Article: Dynaudio Focus 600 XD Loudspeaker Review

[mitchco]

Hi orgel, I appreciate your comment, thank you. I will try and keep the quality up.

 

Hi Draki, thank you. Phase measurement. I am still working on that part, but I am hoping to include it sometime soon.

 

Kind regards, Mitch

[Arg]

An excellent attempt, although your discussion of targets is flawed, and your attempt to correlate the unequalised response of the test speaker to outmoded target curves is crude.

 

I'm glad you liked the sound of the unequalised speaker. It needs quite a bit of equalisation to maximise it, though.

[The Computer Audiophile]

An excellent attempt, although your discussion of targets is flawed, and your attempt to correlate the unequalised response of the test speaker to outmoded target curves is crude.

 

I'm glad you liked the sound of the unequalised speaker. It needs quite a bit of equalisation to maximise it, though.

 

Rather than take a swipe and run, can you help all of us and explain what is flawed, so we can learn and Mitch can offer his side of the story?

[Arg]

Rather than take a swipe and run, can you help all of us and explain what is flawed, so we can learn and Mitch can offer his side of the story?

 

OK that's it, I have twice lost my reply, so, sorry, not happening. Too much typing and time wasted. Please redesign your page so the Reply to Thread button is not right under the Quick Reply box.

[number8]

OK that's it, I have twice lost my reply, so, sorry, not happening. Too much typing and time wasted. Please redesign your page so the Reply to Thread button is not right under the Quick Reply box.

When I feel my contribution to a blog will require a bit of typing I always use an external editor so I'm sure not to loose my work. So please write your contribution, we'd like to share your thoughts.

[number8]

All my music is played by jRiver in the main room (HTPC + NAS). I'd like to stream music to a second room that is quite distant from the main one. All is wired with 1Gb Ethernet. I'm not very much in favor of the dynaudio connect box. I would rather use Aries mini box. Can someone tell me if it is a correct approach and if Aries mini digital output would connect directly to the speaker digital input? Thank you

[bunno77]

All my music is played by jRiver in the main room (HTPC + NAS). I'd like to stream music to a second room that is quite distant from the main one. All is wired with 1Gb Ethernet. I'm not very much in favor of the dynaudio connect box. I would rather use Aries mini box. Can someone tell me if it is a correct approach and if Aries mini digital output would connect directly to the speaker digital input? Thank you

Yep if you can connect it to the speaker's spdif input and then link between the 2 that will work. I believe it's the only way to run hi res files

[number8]

Thanks bunno77. I will now chase a place where I can taste the 200XD in good conditions.

[bubba]

All my music is played by jRiver in the main room (HTPC + NAS). I'd like to stream music to a second room that is quite distant from the main one. All is wired with 1Gb Ethernet. I'm not very much in favor of the dynaudio connect box. I would rather use Aries mini box. Can someone tell me if it is a correct approach and if Aries mini digital output would connect directly to the speaker digital input? Thank you

 

I happen to own these speakers. If the Aries Mini has a digital coax output (RCA digital output), looks like it does, then yes, you will be able to connect it directly to the 600.

[number8]

I happen to own these speakers. If the Aries Mini has a digital coax output (RCA digital output), looks like it does, then yes, you will be able to connect it directly to the 600.

Thanks bubba. How do you currently feed-in these speakers?

[bunno77]

Thanks bubba. How do you currently feed-in these speakers?

I previously used both the spdif output from a linn akurate dsm and a m2tech USB to spdif converter connected to a standard laptop both plugged into the back of the speaker.

 

- Peach Audio Balanced Isolation Power Supply, Uptone LPS-1, Sonore microRendu, Geek Pulse S Infinity, McIntosh MA2275, Paradigm 30th Anniversary Tributes, SVS SB13-Ultra

 

- Audioquest DragonFly v1.2, Marantz PM-15S1, Definitive Technology BP7006

 

- Cambridge 752BD (Oppomod PSU), Halcro MC50, Sonos ZP90 (Cullen Mod), Cyenne Audio CY-3100,

Denon AVR-4520, Aaron ATS-5, Aaron CC-250, Epos Epic 5, Cambridge Audio Azur 551R V2, Bose 251, M&K VF-80,

Van Den Hul + Isotek DIY cables

[bubba]

Thanks bubba. How do you currently feed-in these speakers?

 

Yeah, sure.

 

I have an Apple Mac mini as music server connected to a Sonore Micro Rendu connected to an Audiophellio USB/SPDIF into the XD600's.

[semente]

Great work, with lots on insight.

 

How much smoothing did you use in your FR plots?

May I suggest that next time you reduce the vertical scale of your FR plots?

This would put them on par with those of Stereophile and Soundstage and provide a better sense of the amplitude.

 

R

[ac1]

There is a new firmware out for the "old" line of  x d speakers corresponding to the new (really re) release of the x d line.  Basically the dsp processing has been retuned.  On subjective listening, it has added transparency and smoothness and for something that is just a firmware upgrade it has made a nice difference. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Thanks for the update @ac1

[bunno77]

Any more info post firmware update? 

[lgoler]

@mitchco

 

Thank you for this most detailed review! As someone considering active floorstanding speakers for a quite large room, and the new version of these (Focus X60) being high on the list, I have 2 questions:. 1. You seemed to really like the 600's so why only 3 stars?  2.  Did you ever get a pair of Kii's to review?  

[mitchco]

Hi @lgoler the 3 stars is the article rating... I did like the 600's. I have not heard them with the firmware upgrade which should attenuate the high frequencies a bit more toward's a neutral response. They were a bit bright for my preference. No, CA was slated for a pair of Kii's for review, but did not happen.

[MarkoL]

Hi Guys,

Tuned in pretty late but have a question regarding new XD series:

If I'm using Aurender A10 as a source/DAC/pre to listen to Hi-res DSD, 24/384.. and planning to get XD 30's, does connecting A10 via RCA Analog IN makes Dyns to downsample to 24/192? Is Dyns DAC bypassed in this setup?

 

Thanks,

Marko

[bubba]

Yeah, anything going into the speaker gets routed thru the onboard DAC which is only capable of 24/192.   

[MarkoL]

Thanks Bubba!

In that case it's not worth buying $9K speakers that can only play "Hi-Res of 24/192"

 

 

Marko

[bubba]

right.   I agree...