Cary SLP05 tube preamp. My amps will register 160 watts with a damping factor of 4000. The perform amazing bass duties on the line arrays, stunning in fact. The Dyn’s from what I’ve read need current. I’m unsure how current equates with the Nuforce’s. I’m unsure in fact in I won’t miss the dynamic capabilities of the line arrays. I thought if I missed the low bass on the C1’s and go locate a HQ sub which, doing double duty as a HT system, wouldn’t be a bad idea anyway.

Just curios what the knowledgeable folks in this forum thought about a speaker change and in particular the Dynaudio C1’s.
128x128desalvo55
Desalvo,

I do not have line arrays but I have a pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkii monitors and other larger full range designs. The Dyns have fantastic, almost unbelievable bass for such a small box, however, small monitor designs are inherently disadvantaged in comparison to larger designs when it comes to impact and overall dynamics in the low end. They are just not able to shake the rafters the same as a equally good larger design in general. The difference may only be noticeable to many when the two are heard side by side. The solution, if it is an issue to the listener is typically to add a good sub. That usually brings the best of both worlds to the table in regards to imaging, detail and finesse from amonitor coupled with a fully capable bottom end.

Subwoofer aside, I think more power and current in general will always benefit the Dynaudios regardless as well.
I've been wondering if the Wyred4Sound amps would work with my C1s. So much power, so little money -- too good to be true?

The MB500's are still available new if you have money burning a hole in your pocket.

I'm surprised about the one-note bass comment, but I do believe you. I love the bass on the C1, though I've never owned a "serious" bass speaker apart from the Thiel 2.4, so I admit that I don't have any credibility on the subject.
Desalvo55,

I have used C1’s for the past three years in a 2.2 configuration with a Simaudio W-3 power amp in a 15’x13’ room. I decided to use a monitor/sub configuration as this allowed to purchase speakers with the best sonic characteristics for the room volume.

Using the C1 monitors either full range or high passed, I am able to produce output levels to satisfy any desired listening level. Using them full range does not produce the lower octaves of course, but I still have no complaint with the overall output level.

After reviewing this thread again, I do not see any mention of the size of the acoustical environment. Forgive me if I missed this, but what is the size of the room? This will be very important as a previous post mentions that household system users listening habits include “stadium levels” output. You may be expecting monitors to fill too big of a room at a high level where maybe floor standing models (S3.4, S5.4, C2, C4) would be more appropriate for the application.

When scaled to the appropriate room size, these monitors are very dynamic. Just last evening when I had the house to myself, I was once again quite surprised of the dynamic contrasts produced by these monitors.

You may also want to look at a Simaudio W-5 amp as well. This will drive the monitors without question.
Well I took a deep plunge and bought a Pass Labs X350.5. The amp market is hot as my bid for others was always too late. Then came the 350 and out went my Nuforces and a lot of cash. At least I can take the "too short of power" equation of the mystery of why the C1's bass is so um, uneventful. Are we spoiled by the line arrays?

What's even funnier to me, having the line arrays for sale is, nobody is interested. Maybe it's a size issue? They kill just about anything I've heard.

What will be interesting is how the Pass performs not just on the C1's, but on the LS6's!