Contour 1.8 Mk II Early Observations

[Jack in Wilmington]

This has been an exercise in patience. Got the speakers on Monday and had already ordered some new cables as I realized that the cables I had were not long enough for this setup. They came on Sat and I was not home to sign for them, so I made arrangements to have them redelivered on Monday. So the speakers are set in place and wired up. Whew. At first I found myself putting something on to play and then after a couple of minutes jumping up and looking for the next thing to play. I finally poured myself a glass of Zin and made myself sit down and listen. I've rediscovered the bass that I had been missing, those warm rich mellow tones that make my ears tingle. These speakers were made for jazz. The Dave Holland Octet's new recording Pathways really expanded the soundstage for me. There is a lot going on in this recording, but the Dyns sort it all out and don't let the music get congested. I got to go hear some more music.

[Mr Peabody]

Glad to hear you like them. What cables are you using?

[LeRoy]

This has been an exercise in patience. Got the speakers on Monday and had already ordered some new cables as I realized that the cables I had were not long enough for this setup. They came on Sat and I was not home to sign for them, so I made arrangements to have them redelivered on Monday. So the speakers are set in place and wired up. Whew. At first I found myself putting something on to play and then after a couple of minutes jumping up and looking for the next thing to play. I finally poured myself a glass of Zin and made myself sit down and listen. I've rediscovered the bass that I had been missing, those warm rich mellow tones that make my ears tingle. These speakers were made for jazz. The Dave Holland Octet's new recording Pathways really expanded the soundstage for me. There is a lot going on in this recording, but the Dyns sort it all out and don't let the music get congested. I got to go hear some more music.

Congrats on the latest pick up. I see that you also have the Usher 719's with which I am quite familiar. At this point are you finding the Dyns more to your liking? Congrats again and enjoy the vino and the music.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Glad to hear you like them. What cables are you using?

Hi Mr. P
I started out with a pair of Analysis Plus Blue Ovals, but I was still experimenting with placement. I got a pair of Verastarr Silver Stream cables on Monday and their length allowed me to place the speakers where I wanted them. I listened to Santana's second album last night and I was just mezmerized with the sound.

[frenchmon]

I've got two pair of those Blue ovals...not bad for entry level cable....

[Hyfi]

Congrats and welcome to the club.

Obviously the Countours are plenty more than my Audience, but I get torn between the bass and fullness of the Danes vs my Clearfields awesome mids and highs.

Here is a Dynaudio Owners thread you may want to look at also.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=686371&page=1

[Jack in Wilmington]

Congrats on the latest pick up. I see that you also have the Usher 719's with which I am quite familiar. At this point are you finding the Dyns more to your liking? Congrats again and enjoy the vino and the music.

Thanks LeRoy, At this point I would say that I am quite taken with the 1.8's. Eventually I will do a comparision between the two. The X719's are connected to my 200 watt solid state amp so I would probably want to have both speakers hooked to the same amp. I'm just sort of rediscovering my music right now.

[devuonoste]

Glad you're enjoying your purchase. Sounds like they work well within your system.

[Mr Peabody]

Hyfi, I understand where you are at. My t2.5's were great with Krell but their character goes too far in a certain direction with the CJ. The Zu provided a more vivid mid and high response with the CJ.

The bass response will spoil you though.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Well Mr. P all I can say is that the Zu's must be a very special speaker to have replaced the t2.5's in your system. Have to put them on my must listen to list.

[Mr Peabody]

I was referring to Dynaudio with a bass response that will spoil you. The Zu are good but they are a different sound from Dyn, the Dyn's are more of an audiophile type sound where the Zu is more of a live like presentation. I also think the Zu has better synergy with the CJ gear. Dynaudio is an awesome speaker I just wanted to move into something more efficient with more highs.

[harley .guy07]

I understand where Mr. Peabody is talking about with more efficient speakers for his tube gear, not only for cooler running gear but tube gear seems to like higher efficient speakers which the Dynaudio definitely are not. And as well with the sound character of sound of Dynaudios being that of a more refined smooth sound instead of a live sound which some like and some don't. I happened to hear Mr Peabody's 2.5's on his CJ system and to me they sounded good. But I also own the Audience 60's he had and to me they sound better on my solid state amp and class d preamp than on tubes even though his tube gear is stellar stuff I think that there was just a hint of needing a different type of speaker on the CJ gear. Also to me the T2.5's were more refined and bassier than my audience 60's but it was not a drastic difference to me. The scale of the sound seemed to be where the difference was more than anything and in my new home my listening room is rather small and the 60's are very good in that room. but I hope the 1.8's give you the sound I was craving that the 60's give me.

[Hyfi]

Yeah, when I swap my 82s in for the Clearfields, I usually also switch from the Counterpoint to my Stratos. But, I can swap the amps very simply but have to hand truck the speakers around.

