Hi:
I have a Contour 1.8 working for more than 20 years and I'd like to upgrade them, anybody can help me to do that will be apreciate.
Thanks in advance.
Regards.
PD.- I'm new in the forum, if this is not the correct place where I have to write this, sorry.
I have a Contour 1.8 working for more than 20 years and I'd like to upgrade them, anybody can help me to do that will be apreciate.
Thanks in advance.
Regards.
PD.- I'm new in the forum, if this is not the correct place where I have to write this, sorry.
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Welcome aboard! That's not an easy question... 😱
What we know:
Dynaudio Focus 110 and 140 Crossover Comparison Details
Crossover help needed for Dynaudio 17W75XL(ohm) and D260
What have you got in mind?
What we know:
Dynaudio Focus 110 and 140 Crossover Comparison Details
Crossover help needed for Dynaudio 17W75XL(ohm) and D260
What have you got in mind?
Welcome aboard! That's not an easy question... 😱
What we know:
Dynaudio Focus 110 and 140 Crossover Comparison Details
Crossover help needed for Dynaudio 17W75XL(ohm) and D260
What have you got in mind?
Thanks a lot for your reply.
Mines are the 1.8 not the 1.8 mkII
The difference between Dynaudio Contour 1.8 & 1.8MKII | Audiogon Discussion Forum
I have to reckon that I'm a perfect noob.
I wolud like to improve what I have instead of wasting a lot of money purchasing the Contour 30, to get some thing similar to a DIY option guide by all of you.
PD.- I'd like to learn what all you want to teach me. I have read many things in this forum and the outcome is that the level of knowledge is extremly high.
Reading the audiogon discussion it looks like the MK2 used different drivers.
What aspects of the sound would you like to improve?
What aspects of the sound would you like to improve?
Those two threads I quoted are extremely good.
Gordon Hunsaker and a few others came up with some good stuff.
Gordon was building this:
17W75XL-8 bass and 110mm D260 tweeter. Reworked the 4 ohm filter:
I think what we need to know here is the drivers in the Contour 1.8 for a start. So get out the old screwdriver/hex key or TorX driver and find out. Lots of variations. 🙂
Gordon Hunsaker and a few others came up with some good stuff.
Gordon was building this:
17W75XL-8 bass and 110mm D260 tweeter. Reworked the 4 ohm filter:
I think what we need to know here is the drivers in the Contour 1.8 for a start. So get out the old screwdriver/hex key or TorX driver and find out. Lots of variations. 🙂
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Hi,
"20 years and I'd like to upgrade them" is what I keep from your needs. I understand as "I (want to) keep the speakers. Excelent speakers, good choice.🙂
Let me sumarize as there is certainly tons of approachs and we have not enough informations to help you. I noted "I'm newbie" as I eternaly am so I can provide starting help:
We need to know few things more for providing a better help. It could help to know what are the level of your sources and amps. Sometimes the best decision is "don't touch" the speaker.
You can also touch the filter: hard to do better than Dynaudio cause they know what they did, have tons of facilites. Expensive path, needs you to invest in few instrument to tailor made for you what Dynaudio chose as a trade off for all. If that road is chose then System7 is a precious and reliable help.
You can refresh the filter with "better" parts - most of the time resistors and caps- but it asks you can talk about sound as people can not listen to here. Expensive, it may be difficult if the speakers are sorted out to acheive a close match by measuring the capacitors or make it at specific values. Basic capacity meters is around 40 euros. Often a more expensive part do not give better subjective results.
You can upgrade the drivers : most of the time the tweeter cause the rest are loaded by a specific box size: Very expensive & risky : the filter might need adaptation as well and better than a Dynaudio tweeter is a more expensive Dynaudio tweeter, perhaps a very expensive Morel : but you shout in the dark (or shoot in the space... or vice versa, forgive my bad english) here and I would avoid that road.
You just refurbish the tweeter if it's a ferro fluided one: cheap, needed after 20 years, will give back to amost brand new if you know the FF grade.
The speaker is good enough and you better invest elwhere : amp, source, time (in room optimisation).
All is about the time & monney you want to give to your project, so you have to input about that
and draw your filter shematic by carefully unscrew some torks. Improvment is very subjective...
