*Thank you everyone for stopping by. I Truly had an amazing musical and emotional experience with these speakers and now figuring out how I can perhaps purchase these for myself. The video was getting long so not many comparisons in this one, let me know in the comments what comparisons you would like to see and I will do what I can :) cheers* 0:00 Are Dynaudio Good Speakers? 1:05 What Makes The Heritage Special Different? 7:34 Dynaudio Heritage Speaker Sound Review 14:01 Best Amplifier For Dynaudio Heritage Special Speakers? 19:12 Dynaudio Heritage Special Speaker Setup Guide 20:48 CAUTION! Dynaudio Heritage Special Speakers: dynaudio.com/home-audio/heritage/heritage-special Gear Recommendations For Dynaudio Heritage Special Speakers: Gato Monoblock: www.gato-audio.com/eu/pwr-222.html Burson Monoblock: www.bursonaudio.com/product/timekeeper-grand-tourer/ (video: ua-cam.com/video/fWEPrHftXp4/v-deo.html) Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3 Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/ acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/ acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ amzn.to/3chBuFZ other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1 amzn.to/30bsUCH my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/ follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: ua-cam.com/play/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0.html
Totally agree, it is so equipment dependent since Dynaudio are very neutral (garbage in , garbage out ) and does not add too much colours into the music! Glad you enjoyed it. BTW, you should look out for earlier Dyna models and their sound is quite different from modern Dynas!
Great review Jay. I fully recognize your observations. I am running the HS with a Accuphase E-480. They are wonderful and I also like the low volume listening with these speakers. I came from the Totem Signature One, also great, but the HS are on another level.
I used to lust for the Totem speakers many years ago, and was planning on buying a Signature One, but never bought it. Nice to know that the HS are much better, since I own a pair. Like you, I run it with an Accuphase amp, but it’s the E-280. I wonder how much improvement I would get if I had even the one step higher E-380. For the price increase, it wasn’t in my budget.
I own Totem Signature One with a Bryston 3B cubed,VTL 2.5 tube preamp. I'm thinking seriously about upgrading to the Dynaudio Heritage Special. so many great reviews.
I'm running these in an all-danish setup with a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 and have never been happier with my setup. The off-axis and low volume qualities of this speaker are really something. With the Lyngdorf taking care of my problematic room, this is really a music-lover's dream come true - they just make you want to listen to music all day.
Jay spot on in this video. I have a pair of the Heritage Specials and initially was powering them with a Wilsenton R8. Didn't work at all so I moved the R8 to a pair of the CSS Triton 1TDX's and that worked nicely, but actually love the CSS's w my NAD M33 the best. I moved to a Pass Labs INT25 w the HS's and immediately the Heritage Special's Cam to life exactly how you said when you went to the Gato's. Fast forward a 6 mos and I was able to trade in my INT25 for my original purchase price (Shout out to Reno HiFi) and moved up to Pass Labs separates. (X250.8 and XP-22 pre-amp) and HOLY S--T!!! The musicality and holographic space is anywhere you sit or move through the room. Added an REL S510 and like you said that pairing is seamless but fills in the sound not only in the lower end but across the mid-range as well. I haven't ever heard another Dynaudio speaker, but I can get lost for hours listening to this setup and that to me is the Bliss! Great Review!
yes the Dynaudio Heritage is a great speaker as is the confidence 20 maybe even better... maybe one day i would buy it. I've been a Dynaudio fan for 32 years, always just Dynaudio. At the moment the Dynaudio Contour 20i and the Gato AMP 150 are a wonderful duo. And the sound is great
Tube preamp + Solid State amp = musical bliss. I have a LTA MZ3 > SPL Performer 800 > Spendor Classic 4/5. It is a beast…musicality galore. I should mention I have a Hafler 75 DAC feeding the preamp…the controls in it provide a notable difference to everything downstream.
A great, insightful and enjoyable review. I have a pair of these in my system and run them with two Benchmark AHB2 power amps in monoblock mode, a Benchmark LA4 pre amp and a ChordHugo TT2 / M Scaler combination. A lot of the points you mention mirror my own experiences. Hearing a track and thinking wow, that sounds so good and then the next one comes on and it’s an even bigger wow. They glue you to your seat in anticipation of how good the next track will sound. They certainly have the power to stir up emotion too, I’ve lost count of the times when a track comes on and you suddenly feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and a wash of emotion. They thoroughly deserve the “special” in their name.
Mine are N° 0546, a great sounding enjoyable lifetime speaker, paired with primaluna evo 400i amplifier, a rega p10/ apheta 3 turntable, tellurium Q ultra black ii speaker cables.
I love your review Jay. I am a fan of Dynaudio ( I have an old excite series speakers ) I am planing to have this heritage sound ) I love your audiophile sound review and thanks you !!
Hi Jay, I own these speakers and your review was spot on. I am going to be a bit more specific. These speakers need to be paired not only with good preamp / amplification, these need to be capable to drive difficult loads well, like your Gato. The bass driver and the 4ohm rating make this a must, otherwise the sound will become warm and muddy. Also you are better off with a solid state system that’s neutral in the mid bass. The crossover also begins to roll off the highs sooner than many other speakers that use the “smiley face” frequency curve, that’s why you see many reviews using Nordost cables to compensate. So your system and cabling needs to be very transparent and leaning on the brighter side of neutral. Silver cabling helps.
