Price: £650
Website: www.dynaudio.com
Size (HxWxD): 33x20x26cm
Weight: 6.9kg
Type: Standmount loudspeaker
Sensitivity/impedance: 86dB/4 ohms
Finish: Real wood veneers: cherry, maple, rosewood, black ash
17cm bass/mid driver
28mm soft dome tweeter
Lined internally with bitumen
Ultra-light aluminium voice coils
Plus points:
Compact size, lovely finish, good bass, marvellous midrange
Minus points:
Expensive for a 'budget' speaker, perhaps a bit 'smooth' for some tastes
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Dynaudio hails from Denmark and has been making speakers since 1977. It's highly regarded in hi-fi circles for the quality of its drive units, not to mention its full speakers, which are also of a very high standard. The company produces several ranges of which the Audience is actually the budget range, though they still tip the scales at considerably more than most of us would consider 'budget'.
The Audience 52 is a striking little two-way standmount, clothed in real wood veneer (ours came in cherry, but there's also maple, rosewood and black ash available), which looks luxurious and very attractive, not to mention incredibly solid. Build quality is certainly at a premium here, with absolutely no hint of movement or rattle - it's a solid block of hi-fi hero.
The 52 is an update on the previous Audience 50, and claims improvement from a redesigned crossover. The bass/mid driver has been moved closer to the tweeter and it's been fitted with an internal MDF baffle designed to reduce resonance between the drivers. It can be fitted with an optional mounting bracket if you want to raise it up, perhaps as part of a multichannel system. There's just a single pair of terminals fitted around the back (as is the case with all Dynaudios), so bi-wiring isn't an option. Also at the back is a port for the main driver, situated behind the tweeter.
The 17cm bass/mid driver features an extra-large voice coil outside the magnet to drive a combination cone/dome plastic diaphragm and Dynaudio's own tweeter has a 28mm doped fabric dome diaphragm. With the grilles off, the intersecting circles of the drivers complement each other nicely - this is a very nice looking little standmount.
Varying placement around the room gave the impression that these speakers need a little bit of room to breathe and give an improved bass response. If space is a problem though, and you need to place them close to walls (which, let's face it, is what most of us are stuck with) they come with a pair of foam bungs for blocking the ports, which reduce some of the bass output which will be accentuated by the walls.
Incidentally, there's also an SE (Special Edition) version of the Audience 52 available. It looks the same, but inside it's completely different, with upgraded drivers, crossover and even terminals. Expect to pay about £300 more to own it.
Sound
This is a beautifully neutral sounding loudspeaker without much in the way of coloration. It has a smoothness through the midrange and treble that is quite enviable and displays remarkable freedom from the sort of boxy resonances from which many rectangular speakers can suffer. Dynaudio puts some of this at least down to its use of bitumen lining within the cabinet, which is specifically used to dampen any potential internal resonances. The MDF baffle between the drivers may help too.
The soundstage it projects is beautifully clear, the aural image taut and detailed. In fact, it makes a very good job of appearing not to be there at all, depth and height perspectives being well displayed, so that it's never clear exactly where the sound is coming from, and you're left with the immaculate soundstage.
Bass certainly isn't lacking, at least in comparison with other standmounts (as a rule, if you really want low end you're better off going for a large standmount). In fact, it has unusual presence for a relatively small speaker such as this, though it does tend to emphasise mid-bass over low or high bass, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
Even when played loud, the Audience 52 resists any temptation to become aggressive. Perhaps some might prefer a more dynamic approach, and it's true that the sound of the Audience 52 could be described as 'smooth'. If you favour short, intense displays of dynamic brio, then these speakers may not be for you. But if you spend extended periods listening to music, and want all the details of your music collection revealed without undue fuss, then this speaker could become a long-term friend.
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The Dynaudio Audience 52 is a lovely looking wood-veneered speaker with a touch of class which offers a very solid all-round performance, with decent bass and smooth transition between midrange and treble. Perhaps it will be a little on the smooth side for some tastes, but not at the expense of detail, just a little less emphasis on dynamics than may be found with others. If you like to listen long (and perhaps not too loud), these could be just the ticket.
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