Dynaudio MC 15

[The Computer Audiophile]

Has anyone heard the Dynaudio MC 15 audiophile grade computer speakers? Here is a link if you haven't seen them: http://www.dynaudio.de/eng/multimedia/index.php

 

These look really appealing as most computer speakers are nowhere near audiophile quality. These could be awesome using some 24 bit / 96 KHz music fro my Mac with an external DAC. We need some unbiased reviews!

 

- Chris

Computer Audiophile | Turn Down The Silence

 

 

[warpdrive]

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5919/dynaudio032un1.jpg

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/7131/dynaudio027uy1.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/6338/dynaudio037fm3.jpg

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/2189/dynaudio038wx7.jpg

http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/8035/dynaudio006ra9.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5162/dynaudio041no6.jpg

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/66/dynaudio019jt4.jpg

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey warpdrive thanks a lot for the photos! These sure are nice looking speakers. We'd love to hear your opinion on the sound. What do you have them connected to?

 

[warpdrive]

I like 'em!

 

These sound like very good bookshelf speakers. They give my CM1's a run for the money, and they are better than my Epos ELS3 bookshelf speakers in smoothness, and bass quality. I am still experimenting with positioning and the rear EQ controls. I think they are a bit bright out of the box but hopefully they will break in a bit.

 

Right now, I'm running them out through my Headroom Micro DAC and am using my Micro Amp as a preamp.

 

The price is steep for computer speakers, but I figured you can't go wrong with Dynaudio product that is basically a pro level product used by many studios, and certainly I will get lots of use out of it. I had searched a long time researching various amp/speaker configurations but none really appealed to me in terms of the complete package (something good quality, still compact, easy (fewer boxes))

 

[warpdrive]

Just got one of the Microvee subs

 

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/2646/009np7.jpg

 

The thing is TINY and sounds very good too. Just enough ooomph to help out the bottom end. Don't really need it but it's handy to have around for watching movies

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Very sleek looking and nice for a desktop system. Thanks for the linked photo!

 

[Cyrin]

The article about these speakers says on this site: "I would really like to hear these connected to a laptop with an external DAC."

 

If you connect the laptop to a DAC via optical cable, and the DAC to these speakers via RCA cables, which equipment does the volume control? Or do I need a preamp between the DAC and he speakers?

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Cyrin - I think the ideal situation would be with a DAC like the Benchmark DAC1 that has a volume control. I would set the volume on the speakers to a static level and set the volume on the computer to Max. Then use the DAC1 volume control as the only volume control.

 

If you read my review in TONE Audio Magazine about the Audioengine 2 speakers this is exactly how I configured them.

 

If your DAC doesn't have a volume control you will be able to use the volume control on the speakers or the computer, but computer volume controls can negatively effect the sound.

 

[warpdrive]

I have been looking at solutions myself.

 

Right now, I'm using a EMU 0404 USB Audio Interface. It acts as a DAC and has a volume controlled line out. Sounds pretty decent. Another alternative would be to buy NuForce Icon which functions the same but also has a speaker amp (not very strong though at 13W per channel). If you already have a DAC, you can get a Headroom Micro Amp which I have had good experience with.

 

Lastly, if you just need a volume control, you could just buy a passive one like a NHT PVC PC

 

With some of the better headphone amp with built in-DAC units, you can use the headphone out directly and plug your speakers into that. If the headphone amp is well designed, it is essentially a preamp because it will be designed to handle the high impedance of the active speaker properly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cyrin]

Do you know that the MC15 has a volume control bulit in? I didn't see anything about this at Dynaudio's homepage, so I guess it does't have any.

 

You say, I can also control the volume on the computer, is this mean that computer's volume control also works on the computer's optical digital output?

 

My future system would be: Mac Mini connected to an LCD TV and to the internet, WD external HDD, some kind of a DAC which isn't necessary at the begining, because I can use the Mini's analog output at first with computer based volume control, and a Dyno MC15 speakers.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

I guess the MC15s don't have a volume control. Many powered speakers do however.

 

I am 99% sure your volume control will work on your optical output. I works on USB outputs.

 

I am very interested to hear how your system sounds once it is setup. Please let us know!