I pair mine with a REGA OSIRIS integrated amp, this works really well with a huge sound stage and clarity, i can listen for hours without any fatigue and they only go off when it gets to late for the neighbours. Vocals to die for and keepers for life. Thanks for the excellent review.
I've seen this before with these speakers, people are just blown away by them. I'm running a tube preamp with SS, I know exactly what you're talking about, I'm amazed every time I turn them on!
When Jay get emotional, you know this is good😅. Really love the way you try to get the best of the speakers with different amplifiers. Thank you for sharing your journey and discovery with us.
I have had many Dynaudio speakers, and I am really in love with these, they are magic, everything sounds good to me, I don't get up from the sofa and I listen to one song after another without a break. I have them paired with a Hegel H390 amp and the combination with them is fantastic. The Dynaudio that I like the most of all the ones I have had, and there have been many.
I'm 100% in sync. My Dynaudio Confidence C1 and my Hegel H390 gives you exactly what Jay is describing. The sound stage is 3 dimensional in a way which is not from this planed. You have to experience it in order to really get it.
I can’t believe it took this long for you to review these speakers. Now if only zero fidelity, Andrew Robinson, A british audiophile and dark audio would get their review of this speaker out, it would be complete.
Have you listened to the Focus series? I believe this is the direction that Dynaudio is moving towards where they control the amps, DAC, and cables; ie., they can control the sound exactly the way they want it barring the room acoustics.
19:06 ..Jay I’ve a pair too, for one of my systems. I found that solid state is the match as well. Class A rules for me. Been switching up a between A and AB power. Does great with either but it appears to be Class A for me.
Nice review Jay. So my only question is, in terms of musicality alone, how does these Dyn HS stack up against the Totem Metal V2s you also liked? Big price difference notwithstanding.
Great review! Really a good one. I'm wondering what the most musical speaker you've ever heard is. And then some others that were really musical... I'm more about that then performance. Thanks and keep up the great work! Great stuff.
These speakers will be fed by a Rotel Michi X5 when my dedicated room is ready. The Michi X5 is now in the living room with an other cheaper pair of speakers. But as i have 3 cats i'm afraid getting the Heritage specials in my living room. So, it will take few weeks for the room to be ready and have any comment on the Michi/ Dynaudio combination.
I use these with the Dynaudio Sub6. Front-end is dCS Lina & clock into a Naim Hi-cap & Supernait3. This system is truly a portal to limitless musical worlds. It’s spooky good.
The ones probably closest in sound to the Heritage Special is most likely the Special 25, they are both very similar in sound (as long as the tweeter isn't too old, the ferro fluid evaporates and lowers output over time a lot). I still have my S25, couldn't let them go even when I got new speakers! Both HS and S25 just love power, my S25 didn't really come alive until I got 500W+ but then it was such a wow moment and I just couldn't stop playing music. Was about to buy the HS, but went the TAD route instead. Never gonna sell my S25 though, both them and the heritage are quite wonderful, probably Dynaudio's best speakers IMHO! :)
@@BobFrostV Your attitude need some work, but let me explain anyway. No, I don't use much W, but it's what it means to have a bigger wattage ie bigger caps and bigger transformer etc. If you want a more technical specific explanation; it's that dyns like amps that have a high slewrate or in more generaliserad terms high instant current (not maintained current). Why is it important? That's because dynamic speakers operate by generating magnetic fields in the coil and the field strength is dependent of the derivative of the current. So a low sensitivity dynamic speaker often like an amp that can produce high current spikes since this gives higher magnetic fields. Hope that helps! :)
@@johnm3544 You're right from the point of view of continuous power, but the wattage matter due to (highly generalized) higher wattage gives higher slew rate. Slewrate is basically the absolute peak current (again, not continuous current), but this parameter is never what I've seen as part of any product spec, so wattage is the only indicator of sorts (current is also not a great indicator, since it's continuous, but also gives a hint). It's usually used as a parameter that's important when designing digital systems (the analog domain of digital signals), but in the case of a magnetic motorsystem, like a dynamic speaker, it becomes more important since the slewrate will also be the limiting factor for the maximum magnetic field you can generate in the coil of the speaker. Of course it's more nuanced, but I didn't want to write a whole essay :) As a more anecdotal but the most interesting part of going from basically 270W to close to 770W in 4 Ohm was not only that it sounded a lot better when playing at normal listening levels, but it improved the sound a lot at lower listening volumes, so I ended up sending less power to the speakers by upgrading :)
@@tobiaxelsson I'm a big fan of wattage. My first receiver was purchased in the 70s. Pioneer SX-1080 120 Watts per channel Rms. Frequency response is 5 to 100,000 . I still have it. Second was a Carver Amplifier 500 Watts Rms per Channel. I had to purchase Cerwin Vega speakers from a club that was going out of business, every other speaker that I got in the store I had a problem with melting the voice coils. Not from distortion but from playing it at ridiculously loud levels. 2 x 15 inch woofers. A 4 X 10 inch midrange horn, 5 Tweets across the top, each. They were black with wheels to make them easy to move. My wife called them my refrigerator speakers due to the size. As time changed I added to my system. Never needed to replace those speakers that amp or receiver.
Hi Jay, I have these speakers still new in the box! I am waiting on choosing an integrated or separates amplification for them. Can you please try them if you can with Hegel H380 & H590? Also look possibly at Rotel Mitchi X3 or X5 if the larger models are any advantage?
Running mine with a h120 which works great. But it's been enough time to warrant an electronics upgrade. H390 should be more than enough! I've heard it at a Dealer setup with Luxman class A and sounded fantastic too...
