01-Sep-2017, 14:01
(01-Sep-2017, 08:43)Pim van Vliet Wrote:I've been happy with my Atohm GT1 SE (Devialet edition) speakers, which really benefit from SAM (they should, as they were the first speaker to get SAM). I'd love to do some A and B testing with the Dynaudio to see whether I would gain much from new kit. I'm not dissatisfied with the Atohm speakers but wonder whether the Special Forty speakers might give me another level. Well, I'll check around my area -- Charleston, S.C. -- to see whether there are any Dynaudio dealers. Oh, thanks for the tip on getting SAM on the speakers.(31-Aug-2017, 13:58)Flashman Wrote:(31-Aug-2017, 08:32)Pim van Vliet Wrote: I read another review by someone who owns (and compared them to) the C1's (that I own too). He reckons the special 40's are great but not as good as the C1's. Then again the C1's are twice the price. Here's my experience with the C1's that will most likely be similar with the Special 40's.
As with all Dynaudio speakers; they like a powerful amp. I drove my C1's with a 170 and it sounded great. Then the upgrade to 200 came and then SAM. Now I run them with the Od'A and I can tell you that with every step up in amplification, the quality of the sound increased. I wouldn't mind trying to use the old 200 again with the firmware of the 170 and compare how far I've come. I reckon the difference will be huge.
So Special 40's with D200; Great. Special 40's with better amplification; Better. I hope they SAM them soon.
Pim, thanks for the quick reply. I'd only consider them if Devialet enabled SAM on them.
If you are considering them, you could possibly ask the dealer to get a pair sent from Denmark to Devialet for SAMification and then onto you. Everyone wins in this situation.
I'm a bit interested in them. myself. From the comparison I read, the Special 40 is a more fun sounding speaker (more forgiving) than the C1. Apparently the C1's bass can't be beaten by the Special 40 but then again, not many stand mounts can. With the Od'A and SAM on 100% they fill our small living with ease. But they can be a bit in your face and that's what I think could be an advantage of the 40. Time will tell.
Devialet Expert 220 Pro Kinki EX-M7 power amp tethered to a fiber-fed Lumin X1 streamer via Grimm XLRs, Vivid B1 Decade speakers in Rosso Barchetta red (only 200 produced in a limited edition), Roon Nucleus with a Samsung 860 EVO 2TB SSD, etherREGEN switch fed by a Sonore opticalModule (and Sonore-supplied transceivers and 1M optical cable) with a SOtM dCBL-Cat7 cable to my Nucleus and a DH Labs Reunion Cat8 to my Lumin T2 streamer, Keces P8 linear power supply feeding a (to come) NUC and EtherREGEN switch with an external AfterDark OCXO clock., and opticalModule (5V/1A), AudioQuest Niagara 1000 power conditioner, ASI LiveLine loom (purchased directly from Franck Tchang when I lived in France), Less Loss Firewall for Speakers and Roon lifetime license with Tidal streaming.
