Dynaudio Heritage Special

[watchnerd]

in the late 1960's.

I wasn't quite born yet. I'm post moon landing.

 

[Helicopter]

@watchnerd You should send one of these to Amir with the Yamaha amp you still need to get, and keep the Contours.

I am indifferent on whether to keep the Devaliet... depends on how much of a minimalist you are. I usually hoard everything, but that is a piece that would bring some coin.

Also, this speaker is beautiful, probably sounds pleanty good to make me happy, but the Contours likely test better, and I wouldn't want to give that up. Speakers really sound different, so it is worth having a few pairs if you like to swap amd tweak... kinda like cartridges, but bigger.

 

[watchnerd]

@watchnerd You should send one of these to Amir

You seem to have already made the assumption that I'm going to buy them.

If purchased, why would I give up my new toy to be held hostage? I'd want to play with it myself, at least until the rainy season is over.

Besides, we know what the outcome would be -- it will measure more or less on par with a Revel bookshelf, maybe with slightly less text book directivity, a bit more bass, possibly without the upper mid crossover deviations of the Revel, and will be considered to be overly expensive for the measured performance, paying extra for nice materials and limited edition status, even if it measures reasonably well.

with the Yamaha amp you still need to get

As for the Yamaha...

I have a hard time paying $7500 for an integrated design that messes up the MC stage loading and has no subsonic filter.

I am indifferent on whether to keep the Devaliet... depends on how much of a minimalist you are. I usually hoard everything, but that is a piece that would bring some coin.

The real challenge with replacing the Devialet is that it just has so much functionality.

Example:

It has USB out, which I have used in the past for vinyl ripping. I don't use that a lot, but it's been handy for posting rips to ASR. If I get rid of it, I'll have to either buy another ADC, or cart my RME back and forth from my office to my living room.

Also, this speaker is beautiful, probably sounds pleanty good to make me happy, but the Contours likely test better, and I wouldn't want to give that up. Speakers really sound different, so it is worth having a few pairs if you like to swap amd tweak... kinda like cartridges, but bigger.

Yes, I suspect the Contours probably do test a little better, at least from a cabinet vibration POV. They probably play a bit louder, too.

But I can get special affections for certain gear that cause me to get more net joy, even if I know they're not objectively as good as an alternative. I know my Michell Gyro SE doesn't measure as well as a new Technics SL-1200GR. But the looks of the SL-1200 leave me cold, while merely looking at the Gyro makes me happy, even when not playing.

So if the Heritage Special makes me feel good when I see it, makes me feel nostalgic for speakers I wanted but couldn't afford when I was younger, and it sounds more-or-less-as-good as the Contour, I'll probably buy it because then I'll know it will bring me joy over the years just to see it every day.

 

[Helicopter]

You seem to have already made the assumption that I'm going to buy them.

If purchased, why would I give up my new toy to be held hostage? I'd want to play with it myself, at least until the rainy season is over.

Besides, we know what the outcome would be -- it will measure more or less on par with a Revel bookshelf, maybe with slightly less text book directivity, a bit more bass, possibly without the upper mid crossover deviations of the Revel, and will be considered to be overly expensive for the measured performance, paying extra for nice materials and limited edition status, even if it measures reasonably well.



As for the Yamaha...

I have a hard time paying $7500 for an integrated design that messes up the MC stage loading and has no subsonic filter.



The real challenge with replacing the Devialet is that it just has so much functionality.

Example:

It has USB out, which I have used in the past for vinyl ripping. I don't use that a lot, but it's been handy for posting rips to ASR. If I get rid of it, I'll have to either buy another ADC, or cart my RME back and forth from my office to my living room.





Yes, I suspect the Contours probably do test a little better, at least from a cabinet vibration POV. They probably play a bit louder, too.

But I can get special affections for certain gear that cause me to get more net joy, even if I know they're not objectively as good as an alternative. I know my Michell Gyro SE doesn't measure as well as a new Technics SL-1200GR. But the looks of the SL-1200 leave me cold, while merely looking at the Gyro makes me happy, even when not playing.

So if the Heritage Special makes me feel good when I see it, makes me feel nostalgic for speakers I wanted but couldn't afford when I was younger, and it sounds more-or-less-as-good as the Contour, I'll probably buy it because then I'll know it will bring me joy over the years just to see it every day.

Makes perfect sense. The Devaliet matches your TT best anyway.

There is an end to your rainy season?

 

[watchnerd]

Makes perfect sense. The Devaliet matches your TT best anyway.

There is an end to your rainy season?

We do have a nice summer, believe it or not.

 

[Todd74]

I think the Contour 20s run the risk of needing more space from the walls than you have in a 12 x 14 room, unless you want to sit really close. And if you're sitting really close, you don't really need the extra loudness capacity the Contour 20 has. You can try it, but based on my experience, that's a risk.

I also think buying the Contour 20 if you're going to be using them for HT 80% of the time is a waste of money. What they're best at is imaging, detail retrieval, and a neutral tonal coloration, things that are really important on music -- which is what they're designed for. You don't need what they're best at just to render dialog and SFX.

As for the tweeters: the differences between the Dynaudio tweeters grades are subtle. I'd only look at that as a secondary criteria, especially for
movies.

Anything I said about the Excite 18 would be pure speculation as I've only heard them briefly quite a long time ago.

I have no experience with Outlaw amps. I use 2 x 400 watts mono blocks right now with the Contour 20s and they get pretty warm if i'm running them with the taps open up enough to make the Contour 20 come alive.

I really don't have anything additional to add to what I already said, sorry, unless I just start making complete speculative guesses.

