Dynaudio and B&W are two renowned and well-respected brands in the audio industry that produces high-quality car speakers, headphones, soundbars, and subwoofers.
In this article, we will cover a general overview of both brands, looking specifically at sound quality, durability, price and so on. Of course, each brand has different devices at different price points, however, we will compare them as closely as we can.
Dynaudio is known for its high-quality speakers and headphones, while Bowers & Wilkins (B&W) is a well-respected brand in the audio industry known for its high-quality speakers and headphones.
Pros and Cons of Dynaudio:
- Pros: Known for producing high-quality speakers with excellent sound quality and strong bass response. Many of their products are designed to be aesthetically pleasing and can be a good fit for a home theater setup.
- Cons: Some of their products can be expensive, and some users have reported issues with durability.
Pros and Cons of Bowers & Wilkins:
- Pros: Known for producing high-quality speakers and headphones with excellent sound quality and build quality. Many of their products are well-regarded by audiophiles and have received positive reviews.
- Cons: Some of their products can be expensive, and some users have reported issues with durability.
Quick History
Dynaudio Quick History
Dynaudio is a Danish loudspeaker manufacturer that was founded in 1977. Dynaudio builds car speakers using only their own drivers, for home use, professional use and car audio systems. Dynaudio products have been used by BBC, Volvo, Bugatti, Volkswagen and several recording studios.
However, Volkswagen has switched to a different audio supplier for most of its new vehicles. Currently, only the Volkswagen Touareg is still available with a Dynaudio sound system from the factory.
B&W Quick History
Bowers & Wilkins, best known as B&W, is a British manufacturer of consumer and professional loudspeakers and headphones.
B&W was founded in 1966 by John Bowers in Worthing, West Sussex, England. They currently have many award-winning loudspeaker designs to their name.
Sound Quality
Dynaudio Sound Quality
Dynaudio devices are known for their precise sound and sensitive response. Their in-house drivers have superb audio reproduction, with well-balanced tones.
Some of their tweeters use their Hexis built-in dome for rich amounts of detail in the sound output. Coupled with their in-house woofer driver, you get a well-balanced sound output that doesn’t blow out or subdue some tonal ranges.
B&W Sound Quality
B&W puts a lot of money into research and development. This has allowed them to make many audio breakthroughs over the years. B&W devices are noted for delivering pure, natural, and detailed sound reproduction. There’s chest-thumping bass and clear mids and highs.
One feature of some B&W speakers is a tweeter separated from the main cabinet, this allows the tweeter to produce an accurate sound that’s unaffected by the subwoofer
Features
Dynaudio Features
Dynaudio devices have a lot of useful features that make them easier to use or improve their sound quality. Some common features found in Dynaudio devices are:
- Wide selection of ports, including HDMI, USB, coax, aux input, and optical audio input.
- Wireless connection using wifi or Bluetooth
- Stream from iRadio, Apple Airplay, and UPnP™ via a wireless network connection
- Play music streamed from macOS, iOS, Android, Windows or Windows Mobile devices using a Bluetooth wireless connection.
- Provide USB battery charging for appropriate devices.
B&W Features
Even though B&W is an older brand, they are still competing with best-in-class modern devices with modern features, like:
- Wireless connectivity includes Bluetooth, WiFi
- Wired connectivity includes USB, HDMI, optical audio
- AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth support
- Bowers & Wilkins Music App, which supports music streaming services including Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, Soundcloud and TuneIn
- Amazon Alexa voice control for hands-free operation
Build Quality
Dynaudio Build Quality
Dynaudio is very conscious about the quality of its products, down to the smallest components. They manufacture their own drivers and use the best materials for the components.
The Dynaudio Evoke 10, for example, has a magnesium silicate polymer (MSP) woofer and coated soft dome tweeter for excellent durability and accurate sound output.
The body is constructed from durable materials such as wood veneer, aluminum, and sturdy plastic that are braced and damped to minimize vibrations.
