Dynaudio Special 40 Speaker Review ! Is it all that special?

This is my Dynaudio Special forty speaker review. In this video I go over
Dynaudio Special 40 vs KEF R3, Dynaudio Special 40 vs buchardt s400, amplifier for dynaudio special 40 and dynaudio special 40 speaker placement.
see where these speakers are on our tier list: www.patreon.com/posts/gear-ti...
sound demo: • Dynaudio Special 40 sp...
www.dynaudio.com/home-audio/s...
Dynaudio Special 40 (USA): funallaudio.com/us-internatio...
Dynaudio Special 40 (Canada): funallaudio.com/canadian/loud...
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Website: nbtsmedia.com
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#Dynaudio #speaker #hifi

[@Jayiyagi]

no affiliation but I got this code for you guys: Use code NBT10 for 10% off everything @ funallaudio.com Valid until Jan.31. 2020 Few things to add: 1. yes, the speakers were fully broken in 2. The Dynaudio requires more power than the KEF R3 and the buchardt s400. All components in this video was able to drive the dynaudio in my small & medium listening rooms. 3. Sound demo is coming soon

[@planchernewfinish]

Love that you mentioned the tracks you reviewed with the speakers , permits us to listen at our own speakers and compered with what you heard. Nice review discovered your channel by thomas , keep it up !

[@carlosguevara7506]

I really like this way of explaining the sound signature with specific songs so we can compare our system based on your opinion. Super useful to help understand the sound signature!

[@ronaldpinke1643]

Thank you for your time and work, fantastic review !

[@Wenslauw]

Great review! I listened to both the R3 and Special forty on Naim. The detail in the midrange of the forties is spectacular. Hard choice.

[@20puskinas1992]

Well Kef q drivers lack mids. Probably because of this design. Sound lifeles to me.

[@WarinPartita6]

Thanks for this excellent review, Jay. You really know how to 'decipher' everything and I'm learning a lot from your honest comparisons. :-)))

[@mondipedragosa2300]

this is a very honest review for special forty by Dynaudio..keep it up! :)

[@toddhupp]

excellent reviews by Jay. Very informed. methodical.

[@morespinach9832]

Excellent review, comparing the other two speakers that are in many people's shortlist: KEF R3 and Buchardt S400.

[@KhoaTran-dl7sc]

great review, thank alot.

[@alvarojaramoreno2740]

Nice review. subscribed. keep up the good work.

[@mykeldg]

awesome, been waiting for this. hope you can also upload a sound demo to compare with the r3.

[@Jayiyagi]

yeap. coming soon but most likely just the dynaudio since I did a sound demo of the R3 already. Similar tracks will be used

[@phantomplastics6582]

Great review Jay. I find that with a really high end source and top amps you get incredible sound and no harshness at all in the top end. E.g. Chord Hugo TT2, Chord MScaler, Bel Canto 600M, Special 40 all with Silnote Cables plus the Curious Evolved USB cable. Sounds better than a live event e.g. Kat Edmonson.

[@jc51373]

Esotar Tweeter is more detailed, but bright is not a characteristic I'd apply to any Dyn. I think you are hearing the brightness of the Hegel.

[@Diatonic5th]

Great review here! Subbed.

[@walterkasper467]

Thanks for the great video.

[@kvrhifi]

Reviewed very well. Covered all aspects. Thank you.

[@Skyshakerrrr]

You setup it's my dream setup but I ended up going with 110th integrated amplifier with the 110th cd transport and the special 40's.

[@duarteteixeiradebarros3555]

This is a good review. Well done.

[@pm4898]

Good review. I've always thought the bass was fine and they didn't need a sub but to each his own. They are currently my favorite bookshelf, just wish they weren't so pricey.

[@tomseppe6406]

I got them for an absolute steal second hand! only a 100 bucks. Defenitely the best sounding speakers in any dorm in my uni

[@morespinach9832]

@@tomseppe6406 100 bucks!? Which moron sold them for that price!

[@Luke-sk8ic]

I suppose you've bought thhe cabinets only.....without speakers!

[@davidcottle7346]

@@tomseppe6406 you serious lol 😂???

[@DamionG1987]

I love the Special 40's. They sound amazing.

