very detailed, very dynamic

none other than obvious LF drop off of mini-monitor

I had been looking to upgrade the Advents for years but everything I would try in the under $1,000 range wasn't enough better to justify the cost. My house is all built in, so no room for big floor standers. Listening to the 805 Nautilus got me searching again. My main test cuts were a violin duet (Perlman/Zuckerman), part of Mahler(1st/Abbado/Chicago), jazz (Miles/Kind of Blue), fusion (McLaughlin/Babes in Radioland)and live Santana(Sacred Fire). There were others but these were used on all systems. The 805s were great until the Santana when they kind of went to mush. I have a big room and that was not going to work. The Paradigm sound was good but the sound stage changed quite a bit with volume changes and the demo was in a highly tuned room. The Monitors were in a small room. They were bi-wired but the jumper was also in place so I decided I did not want to spend more time at this dealer. I liked the Bostons but they seemed to lack punch, again in a smaller room. All auditions were done without a sub.

The Dynaudios are better than I thought available for under $2,000 and they are way under that figure. Large orchestral pieces are "grand". As a trumpet player in a former life I have never heard instruments sound so accurate in a system that was not in the $10,000 plus category. Horns of all kinds are wonderful on this system. It was very detailed but thin with 18 pair CAT 5 cables. The last couple of pairs brought it into balance.

Dynaudio Audience 52s
Onkyo 838
Panasonic RP91K CD/DVD
Philips 212 with Ortofon X1-MC
Cambridge 15" powered sub x-over at 80hz (very heavy unit)
AR interconnect on CD to amp
CAT5 DIY speaker cables (24 pair of 24 gauge)

Similar Products Used:

paradigm 40, B&W CNT, 805, original and legacy Advents, Monitor Silver, Boston Acoustics

Very detailed, revealing and balanced. The best dynamic speaker in its price range (and more) that I have heard. Very tight and punchy bass, sweet midrange, natural & detailed tweeter - no harshness whatsoever. Excellent imaging & soundstage. Easy to place.

Need good, high current amplifier to really appreciate the sound. Will sound bad with bad equipment

This speaker will make you love recordings you liked before. Very good with all types of music.

Must hear to believe.

Equipment:

Pioneer Combi Player
B&K Ref 30 preamp
Outlaw 750 amp
Kimber Kable PBJ & 4VS

Similar Products Used:

Home or store audition: Paradigm Monitor series (mini - 9), Paradigm Studio (20 - 60), B&W Natilus 805, B&W CDM NT, Monitor Audio Silver, Acoustic Energy, PSB 4T, JM Labs Cobalt 815, Klipsch, Boston Acoustic, Phase Technolgy Teatro 7(?) series

Super bass! Excellent dynamics

None at this pice range.

After 4 years with the JBL L100 it was time to try somthing else! I've auditioned various speakers (price range 500-1200$)and non of them came even close to the 52's. Belive me "Danes dont lie"

Similar Products Used:

B&W 601, JBL L100

small, smooth bass with the rest clear + sharp

haven't found any yet

these are great, bought new nad c370, saved up for speakers, went to shop, started at b+w, through kef and into these, suspicious of bass at first until they were tried in the audition room, and the difference was not only a fully functioning bass, but the most fabulous definition, all the way up to the very top with not a muddy bit to find, had to go away and think about as for me this is a lot of money. got them, worrying that they were bound to be good in the audition suite, but would they do the same at home. they are lovely, thomas tallis, tuvan thoat singing, through oasis, all the way to leftfield and everything has so much shape all of a sudden, and bottomed out with that lovely bass. so far the tallis has been most flattered, but leftfield provided a nice massage, oasis was the only slight disappointment,
definitely worth the money

Similar Products Used:

b+o

Lively,dynamic, yet natural sound.

Sometimes a little brighter than desirable, but then they were quite new.

Having splashed out on some Musical Fidelity A3 gear, I wanted to upgrade my speakers.
Domestic arrangements pointed me in the direction of stand-mounters and reviews in well known UK mags suggested looking at Dynaudio.
I had a session at a dealer comparing the new 52 with the older Contour 1.1. There was so much more life in the cheaper 52 that I took it home. It was already two weeks old and I ran it continuously for the next three days to help loosen it up.
I liked it lots, let down only by a tendency to be a little hard and bright with some music such as flute or electric guitar.
Being curious about the Contour 1.3 MkII I swopped them for a pair of those. They are brand new and I am patiently driving them as much as possible but initial impression is that the 52s arguably have more charm. They simply entertain more and at the price must be a relative bargain.
Appearance wise there is little in it. The vinyl looks really similar to the real wood.
The greater strength of the 1.3 is more delicacy in vocals, Diana Krall never sounded better, and there is more bass extension which helps with orchestral works where the double basses sound more convincing.
Conversely the 1.3 can be too polite and some recordings sound boring.
So, what to do?
The price differential is huge and I can put up with the vinyl.
The 52s were very agreeable companions and I am inclined to go for them and spend the difference on music.

Similar Products Used:

B&W 601