# Vifa / Scanspeak / Peerless to Dynaudio….what a difference!



## mpaschetto (Mar 14, 2008)

Hi Gang,

Here’s a quick review of some changes I made to my system a while back. I’ve been living with this system for more than a year now, and I think I’ve got a good handle on the sonics. The vehicle is a 1999 GMC Sierra, extended cab pickup truck.

Here is a description of the system components installed in my truck:

McIntosh MX4000 - head unit
McIntosh MDA4000 - external D/A converter
McIntosh MC4000M - (6) channel amplifier
Marchand XM1 - electronic crossover (with custom power supply)

Dynaudio MD102 - tweeters (2)
Dynaudio MW162 - midranges (2)
Dynaudio MW180 - woofers (4)

Interconnects are all custom, made from Mogami W2549 microphone cable.
Speaker wire is Soundrunner W8110.


Up until roughly a year ago, I was running a set of Vifa/Scanspeak components, and Peerless subs. The sound was good, but I felt it could be better. I had previously dabbled with the Dynaudio products a few years prior, so I decided to call their tech support line for some suggestions. I spoke to a nice gentleman named Emilios, and he steered me towards the above listed loudspeaker drivers.

I fabricated new baffles for the front stage, and a new enclosure (3.5 cubic feet, sealed) for the MW180’s. The process took about three weeks or so, and I was afraid that my aural memory wouldn’t allow me to notice much (if any) difference from the old setup…..boy, was I ever wrong!

Right off the bat I heard improvements across the board. The new setup has a more even frequency response, and a more dynamic sound. I wasn’t expecting any change in the soundstage, but it seems to have moved up a few inches, even though I’m using the same mounting locations as before.

Breaking the sound down into sections -

Highs:
The highs are very extended and airy, not shrill or splashy. Cymbals, bells and the like are very realistic, even though the tweeters are not mounted optimally in this particular installation. These tweeters are completely non-fatiguing, and that allows me to listen for extended time periods without the desire to ‘turn-it-down’.

Midrange:
The midrange produced by this system is sublime! The sound is about as neutral as I’ve ever heard in a car environment. There is no ‘grain’, no ‘etch’, just pure, realistic tone….without being overly warm or smooth. These midrange drivers are quite revealing, so be sure you’ve got some good upstream components!


Bass:
The bass produced by the four MW180’s is fantastic. The woofer array reaches down deep, and the sound is very taut and tuneful. There are no obvious frequency response anomalies, so all types of bass (acoustic, kick-drum, etc.) sound very natural and realistic. The array presents plenty of cone area, and the four voice coils can soak up some serious power…the end result is some impressive SPL from these little ‘SQ’ subwoofers. The downside is cost and enclosure size, but the array can do it all.


Overall:
In a nutshell, my system has never sounded better! The music that emanates from this setup is very dynamic, with excellent balance from one frequency extreme to the other. The bass is taught and deep, very well defined and powerful. The mids are revealing, but not harsh. The highs are detailed, but not in a way that is shrill or fatiguing....I can listen to this system for hours without interruption.

The end result is an extremely ‘musical’ and engaging audio system, one of the best I’ve heard! Although this write-up focuses on the Dynaudio upgrade, this is a complete system I’m listening to….it wouldn’t be complete without the McIntosh electronics.

In my opinion, these electronics are without peer. During the course of my ownership, they have been utterly reliable, and they sound fantastic! They seem to mate really well with the Dynaudio components, as you might expect. Both manufacturers have roots in the home audio industry, so perhaps that might have something to do with the ‘rapport’.

In conclusion, I no longer feel the need to upgrade anything…I’m finished!


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## mpaschetto (Mar 14, 2008)

Here are a few photos:


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## stuckinok (Jul 22, 2008)

Outstanding job and I'm glad you like you dyns. Please get some sound damping materials!


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## Mless5 (Aug 21, 2006)

Would love to audition if you are close to Boston! I am a bit north of B.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Like the Marchand crossover? Been looking at making one for my car but was worried about noise.


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## nomed (May 17, 2008)

May I ask what drivers you run before ? Because there is a huge difference between the lines. 


+1 on damping materials.


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## BuickGN (May 29, 2009)

Glad you like the Dyns. I went through several brands but like you I no longer feel the need to upgrade, I just enjoy the music.


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## james2266 (Sep 24, 2009)

First, I third the need to get some sound deadening in there. You WILL notice a massive difference. I will be getting my first hear of Dynaudio products this Friday. Yeah! I am so excited Although my wallet might not be. Glad you like Dynaudio. I have heard nothing but rave reviews; hense my excitment.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

I am a big Dyn fan.


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## Niebur3 (Jul 11, 2008)

Great thread! I'm glad you had a chance to talk to Emilios, one of the most professional guys in the industry. It sounds as if you hit that place that many try to achieve...Dyns are notorious for that....lol!


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## quickaudi07 (May 19, 2010)

Great review, cover up these doors, its a night and day difference...

You have high end hardware, I would sealed these doors up before even putting the speakers in.. I have learned my lesson the hard way...


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## mpaschetto (Mar 14, 2008)

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the feedback regarding the damping materials!

I did install some Dynamat to the doors, but didn't get any photos.
A future upgrade will be to fabricate a large baffle for each door from some 1/4" sheet aluminum.
I hope this will stiffen the door as well as form a pseudo 'enclosure'...


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## mpaschetto (Mar 14, 2008)

thehatedguy said:


> Like the Marchand crossover? Been looking at making one for my car but was worried about noise.


Yeah, I like it a lot! Here's the one I used:

XM1 Electronic Crossover Network

I had tried Phil's active unit and PLLXO in my home system, with great results.
His stuff works just as well in the automotive environment.

Originally, I used a small DC-DC converter to power the crossovers, but eventually got a proper power supply.


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## mpaschetto (Mar 14, 2008)

nomed said:


> May I ask what drivers you run before ?


Sure, I was using:

tweeters - ScanSpeak D2905/9500
midranges - Vifa M18WN-19-04
subwoofers - Peerless 830542 (2X)


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## AAAAAAA (Oct 5, 2007)

One thing that is interesting is that usually when we upgrade speakers we also upgrade -the install- and this is the biggest reason I feel why we always prefer our new stuff.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

AAAAAAA said:


> One thing that is interesting is that usually when we upgrade speakers we also upgrade -the install- and this is the biggest reason I feel why we always prefer our new stuff.


^this times eleventy billion^


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## mpaschetto (Mar 14, 2008)

AAAAAAA said:


> One thing that is interesting is that usually when we upgrade speakers we also upgrade -the install- and this is the biggest reason I feel why we always prefer our new stuff.


I'd agree with that...mostly. 

In this case, the front stage was a *direct *swap, using the exact same mounting locations and techniques.
The subwoofer was a different story, as I had to design and build a new enclosure.


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## jonnyanalog (Nov 14, 2007)

The MD102s are my favorite tweeters. I wish I would have never sold the pair I had. The MW162s weren't bad either.


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## danno14 (Sep 1, 2009)

come on..... show us the unicorn! (MC4000)


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## mpaschetto (Mar 14, 2008)

danno14 said:


> come on..... show us the unicorn! (MC4000)


Sure, here are two photos from a preliminary iteration of the system:


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## danno14 (Sep 1, 2009)

Nice!


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