[@Skyshakerrrr]

I do too its very full sounding good definition.

[@morespinach9832]

Super review. One of the few channels that also mentions the amp used. Yes the Hegel 190 must be a super pairing. I wonder if you’ve tried Evoke 30?

[@weeooh1]

The reason for 1st order crossover is that these have a shallower roll-off (than 2nd, 3rd or 4th order crossovers). This complements the SE40 tweeter which goes down low to 1000hz (not many tweeters can properly do that). And the 6.7" woofer which easily goes into the 1000hz range to meet the tweeter. This allows for a much more seamless blending of the frequencies at the 1000hz point this giving excellent midrange performance. Lesser speakers usually have a dip in the midrange at the crossover point where the low/high drivers meet. The SE40 avoids that.

[@davidkosa]

There are many good reasons to use 1st order crossovers, but one of the drawbacks for me is a narrow sweet spot. I tend to favor crossover designs that create wide sweet spots that are less position dependent. Just my taste.

[@Tbonyandsteak]

@@davidkosa More component lesser sensitivity, lesser Transparency. Lesser damping factor. That is why a properly build 1. order sounds best. On the other sides, if the units are not perfectly places, they will work against each other. So to avoid that higher order are chosen. So a it is a pro and con question.

[@BrianGarside]

@@davidkosa I thought the 1st order crossovers did just the opposite a wide sweet spot as in the special 40's case with the Mid-range since the slope is gradual which allows for more octave overlap in the mid range?

[@Sparta155]

Blending the two drivers together isn't helped by first order crossovers, in fact it is usually harder to do this with such simple crossovers. The main reason for first order crossovers is that they afford minimum phase, which translates to a clean transient response if done well.

[@exif6839]

@@Sparta155 1st order crossover is always a problem because of phase problems in the range of the crossover frequency. To avoid this, a stepped frontplate with e.g. 20mm distance to the tweeter level is needed. So dynaudio uses very often so called „allpass filter designs“ for usage of 1st order coupling of the tweeter. On even frontplate like S40 3rd order tweeter coupling is the standard.

[@Skyshakerrrr]

The special 40's are indeed special. Fast bass,immaculate midrage,good highs, with a very good tone.

[@jeffreyzuidgeest5798]

Nice review, the looks of the speaker is also special. Would like to see review in that range with 705S2, curious what you think of those.

[@michaelmartin3026]

Middle of the room exactly jay… spot on! The specials with the baby rel in a small room are magical! Tone is superb! Brightness leaves after 100 hours … Buchardts are fabulous in a medium sized room! Small room people … buy these!

[@rog86]

Have you heard the new buchardts and these? Im in medium sized room. Which do you prefer?

[@martlet530]

Please post info on power and speaker cables used in your test. Great review. Many thanks

[@samcrewe1791]

I really love my Special 40s. Vocals are really just divine!

[@redstarwraith]

Jay, have you played the Tekton Pendragons with the Billie Amp? I'm curious how it did. I'm taking delivery on my Pendragons this Friday!

[@rmeyer52]

I tried both the Special 40 and KEF R3 Meta. I chose the R3 Metas because I thought they were better all around than the Special 40s. My amp is Rotel 6000

[@Quattro5081]

The next Best Thing Studio, many thanks for an great review!. What speakers would you recomend to me of the S40, Contour 20, B&W 805D3 and SF Sonetto V? My amp is Hegel H390, and my room is about 25kvm. I mostly listen to pop, electronica, and some classic and jazz

[@morespinach9832]

Haha at that price range you have to ask this question? Dynaudio Special 40 and Contour are spectacular.

[@llee4225]

That was a great detailed review. You covered all the parameters well. It would be good to mention price information for comparison.

[@nigelgauntlett582]

Check out the Emit 10 and 20 ! Both are outstanding and quite affordable

[@Freedom89984]

With monitors, always throw in a good sub. Just for the lowest regions, so cut the sub off at 40 Hz. Gives you just a bit extra as lots of monitors (like Kef LS50) aren’t going that deep. I think the Special 40’s need a sub too if you want to enjoy all notes of the song, as stated in this excellent review. 👍🏼

[@morespinach9832]

Dynaudio Xeo 20 beat the pants off LS50 in the same price range. No need for subs in smaller city apartments. If the room is large yes they add value.

