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My Line Arrays and Dynaudio monitor - where to go

I’m close to pulling the trigger on a pair of Dynaudio Confidence C1’s but I’m hesitant.

I was at the CES show in Vegas to listen to a variety of speakers. We (wife and I) came away with the feeling that we weren’t getting what we wished for in our current line array speakers. There seems to be an emotional bond to the music that just doesn’t get communicated in some types of music. Some speakers we heard at the CES show had a 3D holographic image that was just mesmerizing. In particular the Dynaudio monitor line and the Opera monitor. Vocals as well were realistic and the image was simply “you are there” quality and this was the line under the Confidence series. Also great were the Silverline Boleros.

The line arrays I have are great and an unbelievable bargain but sometimes feel that the sound staging which is rather flat, vocals which are less than human and overall high frequency energy which is a bit unbalanced IMHO.
A few days before the show I dropped my Oppo BDP83 SE player off with Rick Schultz of Tweakaudio for some additional mods. He offered a solution to the excessive HF energy by felting around all of the tweeter drivers, there are 12 of them. I allowed a few days of break in for the player (caps were involved in the mod) then felted around the drivers. Between the mods which were spellbinding by themselves and the felting (done afterwards), we have some amazing sound coming from the line arrays. These may be the most dynamic speakers I’ve ever heard and I’ve heard a lot of them. Now I seemed to have tamed the HF problem as well. Imaging had greatly improved though not nearly the level of the Dyns or other fine speakers we’ve listened too. Vocal too still aren’t to what I’d wish they be. As well these line arrays are giants, 28 drivers in all and reaching at least 6’ high. But these speakers swing dynamically with bass way down low and highs into the Netherlands.

Reading the reviews on the C1’s they appear to be a world class speaker with amazing bass capabilities given the right amplification. I use Nuforce 9 SEV2 monoblocks (soon to be V3’s) and a Cary SLP05 tube preamp. My amps will register 160 watts with a damping factor of 4000. The perform amazing bass duties on the line arrays, stunning in fact. The Dyn’s from what I’ve read need current. I’m unsure how current equates with the Nuforce’s. I’m unsure in fact in I won’t miss the dynamic capabilities of the line arrays. I thought if I missed the low bass on the C1’s and go locate a HQ sub which, doing double duty as a HT system, wouldn’t be a bad idea anyway.

Just curios what the knowledgeable folks in this forum thought about a speaker change and in particular the Dynaudio C1’s.
desalvo55
desalvo55's avatar
desalvo55 OP
257 posts
 
I thought about the Pass X350.5. Wasn't sure if it was a good match for my C1's although it certainly has the power and then some.

Trying to pick up a pair of Cary CAD MB500's. There has to be something magical matching a Cary with a Cary right?

The JC1 is also on my radar.

Seems like every time I find a used amplifier that I'd like to purchase, it gets sold. I thought we have a bad economy.

I'll check out the Pass amps too.

I'm starting to miss the sound of our LS6 line arrays. That bottom end was just addicting and on most recordings (usually older ones), the top end was magical.

The C1's have a 1 note bass. It comes and goes as it pleases for no particular reason. It's like "oh, did you hear that - a bass note". I know it's NOT supposed to be like this.

I'm playing with cables, both RCA and balanced and although I get a warmer sound with my balanced cables, it still plods around the bass. I'm starting to develop a nice pair of biceps as I move the LS6's and Dynaudio C1's on their lead shot filled stands. I might imagine I would reinforce the mid bass on the C1's by closing them in on the back wall, but I seem to lose that magic in the soundstage. Not to mention that live human being standing between the speakers singing oh so soulfully.

The Nuforces are highly regarded in the bass region (well hell, every region), and have this high damping factor, 4000 I believe so even though they're shy on watts I wonder if it is in fact that they simply need more raw power to unconstrain the bass.

As I've written before we really like these amps. I'm in the queue for the version 3 upgrade which does what? It lowers the wattage to 160wpc! The amp I'm looking for has to have the strengths of the Nuforce's and the power to drive the C1's with no effort.

(I know this is a can of worms as there are many who simply dislike the Nuforce sound)

Maybe I should keep those LS6's..
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,980 posts
 
Desalvo,

I do not have line arrays but I have a pair of Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkii monitors and other larger full range designs. The Dyns have fantastic, almost unbelievable bass for such a small box, however, small monitor designs are inherently disadvantaged in comparison to larger designs when it comes to impact and overall dynamics in the low end. They are just not able to shake the rafters the same as a equally good larger design in general. The difference may only be noticeable to many when the two are heard side by side. The solution, if it is an issue to the listener is typically to add a good sub. That usually brings the best of both worlds to the table in regards to imaging, detail and finesse from amonitor coupled with a fully capable bottom end.

Subwoofer aside, I think more power and current in general will always benefit the Dynaudios regardless as well.
drubin
3,285 posts
 
I've been wondering if the Wyred4Sound amps would work with my C1s. So much power, so little money -- too good to be true?

The MB500's are still available new if you have money burning a hole in your pocket.

I'm surprised about the one-note bass comment, but I do believe you. I love the bass on the C1, though I've never owned a "serious" bass speaker apart from the Thiel 2.4, so I admit that I don't have any credibility on the subject.
maczurak
28 posts
 
Desalvo55,

I have used C1’s for the past three years in a 2.2 configuration with a Simaudio W-3 power amp in a 15’x13’ room. I decided to use a monitor/sub configuration as this allowed to purchase speakers with the best sonic characteristics for the room volume.

Using the C1 monitors either full range or high passed, I am able to produce output levels to satisfy any desired listening level. Using them full range does not produce the lower octaves of course, but I still have no complaint with the overall output level.

After reviewing this thread again, I do not see any mention of the size of the acoustical environment. Forgive me if I missed this, but what is the size of the room? This will be very important as a previous post mentions that household system users listening habits include “stadium levels” output. You may be expecting monitors to fill too big of a room at a high level where maybe floor standing models (S3.4, S5.4, C2, C4) would be more appropriate for the application.

When scaled to the appropriate room size, these monitors are very dynamic. Just last evening when I had the house to myself, I was once again quite surprised of the dynamic contrasts produced by these monitors.

You may also want to look at a Simaudio W-5 amp as well. This will drive the monitors without question.
desalvo55's avatar
desalvo55 OP
257 posts
 
Well I took a deep plunge and bought a Pass Labs X350.5. The amp market is hot as my bid for others was always too late. Then came the 350 and out went my Nuforces and a lot of cash. At least I can take the "too short of power" equation of the mystery of why the C1's bass is so um, uneventful. Are we spoiled by the line arrays?

What's even funnier to me, having the line arrays for sale is, nobody is interested. Maybe it's a size issue? They kill just about anything I've heard.

What will be interesting is how the Pass performs not just on the C1's, but on the LS6's!
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