Truth, musical, ability to involve and non-fatigue

Not sexy enough

I have owned every speaker I listed above, the longest pair being the Extrema which opened the door to Dynaudio for me. I was an amature audiophile at the time, but I knew the Electa Amator just sounded so much better than Thiel, Hales, and other similarly (or not) priced speakers. So I upgraded to the Merlin VSM thinking the Esotar and Scanspeak woofer will make magic. I was disappointed, I never was able to feel involved as much as I used to. Came the Extrema, I was happy again.

So I asked myself what's stopping me from trying a geniune Dynaudio speakers if they are so good at making drivers? Other than the look, I am sure Dynaudio can do a better job designing speakers WITH their own drivers. It's like a F-1 race car, chassis and engine go hand-in-hand. It takes thousands of hours to tune it right, and it takes knowledge. The Contour 3.3 was every bit as good as I thought, even better than the Extrema by a long shot. For the asking price, it's truely a bargain.

Side by side with 802N, the most comparable speaker in this price range, 3.3 creates a realism 802N can't grab. I lived by a Steinway for years, Steinway never sounds right playing on 802N. Same goes for female vocal which always has a bit of harshness buildin to it. So people argues that metal tweeter's resonance frequency at 25kHz is beyond audible range (check out 802N's freq response), so why are we buying SACD, wide bandwith pre amp and power amp, or spend that extra hour a week to tweek your table? It's there and most can hear it, it's that harshness that irritates your ears sometimes.

I can't think of another speaker at this price to be better. Merlin is good with the new upgrade, but 3.3 is 98% as good with much more bass. Verity Parsifal Encore is very good, but not at twice the price. ProAc is a joke now a day. Revel Studio is so lean and analytical it makes you wonder why you get into this hobby sometimes.

Overall, the best bang for the buck among the sub $8k speakers. I always own the Confidence 5, now that's another story.

Similar Products Used:

Wilson Watt/Puppy 5.1, Genesis V, Merlin VSM, B&W 802N, Sonus Faber Extrema, Electa Amator I, KEF Ref 3, and others

Very Clean and detailed see Review

Power Hungry- See Review

I was worried about the ability of the 3.3's to play loud as I like to crank up the music at times. The Klipsch 5 channel setup would never disappoint in doing that. I purchsed the 3.3's along with the Contour center for now. I will purchase another pair of center's to use for rears as soon as my money is right. I find that the mid's and high's are about as good as I've heard. I played drums for years and the Dyn's just get the cymbals and the snare slap right, period. I have a pair of NHT 12" sub's that I use for movies but have found that I now listen to music with just the 3.3's in the 2 channel mode. The bass is there it is just very tight and controlled. I am using a B&K Ref 30 processor along with the matching B&K 5 channel amp. B&K told me this amp puts out over 300 watts into the Dyn's load. I may look for a higher output amp one day but what I have does really good. It really does take these speakers about a month of playing before they open up. I have to admit that they do play loud and I can live with their lower efficiency (when compared to the Klipsch} as they do everything else right. Just look at how the grain stays the same from side to top back to side with the veneer on the cabinets and you know they are quality units. I did not rally spend much time in placement but I can assure you everyone who listens swear's that I have the center channel on when it is not. They are almost scary when it comes to imaging and focus.

I have to comment on the fool that gave them only one star. Does anyone with at least a small amout of sense think that any $7000 speaker is really gonna sound like #@^* ? Not likely. I find it strange that people put down products that they don't own and therefore could not really know what they truly sound like without living with them. Kind of like women! Audio Review should honestly remove his review as it is the only negative one on this board. I guess all the rest of us are deaf and dumb!

Bottom line I am happy with my purchase and would purchase them again in a HEARTBEAT. Nuff Said and %*&# Jack as he is a fool.

Similar Products Used:

Klipsch Horns,KLF-20's, NHT 2.5's, Acoustat's Etc.

Everything, build, sound and quality

None

I have owned many a speaker, very few have I enjoyed. The above list our the speakers that I purchased over the many years. The DQ10's are a classic(very musical)The Paragon Regents were a steal for the price, the B&W were good also, but not for the money.

The 3.3's join my short list as a classic. My speakers are musical, open with a great bottom end. I know they will improve over the next month or so, but so far they are a world class speaker. They may just do it all. (Folk, Blues, Rock, Jazz and classical.

Anyone who says these speakers are poor, must be deaf, have equipment problems or does not know good sound if it bit them on the butt.

These are a steal for the price, I have heard more expensive speakers sound poor, a few sound a bit better in certain areas, but on a whole these hold there own with 10-15k speakers.

Some speakers may be built with more flash and weight, but you paid for the extra cabinet work and flash. These speakers have the quality where it counts, drivers, crossover and damping of the cabinet in key area's.

Simply put "I Love Them"

Similar Products Used:

B&W 802's, Paragon Regent's(What a steal), ProAc, Quads, Legacy Focus and Dalquest DQ10's

Dynaudio 3.3 is the top-of-the-range for the DynaudioContour series. Whilst its appearance is nothing special
to look at (i.e. tall rectangular box), the workmanship &
construction of the cabinet is first class.

I have to admit that I found it hard to part with AUD$12,000
for the 3.3s at first because it did not stand out. From a
distance, it looked common.

The sound from the 3.3 however is excellent. I believe its
capabilities could be better if my electronics were of a
higher quality.

My system comprises KRELL KAV300i, Transparent Super interconnnect
& speaker cable & a SONY XA50ES CD player.