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

it is interesting you find it bright. it fits with others who owns the speaker. I have the Evoke 50 which I don't find to be very bright. But still very detailed in the top.

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

HugFest I heard Evoke 20, Contour 20, Contour 30 and Contour 60 in one session. I don't remember much of the experience. But I'm quite sure I didn't find it bright because that was one of my criteria. The amplifier used was the Hegel H190 for the smaller speakers. And H590 for contour 30 and 60. You should listen to them yourself if you can. I did this in August last year. But I listen to my Evoke 50 each day and they produce very good sound. I have Hegel H390 amplifier with them. But how bright a speaker becomes might be highly affected by the electronics and cables.

[@BrianGarside]

@@oysteinsoreide4323 Do you think the 40s have a similar sound to the Evoke 50s? Is it mostly Output or is there a lot more to the difference? I was considering both.

[@DV-fg4pq]

Great Review. I agree with all comments but two : how it pairs with poor recordings and the so called "bright" characteristic. All depends on the set and you can never judge a speaker as such. As a special 40 owner I paired it with audio analogue integrated amps and do not have the same impression on those two aspects. I occasionally listen to prewar blues and add badly recorded material (90s house) always to my listening tests to judge how a set treats badly recorded material. I find the special 40 does not have to sound bright if you pair it with a matching amp that brings out the best balance in the highs while respecting the revealing character of the speaker. I tested it with class D (ELAC alchemy DPA-2) and that did not sound pleasant to my ears (only the bass improved further. However, with the audio analogue maestro integrated (old and new version) it both sounds great. I tested also the combination with the hegel 590 and aRotel Michi at a dealer but that killed the "spark" in the presentation and was too dark (hegel 590) compared to amps that are much cheaper or a soundstage that was much further away (rotel). Perhaps the cheapest hegel 190 is indeed the best match compared to the more expensive Hegels (I did not listen to that combination)

[@coguglielmi]

Dunno whether you've ever tried it, but I like to test systems with the 'All time' track from the Londinium album, by Archive. It's got both that huge bass, though not too tight (attack is fast, release isn't), and sparkling treble throughout. Especially at 3:03 onwards, check for saturation! Have fun 😉!

[@toddstyles7194]

Could not do a side by side. But sold the special 40 after 1 week. I now have r3 Meta ....just floored by the sound. They are going to know ware. I also like the Buchardt s400mk2 over the special 40. Now of course they are all great 👍 The r3 Meta are just magic in my system 😊

[@WelsonRyan]

I went with the Evoke 20s after listening to both. Regardless, compared to the R3, B&W 705S2, Harbeths, I just found the Dynaudio sound with that fast bass and open top end you mentioned to be incredibly addictive and the most fun :-)

[@mcfly7703]

you choosed the evoke 20 over the sp40 and s400?

[@WelsonRyan]

@@mcfly7703 over the sp40s, yes. I couldn't tell a difference tbh, and the Evokes have a nicer profile where the box narrows a little at the back. Not interested in the s400s. I'm more interested in the bass being fast than gaining a few extra Hz down. I also wanted something from an established manufacturer that was built in Europe (not just designer there).

[@mcfly7703]

@@WelsonRyan So you say the evoke 20 is the faster speaker compared the the sp40?

[@WelsonRyan]

@@mcfly7703 Really hard to say, I believe. Probably splitting hairs, to the point of moot. My audition playlist included orchestral items like the Star Wars theme tune. Lots of dynamic and many instruments. Both the e20s and sp40s handled it far better than the other bookshelfs I auditioned in the sub-4k price range. And I would attribute it to both have superior bass speed. The r3 (and probably the s400s) can reach a little lower, but the r3 is a much larger speaker. Its volume is closer to a small floor stander, and because of that, aesthetically, I think it looks a bit odd on its stand. For me it was more about quality bass than quantity. Fast bass allows me to put the e20s against a wall and get more bass extension anyway, albeit at the sacrifice of a little crispness. At the end of the day, it was the most engaging speaker I heard in my price range across a good variety of music genres.

[@mcfly7703]

@@WelsonRyan Thx for your answers.

