Dynaudio Contour S5.4 vs Focus 380?

I hope your wife will appreciate timeless elegant slim design of confidence c4 in live becuz if your amp will be up to task you will choose c4-s regarding the sound...but in the end you'll decide will the sound of c4-s be worth of price difference...i dont know what music do you listen but observe how c4-s behave on large scale music...great midhall presentation...you will be suprised...but also has intimacy of mini monitor speaker with chamber music and jazz quartets...the box is even more dead than contours...and has more real bass that is not shaking rooms and punching you in chest that gets you tired after half hour of listening...it has clean fast and tight bass...notice that though Focus and C4-s share same raw driver esotar2 how much better driver is customised on c4s...its brutal...just listen to some solo piano music and notice how much more musical involving and swaying c4 sounds...notice how much better attack and decay is and more real presentation of low level details...it sounds just right...that is my experience...also if you can play with different sources and cables a bit so you dont write off one of speakers too soon...i would reccomend you that you use some fast silver cables...im using Crystal cables Ultra SC and IC with great results...great cables and sources is also must...or your speakers will underperform...every of 3 mentioned speakers is a gem and i wouldnt be suprised if you choose Focus model...anyway good luck and take your time...you have sweet worries...

Regards

I prefered s5.4 over c4,because it sounded less dark,more free,bass pumping,less power demanding.Now I prefer s1.4 over c1 for the same reasons,just sounding less sterile than c1

So.. we made the long trip to the dealer, and listened to all the three speakers pairs, connected to my amp. What happened:

- played the Focus 380. Nice, well-known sound, as expected, same as the 340, but more bass-presence, maybe a bit roomier.

Now it may have been the positioning of the loudspeakers, because the Contours were place kind of in front of the rest of the speakers, (it was a dealer shop, and the pair of contours were not up for sale as the rest, so they were added for our hearing experience).

Anyway, the Contours really stood out. The difference with the Focus was massive. Instruments placement, clarity of voice, width of the stage, actually it made me realise these things really are a way to describe the speakers, as with the contours this terminology all made sense.

We really loved them and did not listen to the Focus 380 anymore (apart from all the way in the end).

So then we played the C4s. First impression:

we played the first song beginning to end.

I think that kind of tells the difference.

Actually, the Contours really made the decision a bit tough, as at some point we switched back and really, i mean -REALLY- liked how the S5.4s stood out when presenting a female voice in combination with some bass and guitar instruments.

There was really a big isolation going on. The woman was singing, the instruments were being played.

The C4s were a bit more 'silvery', a bit more 'satin' like, in their presentation. But in all, it was no comparison.

so, to make a long story short, my girl told me she really liked the C4, and they are now standing in our room :)

THANKS for all the input, and for Raindog to push me to not forget the C4.

Here at home, they are in a relatively small room. But this is not a problem at all. There is not even a hint of bass overpowering, the room is also quite full with stuff, i think that helps - but it is just a pure joy to listen to the music coming alive. Wow.

PS Regarding my amp, it does not have any trouble with the speakers whatsoever.

sorry for the long story and dramatic undertone, i'm just writing it in one go, we are just really happy, and very satisfied with the choice!

so, everybody thanks for the input.

and ps Extravaganza, i can imagine that there are definitely reasons for going with the Contours. They did make female voice stand out very much, very nicely. The C4 have a bit of the Focus sound , -partly-, in how voices are represented. However the general representation of the music, in how it is all placed out, is wonderful with the C4. The contours were a bit too... 'dry', and we thought it might make us a bit tired of it quicker.

But i also have the suspicion that the C4 demos are not completely played in yet - the Focus 340 had a bit of this in the beginning as well.

Rusty

Final note for people reading this and not having seen the Contours in real life: they really look much nicer in real life than on the pictures! Same goes for the C4s. My girl hated the photos, but to my surprise she actually mentioned they look 'nice' here in the room...

Rusty tnx for response...nice story...and great choice of speakers if i may say...i had a similiar fear that bass might be overpowering in my room too becuz of almost double cabinet volume than focus 380 but bass was even more cleaner better and deeper than focus...slim cabinet, baffle and floor stand handle reflections and vibrations at minimum...and while i have 30m2 room which is not small and im not complaining but more benefit would be in even bigger room and speakers more away from all walls...be sure to make some acoustic treatments becuz your system deserves it and it will make great difference especialy at loud listening levels what dynaudio is all about...

Regards