Dynaudio Owner's Thread - Page 606

weird 23, Thanks for the info. I'll take a look at those cites you listed and see if I can't dial my room in further. I, too, heard about how beneficial duffusion can be. This kit you speak of, is exactly what I need.
Thanks again. I'll keep you posted. Happy Holidays to you and to all of the Dyn guys on this site.

 

sparks81 

I will add something to the sub versus no sub debate that I noticed when using my system both with and without. I have S1.4's and a Sub 500. I do enjoy using analog bypass when listening in stereo but I also noticed that when I DO integrate the sub I feel as if I experience much better midrange performance/ I attribute this to the S1.4's mid doing less work in trying to reproduce anything below 60-80HZ . In my room the S1.4's can perform pretty darn good as it is a sealed and dedicated space that is acoustically treated, however the Sub 500 does blend well and does a good job of enhancing the overall performance of the S1.4 when setup properly.

Also if anyone has a single S1.4 they are looking to part with I am looking for one to use as a center channel, finish does not matter much!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all!

Merry Christmas to all of you guys

+1

and happy holidays to my fellow non-christian friends.

Just curious where do you cross the sub over at?

I wish everyone a safe and happy holidays.

Hi Guys,

Merry Christmas! Not sure if I should have started a new thread or not but here goes..

I am the proud owner of a new pair of Dynaudio Focus 160's! They are due to be delivered to my home in a few days. I currently have a Cyrus 6A DAC amp, and am wondering how well will it match with my new Focus 160?

I bought the Cyrus only a couple of weeks ago before my Dynaudio purchase, as I liked the fact that it had an integrated DAC. My previous speakers are cheap Wharfedale 9.1s.
I also have an old Arcam Alpha 8 amp, and the Arcam sounds much warmer and richer in general compared to the Cyrus, which seems to be a nit harsh and thin. I expect something similar to happen when my Dynaudio's arrive.

Just want to get the opinion of the Focus 160 owners on whether an upgrade from the Cyrus amp (40 WPC) would allow me to get much more quality sound from the Focus 160s?
As my Cyrus is only a few weeks old, I am sure my local dealer will allow me to trade it back for an improved amp.

Besides Cyrus, the brands my dealer stocks are: Arcam, Naim and Rotel. I know that there is no substitute other than listening myself, but I can be a bit indecisive, and there's a limit to the amount of times that I can return amps to my dealer!

Thanks!

Any gear will say the dynaudio/naim combo is spectacular. I know I feel that way.

I would love to get some demo time w/ a Naim combo!
Merry Christmas

Depends on what I am doing. For Stereo I cross them over at 60HZ. for Movies I cross them over at 80 hz. With my current pre-pro (Audio Refinement Pre2 DSP) I cannot set different x over frequencies for the front and rear speakers so this works for now especially since the Sub500 has different presets that you can use.

I recently moved my sub from the front right corner to 2/3 down the side wall and in doing so eliminated a null at the entire first row. I am messing with phase now to see what sounds the best. Here's a question for you guys, when using the phase switch n the sub 500 I am assuming that you tend to start with the main speakers as a reference and adjust the sub phase accordingly. For example I have my sub now firing towards the mains just in this test position and set the phase to 180 degrees, I am thinking this creates a situation where the cones are moving in the same direction?

Any input on this is appreciated for sure. And this is only a temporary location as if I like one of these positions I will be moving the sub to the other side of the wall and building a pass through and a box around it so that it is hidden behind the wall.

I'm also a Naim fan, and that is what I use with my main system (Contour S3.4s). However, I have an Arcam Alpha 9 amp powering a pair of Dyn Audience 52 SE in my office system, and it sounds great. I would give that Alpha 8 a shot at running the 160s. That could be a really good sounding combination.

any particular Naim model?

Budget

Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

My system, on the other hand, with newly addition of C1 Sigs, isn't very Xmas'y. Apart from the first 2 days of their arrival when I marveled at its bass (compared to my Focal Electra 1008Be), I start to realize I'm having a major, major synergy issue. It's pretty much unlistenable at the moment, sounds bright/grainy (some of you would say hard to believe, coming from Beryllium) and nothing sounds right 150Hz and up. A visiting friend last night for poker gathering put it the best - a stock cheap car stereo with an expensive sub.

The suspected culprit I can think of right now is the combination of my Grover Zx speaker cables and Nordost Heimdall ICs (XLR between amp and pre, RCA from pre to dac). I also use Grover digital RCA from dac to transport.

I was contemplating to order Nordost Frey SC to pair with Heimdall ICs, but I remember how happy I was when I first inserted Grover SC. So, just ordered a couple of pairs of Grover ICs. Also a much cheaper alternative over all Nordost cabling..with a possibly more promising result. They probably won't arrive until end of next week.

I can't help but feel I sold my 1008 Be way too fast (it lasted on A'gon all of 5 days). I'm sure C1 Sigs are very good, given all the testimonials on this thread but it has yet to bring me joy. The timing with the holidays isn't also very ideal. Making me embarrassed every time a guest requests to play the stereo with all the beautiful neon lights.

One thing I get somewhat right is sub integration. The crossover is between 35-40Hz and it adds nice extension to the lowest octaves.

Anyway, these are the electronics paired with C1 Sigs.
- Pass XA30.5 amp (plenty of power/current for C1 Sigs)
- Pass XP-10 line stage
- Metrum Octave NOS dac
- Empirical Audio Synchro-mesh reclocker
- AppleTV (I understand it's not ideal audio transport but I love its interface, Netflix, YouTube streaming)
- Anthem MRX-500 for HT duty

I used to have Oppo-95 before and AppleTV+Synchro-mesh+Metrum > Oppo.
Edited by kzhtoo - 12/25/12 at 5:14pm

Naim kits run from $1600 to $60K at retail. We need an idea of your budget to recommend something specific.