[@Cooliewhistles]

These are not bright at all, they are detailed but i never had any ear fatigue with them, and i have very sensitive ears. B&w, klipsch kill my ears almost right away

[@Rayradityaa]

Agree. I have sp40 and no bright at all. Its like my spendor or amphion. More neutral and enjoyable without fatigue like bw focal or audio solutions

[@StefanKamer]

Would be really interested to hear your thoughts on the Dynaudio Evoke 20 if you ever get a chance to hear them. Seems that it inherited some interested design choices from the S40 and the Confidence series and I wonder how they would stack up against say a Contour or a S40, and obviously against speakers it more directly competes with such as the R3 and S400 (in price).

[@BastognePitBull]

I just listened to a set of Evokes. The source was a super high end DAC (Simm Audio) and they were absolutely incredible. Huge soundstage and image. I play guitar and I do setup for the music at my Church and the piano sounds like a piano, guitar a guitar....you get what I'm saying. Flat yet so full of life. GREAT product.

[@victorsperber5360]

Thank you very much for this review. Could you please give me your opinion about the comparison between Dynaudio Special 40 and the B&W 705 S2 signature ? Thank you very much. I know the B&W but not the Dynaudio yet.

[@igorpadalka5737]

Which of them is best suitable for rock and heavy metal?

[@unklecorky2181]

You mentioned these speakers not being very forgiving with poor sources like KZbin,MP3's,other compressed audio etc. What speakers that you've tried have helped gloss over/color the sound of these kinds of sources to make them their best?

[@ilkkajarvilehto346]

Please, could you tell are you planning to do review for Dynaudio Heritage Special?!

[@monkeypunker]

I agree that Dynaudio bookshelf speakers need no tilt in, perhaps just a bit, to sound best and to fill the entire room with good sound. You praise them for sounding good at low listening levels. I may add that while this is true, the funny thing is they need a lot(!) of power - talking about the amp here - to sound great when listening at soft levels. This may sound strange to some, but it's true based on my quite long experience with the Dyns.

[@aleofast8172]

Dynaudio present very good low, texture bass,great acurate vocal. The voice coil very big give good control of air pressure.

[@ohsoleohmio]

can these compare with the vela elac ?

[@xstensl8823]

i have the Rega RS1's not sure if these would be much better?

[@NYCJazzSeen]

Thank You for you "Ears On" intelligent informative valuable review presentation it was well done ! Bravo😎

[@annenominous7220]

i shopped these (40s) against many speakers and ended up buying speakers that cost more than twice as much, but later picked up the special 40s for a smaller room. I put them in the same rig as my Spendor D7s and was amazed at how close they came to equaling the performance in my listening room. In my room, the special 40s play down to about 40 hz. My spendors reach down to 30 hz. The other major difference is the "volume" of sound you get from the Spendors is larger... at a fixed listening level, the Spendors just sound bigger. However, I highly recommend the Special 40s and they are available discounted from various sources. I paid only $2500 for them with stands. Thanks for your review and your videos.

[@BastognePitBull]

I listened to a set of Evokes with a Simm Audio DAC and I was blown away. Great speakers. I could reach out and touch Chet Atkins and Mark Knopfler.

[@morespinach9832]

BastognePitBull which ones. Evoke 10 or 30?

[@BastognePitBull]

@@morespinach9832 I listened to the Evoke 20's and I was quite blown away. I found out it wasn't the super high end Simm Audio DAC. I am an image and soundstage guy hifi wise, i.e. I want the band in the room with me when I close my eyes. The Dyn's did this really, really, really well.

[@BastognePitBull]

@@morespinach9832 Forgot to say that I am a bookshelf/monitor guy. Big sound from small boxes not gimmicky but a bookshelf that can really give me 40-50 hz as musically as possible. Sadly, I am back into the hifi thing after trying to make music for the last 5 years. It's a fun diversion.

[@BastognePitBull]

@@morespinach9832 Evoke 20

[@morespinach9832]

BastognePitBull that’s super. Nothing like music for a distraction. Will have to hear Evoke 20 a proper listen. I was distracted by Super 40. Not sure if the premium is truly worth it. I’ll be pairing with Hegel 190 I think.