Characteristics of the sound are:
1. Sweet & airy treble (no grain)
2. Excellent & neutral midrange
- neither too forward or laid back
- high resolution & detail
- dynamic & transparent
- good imaging
- relatively fast sound & good rhythm
3. Tight, tuneful & extended deep bass.

Overall, it produces a well balanced sound. It is easy to listen to
& is a speaker you can keep for many many years. Sure, there will
be continual improvements in speaker & materials technology. But
the 3.3s are so good at this stage that these improvements within the next
few years are unlikely to better it by much. Unless you are prepared to pay
thousands & thousands of dollars more (law of diminishing returns),
the 3.3s should be on your shortlist for speakers in this price
bracket.

I believe they are good with most types of music, from classical
to rock, to country music.


One point to note though. The speaker will excel with high quality, high wattage
& high current amplifiers. This, I believe is a pre-requisite. And of
course, a quality source CD or record player.

In comparison with other better known speaker manufacturers, I
do not think Dynaudio markets itself well enough. Hence, not many
people know of the brand.

This speaker model is a gem. Try it out. Make sure they are run
in properly & listen to it over an extended period. You will be
pleasantly impressed...

There are many good speakers around nowadays. I've heard quite a
number including B&Ws, ProAcs, Castles, Sonus Fabers, Jamo, etc.

Go give it a try!!!

Value for money.....4 stars
Appearance..... 4 stars
Construction..... 5 stars
Engineering..... 5 stars
Sound..... 5 stars (not necessarily the best in the world but more than
adequate for those who are particular on what they hear)

I have not heard these in my own system yet, but a brief in store audition was promising. The speaker was in a all Krell system. Soundstage was huge, deep and well delineated. Mids, especially vocals seem to be dead on accurate. Coherence was amazing for a speaker with 4 drivers. Bass was accurate and dynamic. However bass also seemed to be slightly lean. This might have been due to the listening room. Overall, an excellent speaker
A definite 5

Having listened to almost every speaker in this price range driven by a number of different high quality electronics, I have come to the conclusion that the Contour 3.3s are the "truest" to the source material. Their dynamics are incredible, and the construction is outstanding. The finished cabinet work is nearly worth the price of admission alone. Driven by my 100 watt per side tube amp, they clearly are in a class by themselves in terms of neutrality, musicality, and accuracy. They may well be my final set of speakers which is something I thought I would never say!
If you are looking for the pentultimate of enclosure type speakers, you must audition these gems!

Great speaker.One of the best dynamic medium sized speakers under $7000.May lookboxy and conventional but beware the sound it puts out is out of this world.
Needs good powerful amp(Krell,Classe,Bryston)to give its best.5/5

Want surround speakers look at the Contour 1.1,another wonder from Dynaudio(same
tweeter/midrange),and the Contour Center to round the package.All 5 star material.

What can I say,the Dynes are fantastic.

Very dynamic and full sounding soundstage, very detailed. One of the best db ratings for a Dynaudio, will play loud.

Can be a tad boomy, in smaller rooms, but can sound good if you use the bass plugs that come with speakers in this type of setting.

Speaker out of the box sounded very good. Fit and finish were top notch.... The detail and the soundstage where huge, this speaker makes it sound like the person or the
band is right in your room with you. One thing I liked about the 3.3s over the Contour 3.0s is they will play louder and with more detailed in the lower end and seem to fill a larger room better. The 3.0s would at times make a thud, if
being driven too hard. In all the Contour 3.3s are a excellent buy, and I will gladly keep these for a long time to come. If your in a small to medium size room the 3.0s or the 1.8MkII will do the job. If your in a Larger room with good amplification then by all means don't hesitate and buy the 3.3s. Best speaker I have hear date..

Similar Products Used:

Dynaudio Contour 3.0s/Confidence 3's /Contour 2.8s

These are the most accurate and natural speakers at this price range that I can hear although they can make bad recordings sound worse. I can't believe the guy below gave these babies 1 star. Please shut your mouth up Jacka$$ if you don't own these and just give you bias opinion in your so-called review.

Similar Products Used:

B&W CDM7se, NHT 2.9, Dynaudio Contour 1.8Mk2

Gorgeous rosewood finish,superlative driver quality,electrostatic like high-end,natural uncolored midrange.Deep,fast,clean bass with real slam.

At this price get real,there are some better speakers(like the D.Evidence,D.Temptation,Avalon Eidolon,Eggleston Andra,E.Savoy)they are slightly better but cost way more.

So its a follow up really.The Dynaudio Contour 3.3's are great speakers for music and HT.Unlike some brutes like Definitive Tech. BP3000 the Dynes are refined.
The sound is natural,I never get tired music playing thru these speakers.When you listen to these make sure a solid
200W/CH amp drives them.

I now use the Krell FPB600,its an awesome combination.The sound is efortless and I dont even need a sub.I also have the Contour 1.1 as sourrounds.The 1.1 is driven by the MOON W5!And a Contour Center driven by a Celeste 4070W in mono.
The sound is fantastic.I used Monster Sigma speaker cables and M2.2 cables for the center and sourrounds.

Natural with depth few can surpass.

These speakers(the whole Contour line)are a great High-End deal.

Similar Products Used:

B&W Nautilus 801(better slam,soundstage a bit better,costs mmore too),Monitor Audio GR 60(nice sounding ceramic coated drivers),Thiel 3.6(hard to drive,great sound),NHT 3.6(deep,good sound,so so high-end) and many others