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Monitors to replace Dynaudio Confidence C1's

I have been on the sonic merry-go-round since trying to make peace in my home by moving from floor standers to monitors. More specifically, from Dynaudio Contour 2.8's to Confidence C1's. I have been a Dynaudio guy for a long time, so I tried a number of different equipment combos, but just can't wrap my sonic brain around the C1.....

This week I moved around the furniture a bit (ok, quite a bit) and set up the old 2.8's. Sweetness! Right there in my room with the same equipment that was hooked to the C1's. The C1's are more accurate...or tighter images anyway, but they just don't involve me in the tunes. They are just drier and less 3D.. tighter, but less rounded images on a very large, stable and quiet stage, they are great for analyzing, but not great for falling into the music.....

I need monitors to continue in my marital bliss, so, I did some due diligence and am looking at these monitors below to get back to some soul in the music with a little more warmth and better timbre, but continued great stage, extension and detail. Any insight (or other suggestions) would be very appreciated.

Lipinski 707
Totem Mani-2 Sig
Escalante Pinyon

Also-rans include: Monitor Platinum PL100, Merlin TSM MXE, but they look fast and dry-ish like the C1's.

Thanks out there and enjoy the tunes!
budburma
bobheinatz
721 posts
 
Budburma,

I had a very simular situation that you currently have. I had a custom pair of monitor speakers made for me (very expensive)that are extremely revealing and on about 30% 40% of my CD's it was painful to listen to. I had a choice to make either try to sell my new speakers and take a large hit on the price or look at other parts of my system. I might of been lucky but I thought my CJ CT6 preamp was the weak link so I did my reasearch on a new preamp. I bought Joule Electra's top of the line LA300 ME preamp and my system is the most enjoyable I have ever heard anywhere. Those unlistenable CD's sound very good and the better recorded CD's sound incredible. I also have the same i/c's and speaker cables you have and please did not even think of changing them. Your cables are not the problem. I would seriously look at a top shelf preamp.
It worked for me but the rest of your system must be up to the task. Good luck.
musicfile
341 posts
 
Have a listen to the ridge Street Sasons
I recall there is one for sale here on Audiogon

They may be just what you're looking for
petar73bg
16 posts
 
At the time when I was looking for an amplifier to drive my Dynaudio’s I was considering the Karan i-180, but after long research I found out the Dynaudio doesn’t sound particularly good with Karan. The sound was described as hollow and artificial, so I went with BAT and haven’t looked back.
semi
649 posts
 
What about Sonus Faber Guarneri Memento? I am familiar with most Dynaudio as I used to be a big fan and owned several of their speakers, I have also owned most of the Sonus Faber. Like you, I found a little more warmth in speakers can draw me into music much more and therefore I don't own any Dynaudio now.

I currently have 5 pairs of speakers including Guarneri Memento. Obviously I can't listen to all 5, but I can't bring myself to sell my Guarneri.

If you can get your wife to try Maggie 3.6, that's worth trying too. I just picked up an old MG-IIIA, sounds fabulous.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
logenn
91 posts
 
I bought the C-1's for the second time.

In the interim after selling the first pair, i took a journey with Merlin, Reference 3a, Dynaudio Special 25's, Harbeth, Magnepan's and Quad ESL.
The last 3 were excellent, but lacked that something special the C-1's offer.

This time I went all tube with Lamm LL2, LP2 and Manley 250s all retubed with NOS tubes and the result is warmth, bloom, coherence, perhaps one of the best mid range presentations. I am using Purist cables as well. This speaker needs power and some people say it needs SS electronics, but I disagree, especially if you appreciate the warmth. The Manley's are warm
with el 34 tubes and with 250 watts per channel have an iron grip as well.

I think the trick is voicing the system with enough warmth to satisfy your taste, but retain resolution. If you are looking for resolution the Nordost suggestion is excellent as is going with Audio Research electronics, but the key is experimentation to create the balance. I tried a Koetsu cartridge which didn't work well, so I went to a Dynavector XV1-s which is incredible in the system.

I was able to buy everything on audiogon at nearly 50% off, so the cost although expensive was achievable.

I hope this helps.
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