[@nelsta77u.k53]

Evoke 20 on the end of a Naim supernait3, truss me you have a killer combo punch way above there weight 🔥

[@morespinach9832]

Nelsta77 U.K supernait or Hegel 190. Both are clear and natural.

[@nelsta77u.k53]

More Spinach Yes indeed you can't go wrong either way,but the naim edges it because of the endless upgrade opportunity with out really having to change the amp i.e power supply's.

[@morespinach9832]

@@nelsta77u.k53 I'm a diehard stereo 2 channel fan, and my source will always be digital with an interface I love (RMI ADE 2) so hegel's display in the front is quite satisfying. Naim is a great one too!

[@nelsta77u.k53]

More Spinach So what 2channel set up are you running?

[@borlach321]

Could I drive the special 40 with a creek evo 100 integrated?

[@genaishivatov1737]

The 1st order of the crossover at "Special 40" is given with a lot of blood - there are 14 elements, among which there are electrolytes and ceramic resistors ))

[@kohnfutner9637]

If I were buying Dynaudio it would be the heritage that Steve Huff reviewed. They cost double what the special 40 cost, but he sounded genuinely gob smacked with them. Pretty sure he said he's selling his special 40 now. But I'm most interested in klipsch Cornwall iv.

[@mikecees2230]

One track that really gives my Morel woofers a workout is: Vatican Shadow - Snipers As A Breed Tend To Be Superstitious

[@hugevibez]

If you're gonna pair it with a sub anyway, how does it compare to the Elac Vela BS 403 speakers?

[@Jayiyagi]

Totally different. They took the speakers back. I wont put it in my reviews unless I can do a straight a/b. But from my audio memory, the velas are smoother top, less midbass punch (which is something you can't quite achieve with a sub), less sub bass, more beautiful midrange, better seperation and soundstage.

[@karlailin]

Great review, can you also think of doing a review of the Totem Signature One? and compare these two.

[@RafaelGrigorian]

Can I pair these with Bluesound Powernode 2i?

[@Gary_M]

I hope all of the people who love to repeat ad nauseam the myth that all metal dome tweeters are bright and all soft dome tweeters are smooth will watch this video. It's all about the implementation.

[@MM-qf4fv]

Question: I own an SVS SB-1000, which you referenced in this review in regards to pairing it with the Special 40. I currently have a pair of NHT Classic Three bookshelf’s. Looking to upgrade. Have been looking at the Buchardt S400 and the Special 40. Would you say the combo of the Special40/SB-1000 is better than the S400/SB-1000 combo? I can get an open box/used Special 40 for around $2K so the pricing between a new S400 and a used Special 40 is minimal.

[@morespinach9832]

M M Buchardt is getting a lot of interest because of their shipping convenience and look. It’s a cool new firm. Sound wise Dyn is superlative. I think s400 (which I had to return) were recessed in mids, and sometimes the sound did not have as much breathing room. Dynaudio is gorgeous in this range and evoke.

[@MM-qf4fv]

More Spinach thanks! That’s what I’m starting to figure as well.

[@BrianGarside]

@@morespinach9832 Thank you for that insight. IMO its probably due the Buchardt tweeter doesn't go as low as the Specials 40s + crossover. I think people put a lot emphasis on Buchardts extended warm bass output and think its better than the Special 40's more balanced response albeit less bass output. Personally I rather have the mids since lower bass can be fixed with a REL sub etc.... But each to there own

[@MM-qf4fv]

Brian Garside yeah, those are my thoughts as well. Seems like the Special 40 do mids/highs a bit better than the Buchardt, with the mids being quicker and punchier. The SB1000 I have can cover the the lows and it’s just a matter of integrating the sounds.

[@BrianGarside]

@@MM-qf4fv Yep the lower bass extension can be fixed with your SVS with a good crossover point and gain tweaking. You could keep your SVS for movies and get a REL T7i for music. That's what I plan to do budget allowing of coarse.

[@toddstyles7194]

Just heard the Dynaudio S40's Next to the Buchardt s400mk2. Both with over 300 hours of play. No contest Buchardt hands down. BUCHARDT 9.5 S40 8 on scale 1 to 10. S40 good speakers. BUCHARDT fantastic speakers. This was a in home demo. Line Magnetic 805ia with Topping 90se DAC

[@AngelRa3547]

Looks like the Swan HiVi DIY 2.2A. Which I believe share the same supplier for components. Dynaudio S40 is $3000, the Swan is less than $300.

