The most dynamic & transparent bookshelf


I get it when I hear some speakers like Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary, they are musical, detailed, but not on extreme dynamic, it can go pretty low and loud, but still lack a bit more powerful punch. My next aim for powerful speakers, will be something near perfect immune to distortions, must be extreme dynamic, go very loud and does not make the sound quality collapsed, also I insist to stick with bookshelf size, few options in my mind:

Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 (with NrT upgrade, worth?)
Mark&Daniel Ruby
Dynaudio DM 2/8
Proac Response D2
Soundfield Audio Monitor 1

For Dynaudio and Mark&Daniel, I have concern on power and drive efficiency, though I'm using a Class D Audio SDS-400C power amp, it work damn good with my Denton (warm + transparent gear goes really well). My considerations based on factors in this order: price, near full range dynamic, neutral and transparent sonic quality, availability (as I'm from Malaysia, not easy to achieve those speakers), and last your opinions? Any other recommendations? Once again, I'm not looking for speakers with colorations, must extremely dynamic, dead neatral and transparent without snake oil!
wim1983

Showing 2 responses by acousticfrontiers

ATCs are known for their dynamic abilities, a result of the massive magnet structures and underhung voice coils (coil stays in magnetic gap at higher excursions).

The SCM19v2 which another Agoner mentioned has their SL (Super Linear) drivers. I would call these speakers "super-resolution".

The SCM19v2 was an Absolute Sound product of the year for 2014 and a was picked by a Stereophile writer as one of their favorites of 2014.

Disclaimer: ATC dealer
Wim1983. I agree the ATC look is more traditional. Take a look at the drive units though, and the engineering that goes into them. I'm personally not sure there is anything better around that price point. They solidly outperformed the new KEF Reference 1 standmount according to a client to came for a demo, though he purchased the new Dynaudio active speakers in the end.

The ATC low end frequency response statistics are very conservative, that's just how the company is, but in reality they have the 12dB/octave sealed box rolloff as opposed to the 24dB/octave ported box rolloff so bass actually goes down quite low. On the plus side you get the benefits of extremely accurate bass, as opposed to what you get out of some (not all) ported speakers.