Dynaudio Updates Excite Series

Shown in Tom Norton’s photo are the Platinum versions of Dynaudio’s Confidence C2 floorstander ($15,000, left) and C1 stand-mount (middle)loudspeakers in the new Platinum trim, which I had seen and heard at 2013 shows. But I was more interested in the news that the Excite 12 loudspeaker, which has been a reference for Bob Reina since he reviewed it in March 2010, has been replaced by the Excite X14 ($1500/pair). My photo wasn’t usable, unfortunately, but I auditioned the X14s in a system comprising the Octave V40 SE 45Wpc, tube integrated amplifier ($5300), T+A DAC S8 ($3250), with Amarra running on a MacBook, Dynaudio Stand 3X stands ($350/pair), and in-akustik Reference interconnects and speaker cables, and was impressed by what I heard.

I visited this room on the last day at the Show and, to my surprise, it was the first room in which I heard a track from Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories album. On both “Lose Yourself to Dance” and a track from James Blake, the diminutive Dynaudios produced a surprisingly high level of well-controlled low frequencies. The Excite X14 is on Bob Reina’s reviewing schedule. The new Excite X34 floorstander costs $3400/pair.

COMMENTS
Axiom05's picture

The speakers on the left look like the Confidence C4's, not the C2's.

Anon2's picture

I have heard the Confidence C1 in another show in 2013.  It is as enjoyable to hear as it is alluring to behold.

The C1 is an impressive product.  The sound is a neutral, and natural, as the nearly flat frequency response shows in an earlier Stereophile review. 

I look forward to hearing the C1 again soon. 

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