I had deCapos for quite a while. I think they employ a very specific set of trade-offs to achieve a specific result.
They combine better bass extension than most stand mounted monitors with a truly neutral octave to octave tonal balance. That's unusual IME because the lack of true bottom end energy (true of this and basically all other small box speakers) requires limiting the output thru the presence and treble region to maintain the octave to octave neutrality. Most manufacturers seem to maintain more output in the upper octaves so that the speaker sounds more dynamic. The result - to my ear - is that the vast majority of stand mounted monitors tend toward a bright voicing that would benefit from the addition of a subwoofer.
The real world result of the Ref 3a approach is a monitor that sounds really neutral. It doesn't really invite the use of a subwoofer - it would sound bottom heavy if you added one. OTOH, it definitely struck me as polite sounding and limited in dynamics.
To my ear, maintaining neutral balance at the expense of dynamic "jump factor" is a wise trade. However, IMO, that is the price that was paid in this design.
Caveat: Don't know if this applies to the Dulcet. I haven't heard it.
Marty
