How close dynaudio s1.4 to c1

If a maximum resolution and transparency aren't your priority, stay with S 1.4 and spend the extra money on a high class source and amplification. No illusion, the Krell KAV integrated don't provide as good quality amplification as the Krell separates (Evo I guess?) that You've heard in a Dynaudio dealer's store. IMO Krell 400xi integrated is absolutely a minimum for S1.4, You may also try Pass Int 150, Naim Supernait or Gryphon (Callisto, Attilla..). I'd rather avoid Musical Fidelity, Primare and Creek integrateds. I'm afraid the C1 is even more difficult to drive that the Confidence C1..

IMO C1 would be a choice for an no compromise audiophile. For a normal music lover, the Contour S1.4, with is astonishing balance between musicality and transparency and incredible bass response, may be a choice for years... Certainly, C1 offers a better resolution an more airy highs, but more transparency means less tolerance for older recordings…

Concerning the bass department, lows of C1 may be more extended but bass of S1.4 benefits from a kind of boosting in the midbass and finally the bass of the Contour may be regarded as more punchy, more rhythmic.

Summing up : for vocals and complex music (orchestral), with very good quality of recordings, C1 would be a better choice. For popular music (like rock, hard, blues) I'd stay with the Contour.

PS. It's interesting to read that 1.3 SE is better than S1.4. My opinion is different. With the S1.4 the sound is very smooth, very refined. With 1.3 SE (very good speaker like other Dynaudio Contour series speakers) I've often noticed a hint of grainess or sibilance on some recordings (especially not audiophile quality, popular recordings).

Dj,

Buy a used pair here. You can sell them for what you pay. But you won't sell them. I'm not speaking off the cuff here. I've spent hundreds of hours with them and many other speakers. These are pretty special. I do think the C1s are better, but you will be blown away by how good the S1.4s are.

And I agree with the guy that said putting a percentage on how much better the C1s are is ridiculous. Talk about an over simplification.

As for the old contour SEs being better, all I can say is to each his own. I wonder about how much quality time people with that opinion have spent with the S1.4s.

Okocsa,interesting input, thanks
jaxwired, wait till another S1.4 coming up,thanks
u all very helpfull ,apreciated

Jax- i owned the 1.3SEs, auditioned the 1.4s with a buddy who owns SEs as well. neither of us purchased 1.4s. ymmv.

the 1.3SE was a fav of dyn engineers and was one monitor on steroids.

now, admittedly i upgraded to C1s much later.

If you can afford Harbeth Compact 7-Es3 used or new,it will beat contour s1.4 in sound quality and musicality.After listening Harbeths,i miss some nusic information in contour s1.4 .Yes the bass and beats are punchier,vocals and highs very good,but i missing guitars and other sounds impact which communicate essence of songs,music.I was driving contours with the Krell kav500i.