Zensor vs B&W debate

[randomfeaturezero]

Hi there

I have just purchased a Cyrus 6 XPD amplifier. I listen to a lot of electronic music. I will be hooking up USB from my laptop to the Cyrus. My current speakers are Dali Zensor 1s. And I have been usiong a NAD C316BEE 40w amp. I figured it was time to start upgrading, the amp coming first. I am thinking that I need speakers that will let the Cyrus shine. I'm on a budget and I don't want to pay for more than 100W. The obvious choice is the B&Ws 685s or Dali Zensor 3s. I know the price difference, I know the reviews and the basic differences. What I can't seem to find, however, is a comparison of Zensor 1s to B&W686, the smaller ones. Plenty debate about the Zensor 3s vs the smaller B&Ws because they are closer in price, but not a comparison of the 686 to the 1's.

I know some people find that altough the Dalis are cheaper, there is more pronounced / punchy bass and less clinical treble, but that the B&W have way wider soundstage, imaging and detail and dynamics also being better than the Dalis, but with the price difference it gets confusing. I love the sound of my Zensor 1s I must say.

I am fully aware that for now my amp is many leagues ahead of what I can afford for the speakers but I am also a firm believer that even cheaper speakers will sound better with a high-end amp plugged into them! I got a bargain on the Cyrus but can't spend more than a few hundred on speaker upgrades. What I ideally need is front firing bass ports like on the B&Ws because of space constraints and my neighbour the other side of the wall. I would consider mint second hand speakers as well but only ones that come up often.. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[gasolin]

Hi there

I have just purchased a Cyrus 6 XPD amplifier. I listen to a lot of electronic music. I will be hooking up USB from my laptop to the Cyrus. My current speakers are Dali Zensor 1s. And I have been usiong a NAD C316BEE 40w amp. I figured it was time to start upgrading, the amp coming first. I am thinking that I need speakers that will let the Cyrus shine. I'm on a budget and I don't want to pay for more than 100W. The obvious choice is the B&Ws 685s or Dali Zensor 3s. I know the price difference, I know the reviews and the basic differences. What I can't seem to find, however, is a comparison of Zensor 1s to B&W686, the smaller ones. Plenty debate about the Zensor 3s vs the smaller B&Ws because they are closer in price, but not a comparison of the 686 to the 1's.

I know some people find that altough the Dalis are cheaper, there is more pronounced / punchy bass and less clinical treble, but that the B&W have way wider soundstage, imaging and detail and dynamics also being better than the Dalis, but with the price difference it gets confusing. I love the sound of my Zensor 1s I must say.

I am fully aware that for now my amp is many leagues ahead of what I can afford for the speakers but I am also a firm believer that even cheaper speakers will sound better with a high-end amp plugged into them! I got a bargain on the Cyrus but can't spend more than a few hundred on speaker upgrades. What I ideally need is front firing bass ports like on the B&Ws because of space constraints and my neighbour the other side of the wall. I would consider mint second hand speakers as well but only ones that come up often.. Any ideas?

Thanks

You will only get more bass from dali zensor 3 not really an upgrade, if you like the sound from dali, mabye some used mentors (the cheapest dalis with ribbon tweeter) or the small Q acoustics concept or the new 3000 models

 

[Al ears]

I'd be tempted to audition the Cambridge Audio Aero 2 or Aeromax 2.

 

[Al ears]

Hi there

I have just purchased a Cyrus 6 XPD amplifier. I listen to a lot of electronic music. I will be hooking up USB from my laptop to the Cyrus. My current speakers are Dali Zensor 1s. And I have been usiong a NAD C316BEE 40w amp. I figured it was time to start upgrading, the amp coming first. I am thinking that I need speakers that will let the Cyrus shine. I'm on a budget and I don't want to pay for more than 100W. The obvious choice is the B&Ws 685s or Dali Zensor 3s. I know the price difference, I know the reviews and the basic differences. What I can't seem to find, however, is a comparison of Zensor 1s to B&W686, the smaller ones. Plenty debate about the Zensor 3s vs the smaller B&Ws because they are closer in price, but not a comparison of the 686 to the 1's.