[@ndis1977]

Do they work nearfield?

[@allanpowell7208]

Go interview Nelson Pass and ask him vital questions about Amplifier and speaker design and performance. Viewers will love you for it and the inspiration you will get from him will astound you. Try to tend a bit more towards something not popular music. Try listening a couple of times to the late Beethoven quartets or at least the first three or four. Listen to the opening track of the "Messiah" by Handel. Do these things at a modest volume level. Sit down and discipline yourself to listen closely. These things will make your personal choices of music seem like silliness and you will mature in your taste. These things will help you immensely. Put yourself on that solid road to integrity. Cheers to you.

[@juanmillaruelo7647]

Interviewing the masters is always enlightening. As for music, not all people listen to various flavors of rock. Jazz fusion, blues, classical music, particularly baroque Indian and Chinese music, African. I've discovered world music (fusion and pure) and it's a blast.

[@korbindallas6727]

Phew, was hoping for this review. Love the way you have compared speakers in a very competitive market and like price points (S400, R3, ATC SCM11). Plus I think you answered the question of; is special that special. Yes, I think so. I do have a question and know you only like to do a/b comparisons. The Special 40 is at a higher price point to the other 3, and as you indicated, adding a sub only adds to the overall cost. My question is; would the ATC SCM19 be a more like to like comparison based on cost/price point? If I follow your comments it seems the SCM11 is smoother/less bright in the high end, and that the 40 might (emphasis on might) get bright for some. Did I understand that correctly? Could one expect the same on the SCM19? Thanks!

[@memania-]

Are these any good with classical music?

[@matthewpool494]

I can't imagine mid bass faster and punchier than my R3's.

[@dougg1075]

Dude that hair is off the chain! Nice review

[@Jayiyagi]

It usually is... My god.... Genes

[@TheFibtastic]

I have a pair of Special 40s and don't find the to be bright at all. It could be something with your amp match, as mine are very balanced and if anything slightly dipped in the very top.

[@gokhanersan8561]

Can you review the Heritage Special ?

[@carmelovillena6174]

Hey soulsick how that dynojoe performed?

[@user-mo9mt6yu8y]

at the beginning i was very pessimistic but this review is actually pretty good

[@ilkkajarvilehto346]

It'd a great, if you could execute a review which compares also a higher priced models e.g. comparison between Raidho D1.1 vs. TAD Micro Evolution One vs. Dynaudio Confidence 20. Beacuse you can buy used Raidho D1.1 with a price of Sonus Faber Olympica Nova 1, used market prices for Raidho D1.1 are usually between 7000 - 10000 Eur. So, is it a smart to invest a new in case of older generation can be better from another brand (Raidho D1.1 retail price was 27000 Eur and now 7000Eur). at the moment I am considering between these three (Raidho, TAD, Dynausio) speakers, so far leaning towards Raidho. KEF is not to my taste, soundstage is wide, but not deep when we execute comparison for other leading brands. We do not have Raidho representative in here, Finland therefore it's a very difficult to execute comparison at home. Therefore it would be interesting to hear your opiniion and experience between these speaker models, if you have had a possibility to listen them and possible comparing them agianst each others. BTW, Have you had a chance to hear the latest Amphion Krypton 3 model, which has improved a lot since first version of 3. I would appreciate any input you're able to provide or possbile to execute a review of these mentioned models. Thank you in advance for any valuable input you're able to provide in this matter.

[@devenmajmudar839]

Please suggest a subwoofer with these speakers. Thanks

[@julienmaeda]

he did, SB1000 seems to do the job

[@exif6839]

Dynaudio S40 and Yamaha A-S2100! Try this. Trust me!

[@Skyshakerrrr]

Im happy to report.that the special 40's speaker sound very spacious and articulate with denon integrated and cd transport 110th denon anniversary combo. Holographic comes to mind.

[@Philo1]

how many hours of break in time do these have ?

[@Jayiyagi]

They say 400 hours... Yes.... My electricity bills...