@@zach2954 Luxman Class A 30 Watts goes well ;-) sooooo silky - but my Hegel 190 had more grip on bass before....nevertheless i prefer the Lux until i come across an amp silky like Lux and powerfull with grip like a big Hegel
Great, very detailed review. The Dynaudio Heritage Special's are really 'special'. Everything is so balanced and has such a fine soundstage & tonality. However, they have a quite a low sensitivity and require, in my humble opinion, a quality , *non-Tube*, pre-power combination with a good bit of grip & grunt to get them really working and performing to their max. And... they just look stunning!
@@albanana683 Just going on my own numerous personal experiences w/ tube amps in the past & my preference for solid-state pre/power combinations. Each to their own, my fellow audiophile. No-one is right, and no-one is wrong. Just personal tastes. cheers!
Given that these are so sensitive to amplification pairing it makes it kinda tough to risk buying these, given their steep price if one is unable to test them in advance with one’s own amp.
Nice review Jay, I’ve been enjoying a pair for the past year and have no intention of ever letting them go! Agree that they pair well with SS power, running Parasound JC5 amp with mine.
Hi, I fully agree with you, that´s the reason I bought it last year :-), I´ve an amplifier worth more than the Dynaudio - this is what the Dynaudio needs- excellent solid state amplifier, thanks for your video. If you buy a heritage special you have to plan for an amplifier at least at the same price point of the speakers. But I put 2 cheaper subs to the chain and I agree - they are to slow, so I planned to upgrade to one! REL s510
Nice speakers...i use Q Acoustics Concept 30's on Concept 20 stands with an SVS SB2000 Pro subwoofer...i own a pair of Dynaudio Stands, there first model...great stands that use layers of a rubber like material between the top & bottom plates, filled half way with Atabites & the rest filled with expanding insulating foam they make any standmount speakers sound at there very best...they are very good speakers, the Contour S 1.4 LE's were brilliant if a bit expensive...wish i'd kept them now....
Since you've start to understand Dynaudio as well, I have subscribed. Also take note of the excellent T+A Elektroakustik from Germany, Piega-speakers, Supra cables, etc. Would also hear your opinion on digital amplifiers (class D), because Bruno Putzey's technique and technique of Hyper Ncore / Nilai and the likes we now have warm sounding class D amplifiers and I think it is the near future and not A and A/B amplifiers. Also people want standmount or bookshelf speakers acompanied by a great subwoofer. Even people with floorstanding speakers are going to add a sub. So think of people in small appartments that want an audiophile setup, elektricity costs a lot (class D is better and smaller), people don't have space for LP's or cd's (streaming is therefore most important and then through a Qobuz-subscription, because it is simply the best, etc. You then need a good clock, fast and thinner speakercables like Supra, perhaps good wifi-streaming or good servers, etc. Thanks in advance.
It is superb but it is small so that is the sound you get, compared to the larger floor standing. I've owned the confidence series in the past and I miss them till this day. They look simple but the sound was out of this world, and the bass could shake the room if it was on the recording. Using the McIntosh 402 amp and using the 4-ohm taps was a sound that had me sitting there in disbelief, much better than using the 8-ohm taps. Really special speakers.
As a Dane I would say that a close approximation of the pronunciation of Skanderborg for an English speaker would be 'Scannerboar'. Stress on the first syllable. The D and G are silent. Oh, and thanks for a great review of these wonderful speakers :-)
I own these fantastic speakers, and I can say great review Jay, everything you said is spot on for sure! For me, the magic is in the integration of the driver with the Esotar3 soft-dome tweeter. I have it paired with a higher-powered Octave V80SE tube integrated amp and its super black box, which increases the amp's dynamic capacitance reserve. At Axpona '22 the Dynaudio Confidence 60s were paired with the Octave reference Jubilee front-end/amp and it blew almost every other room away, great pairing. You need a capable amp with these speakers for sure. Pair these with REL 510s, great match for the speed. Again, great review!
Will you get the real wood Buchardt A10 to compare these to for sound? And i mean just for sound as the Buchardt is an active speaker and the Dynaudio isn't. Even being active the Buchardt A10's are lower in price then the Dyns.
Great video, Jay. One of your best. I too have had more low points than high in my listening history with Dynaudio products. I had a pair of Special Fortys in my room for months that I just couldn't get to come to life despit them sounding pretty darn good in the showroom. Probably down to synergy with my system at the time. You make me want to give the company another shot with these as I am always looking for a superb standmount for my living room system. Wonder how they and the Hegel H390 would get along ? Sounds like a good match on paper, but you never know.
Great review Jay! I know it's a completely different class of speaker, but how would you compare the Paradigm Founder 40B that you recently reviewed to these?
I have the special 40’s and I was shocked when I heard the Heritage’s . I had waited to purchase the 40’s until I heard the Heritages. I liked the special 40 better. I know the heritage has a better tweeter and all the reviews said the Heritage was better than the special 40, but my not so perfect ears the Special 40 were a match.
Hey we all have different tastes, gear and experiences at varying degrees of what we find "musical." If the Special 40s sounded better to you and your ears loved it then that's that! Enjoy!
no video on it yet. it takes a while for me to "test" cables as it is hard to isolate and see when and where it shines but I think I'm close to figuring most of it out. Good cables for sure
@@Jayiyagi I gotcha, thanks bud. Yeah there’s only so much time in day, It’s just something I’ve been personally, patiently, waiting for your review on. Thanks for the content.
definately! i love the combo. soundstage and depth are absolutely stunning! even though the h390 sounded even better, i have no problems running these speakers loud and crisp with h190. but they are very fussy about placement. took me couple of month to get it right. it was actually quite frustrating. even thought of selling them. but i instantly forgot once the potential was unlocked. truly amazing speakers to never leave my house!
