Dynaudio Special 25 vs. Contour 1.3 SE

given your room constraints I would recommend the Special25. Based mostly on the increased resolution and bass dynamics of the S25 over the 1.3se and the somewhat limited space/volume of your room. Ultimately, your personal taste of the models should prevail.

Thank you very much for the feedback. So, the C3's don't sound very good at low volumes? The Krell 100 is class A, hopefully it will keep up. I would need a speaker to do well at the 15 W per speaker level. So, should the C3s be taken off my list?

the 1.3 SE play better at louder volumes also, if you are taking the C3s off you better take off the 1.3 SE also. but i notice that when i picked up the PS Audio power plant 600 all that stop, i don't know why but it did.

Bgarrett - I wouldn't say the C3's don't sound very good at low volumes. They really sound fabulous if you let them go a bit, but they sound very good at low volumes as well. If you always listen at very modest volumes, you might find that you prefer a more sensitive speaker that is easier to drive, but at volumes my family will let me play my system at when they're not trying to sleep, the C3's are wonderful.

I would say the C3's wouldn't sound very good driven by less than excellent amplification. Krell and Dynaudio are a nice match, IMO, and I think you'd find that your amp drives the C3 (or any of the Dyn's you've mentioned) very nicely. Again, even if you're not cranking it up, having the current output and some muscle behind the speakers, even at low volumes, really makes them sing.

As MoeMoney says, the 1.3SE has the same characteristics - needs lots of good power to sound right throughout the volume range, sounds very good even at modest volumes, but really sings when it can "open up". -Kirk

OK, let me ask folks for a Dynaudio speaker recommendation for my 12'x 17' room, please. The room will tolerate a bit more bass loading than many people assume. I have been running the Gallo Reference Nucleus 3's and Coincident Super Eclipses.

Listening to the Gallos has taught me that the Super Eclipses (original version) ARE overloading the room some what, and that a monitor or a floor standing speaker with tighter bass (apparently the current Super Eclipse III version corrects this) is a good thing.

Thoughts or recommendations vis-à-vis Dynaudio...and my 12 x 17 room? Amplification is currently 95 watts (triode push/pull) but I am open to suggestions there, too (such as maybe the Musical Fidelity kW500 integrated amp).