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Opinions on the Dynaudio DM 2/8

I'm curious to hear what people think about these speakers. I've read reviews on a few of the models in
the line (including one from TAS about the 2/8, and the 2/10 by HiFi-Choice) and they are very positive overall. People seem to think that based on their size they make great speakers for rock music, which I listen to lots of.

The 2/8 has caught my attention for this very reason. My dealer carries the Tannoy Prestige line with very large cabinets and drivers and they sound amazing. Obviously they are very expensive and should sound amazing, but I think the basic design has something to do with it: they seem totally effortless, are very resolving, and produce fantastic bass and a big sense of scale. They Dynaudios seem to get praise along those same lines. Large drivers in large cabinets must have a lot to do with this.

I currently run a pair of Quad 12L2, which I think are great speakers. But I think I hear their limitations when it comes to some of the harder stuff. They sound a bit thin and compressed, even on albums that are well produced. For example, Voodoo Lounge by the Stones, the softer stuff sounds great, the harder stuff a bit thin and congested in complex passages.

Am I on the right track with the 2/8? I can't help but think I am kind of downgrading, wondering if the cabinet on the 2/8 is of lesser quality. Certainly the finish is. I guess one could argue that a lot of what you are paying for a pair of Quads is going to the finish, whereas for the 2/8 it's going more into things like the drivers and crossover.
fusion10
fusion10 OP
50 posts
 
Thanks for the reply Xti16. Unfortunately I cannot do a demo as this dealer does not actually stock the DM line. I'd have to order it and hope for the best. But from everything I've read about Dynaudio they are neutral speakers (a little on the warm side perhaps) and not at all harsh. I'm pretty sure they will work for me.

The Excite line looks great, the X12 just got an amazing review in Stereophile. I think they said it's the best under $2,000 speaker they know of. If I go with the Excite line I would go with the larger X16, but even still the 2/8 is more attractive to me as I am looking for a larger speaker than the typical bookshelf. I should perhaps demo the X16 though, it doesn't hurt.

One good thing about the Excite and DM series is that Dynaudio has made them easier to drive. Most amps should be sufficient. I am running an Exposure 2010s2 and I think it should be fine.
afranta
180 posts
 
I have Dynaudio Excite X12s (with a Naim Nait 5i and CD5i) and am very pleased with them. They replaced Quad 11Ls, which I loved. The Quads were great with my previous electronics (Music Hall a25.2 and cd25.2), but I felt that they were a bit warm and fuzzy with Naim. The Dynaudios are fantastic speakers: tight and punchy but smooth on the upper end, and the bass is impressive for such little boxes. I think the X16s would be worth a listen (and they're nicer looking than the DM series).
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knownothing
1,610 posts
 
I think the Exposure would be fine with the Dyns, either the DM 2/8 or small Excites. The Dyns you are considering aren't better or worse than the Quads, just different. And probably different in a way you will appreciate, especially the DM's - I would say not quite as warm as then Quads and better able to handle transient peaks and sustained loud passages common in rock music. Dyns will act more like a professional monitor when pushed than the 12L2'S - which will be happier playing acoustic music and human voices.

With that said, the little Exposure will start to compress the signal at higher volumes no matter what speakers you are driving - it's personality and performance envelope perhaps more suited to the same music as the Quads. Remember what kind of amps and speakers the Rolling Stones use when they play live...
fusion10 OP
50 posts
 
Thanks, I think the Quads definitely excel with vocals and acoustic music. I don't think I listen loud enough that it gives my amp too much trouble. The volume knob starts at about 7 o'clock and I usually listen at 9 o'clock. The system is in a small room and it doesn't take much to get things up to room filling volume.

I guess cabinet size (volume) has a lot to do with creating big sound. Not long ago I had the Tannoy Mercury F2, which were big speakers for a bookshelf. I loved the sense of scale. I had the PMC TB2i for a couple of days, same thing there. In terms of cabinet volume (I basically just multiplied the w, h, and d), the 2/8 is by far the largest. Second is PMC, then Tannoy and the Excite X16 are almost tied, and then the 12L2 brings up the rear and it is well behind. I don't know if this is the best way to determine which speaker will give the biggest sense of scale, but I think it probably has some merit and it least gives you some idea. If anyone is curious, here are the numbers converted to percentages, with the 2/8 fixed at 100%...

Dyn 2/8: 100%
PMC TB2i: 80.9%
Tannoy F2: 71.9%
Dyn X16: 70.5%
Quad 12L2: 57.7%

This shows just how much bigger the 2/8 is, and how small the Quads are. I guess I can expect the X16 to have a similar sense of scale as the F2 did, which I think would satisfy me. Of course they are $450 more, and I'm definitely intrigued by how huge the 2/8 must sound.
hieule5
115 posts
 
I own both the DM & Excite lines. In their respective price points, they are almost impossible to beat and I agreed with JA of Stereophile that unless you get another pair that costs severeal thousand dollars more.

I have used a NAD 352 to drive both the Excite & DM 2/10 and both pairs sound great with the cheap NAD. Both speakers sounded much bigger than their sizes suggested and threw a huge & dynamic sound stage.

Both DM & Excite lines are 4 ohm loads. I don't know anything about Exposure's capability to drive tough load speakers so I cannot comment.

The Excite X 16's bass is truly amazing & hits very cleanly down to the 40 Hz. The bass is extremely deep given the small size of the woofer. I compared my notes auditioning a pair of PSB T 45 with the X 16. They both go deep but differently. The bass on the PSB T 45 is fuller & more dynamic but I would say the bass on the X 16 is the type of bass that most standmount speaker owners would love to own, deep yet very clean. I auditioned an Enya album that features the Orinoco Flow track.

But given the small size of the woofer, a powered subwoofer is recommended for the X 16 or the X 12 to prevent bass overload.

You will not be disappointed with either the DM 2/8 or X 16. The X 16 is a very handsome speaker and very easy on the eyes.

Unless you are a fan of British brands, I would say the Dynaudio DM & Excite are in a league above the PMC, Quad, & Tannoy.
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