Sounds like the speakers have good spread in the highs. Domes are good at that but my speakers are 3" FR drivers on the treble and med. Cones are directional and mine fire the highs like a lazar. So I mount the drivers at a shallow angle from the horizontal (on the top of the box) and a spread horn and cover over the driver. With a wood flat top. The highs sound just about the same anywhere in the room. Problem solved.
I share your experience with Dynaudio, including the Special Forty. I will have to check out the Heritage Special. I currently have a new pair of Focal Electra 1008 BE's powered by a Hegel H90. This pairing produces impeccable imaging, sound stage and presentation. The custom Sound Anchor stands eliminates any need for a sub woofer. I would also not consider pairing them with a tube amp. However, I have my eye on the Sarah 300B from Decware and wonder what your thoughts are on that specific amp with these.
I have a PASS INT 25 with the HS, and from what I read, I think I may not be fully unleashing the potential of the HS. I'm thinking of changing the INT 25 for a PASS X250.8, but after watching your video, I'm curious about the GATO PWR 22. What do you think about both amps? Which one do you think would work better with the HS?
Hi Jay, I am too experiencing the "lifelessness" or studio monitoring sound you mentioned with Denafrips Hades + Hyperion. Could that be the cause? All the cables are Cardas Clear Cygnus. Should I switch to different high current amp? Like Pass Labs INT-60? Thank you for your thoughts.
Hi Jay, have you heard the Reference 3A Reflector? Would like to know your opinion comparing it with the likes of the Dynaudio Heritage Special and the Sonus Faber Maxima Amators? Thank you!
Great review Jay! I think someone already mention this in the comments but I’ll mention it again. I would love to see you review the B&W 805 D4 and compare them to this Dynaudio speaker. B&W and Dynaudio have been rivals for years and I think this would be a great comparison if you could get a hold of a pair.
*Thank you everyone for stopping by. I Truly had an amazing musical and emotional experience with these speakers and now figuring out how I can perhaps purchase these for myself. The video was getting long so not many comparisons in this one, let me know in the comments what comparisons you would like to see and I will do what I can :) cheers*
0:00 Are Dynaudio Good Speakers?
1:05 What Makes The Heritage Special Different?
7:34 Dynaudio Heritage Speaker Sound Review
14:01 Best Amplifier For Dynaudio Heritage Special Speakers?
19:12 Dynaudio Heritage Special Speaker Setup Guide
20:48 CAUTION!
Dynaudio Heritage Special Speakers: dynaudio.com/home-audio/heritage/heritage-special
Gear Recommendations For Dynaudio Heritage Special Speakers:
Gato Monoblock: www.gato-audio.com/eu/pwr-222.html
Burson Monoblock: www.bursonaudio.com/product/timekeeper-grand-tourer/ (video: ua-cam.com/video/fWEPrHftXp4/v-deo.html)
Speaker stands: amzn.to/3ssRhI3
Better speaker stands: solidsteel.it/my-product/ss-7-vintage-hi-fi-speaker-stands/
acoustic panels I use: ua-acoustics.com/
acoustic curtain: amzn.to/31d1zAM
BDI Cabinet I use: bit.ly/2OJRwQQ
amzn.to/3chBuFZ
other BDI Cabinets: bit.ly/3ctxXV1
amzn.to/30bsUCH
my fav hifi tweaks: (Isoacoustics devices) amzn.to/3j5FGvM
Support on Patreon: www.patreon.com/jayiyagi
follow on Instagram: instagram.com/jays_iyagi/
follow on Facebook: facebook.com/jayiyagiofficial
Follow soundstage take 2 reviews: ua-cam.com/play/PLPOzvlhtSqn5xdc__ftuSt4Rxy_wm5Af0.html
Would love to see them compared to the Mission 770 to see if the extra layout is worth it.
How would you compare the tone against the Totems?
Totally agree, it is so equipment dependent since Dynaudio are very neutral (garbage in , garbage out ) and does not add too much colours into the music! Glad you enjoyed it. BTW, you should look out for earlier Dyna models and their sound is quite different from modern Dynas!
Hi Jay I wonder how they would sound with Electrocompaniet ECI 6D integrated amp?
Never heard of them. Never listened to them. Never spent money on speakers without listening on a similar system as what I own.
Great review Jay. I fully recognize your observations. I am running the HS with a Accuphase E-480. They are wonderful and I also like the low volume listening with these speakers. I came from the Totem Signature One, also great, but the HS are on another level.
I used to lust for the Totem speakers many years ago, and was planning on buying a Signature One, but never bought it. Nice to know that the HS are much better, since I own a pair. Like you, I run it with an Accuphase amp, but it’s the E-280. I wonder how much improvement I would get if I had even the one step higher E-380. For the price increase, it wasn’t in my budget.
@@veetour I think with more power you will definitly get more out of the HS especially when you have a bigger room.
I own Totem Signature One with a Bryston 3B cubed,VTL 2.5 tube preamp. I'm thinking seriously about upgrading to the Dynaudio Heritage Special. so many great reviews.
These speakers are some of the best bookshelf speakers I have had the opportunity to listen to. Absolutely love them.
