thoughts on Dynaudio Special 25

Dynaudio Special 25

does anybody own or has anybody heard these speakers?

 

I've heard them. They're stunning but they aren't half pricey. From photos they might look like the same size as the rest of the Contour 1.3 series but they're a LOT bigger. They are about as close to a full-range standmount you can get.

If you like the Contour 1.3MkII or the 1.3SE you'll love the Special 25

Michael.

 

michael

i've seen them in the flesh and they are big but they look really impressive!

just not had the opportunity to have a listen but i think ur right they wont be far of the dynaudio 1.3mk2 or 1.3se sound except only better considering the upgraded driver and tweeter

 

And have you seen the bass reflex "port" on them? I'd struggle to call it a port - it's a bloody great hole! . It's like they forgot to put a rear cover on the speaker.

Michael.

 

yes slightly over the top isn't

maybe the speakers act as a safe as well?!..lol

 

If you want your precious items fired at the back wall once you get some decent bass then go right ahead

 

For my tuppence worth, the Special 25's are OK but nothing really to write home about. The main attraction is the 8" bass driver and they do sound big and ballsy. For me they don't quite click - the C1 however is IMO one of the finest standmounts I have ever heard. It obliterates the Special 25. If you can find a s/h pair of Craffts, they are good too - less ballsy but with a more dynamic HF performance (no doubt due to the Esotar D330). They are more upfront though.

 

hi merlin

looks like you've had a good listen to 3 dyno's that i am considering would mind elabortaing some more please.......

i was told that the crafft's were a no no for home stereo use, they only work well in professional environments couldn't understand the logic there many people have pro monitors in their systems

c1's not heard and ever seen suppose its down to the cost etc..

at the moment it looks like i'm heading towards the 25's unless i pick up some 1.3se's, the only thing (and something which you've touched on) is the big sound i am wary about them not being sophisticated enough.......i don't want just big and boomy

 

Anyone saying that has either never heard them or is trying to sell something else

I have three friends who all upgraded from 1.3se's and the Crafft has vasty superior treble resolution and greater timbal accuracy. They do however only come alive at decent volumes.

The C1 offers even better treble resolution along with a smoothness more often heard from speakers incorporating revelators. They just seem to gel - a seamless presentation that only lacks the scale and bottom end of a large floorstander. put another way, if i had the money for any standmount currently available, it would be a toss up between the C1 and the Peak Consult Incognito (which sadly is almost twic the price )

 

no further thoughts/opinions on the 25's

 

A good speaker. Need lots of room. Need lots of power. I prefer the S3.4 for the same money (although the treble is less refined). I also prefer Harbeth M30 and Super HL5 for a lot less. But like any speaker you need to listen - they are such a personal choice and so room dependent. I do wonder though why there are so many on the S/H market already?

 

well all being well i will have some crafft's to demo over the weekend and some 1.3mk2's so can do a good comparison, is it true they have tonal controls at the back for treble and bass?

to be honest if i find a pair of 1.3se's i'll be happy but i got the bug at the moment so anything is possible!

yes it is strange why suddenly some many 25's are on the s/h market but could be down to people buying out of interest and then getting bored and moving on!!!

 

The 25's I listened to belonged to a mate who eventually changed them for a pair of Craffts which he reckoned were better (I haven't heard them though). From what I've heard the 1.3SE's aren't a lot better than the 1.3MkII - certainly not worth the significant price hike.

1.3MkIIs are a great speaker...but then I would say that

Michael.

 

michael

what if the price difference was only a few £100 to change!

 

Well, I never heard the 1.3SE myself, only going on what friends have told me. I guess for £100 then why not, but it's a harder speaker to drive than the 1.3MkII I believe.

Michael.

 

I have demed both the 1.3 MkII and SE at home.
Now you have to remember that this could well be due to my room and acoustics but the SE had much more bass and it was really boomy in my room pretty much like a bloody nightclub.
Also the Treble was more refined and recessed but again that could have been due to the overwhelming bass.
It has a softer sound than the 1.3MkII and doesn't seem to time as well due to this.
I also listened to both in the dem room and prefered the cleaner sound of the 1.3's.

HTH's

Curtis

 

hi curtis

did u have the ports at the back plugged when listening to the 1.3se's? did u buy the dyn's eventually?

 

hi curtis

did u have the ports at the back plugged when listening to the 1.3se's? did u buy the dyn's eventually?

Hi Mate,
I tried plugging them but that made the sound compressed.
Yes i have had the 1.3's for a while now.
I origianally had the 1.1's but when i moved house i needed bigger speakers to fill the bigger room.
I tried the SE's first and as i said they just wouldn't work in my room.
Too much bass lacked speed of the 1.1's and top end was smoother which i didnt like.
I was using a Primare 30.1 Amp so the sharper treble on the 1.1's probably suited it.
The 1.3's worked well in the room and seemed to be a blend of the good points of the 1.1's and SE's.
I think you need something like the Krell's of this world to drive the SE's or the special 25's.
Like i say i think it is a room/epuipment issue and as i said you need oodles of power with an Amp that delivers real clarity if you dont want the sound to become to stodgy.

Curtis

 

There are two different models of the crafft of which the C2 is the pro version: http://www.geocities.com/shianjer/index2.html

With which dynaudio model did you end up finally?

 

If you want a stanmount with bag ballsy sound go for the bigger of the 2 Zingalis, the overture 2 I think it is, terrific treble and 93db, gives a great big sound, and is pretty fast, at least a lot faster than the floorstanding models, comes in around 2-2.5k new