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This review first appeared in the April 2010 issue of hi-end hifi magazine High Fidelity of Poland. You can also read this review of the Dynaudio DM 2/6 in its original Polish version. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with publisher Wojciech Pacula. As is customary for our own reviews, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of High Fidelity or Dynaudio - Ed.

Reviewer: Wojciech Pacuła
CD player: Ancient Audio Lektor Prime
Preamp: Leben RS-28CX
Integrated amp: Leben CS300
Power amp: Luxman M-800A
Loudspeakers: Harpia Acoustics Dobermann
Cables: CD-preamp Wireworld Gold Eclipse 52, pre/power amp Velum NF-G SE; speaker cable Velum LS-G; power cords Acrolink Mexcel 7N-PC9100 on CDP, 2 x Acrolink Mexcel 7N-PC7100 on preamp and power amp
Power conditioning: Gigawatt PF-2 Filtering Power Strip
Resonance control: Finite Elemente Ceraball under the CDP
Review component retail: zł 2.000/pr

When I informed our domestic distributor that I was planning to review a Dynaudio loudspeaker from their DM line for our budget issue, he immediately suggested the DM 2/7. From his experience, the price/performance ratio of this model was very high and the speakers were neither too big nor too small. Many customers had tried and kept 'em. It’s quite understandable why. They are from a separate category of Dynaudio’s catalogue called special models, with certain details that distinguish them from the Excite and Focus ranges. Their main purpose is sound quality. Budget cuts were only made on appearance. Unlike the Focus range for example, DMs are covered with vinyl laminate to recall the old Audience range. But the drivers are of higher quality than price might suggest. When asked about these, Dynaudio boss Wilfried Ehrenholz explained that customers pay for drivers and crossover but in effect nothing for the enclosures. In other words, you’d pay the same price just for the raw parts. In my opinion, the results of such an approach are remarkable. The DM 2/7 is one of four models in this range. There are two others more expensive—DM 2/8 and DM2/10—and one cheaper called the DM 2/6. The DM 2/7 sports a 17cm mid/woofer.


When I approached Nautilus for this review, the one I was really after was the DM 2/6 however. It’s the smallest model which had just been added to the range. These are very small monitors with a 14cm mid/woofer and a cabinet of 170 x 292 x 240mm. They’re descendants of the unforgettable BBC LS 3/5 made famous also by KEF. Their proportions are a bit different although the external size is quite similar (LS 3/5: 190 x 300 x 170mm). Dynaudio’s drivers are a bit bigger. One could call the DM 2/6 a modern interpretation of a legend, with wider frequency response, higher sensitivity and a much lower crossover point (1.8kHz vs 3kHz). And, the Dynaudios are bass-reflex boxes. But if you saw the DM 2/6 and knew the LS, you’d get my interest in a moment.

Sound: Discs used for review - Feel the Difference of the Blu-spec CD. Jazz Selection, Sony Music Japan, SICP-20050-1, Blu-spec CD + CD; HiQualityCD Jazz Selection, EMI Music Japan, TOCJ-90010, HQCD + CD; Ben Heit Quartet, Magnetism, Acousence Records, ACO80108, 24/192, FLAC; Diorama, Child of Entertainment, Accession Records, A 119, SP CD; 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; The Eagles, Hotel California, Asylum Records/Warner Music Japan, WPCR-11936, CD; Tool, 10,000 Days, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, 819912, CCD.


Of the Xavian, Monitor Audio and KEF monitors I recently reviewed, today’s Danes offer the warmest sound without being rolled off or thick like certain tube amps. Still, if you compared a few competing monitors in this price range, you’d single out the Dynaudio for being warmest. They also offer a far bigger sound that size would predict. This is true also for KEF’s iQ30 but in a much larger cabinet. To get big sound from small boxes, one usually boosts the lower midrange with bass-reflex loading. That’s what’s used here too but the trickery of this effect was surprisingly subtle. When listening to the lowest bass of Cool Struttin’ by Sonny Clark [HiQualityCD sampler], I could tell that the air pressure came mostly from the back of the cabinet and not directly off the driver. Still, it blended with the direct sound so well that it didn’t undermine my pleasure. This sampler demonstrated how well the DM 2/6 handled these old somewhat warm recordings with beautifully textured sounds, rich timbres and grand soundstaging. Even though these boxes cost less than my power cords, saxophone and trumpet caused chills down my spine.