Where do you go after a Dynaudio C1 ?

What about considering Merlin?

Hessec,

Could you share your thoughts on your experience moving from C1 to V2.. what type of and level of improvement did you achieve ? I listened to the V2 using Lamm amp and Naim source in a dealer system and it was heavenly.

Kiwi,

I have read the strongly positive reviews on Raidho C1-x. Unfortunately there are no local dealers of Raidho where I am, I emailed them already. You mentioned you feel the C-1.x is a big step-up to the C1, and in your system page you mentioned the Raidho stands toe to toe with the Diablo. Can you give more comment on your take comparing C-1.x / Diablo / C1.

Mike / Mapman,

In the dealer system using Rowland electronics, I actually thought the Diablo was voiced on the warm side of things, not as warm and relaxed as my C1 but certainly not bright. What's amazing to me is that this subtle warmth does not come at the expense of a softened treble, w/c I feel the C1 suffers.

My experience with the G1 had them sounding just as you are looking for. What amplification are you using? I heard them with GamuT monoblocks in a small-medium room that had concrete walls (good bass) and some treatment to tame reflections. I was very impressed. I think you should consider your amplification.

Don't get me wrong, I think the C1 is a great speaker. The V2 is just so much more resolving top to bottom. There is no bloat, no overhang of notes no bass port smearing the midrange. The C1 actually has more bass "slam" which caught me by surprise. It took me a while to get used to the sound of a sealed box and quite some time for the speakers to break in or come alive. I think that the C1 offers a lot for it's size and can be "hi fi" sounding or relaxed given the upstream components and it is certainly the more forgiving of the 2. C1 does sound terrible at low volume and I had some serious gear behind them. Crank them and they are certainly more of a party speaker than the magicos. I have heard the diablo side by side on the same electronics same day as the magico V3 and my simplified conclusion was that the diablo sounded like a cooler, more controlled C1 with hyper speed treble, the V3 changed my perspective on home stereo. Granted, at the time, I had little experience with speakers this expensive but to this day I wish I had room for the V3- especially at the used prices now!!! The only speaker I really have any interest (given my room contraints) in swapping the V2 for is the Q1 but I just cannot bring myself to drop that kind of dough for that little box. I don't know that I will ever go back to a ported enclosure. I try to keep an open mind and again, have little experience with the mega buck big speakers.

Your demo of the Rowland and the Diablo pretty much sums up my feeling for every rowland piece I have ever heard- soft and slow..... the diablo is not soft or slow.

I have heard the kiss and the music on the exact same electronics I own at a dealer- they sound "nice" and forgiving but I do not think they are of particularly high fidelity and certainly not on the magico/ focal side of the spectrum.

Hope that helps.

Another I could recommend is the Joseph Audio Pulsar. A fine review just done is Stereophile