[@Philo1]

@@Jayiyagi Yup, i know, the things we do for audio ! :)

[@jmlathion2909]

« If you are looking for floorstander experience, but don’t have the space » Sorry, but with proper stands don’t bookshelves speakers take approx. the same space ?

[@Jayiyagi]

Oh no I didnt mean it so much as in space to actually place the speakers. I meant more so for sonic reasons. A lot of rooms these days won't work sonically with a floorstander. Also some floorstanders like tektons do become a concern with actual physical space it takes up !

[@jmlathion2909]

The Next Best Thing Studio Thanks a lot for clarifying that. It would be interesting to elaborate on this topic in a future video. What room type to benefit from bookshelves over floorstanders. What room type may generally benefit from floorstanders over bookshelves ? From my 35 year experience I think there are compromises to make smaller speakers sound « big » that are actually very difficult to overcome. Even looking only into bookshelves lines, in general the standout models tend to be the bigger ones.

[@yuguantan]

Like Dynaudio 25th more, personal opinion.

[@commane21]

Also, vs the Elac Adante ....?

[@kingjohnny7215]

@@commane21 wish someone had a review of the elac adante floorstanding, they're on clearance now

[@Diatonic5th]

The Adante's have terrible bass response. When I hear them I couldn't believe a speaker that big could produce such weak bass.

[@kingjohnny7215]

@@Diatonic5th thanks for the info on the Adante's

[@Drackleyrva]

I have the gray Special 40s just like those. I'm looking to upgrade my amp to possibly the Simaudio Moon 240i integrated. I know the S40s like power---would the 240i be ok?

[@joshuabrain9751]

Did you end up getting a 240i? I have a 240i ordered and am considering pairing it with the special 40s

[@Drackleyrva]

@@joshuabrain9751 No---I ended up getting the Luxman 505UXii which sounds wonderful with the S40s. Let me know how the 240i pairs with your Specials.

[@threecats8219]

Your assessment of bass with SP40 doesn't make sense to me. Firstly the frequency response of the SP40 at +or- 3dB, is 41Hz at the low end. … (With the KEF R3 it's 58Hz, meaning the R3 rolls off considerably sooner.) … Secondly in one of Ed Selley's appraisals of the SP40, he said he managed to get a note at 29Hz. (Ed Selley reviews for HiFi Choice.) …. Thirdly, the bass response of the SP40 is renowned. … With how you have the SP40 set-up at 10:07, I wonder if you have them too close to boundaries. That does constrict the soundstage, so bass separation would be affected. They are free standing speakers that should be no less than 0.5m from boundaries. (It's in the manual.) I would not call the SP40 bright either. I find them very difficult to provoke to any brightness at all. I have read a review claiming the SP40 to the best all round pound for sound hifi product ever. Another pro-review saying the SP is a listen into the early hours of the morning speaker. … I can't help thinking you did not set your SP40 up right for testing. Either that, or you have scared me off the Hegel H120, which I think you used with the SP40. I was looking at buying the H120. Unless lastly, your cabling made the SP40 bright for you.

[@Balooba11]

Never understood the space discussion. A speaker like this on a stand will require same space as a floor stander.

[@UnCholoContraElMundo]

All the space thing is about the room size, bookshelf sounds good in small rooms but floorstanders don't and vice versa

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

a floor standing speaker need more room around it than a bookshelf speaker.

[@wa2368]

@@NosTubes58 This is such a false generalization!

[@itsmorphed6416]

You reallly need to think about bass with a floorstander . Bigger room better . Although there are exceptions where some smaller floorstanders could work in place of a smaller cabinet speaker

[@jmohd]

Please play some music of the product being review

[@Pawor9]

Dynaudio make their own woofers.

[@willbrink]

I take the ATC 11s as a lower $ all day over the Dynaudio Special 40. I find the Dynaudio "sound" dry and boring as a rule, not a good deal for their $. There's plenty of speakers below 2k that sound better.

[@backrack01]

Would a pair of REL t5i's be enough to pair with these speakers?

[@YitbosSwede]

Your room size would probably factor in more than what speakers you pair them with. REL would probably answer if you emailed them with room size and details.

[@spokeinteractive1833]

I run my S40’s with a pair of T5i’s and it’s a wonderful combination but as previously mentioned it will depend on your room size. Mines roughly 4x4 metres - a small UK sized room.

