The most dynamic & transparent bookshelf


I get it when I hear some speakers like Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary, they are musical, detailed, but not on extreme dynamic, it can go pretty low and loud, but still lack a bit more powerful punch. My next aim for powerful speakers, will be something near perfect immune to distortions, must be extreme dynamic, go very loud and does not make the sound quality collapsed, also I insist to stick with bookshelf size, few options in my mind:

Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 (with NrT upgrade, worth?)
Mark&Daniel Ruby
Dynaudio DM 2/8
Proac Response D2
Soundfield Audio Monitor 1

For Dynaudio and Mark&Daniel, I have concern on power and drive efficiency, though I'm using a Class D Audio SDS-400C power amp, it work damn good with my Denton (warm + transparent gear goes really well). My considerations based on factors in this order: price, near full range dynamic, neutral and transparent sonic quality, availability (as I'm from Malaysia, not easy to achieve those speakers), and last your opinions? Any other recommendations? Once again, I'm not looking for speakers with colorations, must extremely dynamic, dead neatral and transparent without snake oil!
128x128wim1983
Wim1983, FWIW I bought some Dentons for a second system but I did play them in my main system 'just for fun'. I was amazed by the fullness of the bass (well away from the wall behind them) and the tonal balance of the mid-range which was both on the warm side of neutral but retained very good transparence thru the mid range.

But, compared to my full range speakers the highs were neither extended nor transparent, in fact they were a bit more forward in the mids and rolled off and congested in the highs. All in all a very pleasant sound when driven by my 40wt tube amp and I enjoy them in my second system.

My point is that perhaps the 'loss of dynamic range' you are experiencing has more to due with the tonal balance of the Denton itself than anything else. But, if you really like the tonal balance of the Denton you may be giving up something important to you.

What ever speakers you buy, you should really hear them in your home if you can before purchase, or at a minimum take the Dentons into the dealers store for a side by side comparison.

Good luck.
I have been following this thread since it started, and I can sense the frustration of other members and I understand why...

Wim1983, you're asking good questions. And people are giving good advice. The problem is this is like asking people what kind of candy bar you should go buy based on how different candy bars taste to other people. Whether it's Wharfedale, or Wilson Benesch, or Willy Wonka Speakers, none of them will sound the same to you as they sound to me because our ears are different and depending on age and physical condition we'll likely perceive frequencies differently.

I'm going to be blunt here - there is absolutely positively no way around this, you are going to have to go do some auditions and make some purchases and just listen for yourself. You're going back and forth about specs, and reviews, and numbers on paper, and all of that is noise. Again, it's not that different from reading ingredients on the back of a candy bar wrapper and trying to figure out how it will taste. You just have to listen to as many as you can in your area, and then buy the best you can. If you don't like it, buy something else.

Every person on this forum had to do this...there's no shortcut - you are going to have to buy and learn, and eventually you'll end up with speakers you enjoy, and it may even happen on the very first try.
Newbee: Yes I'll keep the Denton forever xD. I'll just need to get another pair with greater dynamic to be played at my hometown :P
Bcgator: Thanks for your advice. Yay I think I'll do some listening auditions with Wharfedale Jade 3 or GoldenEar Aon 3

Hopefully can do like a week audition at my home with huge collection of music, as few tracks testing does not help much, it seems most of the time I'm struck with British sound, hmm...