I'm running these in an all-danish setup with a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 and have never been happier with my setup. The off-axis and low volume qualities of this speaker are really something. With the Lyngdorf taking care of my problematic room, this is really a music-lover's dream come true - they just make you want to listen to music all day.
My Dynaudio HS 1194/2500 driven by Gryphon Diablo 300 is pure bliss. Greetings from AUS
Is it worth spending so much money For the Diablo 300 paring to the heritage?
You are Great, and have come a long way and well deserved for going solo!!! Thanks for your passionate and spot on presentations.
Jay spot on in this video. I have a pair of the Heritage Specials and initially was powering them with a Wilsenton R8. Didn't work at all so I moved the R8 to a pair of the CSS Triton 1TDX's and that worked nicely, but actually love the CSS's w my NAD M33 the best. I moved to a Pass Labs INT25 w the HS's and immediately the Heritage Special's Cam to life exactly how you said when you went to the Gato's. Fast forward a 6 mos and I was able to trade in my INT25 for my original purchase price (Shout out to Reno HiFi) and moved up to Pass Labs separates. (X250.8 and XP-22 pre-amp) and HOLY S--T!!! The musicality and holographic space is anywhere you sit or move through the room. Added an REL S510 and like you said that pairing is seamless but fills in the sound not only in the lower end but across the mid-range as well. I haven't ever heard another Dynaudio speaker, but I can get lost for hours listening to this setup and that to me is the Bliss!
Great Review!
Thanks, bro. You should tell Dynaudio to make some more of their Heritage. Don't let customers kill each other for their limited master creation.
everyone is selling them. Always 3-4 pairs for sale in any city
Love dynaudio speakers. I have tried many others and heard many others but to me the Dyns just sound right.
Danke!
Danke!
@@Jayiyagi You're welcome!
yes the Dynaudio Heritage is a great speaker as is the confidence 20 maybe even better... maybe one day i would buy it. I've been a Dynaudio fan for 32 years, always just Dynaudio. At the moment the Dynaudio Contour 20i and the Gato AMP 150 are a wonderful duo. And the sound is great
Tube preamp + Solid State amp = musical bliss. I have a LTA MZ3 > SPL Performer 800 > Spendor Classic 4/5. It is a beast…musicality galore. I should mention I have a Hafler 75 DAC feeding the preamp…the controls in it provide a notable difference to everything downstream.
These speakers are terrific! Have them paired with the H390. Beautiful mid range.
They deserve a far better amp than that. You are wasting them.
@@r423fplip You base that comment on what?
@@philipgardiner2003 Envy?
@@r423fplip you are so right, the HS deserve a $100.000 amp, at least! 😂😂😂
I Hope to get a pair while I can. This my be your BEST Review ever. THANK YOU
A great, insightful and enjoyable review.
I have a pair of these in my system and run them with two Benchmark AHB2 power amps in monoblock mode, a Benchmark LA4 pre amp and a ChordHugo TT2 / M Scaler combination. A lot of the points you mention mirror my own experiences. Hearing a track and thinking wow, that sounds so good and then the next one comes on and it’s an even bigger wow. They glue you to your seat in anticipation of how good the next track will sound. They certainly have the power to stir up emotion too, I’ve lost count of the times when a track comes on and you suddenly feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and a wash of emotion.
They thoroughly deserve the “special” in their name.
I purchased these speakers last year; paired them with my Macintosh MA9500. I love them! Happy you're appreciating them likewise. Great review!!
Mine are N° 0546, a great sounding enjoyable lifetime speaker, paired with primaluna evo 400i amplifier, a rega p10/ apheta 3 turntable, tellurium Q ultra black ii speaker cables.
I love your review Jay. I am a fan of Dynaudio ( I have an old excite series speakers ) I am planing to have this heritage sound ) I love your audiophile sound review and thanks you !!
Hi Jay, I own these speakers and your review was spot on. I am going to be a bit more specific. These speakers need to be paired not only with good preamp / amplification, these need to be capable to drive difficult loads well, like your Gato. The bass driver and the 4ohm rating make this a must, otherwise the sound will become warm and muddy.
Also you are better off with a solid state system that’s neutral in the mid bass.
The crossover also begins to roll off the highs sooner than many other speakers that use the “smiley face” frequency curve, that’s why you see many reviews using Nordost cables to compensate. So your system and cabling needs to be very transparent and leaning on the brighter side of neutral. Silver cabling helps.
By far one of my favorite reviews you have given! Musicality. Excellent
I pair mine with a REGA OSIRIS integrated amp, this works really well with a huge sound stage and clarity, i can listen for hours without any fatigue and they only go off when it gets to late for the neighbours. Vocals to die for and keepers for life. Thanks for the excellent review.
I've seen this before with these speakers, people are just blown away by them. I'm running a tube preamp with SS, I know exactly what you're talking about, I'm amazed every time I turn them on!
What pre & power amp are you using. I’m have a H390 but would love a tube flavour
When Jay get emotional, you know this is good😅.
Really love the way you try to get the best of the speakers with different amplifiers.
Thank you for sharing your journey and discovery with us.
I have had many Dynaudio speakers, and I am really in love with these, they are magic, everything sounds good to me, I don't get up from the sofa and I listen to one song after another without a break. I have them paired with a Hegel H390 amp and the combination with them is fantastic. The Dynaudio that I like the most of all the ones I have had, and there have been many.