Edit: https://site.diy-loudspeakers.com/i...rs/dynaudio/TWEETERS/DYNAUDIO_D260_ESOTEC.pdf
"20 years and I'd like to upgrade them" is what I keep from your needs. I understand as "I (want to) keep the speakers. Excelent speakers, good choice.🙂
Let me sumarize as there is certainly tons of approachs and we have not enough informations to help you. I noted "I'm newbie" as I eternaly am so I can provide starting help:
We need to know few things more for providing a better help. It could help to know what are the level of your sources and amps. Sometimes the best decision is "don't touch" the speaker.
You can also touch the filter: hard to do better than Dynaudio cause they know what they did, have tons of facilites. Expensive path, needs you to invest in few instrument to tailor made for you what Dynaudio chose as a trade off for all. If that road is chose then System7 is a precious and reliable help.
You can refresh the filter with "better" parts - most of the time resistors and caps- but it asks you can talk about sound as people can not listen to here. Expensive, it may be difficult if the speakers are sorted out to acheive a close match by measuring the capacitors or make it at specific values. Basic capacity meters is around 40 euros. Often a more expensive part do not give better subjective results.
You can upgrade the drivers : most of the time the tweeter cause the rest are loaded by a specific box size: Very expensive & risky : the filter might need adaptation as well and better than a Dynaudio tweeter is a more expensive Dynaudio tweeter, perhaps a very expensive Morel : but you shout in the dark (or shoot in the space... or vice versa, forgive my bad english) here and I would avoid that road.
You just refurbish the tweeter if it's a ferro fluided one: cheap, needed after 20 years, will give back to amost brand new if you know the FF grade.
The speaker is good enough and you better invest elwhere : amp, source, time (in room optimisation).
All is about the time & monney you want to give to your project, so you have to input about that
and draw your filter shematic by carefully unscrew some torks. Improvment is very subjective...Edit: https://site.diy-loudspeakers.com/i...rs/dynaudio/TWEETERS/DYNAUDIO_D260_ESOTEC.pdf
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"It's a shot in the dark" is the phrase you are looking for, diyiggy! 😎
I agree with everything you say and the only thing I would change in these fine speakers would be 20 year old electrolytic capacitors - and even then there may be no audible improvement.
However, I'll follow with interest what Steve has to say when the full details of the drivers are supplied. 🙂
The specs of the 1.8 version are available here: Contour 1.8 - Buy high end Contour 1.8 floor speakers
Attachments
... magnetic fluid (tweeter) = FeroFluid... 15/20 euros, but better to know the grade exactly.
Measuring 20 years old caps may be problematic, but I will do it... or ask Dynaudio the capacitance by giving them the speakers number.
😀 "In space No one can hear you scream" dixit Sigourney at the end of the...journey !
Measuring 20 years old caps may be problematic, but I will do it... or ask Dynaudio the capacitance by giving them the speakers number.
😀 "In space No one can hear you scream" dixit Sigourney at the end of the...journey !
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First of all my apologizes for my English it’s not my mother language although I try to learn everyday. @diyiggy, thanks a lot for helping me with your words to focus the subject that I merely proposed to all of you with a line of text.
If all this stuff does not improve the result in price and sound quality from this option,
Speakers Neo 3 - ESA.com.pl I will study carefully what to do. I have the opportunity to purchase a “cheap” pair of Dynaudio 1.8 with a broken drive. If we can define a good project … … … everything is possible.
The difference between Dynaudio Contour 1.8 & 1.8MKII | Audiogon Discussion Forum
The 1.8 mk2 is a better speakers, they did some mods on the drivers (double stack magnet compare to single on the bass) Original 1.8 was a d28 soft dome tweeter the mk2 is a esotec soft dome tweeter. The mk2 has better bass and the extension on the mk2 is better. The original 1.8 bass is less, highs are much softer less extension on the tweeter. I like the d28 better than the esotec tweeter. Hope this help!
… and also will substitute the old CD player by an streamer/DAC with WIFI in order to use all he FLAC files.
Let me know if you can help me. I will much appreciate it.
Yes it’s true I think that nowadays they work well. I had them resting many years and now is time to enjoy using them.