[@vladimirrusev468]

Good review ... full cover my experience. But at the end i sold both - R3 and Special 40 :) Special 40 can be pretty different with different amps. Not good match for more resolving hardware on the bright side. Then the dyns get just to bright.

[@RingwurmD]

After the R3 and Special 40, what speakers would you suggest looking at?

[@danielwerner9543]

@@RingwurmD Fritz Carrera Be, Joseph Audio Pulser, Living Voice

[@vladimirrusev468]

@@RingwurmD i sold them not because they are bad :) Just when i bought the special 40s i didnt have developed taste for what i like. Actually what i wish is that kef makes something between R3 and reference 1 because i like the overall tonality of the kefs. Sadly R3 cant compete in terms of resolution and fine details with the 3000€ league. So now i am with something very close to the R3 concept, but more with the resolution from the special 40 without getting so bright - Elac adante AS61. But is also not perfect - midbass is very quick and resolving like the special 40, but the bottom end is weak and the special 40 are touch more resolving and airy. But the elacs are for me the better overall balance.

[@mcfly7703]

@@vladimirrusev468 You should try the cabasse bora or invest more money for the audiovector r1 arrete

[@BrianGarside]

@champer slimmerthannone So weird some say they are not bright enough. @Douwe Bloot for example. Would toe out help any? I was really settling on these. What did you end up with?

[@toddhupp]

case looks like the ML 35s

[@phantomplastics6582]

The Special 40 are not bright if you have a great system and the right cables. For example Chord Hugo TT 2, Chord M Scaler, Audio Alchemy DPA-1M and Silnote Poseidon Sig II + Anniversary II Master Reference. The sound of that combination is magical. Listen to Kat Edmonson Way Down Low album.

[@evassuccess]

I believe in your ears because you are young. I do not like to see old people speaking about speakers' sounds.

[@hushpuppykl]

For the price, they are very nice speakers. I demo-ed them along side the ProAc D2R. Both are very different. The D2R has the more analytical top with its ribbon tweeters but the S40 does have a smooth top end. I feel the Harbeth M30.1 will pip this speaker. The M30.1 will have a more natural sound.

[@morespinach9832]

The Harbeths you mention are more in line with contours.

[@hushpuppykl]

@@morespinach9832 ... where I’m from, the S40 is priced close to the 30.1. Most unfortunate.

[@johnkristian]

what if you add tidal playlists to your reviews like john darko do? It's really nice, and you seem to have better music taste than him. ;)

[@fateich]

Good review 👍 Definitely not for me.. With all respect to Dynaudio I always thought and your video proves that, that Dynaudio speakers are too right, too good. You are impressed when you listen to them in the salon, your friends impressed when they hear your speakers, they may be a good choice when you learn to understand what hi-fi is about, but to live with them.. I doubt.. Dynaudio makes speakers to sell well, like Naim staff as well..

[@andrewwesley1946]

Interesting thoughts.

[@AMan-wu8eg]

I’m living with them and I’m very happy!

[@rmzidann]

Please look inside the cabinet. Minimal bracing, no resonance treatment and the cheapest crossover parts you can imagine. Look inside, please.

[@radu_serban]

Who gives a fuck, if they sound great?

[@RP-mm9ie]

SOUND DEMO

[@rmzidann]

You can get a DIY speaker for 1/6 the price that will kill that over priced Dyaudio! Easily…

[@dangrmous]

Like what? Which kit to you like? GR Research X-XS Encore?

[@snowline8935]

you pronounced "Esotar" correctly. That is or was their best tweeter.

[@exif6839]

Was!

[@zimga]

"These speakers, are for someone, who wants floorstanders, but dont have the space" If you have space for bookshelfs on the speaker stands, than you have space for floorstanders

[@ChrispyArt]

Zigmas Sileikis depends if you can handle the deeper frequency response in your room ...

[@zimga]

@@ChrispyArt Good point👍

[@jayroc2k]

Not true. Speaker stands can give the impression of “lightness”. You can’t compare the visual impression of a single pole vs a 25cm by 30cm box down to the floor. Floor standers can appear overly dominant. Foot print is the same. Impression is very different

[@efraim.]

Red looks much better