Dynaudio Contour 20i Bookshelf-Speaker walnut

Dynaudio Contour 20i Bookshelf-Speaker

Read Test - please click here!

Verdict: "There’s no shortage of talented rivals for these Dynaudios. The obvious contenders are KEF’s Reference 1s and B&W’s 805 D3s. Both of these are excellent performers and deserve a serious audition. The KEF’s are impressively transparent and deliver even more in the way of bass authority thanks to a dedicated driver, while the B&Ws have sweet lovely highs and offer an impressive degree of resolution.
Yet, these Dynaudios hold their own even against such formidable opposition. They’re more rhythmic than either, and also edge ahead when it comes to musical cohesion. Let’s not forget that they cost less than both – and that makes the Contour 20is a great buy in our book."

Hear the difference: the new Contour 20i is ready to blow your sonic socks off

The new Contour 20i has been designed to surpass every other standmount Contour model we’ve created. And it succeeds.

The new Esotar 2i tweeter is a turbocharged version of the much-loved Esotar2. It now features a larger rear chamber for more effective damping, and the inventive Hexis inner dome seen on Confidence, Core and more. Together they flatten the frequency response and reduce unwanted resonances for even clearer, smoother treble.

The woofer has been tweaked, too. It’s still made of our own Magnesium Silicate Polymer (MSP) material, of course, it’s still powered by a lightweight aluminium voice-coil, and it still uses a vented dual-ferrite magnet system – but behind the distinctive black cone lurks a brand-new spider suspension. This one is made from aramid fibres, and retains the ingenious structural properties from before (the ribs are of varying width to give even finer control over the cone’s excursion). You’d be surprised at the sonic difference such a small change can make…

And because those driver changes provide an inherently flat frequency response, we’ve been able to simplify the crossover too. It’s a thing of beauty, isn’t it? There’s no longer any need for extra impedance-correction circuitry – which means an even more direct signal path. And cleaner sound.

Making a Contour without its signature baffle would be like making a car without wheels. Unthinkable. But there’s always room for improvement – and our designers love to stretch their legs. This baffle is aluminium, and set into the cabinet. Its chamfer is included in the driver’s basket – which not only looks great, but also reduces unwanted high-frequency diffraction effects for clearer treble, and provides a solid foundation for the drivers to do their work. A solid foundation means improved high-volume performance at low frequencies, too (although your neighbours might not thank us for that).

Even the internal damping is brand-new – using lessons learned from Evoke and Confidence.

New Esotar 2i tweeter

Featuring a larger rear chamber and now the Hexis inner dome, which helps to reduce unwanted resonances and flatten the frequency response

New spider

New asymmetric spider for increased system symmetry – and this one is made from aramid fibres for improved acoustic response

New crossover

Extensive tweaks from the 2016 Contour model have led to a simpler, cleaner, and even better-performing unit

Voice coil

Large diameter, long throw aluminium voice-coils

Specifications

• Sensitivity: 86dB (2.83V / 1m)
• IEC power handling: 180W
• Impedance: 4 Ω
• Frequency response (± 3 dB): 39Hz–23kHz
• Box Principle: Bass reflex rear ported
• Crossover: 2-way
• Crossover frequency: 2200Hz
• Crossover topology: 2nd order
• Woofer: 18cm MSP
• Midrange: -
• Tweeter: 28mm Esotar2i
• Weight: 14kg / 30 7/8lb
• Dimensions (W x H x D): 215x440x360mm / 8.5x17.3x14.2in
• Dimensions with feet/grille (W x H x D): 215x440x396mm /  8.5x17.3x15.6in