I know some people find that altough the Dalis are cheaper, there is more pronounced / punchy bass and less clinical treble, but that the B&W have way wider soundstage, imaging and detail and dynamics also being better than the Dalis, but with the price difference it gets confusing. I love the sound of my Zensor 1s I must say.

I am fully aware that for now my amp is many leagues ahead of what I can afford for the speakers but I am also a firm believer that even cheaper speakers will sound better with a high-end amp plugged into them! I got a bargain on the Cyrus but can't spend more than a few hundred on speaker upgrades. What I ideally need is front firing bass ports like on the B&Ws because of space constraints and my neighbour the other side of the wall. I would consider mint second hand speakers as well but only ones that come up often.. Any ideas?

Thanks

You will only get more bass from dali zensor 3 not really an upgrade, if you like the sound from dali, mabye some used mentors (the cheapest dalis with ribbon tweeter) or the small Q acoustics concept or the new 3000 models

Neither of these is front ported AFAIAA.

 

[gasolin]

Hi there

I have just purchased a Cyrus 6 XPD amplifier. I listen to a lot of electronic music. I will be hooking up USB from my laptop to the Cyrus. My current speakers are Dali Zensor 1s. And I have been usiong a NAD C316BEE 40w amp. I figured it was time to start upgrading, the amp coming first. I am thinking that I need speakers that will let the Cyrus shine. I'm on a budget and I don't want to pay for more than 100W. The obvious choice is the B&Ws 685s or Dali Zensor 3s. I know the price difference, I know the reviews and the basic differences. What I can't seem to find, however, is a comparison of Zensor 1s to B&W686, the smaller ones. Plenty debate about the Zensor 3s vs the smaller B&Ws because they are closer in price, but not a comparison of the 686 to the 1's.

I know some people find that altough the Dalis are cheaper, there is more pronounced / punchy bass and less clinical treble, but that the B&W have way wider soundstage, imaging and detail and dynamics also being better than the Dalis, but with the price difference it gets confusing. I love the sound of my Zensor 1s I must say.

I am fully aware that for now my amp is many leagues ahead of what I can afford for the speakers but I am also a firm believer that even cheaper speakers will sound better with a high-end amp plugged into them! I got a bargain on the Cyrus but can't spend more than a few hundred on speaker upgrades. What I ideally need is front firing bass ports like on the B&Ws because of space constraints and my neighbour the other side of the wall. I would consider mint second hand speakers as well but only ones that come up often.. Any ideas?

Thanks

You will only get more bass from dali zensor 3 not really an upgrade, if you like the sound from dali, mabye some used mentors (the cheapest dalis with ribbon tweeter) or the small Q acoustics concept or the new 3000 models

Neither of these is front ported AFAIAA.

Dali ikon's are the cheapest dali's with ribbon tweeter not mentor and ikon 1 mk1 has front port, dali zensor 3 doesn't have front ports

 

[Blacksabbath25]

i have a pair of dalis 3s i think they are well under rated they are very good speckers for £300 price point but do need careful matching with amps as they sound very good with the right amp but if you get it wrong they will sound rubbish but get it right they sound like a £1000 set of speckers and the bass driver is from the dali 5s floor standers i think which will give you a bit more bass as the dali 1s lacked , very good bulid on the cabnets the only down side on is you can not by wire them but apart from that i think they are good value for the money .

 

[randomfeaturezero]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. I am guessing that as some poeople think the Zensor 3s compete with pricier speakers, and because I know I would like the sound already, then that would be the way to go.. But if I was to spend 500 on speakers does the array of choices move away from Zensor 3s to something else like the B&W 685 s2 or indeed any other less well known speakers? And if I was going to stick with Dali, what differences would I notice between Zensor 3 for £300 and £500 standmount speakers from the same company.

Any ideas welcome (for a hypothetical budget of £400-500 excluding stands)

Thanks

 

[Blacksabbath25]

Honestly I think both makes of speakers will give you different results in sound but depends on your amp ,cd player , and your room and what kind of music your into but would not of thought there would be much in it with the budget of £500 but maybe when you start spending big money on amps and so on you may hear the differences more

 

[rainsoothe]

Hi. For Cyrus I would look at the likes of Q Acoustics, Dynaudio DM 2/7, Monitor Audio Silver 2.

Also, I think it doesn't matter where the port is, if it's not enclosed, it'll present the same problems.