When I informed a distributor I was planning to review Dynaudio loudspeakers from DM line for our „budget” issue he immediately suggested DM 2/7. From his experience price/quality ratio of this model was extremely good, it was also not too big and not too small so many customers had given them a try and lot of them kept them willingly. And it is quite understandable why they liked these speakers so much as these are a separate category of Dynaudio loudspeakers called „special models” and there are quite some details that differ them from Excite and Focus ranges. Their main purpose is quality of sound and budget cuts were made when it came to the look of these loudspeakers. Unlike Focuses for example, DMs are covered with vinyl laminate, which reminded me of an old Audience range. But the drivers used here are of higher quality that one might figure out judging from their price. Wilfried Ehrenholz, the Dynaudio big boss, when asked about these speakers answered that customer paid for drivers and crossover and in fact cabinets were for free – he meant that one would have paid same price just for the elements to build the same loudspeakers. And the results of such approach are in my opinion remarkable. DM 2/7 recommended by Distributor is one of four models in this range. There are two other more expensive - DM 2/8 and DM2/10 and one less expensive - DM 2/6. DM 2/7 is equipped with 17cm mid- lowrange driver. But the truth is that when I approached Nautilus before this review what I had in my mind was DM 2/6 – the smallest one and just added to the range. Why you could ask? These are really very small loudspeakers with 14cm mid- lowrange driver and cabinet's size of 170 x 292 x 240 mm. But for me it was not just about the size - DM 2/6 was one of the descendants of the unforgettable BBC LS 3/5, that were made famous also by KEF (review HERE)! Their proportions are bit different although external sizes quite similar (LS 3/5: 190 x 300 x 170 mm), only the drivers used for Dynaudio are bit bigger. One may call it a modern version of legendary design but with wider frequency range, higher sensitivity and much lower split point (1,8 kHz vs 3 kHz). And these are bass-reflex loudspeakers. But if you see DM 2/6, and have seen LS before – you would get my point…

We have tested so far following Dynaudio products in „High Fidelity”:

• Confidence C1
• Audience 52 SE
• Excite X16
• Special Twenty-Five

SOUND

Discs used for listening sessions:

• Feel the Difference of the Blu-spec CD. Jazz Selection, Sony Music Japan, SICP-20050-1, Blu-spec CD + CD; review HERE.
• HiQualityCD. Jazz Selection, EMI Music Japan, TOCJ-90010, HQCD + CD; review HERE.
• Ben Heit Quartet, Magnetism, Acousence Records, ACO80108, 24/192, FLAC.
• Diorama, Child of Entertainment, Accession Records, A 119, SP CD; review HERE.
• Electric Light Orchestra, Time, Epic/Sony Music Direct (Japan), MHCP-1161, CD.
• Frank Sinatra, That’s Life, Reprise/Universal Music Company/Sinatra Society of Japan, UICY-94423, SHM-CD.
• Kate Bush, The Whole Story, EMI/Toshiba-EMI, TOCP-67822, CD.
• Madeleine Peyroux, Bare Bones, Rounder/Universal Music LLC, UCCU-1188, CD.
• Milt Jackson Quartet, Milt Jackson Quartet, Prestige/JVC, VICJ-41534, K2 CD.
• Monteverdi, Ottavo Libro dei Madrigali, Concerto Italiano, Opus 111, OPS 30-187, CD.
• Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Raising Sand, Rounder, 478020, 24/96, FLAC.
• Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’, Blue Note/Audio Wave, AWMXR-0003, XRCD24; review HERE.
• The Eagles, Hotel California, Asylium Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-11936, CD.
• Tool, 10,000 Days, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, 819912, CCD.

All Japanese issues you may buy at CD Japan

These loudspeakers offer the warmest sound among those tested for this issue of „High Fidelity”. I don't mean they offer very warm sound – treble is not rolled off, sound is no so „thick” as from tube amp, but if you listen to couple of monitors at this price range you would point out Dynaudio as the warmest ones. They also offer bigger sound that you might expect from speakers of this size. Same goes for iQ30 but they have much larger cabinets. To get a big sound from small cabinets (like Dynaudio) one usually boosts up a lower midrange via bass-reflex. They used same solution here but audible effect was surprisingly subtle. When listening to lowest sounds from bass in Cool Struttin’ by Sonny Clark from HiQualityCD sampler I could tell that air pressure came mostly from the back of the cabinet and not directly from the driver but it co-existed with the sound coming directly from drivers so well, that it wasn't a problem at all to listen to the music with pleasure. This very sampler showed me how well DM 2/6 play these old, bit warm sounding recordings because they were able to present beautifully the texture of sound, its rich timbre and great soundstaging. Saxophone or trumpet caused shrills going down my spine even though DMs cost less than plugs in my power cables…

Tone of these instruments as well as vibraphone's from Milt Jackson Quartet's recording was thick, rich and palpable. That was quite interesting as these instruments were not push forward in front of all the rest – simply their presentation was so energetic in a wide frequency range that they seemed to play closer to listener than usually. I noticed also at once something I called „color” - timbre was colorful with wide range of shades.

