One of the best bookshelf speakers I have ever heard.

None

Use two pairs Dynaudio 42 in home cinema system. Perfect sound in mid- and high area's. Together with sub-woofer Kef and Denon AVR 1801 they fit perfectly. In other room Castle Pembroke + amplifier Denon. Went to the dealer for upgrading my Castle Pembroke's (1983) and for a hearing-session Dynaudio S 5.4 + Classé Cap 151. Dynaudio has convinced me, you get what you pay for, either you go for a Audience 42 or for a S 5.4

neutral, natural & accurate midrange, very good imaging, very tight and clean bass.

none so far

1st : these babies sound like crap out of the box...give them about 30+ hours and they bloom ! Before settling for the audience 42 I shopped around and compared them to Sonus Faber Concerto/concertino Home, B&W CDM 1NT, 602s3, Monitor Bronze, Kef Q1, and Dyn's own Audience 52. After much auditioning I settled for the Audience 42 bec of their very good imaging, clear and natural midrange - very neutral , and very smooth highs. Strings have that "air" around them.Bass is really tight - not that deep- but very clean and tight. Overall presentation is very "cohesive". In contrast SF sounded less "alive", B&W too sharp and a little bloated, Monitor bronze too bloated for my taste. Really really lovely pair of speakers :)

Similar Products Used:

B&W cdm 1nt, kef q1, sonus faber concerto & concertino Home, Monitor Bronze, etc...too many to remember.

Coherence. Mid-range. Lively.

Limited bass. Vinyl case. Tweeter a bit vulnerable.

I use these in an all Naim system (CD5, Nac92, Nap90, Hi-cap). Despite the 4ohm impedance and low sensitivity I have never had any problem getting these speakers to go loud in a medium size room. They have a brilliantly integrated sound with a high punch factor. Seem to work best with acoustic jazz and classical. At times the sense of scale seems totally out of proportion with the small boxes. At the price they are a Hi-Fi bargain.

Similar Products Used:

B&W DM303, Quad 11L

Tremendous midrange and top end. Surprisingly tight bass response, albeit limited. What bass info is passed thru these speakers is very well-controlled.

Absolutely no weakenesses at this price.

I've known of the Dynaudio reputation for several years and was simply blown away by my first real introduction to the little Audience 42 during a casual audition at my nearby Sound Factor outlet. Heard both Audience 42 and 52 and, for my money, I have no problem "settling" for the Audience 42. This mini marvel is without reproach in the critical midrange and top end. The sound produced within these ranges is truly effortless and non-fatiguing. Great delineation of each performer within his given space on a tangible soundstage. By comparison, I thought the Audience 52 sounded unquestionably fuller but also somewhat "thicker" in the upper bass/lower mid region, creating a muffled sensation with voices. If I really felt I wanted more bottom end heft I would look for a subwoofer to go with the Audience 42. I cannot imagine a bettter all around performer at anywhere near the price. I got mine as a store demo with full warranty and saved roughly $100.00. There was nothing on the showroom floor that could compete with the Audience 42 at this price. By comparison, even a $900 B & W mini monitor sounded tubby, bloated and at least one step behind the Dynaudio.

Similar Products Used:

Tannoy Mercury M2 (1998 vintage); early DCM Time Window floorstanders (1982 vintage). Both sound okay but cannot compete wiith the Audience 42 in the key midrange and top end. Am driving the Dynaudios

All, Except for bass extension! but of course it's a small bookshelf!!

None

one of the best bookshelf i had heard Perfect mid's high's. as if the vocalist is in front of you also great bass. you won't get tired of listening to it

Similar Products Used:

Bose 701, Dynaudio audience 7

Sound, warm, perfect voices, listen long!

You want more! I'm gonna buy Dynaudio's for my primary system as well.

I was looking for a quality stereo in my home office. First looks went for the B&W CDM1 NT. When comparing them (accidently) in the shop with the Dynaudio 122, I wanted to hear more! Although I loved the warmth and smoothness of the 122, the dealer advised me to get the 42's for the roomsize in question. He was absolutely right. Perfect 'body', fills the enrire room, surprisingly deep bass and volume from these tiny speakers. They really match my 'easy listening' demands while working! Sorry B&W, but you lost a fan: Dynaudio delivers smoother sound and equal build quality for half the money.

Similar Products Used:

B&W CDM1, Mission M71, Magnat AR8.

I can't think of something not listed already. Just think smaller is better.

You have to pay 10% more for the real wood veneer option. Oh well, still sounds the same.

This is a great mini-monitor. The price seems steep, but you get what you pay for. What you get are Dynaudio's infamous drivers, technology and cabinet construction. Mine have not even broken in yet, and they sound fantastic. The tonal balance is excellent. The highs are smooth, not harsh or metallic. The midrange is perfect (especially voices). The bass is full and punchy, about 85% of what you get from a tower in a cabinet less than a foot tall. Amazing. I have a powered sub and I don't miss it with music. I leave it to LFE duty now. Imaging is what you would expect from a speaker this small. If you are in the market for a bookshelf speaker around $700, put this at the top of your audition list. I was a little hesitant due to the impedence and sensitivity rating. It sounds worse than the specs imply. The 4 ohm load is a consistent one, and my receiver actually runs cooler with these speakers than with the 6 ohm models they replaced (you still need a high current amplifier section, however). The 86dB sensivity rating is also a non-issue. System: Harman Kardon AVR220 Harman Kardon DVD5 Velodyne CT-100 Monster Interconnects Kimber 4PR speaker cable w/gold bananas Atacama Nexus 6 24" stands (mass loaded)

Similar Products Used:

Allision Acoustics AL105, AL100, Cambridge SoundWorks Ensemble II (what was I thinking).

Very tight. Very crisp and clear sound. Great imaging. Very involving and punchy. Excellent detail.

Nothing at the price. It's possible to buy other speakers with better bass (deeper, not tighter) at the same price (floorstanders), but I haven't heard others which don't compromise in the areas these little speakers excel.

These speakers are very good. Surely unbeatable at the price. Sounding better with each month that passes. System: Roksan Attessa DP2P (upgraded to DP3P). Roksan Kandy KA1 MKII. Ecosse Reference CA1 Conductor Interconnect. Ecosse Reference MS2.3 Speaker Cable.

Quick, crisp and clean

Ultimate bass compromised, boom close to the wall.

What a sharp liitle speaker. I use these in my second system at home, with Rega Planet 2000 and Audiolab 8000A. Although they cost a bit extra compared to some they are not quite priced in the luxury compact area yet perform very well. Main characteristic is agility-they have such a nice easy paced sound with good clean-cute transients and a snap in the bass registers that compensates for extreme ground-shaking. they handle highre volumes well enough but it is with quieter and more delicate pieces that they really shine with a very crisp and natural presentation completely lacking the ''hollowness'' of many compacts. Mine are now on wall brackets and the foam port-plug is useful to stop a bit of booming. On stands they need a bit of room away from the wall and the plugs taken out. Really worth a spin, size does not matter after all.

Similar Products Used:

Kef/B+M/AE compacts

Everything for the price

I guess they could look better

Excellent little speakers. I have used them now for about 3 months and they have settled in nicely. For the size of the speakers the price may seem expensive, but for the size of the sound produced, they are a bargin. Maybe slightly lacking in the lower bass, but what bass it does produce, is done well and controled. The midrange is produced with great realism, and the treble never seems to become over bearing. Imaging is good, detail is excellent. Great all round speakers for the money.
Tried the 52's as well, better on the bass but didn't seem to have the same quick punchy feel to them. Now thinking of using 42W's and a 42C for surround sound.