With that said, at the $3K price range the Nait XS or UnitLite might be good places to start.

You mean the $1800 price-range, don't you Dean

I think it IS a synergy problem. I'd recommend trying to get your hands on a much higher powered amp. 250 w/ch or more if possible. Parasound, Bryston, Plinius, Levinson, Classe, etc... Also, unhook the sub, it's not helping.

And it's not the cables. Cables cannot make world class speakers sound like crap.

Hmmm, I am using a S1.4 as a center but I have it laying horizontally because of space constrains
I would like to get a traditional center speaker but just don't have the funds right now.
What center speaker are you using? Maybe we can do a trade. My S1.4 has the piano black color.

Why don't you post your ARC frequency response charts? I'd start looking at your in room response before spending anymore money, especially on cables.

I am not currently using a center, just phantom using the Front L + R. If you DO decide to sell it please let me know before you list it anywhere.

FWIW: I am referring to retail prices.

Yes, yes; I'm just whoring my XS-2

Fair enough. I was just trying to get a baseline on his budget.

The Nait XS would be an excellent match for Focus 160s.

What you are describing sounds like they are NOT broken in yet.. I would doubt the cables too. The Pass XA30.5 should be adequate power. Again with my original C1's between 100 ans 150 hrs they sounded horrible. At 250 hrs they started to sound very good but it wasn't until I hit 350 - 400 hrs did they start to sound great again. When they sounded bad the bass dropped out - the mids got very 'honky' sounding and the highs seemed to have disappeared. With the Sig's I swapped electronics 3 times during the break in (450 hrs) before putting the Octave and Meridian back in. Had my Yamaha CDX1030 with a Bryston 3BSST and some adcom pre (pretty lame combo). So I can't say if the break in time was different. Also being impatient I ran the C1's and Sig's 7/24 for 450 hrs. Also my system is on twice a day for usually 2 hrs then when I get home 3 - 5 hrs. Weekends 8 - 10 hrs a day. So Khin give them at least 50 or better 100 hrs more. Per Tyler and Mick the C1's have the hardest time breaking in. Not sure but maybe the time in the turtle express shipment they reverted back to new sounding

CD you mentioned they were broken in and was wondering exactly how many hrs you had on them?

Merry Christmas everyone! Anyone hear the primaluna dialogue two with the focus 160's (or any other similar dyn such as s1.4)? I don't have either yet. I've heard the focus 160s and like the natural voices and "warmness".

Thanks

Either way, I still want one. I am going to wait and get a pair off Audiogon. Either C1 or Contours S3.4 (hey, I like the way they look).

I wander if the new Audience line which is suppose to have the new "industrial" look will look similar to the Confidence and Contour line?

Back to the review,I could do without the foul language but it is one of the few reviews out there on this great speaker. I also agree the Linn Unidisk is one heck of a player (you can get a good deal on one of those on Audiogon too).
Edited by avsforumsdsd - 12/26/12 at 5:49pm

What new Audience line? Do you have a link to any info? I just bought a set of Dynaudio Audience 82 towers.

^^^ That whole post is whack. "Either way, I still want one"; want one what? And where's this review he speaks of; you know...the one with the foul language?? (and yes...I don't think there's any new Audience line...or surely we would know, wouldn't we?)

Guys, I'm going to have to limit my comments on this situation...because to be honest, I'm too close and distraught over it. No one wants to hear, that a buyer...who purchased their $8500, world-class speakers...thinks they sound like "a stock, cheap car stereo".

The speakers were certainly well broken-in. This pair was broken-in...new, out-of-the-box...by Dynaudio for CES; and used by Clearaudio at their booth (where I'm going to assume, no one thought it sounded like stock, cheap car-audio; see...too close to it, lol). Then...they were played by me, regularly, for around the 8 months or so I owned them. I don't track listening hours (and never understood how any of you do), but I should think these are easily past any break-in thresholds.

Now...they did sit "cold" for quite some time (a month or better?), before shipping (and of course, went through a coast-to-coast journey). Perhaps they're going through a mini re-break-in; where they went from sounding good to bad? (though I'm not sure how much I buy into that theory...but there's the info, fwiw).

The tricky part here...and Khin, I ask rhetorically and really more for the benefit of the group; because as I said...while I'm willing to "help" with info, I'm going to have to distance myself from this a bit. I don't understand why they didn't sound like "a stock, cheap car stereo" out of the box? I mean, surely...if I were waiting on world-class, $8500 speakers; if anything, my expectations would be most high on first play. I might be expecting pure honey to come pouring from the drivers, and if it didn't; well...I could see a let-down at first. But it seems as if you're saying they sounded great to you at first...but have "stepped-back" somehow? I'm at a loss.

My first thought would be a cross-over or driver must be damaged (does one speaker sound "better" than the other?); but again...wouldn't you have heard that on the first, few sessions? I'd love to think that this is simply mini re-break-in; that it's a temporary set-back, and all will sound glorious to you again with a few more hours time. I'd also tend to agree with jaxwired, that it's more likely a synergy problem; though I just can't see Pass having an issue (then again, 30 watts is pretty paltry with a speaker like this; were your 1008BEs simply much more sensitive?).

I'd also love to be able to say "ah; just change a cable or two"; but again...I'm not sure a cable here or there, magically takes you from "a stock, cheap car stereo", to not. Maybe new friends? J/K (I really am too close to comment on this, lol). I'll be watching, of course; but please don't take my lack of comments moving forward, to be lack of concern.
Edited by CDLehner - 12/26/12 at 3:36am

budget of $2000 max, thanks

I am intrigued by this empirical synchro-mesh reclocker. Does this help a lot for Apple TV and squeezebox? I have and love both.