Summary:

Using the Contour 20 as a HT speaker in a small 12x14 room is not a great match for what the engineers designed them to do best. I wouldn't recommend them for that scenario based on my experience with them.

The Focus 20 / Special 40 are more right-sized for a small room like that. And I really wouldn't use the Special 40 for HT.

Much appreciated, Watch. Makes sense. I’ll be getting these [or the Focus 20] for around 2k so it’s not really a question of wasting money. For the couple hours a week that I spend listening to music I’d still like to be able to appreciate it to the fullest. If the Focus 20 XD makes the most sense in a 12x14 room at a distance of about 8.5 feet though, then I’ll stick with these like it seems you’re suggesting. This will likely be a longterm purchase, so will I regret not getting the Contours if I eventually move my HT into a larger room, something like 14x20?

Only thing that sucks is they’re in gray and my Excites are all Rosewood which clashes terribly, so I’ll have to rotate the Excites out for white, unless I can find someone with Focus 20 in rosewood who wants to trade, however likely an option that may be.

 

[watchnerd]

so will I regret not getting the Contours if I eventually move my HT into a larger room, something like 14x20?

If I say 'yes', that's going to mindfuck you.

 

[Todd74]

If I say 'yes', that's going to mindfuck you.

Wait, saying “If I say yes that’s going to mindfuck you” effectively just mindfucked me.

 

[watchnerd]

Wait, by saying “If I say yes that’s going to mindfuck you”, effectively just mindfucked me.

Well, I don't want to mindfuck you.

So I won't say "yes".

 

[Todd74]

Well, I don't want to mindfuck you.

So I won't say "yes".

You’re still not helping.
Mind’s already been fucked. Don’t think the genie can be put back.

You know what, my main purpose for getting the Focus was so that I wouldn’t have to buy an amp, which is something that needs to be added to my system. I figured, if I need to buy a pair Outlaw monoblocks for my X18’s [pushing the total cost to $1500], then why not sell the X18’s and get the better Focus 20 for a mere $500 more? If I go with the Contours, then I’m right back to needing amps again. Mind unfucked!

Do you think it’s worth doing Contour for the center, or would the difference be less discernible for that application when compared to the Evoke or infinitely cheaper Excite?

 

[watchnerd]

You’re still not helping.
Mind’s already been fucked. Don’t think the genie can be put back.

You know what, my main purpose for getting the Focus was so that I wouldn’t have to buy an amp, which is something that needs to be added to my system. I figured, if I need to buy a pair Outlaw monoblocks for my X18’s [pushing the total cost to $1500], then why not sell the X18’s and get the better Focus 20 for a mere $500 more? If I go with the Contours, then I’m right back to needing amps again. Mind unfucked!

Do you think it’s worth doing Contour for the center, or would the difference be less discernible for that application when compared to the Evoke or infinitely cheaper Excite?

I'm the wrong guy to ask about HT.

I divested from HT 5 years ago.

My 2 channel set up is >20x the cost of my TV.

We don't even have a sound bar.

Hours per week listening to music: 15-20

Hours per week watching the big screen: 2

 

[Todd74]

I'm the wrong guy to ask about HT.

I divested from HT 5 years ago.

My 2 channel set up is >20x the cost of my TV.

We don't even have a sound bar.

Hours per week listening to music: 15-20

Hours per week watching the big screen: 2

Even with movies & shows I notice a difference between the X18 and Focus 20. There’s still plenty of music and so forth being played through them. I can’t imagine how great Tony’s HT sounds with the trio of Core 59’s.

 

[watchnerd]

Even with movies & shows I notice a difference between the X18 and Focus 20. There’s still plenty of music and so forth being played through them. I can’t imagine how great Tony’s HT sounds with the trio of Core 59’s.

If you used the Heritage Special as a center channel the people who didn't get one of the 2500 limited pairs will hunt you down and raid your home to kidnap the speaker and give it the life Dynaudio meant it to have.

 

[Todd74]

If you used the Heritage Special as a center channel the people who didn't get one of the 2500 limited pairs will hunt you down and raid your home to kidnap the speaker and give it the life Dynaudio meant it to have.

LOL. Could you imagine someone doing that, with one of the poor Heritages sitting in a dark closet all alone collecting dust, just waiting for his brother to blow a driver.

 

[watchnerd]

Is the tweeter surface mounted?

That is a beautiful cabinet but I’m biased against the surface mounted woofer for aesthetic reasons and a surface mounted tweeter would be a hard no for that kind of money.

This is a totally subjective and superficial criticism. I’m sure they sound great.

From this pic, I don't think the tweeter is surface mounted. It looks routed to me.

The woofer, on the other hand, is definitely surface mounted:

 

[watchnerd]

Pictures from today's audition:

 

[thewas]

Pictures from today's audition:

View attachment 101256View attachment 101258

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Sorry to say so but looks to me like a typical highend audiophool setup with combines the worst possible tech, sound and design quality per money spent.

 

[watchnerd]

Sorry to say so but looks to me like a typical highend audiophool setup with combines the worst possible tech, sound and design quality per money spent.

Are you talking specifically about the speakers, or the whole room?

 

[thewas]

Are you talking specifically about the speakers, or the whole room?

The whole total setup/combination of loudspeakers, electronics and room.

 

[watchnerd]

The whole total setup/combination of loudspeakers, electronics and room.

It's definitely not aimed at those seeking best performance value for money, I'd agree.

But my home set up has some elements that have poor value for money, too, in terms of performance.

However, in terms of joy for money, they bring pleasure to me.

I don't have any problem admitting I like having nice things.