The amp is a Restek Fable which I purchased with the loudspeakers. The music source is a DENON CD player which I will substitute soon. I have lots of FLAC files and I’m tent to purchase a MATRIX ELEMENT M, to play all the files in my computer using Foobar. If you can guide me on this, you’re welcome.
What you say IMHO is true, my feeling is that the business case has been done by you “hard to do better than Dynaudio”. If you tell me that the original filters will be suitable to move properly a new and modern tweeter/driver we can jump into your next proposal …
Yes, I have read things like that, the obsession in having better components (i.e. better capacitors as Jupiter Copper Foil o Duelund) can lead you to do not perceive the sound improvements. But in the other hand I have also read that if you consider to change a ferrite inductor by an air core inductor probably you will get a sound improvement.
This is my point. I think that if I substitute them, I will get better sound quality. 20 years for R&D are too much. While reading I have realized that my goal could be getting the best available spare parts from Dynaudio and mix them to guarantee a good result, base on the experience from all of you. As an example, should be possible to get filters, tweeter and drives from a Contour 3.0 or Contour 30 and put them in to the Contour’s 1.8?
If all this stuff does not improve the result in price and sound quality from this option,
Speakers Neo 3 - ESA.com.pl I will study carefully what to do. I have the opportunity to purchase a “cheap” pair of Dynaudio 1.8 with a broken drive. If we can define a good project … … … everything is possible.
I have read that the Contour 1.8 tweeter’s model is …
The difference between Dynaudio Contour 1.8 & 1.8MKII | Audiogon Discussion Forum
The 1.8 mk2 is a better speakers, they did some mods on the drivers (double stack magnet compare to single on the bass) Original 1.8 was a d28 soft dome tweeter the mk2 is a esotec soft dome tweeter. The mk2 has better bass and the extension on the mk2 is better. The original 1.8 bass is less, highs are much softer less extension on the tweeter. I like the d28 better than the esotec tweeter. Hope this help!
Of course, if I do not go this direction because of the total budget amount, I will substitute the OCOS original speakers cabling with a handmade ones. The one I have selected are HORUS branch made by Home | Wires4Music
… and also will substitute the old CD player by an streamer/DAC with WIFI in order to use all he FLAC files.
Let me know if you can help me. I will much appreciate it.
Can you show us original crossover board (both sides) of Contour 1.8 so that we can engineer a filter to further investigate improvement possibilities?
The best upgrade i did to dynaudio audience 122 and contour 60 is dump the filter and go active.
You modify a Contour 60? You are my hero.
Do you believe that we can upgrade this Contour 1.8 up to the performance of a current Contour.
Regards.
If you goal is same sound as contour i series you need to buy dynaudio units 2 steps up. This is nearly impossible because you need to return defect parts others wise no new parts.
The best you can do is to use the dynaudio car series.
But you like the sound of the d28, do you ever heard the esotec or esotar tweeter? The d28 is a raw diamond in comparing the the esotec.esotar.
As i wrote before the best upgrade for dynaudio speakers is to remove the filter and buy a good active filter and supply high/mid/low each with they own amp.
Hypex has great class d amp modules.
After adjusting crossover frequenties and curves measure timealigment and calculate corrections and put them in your active crossover(dsp).
Then lean back put on some good music and listen to your new dynaudio speakers.
All this is possible at the cost of €50 for used behringer dcx2496 crossover, 4 hypex 180 modules € 300,- and a lot of houres building and measuring and correcting but that is our hobby.
The best you can do is to use the dynaudio car series.
But you like the sound of the d28, do you ever heard the esotec or esotar tweeter? The d28 is a raw diamond in comparing the the esotec.esotar.
As i wrote before the best upgrade for dynaudio speakers is to remove the filter and buy a good active filter and supply high/mid/low each with they own amp.
Hypex has great class d amp modules.
After adjusting crossover frequenties and curves measure timealigment and calculate corrections and put them in your active crossover(dsp).
Then lean back put on some good music and listen to your new dynaudio speakers.
All this is possible at the cost of €50 for used behringer dcx2496 crossover, 4 hypex 180 modules € 300,- and a lot of houres building and measuring and correcting but that is our hobby.