I'm 100% in sync. My Dynaudio Confidence C1 and my Hegel H390 gives you exactly what Jay is describing. The sound stage is 3 dimensional in a way which is not from this planed. You have to experience it in order to really get it.
I can’t believe it took this long for you to review these speakers. Now if only zero fidelity, Andrew Robinson, A british audiophile and dark audio would get their review of this speaker out, it would be complete.
No! I need to be able to buy these some day. It needs to remain a low key legend.
There are many online reviews of this speaker.
I can't wait !
I traded in my Contour 20i’s for the HS. These are more transparent and airy with fast bass,
The Contours had more robust bass.
Have you listened to the Focus series? I believe this is the direction that Dynaudio is moving towards where they control the amps, DAC, and cables; ie., they can control the sound exactly the way they want it barring the room acoustics.
19:06 ..Jay I’ve a pair too, for one of my systems. I found that solid state is the match as well. Class A rules for me. Been switching up a between A and AB power. Does great with either but it appears to be Class A for me.
Nice review Jay. So my only question is, in terms of musicality alone, how does these Dyn HS stack up against the Totem Metal V2s you also liked? Big price difference notwithstanding.
2:08 Scanner bore is the pronunciation you’re after
Great review! Really a good one. I'm wondering what the most musical speaker you've ever heard is. And then some others that were really musical...
I'm more about that then performance.
Thanks and keep up the great work! Great stuff.
Hey do you think you could achieve the enjoyment in sound without doing mono blocks?
These speakers will be fed by a Rotel Michi X5 when my dedicated room is ready. The Michi X5 is now in the living room with an other cheaper pair of speakers. But as i have 3 cats i'm afraid getting the Heritage specials in my living room. So, it will take few weeks for the room to be ready and have any comment on the Michi/ Dynaudio combination.
Do css 1tdx compare to this?
What an excellent review 👏
Thank you ❤
My pleasure. Thank you for making a great product.
I use these with the Dynaudio Sub6. Front-end is dCS Lina & clock into a Naim Hi-cap & Supernait3. This system is truly a portal to limitless musical worlds. It’s spooky good.
Did you give the Thallo a shot at them?
I would like to know too.
The ones probably closest in sound to the Heritage Special is most likely the Special 25, they are both very similar in sound (as long as the tweeter isn't too old, the ferro fluid evaporates and lowers output over time a lot). I still have my S25, couldn't let them go even when I got new speakers! Both HS and S25 just love power, my S25 didn't really come alive until I got 500W+ but then it was such a wow moment and I just couldn't stop playing music. Was about to buy the HS, but went the TAD route instead. Never gonna sell my S25 though, both them and the heritage are quite wonderful, probably Dynaudio's best speakers IMHO! :)
What you mean is; it didn't come alive until I got a 500W amp even though I only use 0.3W per speaker.
You should look out for their Crafft.... I owned a pair for more than 20 years and still loving it
@@BobFrostV Your attitude need some work, but let me explain anyway. No, I don't use much W, but it's what it means to have a bigger wattage ie bigger caps and bigger transformer etc. If you want a more technical specific explanation; it's that dyns like amps that have a high slewrate or in more generaliserad terms high instant current (not maintained current). Why is it important? That's because dynamic speakers operate by generating magnetic fields in the coil and the field strength is dependent of the derivative of the current. So a low sensitivity dynamic speaker often like an amp that can produce high current spikes since this gives higher magnetic fields. Hope that helps! :)
@@johnm3544 You're right from the point of view of continuous power, but the wattage matter due to (highly generalized) higher wattage gives higher slew rate. Slewrate is basically the absolute peak current (again, not continuous current), but this parameter is never what I've seen as part of any product spec, so wattage is the only indicator of sorts (current is also not a great indicator, since it's continuous, but also gives a hint). It's usually used as a parameter that's important when designing digital systems (the analog domain of digital signals), but in the case of a magnetic motorsystem, like a dynamic speaker, it becomes more important since the slewrate will also be the limiting factor for the maximum magnetic field you can generate in the coil of the speaker. Of course it's more nuanced, but I didn't want to write a whole essay :) As a more anecdotal but the most interesting part of going from basically 270W to close to 770W in 4 Ohm was not only that it sounded a lot better when playing at normal listening levels, but it improved the sound a lot at lower listening volumes, so I ended up sending less power to the speakers by upgrading :)
@@tobiaxelsson
I'm a big fan of wattage. My first receiver was purchased in the 70s. Pioneer SX-1080 120 Watts per channel Rms.
Frequency response is 5 to 100,000 .
I still have it. Second was a Carver Amplifier
500 Watts Rms per Channel. I had to purchase Cerwin Vega speakers from a club that was going out of business, every other speaker that I got in the store I had a problem with melting the voice coils. Not from distortion but from playing it at ridiculously loud levels. 2 x 15 inch woofers. A 4 X 10 inch midrange horn,
5 Tweets across the top, each. They were black with wheels to make them easy to move. My wife called them my refrigerator speakers due to the size. As time changed I added to my system. Never needed to replace those speakers that amp or receiver.
How does it compare to Buchardt S400 MK 2?
Hi Jay, I have these speakers still new in the box! I am waiting on choosing an integrated or separates amplification for them. Can you please try them if you can with Hegel H380 & H590? Also look possibly at Rotel Mitchi X3 or X5 if the larger models are any advantage?
Running mine with a h120 which works great. But it's been enough time to warrant an electronics upgrade. H390 should be more than enough! I've heard it at a Dealer setup with Luxman class A and sounded fantastic too...
