Dynaudio Excite X32 vs B&W 805s

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone,

While I have been following this forum for quite some time now, I never had the opportunity to post here. However, I am now at a loss as to which speaker I should choose for myself and hoped I could have some advice here.

I am currently looking to purchase a stereo set up, my room and wife won't accommodate a 5.1 system..., to be used 50% for music and 50% for films/games... Given my budjet and the price here in Japan, I was looking at speaker like Monitor Audio RX8 or Dali Ikon 6 mkII. However, I finally found some second hand shops and was able to demo several upper range speakers for a similar price such as Dynaudio Excite X32 and B&W 805s.

Those two speakers were so far the closest to my taste, the B&W 805s having great vocals, and a wide imaging and details but lack of course some extension on the bottom end. The dynaudio seemt to offer a good comprise and seems to be good all around speaker with a nice presentation. So far, given that I listened to them in two different shops on different albums, I could not say which one I preferred but could clearly say that compare to several other models I tried in the same price range they were the best suited to my test.

Since I am living in an appartement in Tokyo, I am not looking for speakers producing loads of bass. Nevertheless, I would like the speakers to be able to sound well in stereo only set up for movies since I will surely not be able to add a sub-woofer later on.

I would like to have your thoughts on how those two speakers compare knowing that I will be pairing them with a couple of Emotiva UPA-1 and listen to various kind of music : classical, jazz, rock, some pop and even some electronic music.

Thank you in advance for your useful comments

 

[Anonymous]

As you are looking at second-hand and like Dynaudio I would suggest trying to pick up a pair of Dynaudio Focus 110's ex-demo or 2nd hand, as these are in the next range up from the Excite and can be had for around £500(that's what I paid for mine anyway!)

 

[jaxwired]

The 805s are very good speakers, but they are not good all arounders IMO and it sounds like that's what you need. Dynaudio will sound great with music and movies. The X32s are fabulous speakers and past WHF award winners. If they are too much for your small space, then I agree with the previous post that the Focus 110 or 140 or even the Excite 12 or 16 would all be great choices and are likely to be very satisfying given your needs.

 

[Craig M.]

you don't mention your room dimensions, but i would be wary of putting dyn's in a small room. they usually require at least 50cm behind them, and do tend to have strong bass, although this may suit movies, if they are positioned incorrectly you'll get excessive amounts. see if you can have them on home dem.

if you have the space, the focus110s are very nice speakers. i'd personally go for them rather then the x32.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the replies.

It confirms what I was thinking as the Excite X32 being a better allrounder.

The room I am going to put the speaker in is not tiny being arround 6.5m by 5.5m being a living room with an open kitchen. Plus, the room has one side cover with window doors (on of the 5.5m wall), while the speaker will be on one of the 6.5m wall but towards the window. The listening area would be done close to the speaker arround 2.5m.

As for finding the focus line, it would be next to impossible on the Japanese second hand market. The models that can be found especially for brands like Dynaudio are far from being exhaustive.

With those room requirements would the dynaudio produce to much bass?

 

[jaxwired]

armitage: With those room requirements would the dynaudio produce to much bass?

Definately not too much bass. That is huge room with an open end to another room. If the X32s are too much bass for that room than when would anyone use them? For pete's sake they only have 5 1/2 inch drivers! They are hardly subwoofers. I would say that is exactly the type of room that would suit the X32s perfectly. Get them. They are terrific speakers.

Now go, buy them, and enjoy.

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your input,

It is always hard to say what is a small space when reading boards. The room actual rectangular with one separation halfway in the middle making it a kind of U, one branch of the U being the kitchen.

I will go to demo again the X32 and start convincing my wife that yes WE do need floorstanders...

 

[Anonymous]

I would have an additional question regarding the speaker cables that usually match Dynaudio excite speakers.

I had previously set my mind on buying Chord epic speaker cables, however since I am going to place an order at Emotiva for their amps and took a look at their X-series speaker cables. Does anyone have some experience with this cable and would it perform similarly well as the Chord epic?

The emotiva is almost half cheaper and also much more convenient to get in Japan as I would have just to place one international order.

Any other recommendations as to what speaker cables to get to obtain satisfactory results with the Excite X32 would be really wellcome.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

 

[ID.]

If you are looking at spending that much on cables, you'd probably get better value buying Japanese. Oyaide and Acrolink do some great cables.

Of the Japanese cables I have experience with, the Oyaide Tunami Nigo is very detailed with great bass depth/power, with a nice warmth while still maintining speed and slam. Oyaide Across 2000 is very natural/neutral and airier than the Tunami, without as much richness or bass (still, by no means lean).

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks I will look into these brands. In Tokyo a lot of well know brands can be found for very unreasonable prices. However I have the opportunity to buy the cable directly in the UK to more standard prices.

Still if I can find cable of equivalent quality directly in Tokyo it will worth a search.

Does anyone have other experiences with Japanese made cables?

 

[Anonymous]

I just take a look at the Oyaide cables and the tsunami is priced higher than the Chord epic for similar lengths (arround 30000 yens while I could have the Chord delivered for 175GBP).

How those two cables compare?

The acrolink are much more expensive and not considerable for me.

 

[ID.]

Pricey if you get the factory made ones, but if you buy the cable and strip it or attach plugs yourself (or even get the shop to do it with the plugs of your choice) it works out much cheaper. You can find places online like Oyaide's online store (they have a bricks and mortar store in Akihabara). Unfortunately you'll probably need to communicate in Japanese.

There are a full range of Oyaide cables going from about 500 yen per metre up to just under 5000 yen per meter.

Acrolink is similar, but IIRC the prices might start from about 2000 yen per meter and go up to about 10,000 per meter (unless you are buying the mexcel range, in which case it'd be way more).

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the information,

Talking in Japanese won't be a problem so I will try to make some calls.

 

[Anonymous]

I find it interesting how nobody asked what amplification you will be using with your speakers? Such a critical question has a HUGE impact on the choice of speaker.

Personally, I've never been a huge fan of B&W. I listened to the 803s the other day and found them to lack imaging. Tonally they were brilliant but by lacking a center image put me off them. Although, it could have been the room size and speaker setup.

The Dynaudio's are brilliant speakers, but the Excite series is really not that exciting. You would find HUGE benefit in going to anything in the Focus range. Perhaps even getting your hands on the older Audience range would be a step in the right direction. At the going prices of audience speakers these days, they are a bargain with very few (if any) rivals.

 

[ID.]

RS4:

I find it interesting how nobody asked what amplification you will be using with your speakers? Such a critical question has a HUGE impact on the choice of speaker.

I believe there was mention of

a couple of Emotiva UPA-1

So I assumed it was

http://emotiva.com/upa1.shtm

But it isn't a brand I have any experience with, or even much of an awareness of.

 

[Anonymous]

Well I am quite certain that the Focus range is a huge step up but it is out of my league budget wise. Especially the second hand market here in Japan is far from being as much developed as in the US or Europe.

Tomorrow I will go to demo extensively the Dynaudio X32. I will also try again some Esoteric MG-10 which are quite a bargain in the second hand shop I am visiting. I liked them when I heard them but am affraid I would lack the presence of floorstanders, especially when watching some movies. Does anyone ever listen to them.

So so far, the Dynaudio seems to be my best choice given my price range... and I doubt I can find way better here for the same price. To give you an idea, speakers retail in Japan (new or used) around 50% (if not more) more than in the UK right now...