Steve Deckert
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It's almost embarrassing to say this, but I've been wanting to do a video A/B comparison with all the Decware speakers for over 2 years already.... and will the first weekend I can steal two days of solitude...
I've learned from watching some of the CES and Rocky Mountain show reports on video that you can hear almost more about the speaker through the video sound track than in person.
Until then, I'll give it my best shot at a simple explanative description of the speaker's sound.
DNA - This is the least efficient speaker we've ever done. Too low in fact for a long term relationship with a 2 watt Zen Triode Amplifier. So why go there... because in this case the sound is so unusually good that it's worth it. 6 watts will fill a healthy size listening room with good density so we felt it's still a go.
Of course with the lower sensitivity comes the smoothest frequency response of the Decware line of speakers. It's just flawless and shout proof. You get the forgiving nature of a less sensitive speaker with the attack and detail of a high efficiency speaker because the moving mass is only 7 grams and it's fully horn loaded. Kind of the best of both worlds really. Also next to the FRX driver, the most advanced and expensive driver used in a Decware Speaker.
MG944 - By comparison a pretty significant jump in volume compared to the DNA, around 5 dB. And while the MG944 are one of the smoothest speakers we make, they come off a bit edgy by comparison to the DNA when listened to on a less than perfect source material. Again ironic because you actually hear more detail from the DNA. And while famous for it's deep bass extension the MG944's are unable to outperform the DNA until you reach a higher power level at which point you have a speaker that can clearly get louder and hold together under stress.
The imaging between the two speakers are equally focused and while the MTM arrangement of the 944's always had the best and most pin point image density, the DNA is slightly better and when you get your head out of the vise - really better. Image depth is prominent throughout the listening space, not just an effect heard in the sweet spot. In this respect they are similar to the ERR's which are a radial speaker. Image height and width are better with the DNA despite being only 24 inches to the center of the driver vs, the MG944 being probably closer to 38 inches. This is with the speakers flat on the floor and of course both can be tilted back to further enhance this effect.
The HDT is conservatively rated at 96dB and has similar speed and attack to the DNA so it sounds like a DNA on super juice. Gets loud, handles power, and by far has the most presence giving music the most slam for it's size. Great bass, plenty low, tight. Although not quiet as extended as the DNA and perhaps a bit harder to set up, it is the clear winner when you want to hear music sound loud and live on lower power amplifiers. All else being equal if the DNA driver had the same efficiency as the HDT it would probably embarrass it pretty bad. If I want to hear changes in an amplifier during the voicing phases when trying different capacitors and resistors I use the HDT's for their unusual honesty and presence. I could easily use the ERR's or MG944's but it would just take longer. Instead of hearing what I did in 90 seconds it would take 10 minutes or more on the other speakers. DNA could be an exception, haven't tried voicing an amplifier with them in the mix yet.
ERR - The most laid back presentation of the group with imaging as good as the DNA but from almost everywhere. By far the easiest to set up and the hardest to make sound bad due to the impossible to collapse 3D imaging and the warmer bottom they bring to the sound. The ideal speaker for bright rooms, and the only one I would recommend besides the DM945's and now the DNA's because they're just so smooth it's going to be hard to aggravate their sound with a bright room. Got glass, get ERR's and through the magic of a radial wavefront make it actually work for you rather than against you.
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