Best components with Dynaudio 52 SE

Dav,

With what electronics did you hear the 52SE and the 1.4 exactly? I home-demoed them both (on a MF 308 integrated) and the 1.4 outshone the 52SE in all areas.
The 1.4's give a bigger sound though, and need more room to breathe. But they appeared the most musical of the two and are worth the price difference IMO.

Erik

I currently have a Rotel 980 amp with denon CD player. Looking to upgrade CD player and need some good cable combinations. Any ideas? Are high cost preamps worth it?

I use VdH The Wind MKII with my Contours 1.3SE and would not look for replacement. This VdH's character is natural, organic, spacious, smooth, with great seperation and clarity and most of all musical to the signal. I sold off a second pair of SE's this week and the buyer who demoed the speakers with his own amp, told that he intends to also get this cable.
Note that with an amplifier to weak for the 52SE (don't know about the Rotel) the bass might sound unwanted fullsome. With the right amp, the bass will be tight and defined.

Alternative might be Ocos, Dyn's own house cable, but never heard this myself.

Dynaudio's will sound with what you feed them, and better equipment will be rewarded.
I btw owned the 52se myself but didn't like them enough to keep them.

Erikfh, I listened to them side by side both were power by Classe integrated amp and CD player. Now there could have been some bias, I have a pair of 52SE, the salesman may have felt agreeable and my friend, who is not an audio buff, did not like the looks of the 1.4. And as always when comparing speakers the subtle differences in efficiency must be taken into account. I would not disagree that for many the 1.4 is a better sounding speaker. That being said I think that some people run the 52SE with amplification and sourcethat doesn't bring the speaker to full life. Perhaps if I was to get a pair of 1.4 is the house for a longer listen I would be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks for your additional comments, Davt.

Indeed Dyn's need to be partnered with serious kit (e.g. high-current quality) amp to avoid them to sound (either) forward, harsh, compressed and with a bloathed bass.

When fed well, they can be perfect all-rounders for the money.