An essential part of such coherent presentation must have been high quality treble. Only KEFs with fantastic Uni-Q system offered same quality treble but in British loudspeakers treble wasn't so well integrated with the rest of the frequency range as it was in DM 2/6. That seems to be a common feature of all Dynaudio speakers – outstanding coherency. Xavians Primissima, tested also for this issue of „High Fidelity” also pleased me with their coherency but their treble was not of such high quality as the one of Dynaudio's or KEF's. DM 2/6's tweeters sounded in strong, rich way. Transient attack was perfect, maybe not so precise as offered by the best of the best metal, ceramique or diamond domes, but it outperformed most of the soft domes I ever heard and that regardless of the price. Remarkable resolution of Dynaudio's tweeters is almost legendary and even though these particular pieces are not the most expensive ones from this manufacturer, they offered most of the performance of Sonus Faber Electa Amator's I tweeters that play in Janusz’s system (the host of the most of the Cracow Sonic Society meetings – have a look HERE).

If I was to describe the sound of these speakers in short words I would say that the tonal balance is moved towards lower midrange. They don't sound „heavy” or „nasal” but I would say that designer's main idea was to take care about proper presentation of Vocals – yes, Vocals with capital „V”. And that's exactly what they achieved – both the voices of madrigals from Concerto Italiano ensemble, as well as the voice of Madeleine Peyroux were big, rich and natural sounding. The latter was particularly impressive as it was recorded in a way to express this warmth and Dynaudio presented that very well. Surprisingly great was a presentation of male voices – especially baritones with very carefully recreated acoustic ambiance around them, and presented on a spectacular soundstage. When listening to different recordings I found out that DMs were also capable of differentiating volume levels – most monitors couldn't do it offering rather some „average” level. And the differences can be huge like when comparing Diorama and Ottavo Libro… by Monteverdi where the difference is up to 10 dB! Dynaudio reflected such differences with dignity suggesting each time that volume level should have been adjusted. Great dynamics was namely one of the impressive features of these monitors. Other was well defined, punchy attack. The attack wasn't tough, because sound was slightly rounded but I would say only „on the very edge”. But transient attack itself was strong, confident and very well defined. Thanks to that jazz wasn't the only kind of music that sounded well – I liked also DM 2/6's presentation of electronic music and even Tool. You can't use them for a very loud listening because than you will notice this slight bump somewhere between midrange and treble but at regular volume levels you should be fine. These loudspeakers offered also above average resolution. Treble was vibrant and rich although not so detailed and not so deep toned as metal SEAS in my Dobermanns, but still very impressive as for soft dome. Compared to it most soft domes will sound tonally flat. Same goes for a low- midrange driver which together with tweeter's performance results in a great overall resolution. Even in not too transparent recording like Kate Bush The Whole Story DMs were able to show all instruments clearly enough. Generally speaking DM 2/6 play as a regular studio monitors but without this exaggerated sharpness that is quite common among those. You can't expect too much bass range but what you get is rich, dense and delivered in a balanced form.

Dynaudio being so linear is somehow inconvenient. It's not a paradox – it is caused by their size – if they played with big, better extended bass than the whole range would be more leveled. But in fact especially when turning volume up upper midrange – so called „presence” range (around 1 kHz where our hearing sense is most sensible) – might sound bit exaggerated It is surely caused partially by the small size if mid- lowrange driver and its limited capability of handling power, but also partially by this linear character of the whole range. This loudspeakers belong to quite rare category in which speakers are not tweaked somehow to play with any volume level. Because of that you need to chose an amp really carefully. I would say that a 25.2 from Music Hall might be a good choice – not too bright and not too dark sounding. You could also try some tube amplifier but if should be one with some significant output power as Dynaudio need a lot of power to show their best – they played not so loud as Xavians and KEFs. It's not their disadvantage – it's their feature you need to remember about. But with proper amp they will offer wonderful sound. Bass-reflex works quite hard but it is somehow so well integrated into the sound that it is not a problem. Sound is quite thick but opened enough so you don't feel that sound is rolled off. It's a sound of real monitors.

DESCRIPTION

DM 2/6, is a small, even as for a monitor. ‘D’ in its name means ‘Dynaudio’, and ‘M’ means Monitor. They are a part of separate „special loudspeakers” range and their design targets the sound itself. As already mentioned if one bought just same drivers as these used here, he would pay same money as for finished product – DM 2/6. The drivers used are remarkable - 140 mm low- midrange driver with highly rigid die-cast aluminum basket. Its diaphragm is made of Dynaudio's patented Magnesium Silicate Polymer (MSP) which is in fact polypropylene with some magnesium added. Diaphragm is made from one piece of material together with dust cup – which is common for all Dynaudio models. Coil is made of aluminum wire of not too big diameter. A tweeter (all Dynaudio monitors are two-way speakers) is also a remarkable one with soft coated silk dome, solid, protective grille and damped cavity beneath the dome. Drivers are mounted in a solid MDF front baffle. Rest of the cabinet is also made of MDF. Some saving were made when choosing laminate – front is simply painted with some gray lacquer, but all the rest is covered with furniture-grade laminate that is nice but no so elegant as natural veneer. There are two color options - rosewood and black ash. Binding posts are also quite simple – gold-plated but nothing too solid and as usually when it come to Dynaudio – there are only single posts. Nice and simple crossover has been mounted inside cabinet at posts height. There is a polypropylene capacitor by Bennie, air-coil for treble and core coil for low- midrange. Some very common resistors are used. There is a bass-reflex port in the back panel – all DMs are bass-reflex designs

Technical specifications (according to the manufacturer):
Frequency response: 50 Hz-23 kHz
Impedance: 6 Ω
Crossover frequency: 1800 Hz
Sensitivity: (2,83V/1m ): 86 dB
IEC power handling: >150 W
Dimensions (HxWxD): 292 x 170 x 240 mm
Weight (1 piece): 5,6 kg