Dutch & Dutch 8C Quasi-Anechoic Spinorama and Measurements

[maverickronin]

Most importantly, it's a fair bit cheaper, at $9750 a pair instead of $12,500.

$2.75K for a little hardwood and Roon?

 

[napilopez]

$2.75K for a little hardwood and Roon?

I mean, I don't know how D&D comes up with their prices, I'm just glad there's a cheaper option. Most high-end speaker don't even give you the choice!

 

[maverickronin]

I mean, I don't know how D&D comes up with their prices, I'm just glad there's a cheaper option. Most high-end speaker don't even give you the choice!

Yeah. All these prices are practically pulled out of thin air anyway.

Where did you see the specs for the studio version? I didn't see it on their website.

 

[napilopez]

Yeah. All these prices are practically pulled out of thin air anyway.

Where did you see the specs for the studio version? I didn't see it on their website.

Came up when I googled the speakers at a few vendors. Here at legendary pro audio for instance. But they mentioned it on their official fb too.

 

[maverickronin]

Came up when I googled the speakers at a few vendors. Here at legendary pro audio for instance. But they mentioned it on their official fb too.

And here I was thinking this facebook crap had finally started to blow over...

 

[Purité Audio]

Yeah. All these prices are practically pulled out of thin air anyway.

Where did you see the specs for the studio version? I didn't see it on their website.

Specs exactly the same.
Keith

 

[Spocko]

I have no objection to you posting my measured data to illustrate the points you are making, but when you do so, please acknowledge the source and add the URLs to the original measurements if possible.

My followup on the Dutch & Dutch 8c is published in the April 2020 issue of Stereophile magazine and will be reprinted on www.stereophile.com in the next few days. The original review measurements can be found at https://www.stereophile.com/content/dutch-dutch-8c-active-loudspeaker-system-measurements .

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

I'm a big fan, thanks for all you've done for the hi-fi community, John!

 

[Spocko]

It's interesting to see all the measurements of the Dutch & Dutch 8c loudspeaker, including ours. I believe we were the first to measure them and I've been quite taken with the design since -- in fact, so much so that we flew to The Netherlands in December to shoot a video there. We just published it today. Might give you even more insight into this unique company. Enjoy!

Doug Schneider
SoundStage!

Another pillar in the hi-fi review community, I love SoundStage!

 

[Spocko]

Thank you! It is very hard to toe the line between a subjective review for the masses and objective impressions for the data lovers - especially when you don't even write for an audio-specific site - so this particular review took several rewrites(it was originally a good 1000 words longer!). Hopefully there's enough useful there for a wide audience.

"Good" audio reviews are so hard to find, thank you for putting the necessary time and effort!

 

[mi-fu]

$2.75K for a little hardwood and Roon?

Roon support has never been really actualized (at least up to now). So probably it is more like 2.75k for a little hardwood

But I think it is a smart move for them to have a new model at a lower price. Hardwood looks good though!

 

[Mauro]

My followup on the Dutch & Dutch 8c is now reprinted on the Stereophile website: https://www.stereophile.com/content...e-loudspeaker-system-john-atkinson-april-2020

Note that fig.1 was omitted from the print version due to lack of space. Note also that fig.3 compares the spatially averaged in-room response of the REW-corrected 8cs with that of the uncorrected KEF LS50s. Having just read Amir's review of the LS50 on ASR, I think this graph and my following comments correlate nicely with Amir's analysis of the KEF's tonal balance.

John Atkinson
Technical Editor, Stereophile

Thanks, Interesting reading!
If I may ask, what do you think are the main advantages in having a cardioid dispersion? I would assume lower fundamental tones of male voices might be clearer or is there something more/different? I would have expected also lower excitation of some room standing waves, but the plots don’t seem to support my hypothesis..

 

[QMuse]

I learned yesterday that D&D has actually just started selling a 'Studio' version of the 8c, or is planning to soon. It won't support Roon/Streaming and abandons real oak wood for MDF, but adds M10 flypoints for more mounting options.

Most importantly, it's a fair bit cheaper, at $9750 a pair instead of $12,500.

Unsurprisingly, it just comes in black:

View attachment 57548

D&D says it should be acoustically identical. Makes it a fair bit more competitive price-wise and gets under that $10K mental barrier.

I don't doubt they sound well, I relly don't. But for that kind of money they should be looking as exclusive pieces of furniture if they are to be put into living rooms and not in dark recording studios.

 

[mi-fu]

In John Atkinson's article, it mentioned firmware v.1.4.38, is that version widely available now?

 

[napilopez]

I don't doubt they sound well, I relly don't. But for that kind of money they should be looking as exclusive pieces of furniture if they are to be put into living rooms and not in dark recording studios.

Not sure what you're saying - they have the fancy cabinets and they have the cheaper ones mean precisely for studio use. I think the white and wood units are quite beautiful. Certainly like them more than most of the esoteric stuff you see once you get into this price range.

 

[QMuse]

Not sure what you're saying - they have the fancy cabinets and they have the cheaper ones mean precisely for studio use. I think the white and wood units are quite beautiful. Certainly like them more than most of the esoteric stuff you see once you get into this price range.

I'm saying they are ugly as hell and that I wouldn't want to be looking at them in my living room .

I'm also saying that their price shouldn't be justification for them being ugly, but on the contrary. What exactly is the excuse for the maufacturer not to spend some part of their price to make nice finish as profit margin certainly allowed for that?

 

[napilopez]

I'm saying they are ugly as hell and that I wouldn't want to be looking at them in my living room .

I'm also saying that their price shouldn't be justification for them being ugly, but on the contrary. What exactly is the excuse for the maufacturer not to spend some part of their price to make nice finish as profit margin certainly allowed for that?

Which one are you talking about - the 'cheap' version, or the regular one? Both?

Either way that's obviously subjective territory. You can't tell me with a straight face that the big and expensive Neumann, Genelec, or JBL monitors look any better =]

 

[Senior NEET Engineer]

I'm saying they are ugly as hell and that I wouldn't want to be looking at them in my living room .

I'm also saying that their price shouldn't be justification for them being ugly, but on the contrary. What exactly is the excuse for the maufacturer not to spend some part of their price to make nice finish as profit margin certainly allowed for that?

They don't need to make any excuses. This is one of the best measuring speakers at any price point. There is nothing "living room friendly" that can compete, especially when you take into account how subjective that term is. Yes, there are many that would consider your idea of "living room friendly" to be not be living room friendly.

 

[QMuse]

Which one are you talking about - the 'cheap' version, or the regular one? Both?

"Cheap" looks horrible and regular is barely better.

Either way that's obviously subjective territory. You can't tell me with a straight face that the big and expensive Neumann, Genelec, or JBL monitors look any better =]

No, they don't. But, unlike D&D, they are professional studio monitors that were not designed for living room so they don't need to look nice.

 

[QMuse]

They don't need to make any excuses. This is one of the best measuring speakers at any price point. There is nothing "living room friendly" that can compete, especially when you take into account how subjective that is. Yes, there are many that would consider your idea of "living room friendly" to be not be living room friendly.

I beg to disagree. Loudspeakers are pretty much like cars - IMO opinion it is not sufficient they measure and perform well, they should also look well, especially for that kind of money.

 

[Shazb0t]

"Cheap" looks horrible and regular is barely better.



No, they don't. But, unlike D&D, they are professional studio monitors that were not designed for living room so they don't need to look nice.

What speakers do you use as your mains?