[Jack in Wilmington]

I understand where Mr. Peabody is talking about with more efficient speakers for his tube gear, not only for cooler running gear but tube gear seems to like higher efficient speakers which the Dynaudio definitely are not. And as well with the sound character of sound of Dynaudios being that of a more refined smooth sound instead of a live sound which some like and some don't. I happened to hear Mr Peabody's 2.5's on his CJ system and to me they sounded good. But I also own the Audience 60's he had and to me they sound better on my solid state amp and class d preamp than on tubes even though his tube gear is stellar stuff I think that there was just a hint of needing a different type of speaker on the CJ gear. Also to me the T2.5's were more refined and bassier than my audience 60's but it was not a drastic difference to me. The scale of the sound seemed to be where the difference was more than anything and in my new home my listening room is rather small and the 60's are very good in that room. but I hope the 1.8's give you the sound I was craving that the 60's give me.

With the 1.8's, this is the best my system has ever sounded. That is what I strive for when I add a new component as I'm sure everybody does. It doesn't always happen for one reason or another. I took a chance on the 1.8's, that they would blend seemlessly with my system. Worse case, I could sell them and try something else. I heard the Audience 80's years ago at Soundworks, I think that was it. Hyfi should remember that place. They were a little bit rich for my blood back then. But beautiful sound.

[Hyfi]

With the 1.8's, this is the best my system has ever sounded. That is what I strive for when I add a new component as I'm sure everybody does. It doesn't always happen for one reason or another. I took a chance on the 1.8's, that they would blend seemlessly with my system. Worse case, I could sell them and try something else. I heard the Audience 80's years ago at Soundworks, I think that was it. Hyfi should remember that place. They were a little bit rich for my blood back then. But beautiful sound.

Soundworks in in NY but in Willow Grove PA was Soundex. That is where I bought most of my gear. They started in a small strip mall, then moved to a really large converted house, then knocked down the house and put up a mega building with 22 sound rooms. Downstairs was all 2 channel while upstairs was all HT. Room #!1 was where they housed the current big buck system. I got to hear the whole Dynaudio Arbitur system with $750K mono blocks, Pre and speakers. They were big on MIT cables and I remember the speaker cables looking more like vacuum cleaner hose in size.

[harley .guy07]

the 1.8's will give you a bit more refinement for sure and if jazz is your thing mostly plus other instrumental kinds of music then they will be awesome. The difference in driver technology and cabinet design with the contour and audience series is very close with the slight edge going towards the contours way but that is a given with the difference in price of these speakers. I might step up in the Dynaudio brand some day given a bigger room or more power or a combination of both but for right now my Audiences do very well for me.

[Jack in Wilmington]

Thanks Hyfi, I knew you would remember the name.

Hey Harley, I may not have been a big jazzhead, but these speakers will certainly turn you in that direction. Classical music is awesome also. I can see why a lot of the magazine reviewers play classical and jazz when they're auditioning speakers.

Here are a few pictures of the 1.8's along with my X-719's

7961

7962

[devuonoste]

Nice Looking speakers.

Can't wait to read your comparisons between them.

[harley .guy07]

Yeah I can't wait until you compare them either. I was looking real hard at Usher before I decided to go the Dynaudio route and to me I can't be happier with my decision but that is not to say the Ushers aren't bad speakers because they are quite the speaker also. I would think they dynamically they will not be able to keep up with the Dyns and its hard to beat the smoothness and bass detail from Dyns. But you own both speakers so it will interesting to see what you think in direct comparisons.

[harley .guy07]

By the way they are both great looking speakers and the Dynaudio's you picked are actually one of my favorites in that series. they would have been the speakers I would have shot for if I would not have got the good deal I did on the Audience 60's

[Jack in Wilmington]

I was looking hard at the Focus 220's when these popped up on Audiogon. They have alot of the same characteristics. Not sure if they use the same drivers, crossovers, etc. Dynaudio didn't really replace the 1.8 in the contour series. Also the full complement of Ushers make a great HT system.

[Feanor]

Hyfi, I understand where you are at. My t2.5's were great with Krell but their character goes too far in a certain direction with the CJ. The Zu provided a more vivid mid and high response with the CJ.

The bass response will spoil you though.
Could this be more a commentary on Conrad Johnson (or Krell) than on Dynaudio?

Synergy is important of course, but I'd personally rather have neutral up and down the component chain.

[Mr Peabody]

Feanor, I think a commentary on both, more of the synergy between the speakers and amps driving them. The Krell being more analytical and tons of current is more to the Dyn's liking. Dynaudio is neutral in a way they generally sound good with all types of music. I love the CJ presentation, it does to me have a dark background, it sounded good with the t2.5's but after playing with some Klipsch models I began to wonder if there was something out there that might have better synergy. The Klipsch just didn't have the fidelity, or refinement I come to expect from Dynaudio. The Zu gives me the best of both and I like the synergy with the CJ better. Another person may feel the opposite.

Jack, the 1.8's do have a bit different sound than the Focus. I've heard Focus on a few different amps and to me they seem to have more of a darker presentation, and warmer, than any other series I've heard. I find them very easy to listen to. The 1.8's IMO will come off more lively, not so polite, and I mean that in a good way.

It's a pain unboxing gear but I should hook my Krell and t2.5's up just to refresh my perspective.