I do not know if the D28 tweeter has ferro fluid called Magnaflex liquid in the Dynaudio litterature : drivers after 20 years needs ferrofluid replacment. You live in a hot country, but the same in a 20°C flat after 20 years. Easy most of the times, you can do it yourself. It is mandatory in order to protect them and work on the filter, be it still passive or active if you deep move that way. You have to know the Ferro Fluid grade.
How good are Dynaudio D28 tweeters...
I don't think changing the internal cabling is usefull.
Denon cd players/DAC are sounding good and nice, but you can do certainly better here if going to dac solutions with PC and a dac unit... that's a budget though. Here you have to know if passive or active cause it changes also the dac choice simplicity, you have less headroom on the dac chip side with active but at the end, it could be the best improvment because you have a lot of setups possibility with EQ. Hypex is not mandatory you can go good enough and cheaper, though these Hypex are not that expensive in the example given. A DCX will ask a lot of diy to let it sound good enough though. Maybe a jump towards a MiniDSP (not the cheapest models imo) unit but with streamer and AK dac chips in it can be an option as well. Around 300 euros iirc, caps may cost more if polypro ! Monney is the peace judge here, you have to think global acquisation in the (long) time if you can (the most difficult part to anticipate in out hobby)
So you have to quantify the project in monney for a better decision.
Passive filtering : you have the tweeter you like already. Capacitors : lytics are good enough but yours after 20 years needs to be measured and changed. Problem : lytic are cheap in high capacitance value but not precise : claimed for instance to be 5%, I measured 11% with 1brandnew 10 uF Mundorfs one month ago ! So in small uF values, polypro or polyster may be cheaper cause 3% real precision or better with some brands. But it's a budget too, so active is not necessarely a bad idea, just longer road. A passive dac for passive filter to do better than the Denon is around 250/300 euros with a RaspBerry, a good reclock and a musical dac hat or diy dac board feeded with I2S from the streamer.
You can do hybrid :
best of two world : System 7/Lojzek on the high pass passive filter between the mid and the tweeter. My modest input could be then to chose Jantzen Cross cap (neutral polypro, cheap) and/or a Superior Z cap of the same brand in serie with the D28.
Koifarm on implementing cool cheap Hypex unit with some mods he know about it from my memory for the bass unit. You may have headroom with EQ perhaps to have the better bass you like on the mk II and for sure a better room integration. (bass should be always managed by active and EQ solutions imho, rooms are by far the most difficult unit of a hifi !)
100% active may be cheaper due to the high capacitance values we saw above in the shematic... you defrnitly have to draw to us... because it's cool 😎. As all the posters are from Europe, after the work and this stupid pandemy, you will do a traditional BBQ for us, lol !
Choose your poison...
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ahaha, from the link I provided it seems the D28 is strong enough not to be FF and sounds way much better without : so you may have to clean the old one but not refill it ! You may start to simulate what that gives for a filter by looking at the datasheet of the D28 special unit they made without FF Calvin member is talking about !
Dynaudio Contour 60 is a $10,000/pair product which does not tell us actually anything on the crossover implementation.
There is an interesting observation on Stereophile forum regarding damaged Contour 60 speakers. Everyone, look it up. 125W/8R, 240W/4R, half volume of phase linear preamp (? Vout), less than 2 hours of playing (what music) to make friends happy. Dynaudio claims withstanding 390W of program power.
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Incredible experience for a so expensive loudspeaker, which I thought (my selection were the Contour 30 model) they were to give me something extra compare to the 1.8 ones. I can’t believe, pay 9.000€ for being in the hands of the dealer.😡
If you had such monney, there are a lot of better loudspeakers though.
Asking myself if the D28 could work without FF as Calvin said...but with afurther polyswitch in serie for an overload protection...and without that 1 euro passive part affects the sound ?
Asking myself if the D28 could work without FF as Calvin said...but with afurther polyswitch in serie for an overload protection...and without that 1 euro passive part affects the sound ?
I do not quite follow why ferrofluid would present an issue, assuming it was in regular condition. Contour 1.8 has always been a very good quality piece of a loudspeaker and it remains an unknown how much potential there may be within it to make it even better. I suppose not much, if at all.