@@zach2954 Luxman Class A 30 Watts goes well ;-) sooooo silky - but my Hegel 190 had more grip on bass before....nevertheless i prefer the Lux until i come across an amp silky like Lux and powerfull with grip like a big Hegel
I think you just sold me on the Evoke speakers...good review!
One of your best reviews yet. Seriously considering these.
Great, very detailed review. The Dynaudio Heritage Special's are really 'special'. Everything is so balanced and has such a fine soundstage & tonality. However, they have a quite a low sensitivity and require, in my humble opinion, a quality , *non-Tube*, pre-power combination with a good bit of grip & grunt to get them really working and performing to their max. And... they just look stunning!
Why do you discount using a tube amp for these speakers? I have a pair of VTL monoblocs with 350W, you don't think they would work?
@@albanana683 Just going on my own numerous personal experiences w/ tube amps in the past & my preference for solid-state pre/power combinations. Each to their own, my fellow audiophile. No-one is right, and no-one is wrong. Just personal tastes. cheers!
So Jay, Heritage Special or Electa Amator III??
I've gato monoblocks with prd-3s and now I'm curious to check them out
I have a pair with mola mola Kula. It's awesome
Beautiful crossover , great drivers , great review
i owned these for about 4 months. i much preferred harbeth 30.2xd so i sold these and bought the Harbs again.
What made you prefer the Harbeth more?
Hello Jay! Can you please tell me, or give me some examples of some bookshelf speakers or floorstands that have warmth and body? Thx ✌️
What happens if you connect the sonus fabers to the same amp/preamp gear? Were the dynes better?
Nice, will have to give them a try here!
Given that these are so sensitive to amplification pairing it makes it kinda tough to risk buying these, given their steep price if one is unable to test them in advance with one’s own amp.
Nice review Jay, I’ve been enjoying a pair for the past year and have no intention of ever letting them go! Agree that they pair well with SS power, running Parasound JC5 amp with mine.
Hi, I fully agree with you, that´s the reason I bought it last year :-), I´ve an amplifier worth more than the Dynaudio - this is what the Dynaudio needs- excellent solid state amplifier, thanks for your video. If you buy a heritage special you have to plan for an amplifier at least at the same price point of the speakers. But I put 2 cheaper subs to the chain and I agree - they are to slow, so I planned to upgrade to one! REL s510
Nice speakers...i use Q Acoustics Concept 30's on Concept 20 stands with an SVS SB2000 Pro subwoofer...i own a
pair of Dynaudio Stands, there first model...great stands that use layers of a rubber like material between the top & bottom plates, filled half way with Atabites & the rest filled with expanding insulating foam they make any standmount speakers sound at there very best...they are very good speakers, the Contour S 1.4 LE's were brilliant if a bit expensive...wish i'd kept them now....
WOW great great review i have those and im running them with a Sugden A21se
Since you've start to understand Dynaudio as well, I have subscribed. Also take note of the excellent T+A Elektroakustik from Germany, Piega-speakers, Supra cables, etc. Would also hear your opinion on digital amplifiers (class D), because Bruno Putzey's technique and technique of Hyper Ncore / Nilai and the likes we now have warm sounding class D amplifiers and I think it is the near future and not A and A/B amplifiers. Also people want standmount or bookshelf speakers acompanied by a great subwoofer. Even people with floorstanding speakers are going to add a sub. So think of people in small appartments that want an audiophile setup, elektricity costs a lot (class D is better and smaller), people don't have space for LP's or cd's (streaming is therefore most important and then through a Qobuz-subscription, because it is simply the best, etc. You then need a good clock, fast and thinner speakercables like Supra, perhaps good wifi-streaming or good servers, etc. Thanks in advance.
Heritage Special or Electa Amator?
I have a pair of Electa Amators mk1😎.
Jay rocked this review! I own these speakers (paired with Boulder).
Excellent work!
We want you to review the Kef Reference 1 with meta material!
Buy them, buy them, buy them!!!!! 😃
I'm gonna go broke man but these may just have to be mine
@@Jayiyagi I love my pair, think of it as an investment in happiness!
It’s interesting that most Speaker manufacturers don’t build a rounded front face cabinet? This can be a problem or it is a problem?
It is superb but it is small so that is the sound you get, compared to the larger floor standing. I've owned the confidence series in the past and I miss them till this day. They look simple but the sound was out of this world, and the bass could shake the room if it was on the recording. Using the McIntosh 402 amp and using the 4-ohm taps was a sound that had me sitting there in disbelief, much better than using the 8-ohm taps. Really special speakers.
How are these different from the special twenty-five?
What are those speaker cables
Great video!
Could you please review the loxone home audio server, not your typical audio system, but a system for a smart home of office…
As a Dane I would say that a close approximation of the pronunciation of Skanderborg for an English speaker would be 'Scannerboar'. Stress on the first syllable. The D and G are silent.
Oh, and thanks for a great review of these wonderful speakers :-)
At that kinda of $, there's a lot of great choices.
I own these fantastic speakers, and I can say great review Jay, everything you said is spot on for sure! For me, the magic is in the integration of the driver with the Esotar3 soft-dome tweeter. I have it paired with a higher-powered Octave V80SE tube integrated amp and its super black box, which increases the amp's dynamic capacitance reserve. At Axpona '22 the Dynaudio Confidence 60s were paired with the Octave reference Jubilee front-end/amp and it blew almost every other room away, great pairing. You need a capable amp with these speakers for sure. Pair these with REL 510s, great match for the speed. Again, great review!
Will you get the real wood Buchardt A10 to compare these to for sound? And i mean just for sound as the Buchardt is an active speaker and the Dynaudio isn't. Even being active the Buchardt A10's are lower in price then the Dyns.
Hi Jay, appreciate your thoughts on the Heritage with the Kinki's EX B7 monos? Thanks.
Great video, Jay. One of your best. I too have had more low points than high in my listening history with Dynaudio products. I had a pair of Special Fortys in my room for months that I just couldn't get to come to life despit them sounding pretty darn good in the showroom. Probably down to synergy with my system at the time. You make me want to give the company another shot with these as I am always looking for a superb standmount for my living room system. Wonder how they and the Hegel H390 would get along ? Sounds like a good match on paper, but you never know.
I heard the hegels go well with the heritage but haven’t tried myself yet
I can assure you that the Hegel H390 with the HS is a perfect match. If you buy a Hegel H390 it needs 100 hours of use to sound good.
I have Special 40’s with the H390 for me it is a great match.
I'm currently choosing between the Heritage Special and the TAD Micro Be, what are your thoughts on this?
Gato monoblacks q…how would I plug in turntable and DAC?
which speakercables do you use ?
How would you compare them to the Focal Kanta1's? And would the Esoteric F-05 be a worthy source of power for either speaker?
Great review Jay! I know it's a completely different class of speaker, but how would you compare the Paradigm Founder 40B that you recently reviewed to these?
Dynaudio C1 (used) or Dynaudio Heritage Special?
That's what i'd like to know too )
@@Philo1 The C1 BUT only the Platinum version
I have the special 40’s and I was shocked when I heard the Heritage’s . I had waited to purchase the 40’s until I heard the Heritages. I liked the special 40 better. I know the heritage has a better tweeter and all the reviews said the Heritage was better than the special 40, but my not so perfect ears the Special 40 were a match.
Hey we all have different tastes, gear and experiences at varying degrees of what we find "musical." If the Special 40s sounded better to you and your ears loved it then that's that! Enjoy!
how's this compares to the xls encores?
Hey you still use the gr research cables? You ever “test them” or did I miss a video?
no video on it yet. it takes a while for me to "test" cables as it is hard to isolate and see when and where it shines but I think I'm close to figuring most of it out. Good cables for sure
@@Jayiyagi I gotcha, thanks bud. Yeah there’s only so much time in day, It’s just something I’ve been personally, patiently, waiting for your review on. Thanks for the content.
Would these be a good pairing with a Hegel H190? I’m considering this as an upgrade.
definately! i love the combo. soundstage and depth are absolutely stunning! even though the h390 sounded even better, i have no problems running these speakers loud and crisp with h190. but they are very fussy about placement. took me couple of month to get it right. it was actually quite frustrating. even thought of selling them. but i instantly forgot once the potential was unlocked. truly amazing speakers to never leave my house!
Jay, how do these compare the the TAD ME1?
Sounds like the speakers have good spread in the highs. Domes are good at that but my speakers are 3" FR drivers on the treble and med. Cones are directional and mine fire the highs like a lazar. So I mount the drivers at a shallow angle from the horizontal (on the top of the box) and a spread horn and cover over the driver. With a wood flat top. The highs sound just about the same anywhere in the room. Problem solved.
I share your experience with Dynaudio, including the Special Forty. I will have to check out the Heritage Special. I currently have a new pair of Focal Electra 1008 BE's powered by a Hegel H90. This pairing produces impeccable imaging, sound stage and presentation. The custom Sound Anchor stands eliminates any need for a sub woofer. I would also not consider pairing them with a tube amp. However, I have my eye on the Sarah 300B from Decware and wonder what your thoughts are on that specific amp with these.
I have a PASS INT 25 with the HS, and from what I read, I think I may not be fully unleashing the potential of the HS. I'm thinking of changing the INT 25 for a PASS X250.8, but after watching your video, I'm curious about the GATO PWR 22. What do you think about both amps? Which one do you think would work better with the HS?
Great video! What are your speaker stands?
Jay, Did you try these with the Vincent integrated?
Hi Jay, I am too experiencing the "lifelessness" or studio monitoring sound you mentioned with Denafrips Hades + Hyperion. Could that be the cause? All the cables are Cardas Clear Cygnus. Should I switch to different high current amp? Like Pass Labs INT-60? Thank you for your thoughts.
What about comparing with dynaudio confidence bookshelf ?
Hi Jay, have you heard the Reference 3A Reflector? Would like to know your opinion comparing it with the likes of the Dynaudio Heritage Special and the Sonus Faber Maxima Amators? Thank you!
My MC-75 sounded terrible with Dynaudio Contour S 3.4 speakers - but the Contours sounded awesome with a Bryston 4b sst.
Did you listen with the Gato or Nat?
Bloody great review!!!
I currently have Special 40s. I'm thinking of upgrading to HS. $$
Great review Jay!
I think someone already mention this in the comments but I’ll mention it again. I would love to see you review the B&W 805 D4 and compare them to this Dynaudio speaker.
B&W and Dynaudio have been rivals for years and I think this would be a great comparison if you could get a hold of a pair.
Jay - In a direct comparison of overall sound quality, how with this Duynaudio speaker compare to a Klipsch Heresy III ?
How does it compare to TADS?
How do you think this would pair with a PS Audio BHK 250 amp + McIntosh pre-amp? Too warm to help these Dynadio’s shine?