B&W Build Quality
B&W has always been at the forefront in pioneering new techniques that improve the acoustics and durability of their devices. Their devices are enclosed in aluminum or sturdy plastic for a durable and attractive finish.
B&W patented the use of Kevlar fibers, impregnated with a stiffening resin to provide controlled rigidity and internal damping; and minimize distortion. They currently use their own material, Continuum, for their speaker cones.
Ease of Use
Dynaudio Ease Of Use
Dynaudio devices are easy to set up and operate. They support the use of infrared remotes and the Connect Control app which makes it still much easier to use them.
B&W Ease Of Use
B&W devices are very easy to install and operate. This is made even easier by the company’s support for voice assistants, such as Alexa. The B&W music app allows you to use streaming services on your devices and finetune the sound output to your taste.
Cost
Dynaudio Cost
Most Dynaudio devices have midrange prices, but some of their products have high-end price tags. The price ranges of some Dynaudio devices are given below.
Floorstanding: $1200 – $25,000
Bookshelf: $400 – $5000
Subwoofers: From $2400 and above
Transmitters: From $300 and above
B&W Cost
B&W devices usually have midrange prices, though some devices are well into the high-end price range. Their price ranges are given below.
Subwoofers: $900 – $3200
Earbuds/headphones: $320 – $550
Speakers: $500 – $8400
Space Requirements
Dynaudio Space Requirements
Dynaudio devices vary a lot in size. They have desktop/bookshelf models to large, floorstanding speakers. For example, the petite Dynaudio Evoke 10 desktop speakers measure 180x315x266mm (WHD) and weigh 6.7kg compared to the Dynaudio Emit 50 that measures 8.1″ x 44.9″ x 12.3″ (WHD) and weighs a hefty 57.2 lbs.
B&W Space Requirements
B&W floorstanders require quite some space in which to operate and are better suited to spacious rooms.
The bookshelf speakers are more versatile and can either be mounted on a stand, fixed to a wall using brackets or placed on a desktop or shelf space. Keep in mind that they all require some free space around them for ventilation.
Remote Controls
Dynaudio Remote Controls
Dynaudio devices can be remotely controlled using an infrared remote or the Dynaudio Connect Control app. To use the app, the devices have to be connected over the same WiFi network.
B&W Remote Controls
Some B&W devices have their own in-house remote controls but they also support the use of third-party remote controllers. The B&W music app and Alexa allow you to control your speaker from any device on the same WiFi network.
Connectivity Options
B&W Connectivity Options
B&W devices can be connected to each other and to other devices using wired or wireless options. These include Bluetooth, HDMI, WiFi, USB, aux input and a whole range of other options.
Power Range
Dynaudio Power Range
Dynaudio devices come with large power ranges for powerful sound output. The Dynaudio Evoke 10 is rated at 160 Watts of peak power. The much larger Dynaudio Emit 50 is rated at 240 Watts.
B&W Power Range
Devices vary for different devices, though they all give a quite powerful performance, even without the use of amplifiers.
The B&W 607 S2 bookshelf speaker is rated at 100 Watts, while the B&W Zeppelin peaks at 240 watts.
Frequency Response
Dynaudio Frequency Response
The frequency response ranges vary from device to device, though they all are within recommended levels for maximum enjoyment.
The petite Dynaudio Evoke 10 has a frequency response range from 47Hz–23kHz, which is excellent for a speaker of its size. The Dynaudio Emit 50 floorstanding speakers span a wider 33Hz – 25KHz.
B&W Frequency Response
The B&W 606 Speaker has a frequency response range of 52Hz on the low end and 28KHz on the high end, which is simply amazing for a bookshelf speaker. The B&W 804 D4 floorstanding loudspeaker has a vast 20Hz to 35KHz frequency response range.
Conclusion
Dynaudio is a brand that manufactures devices that deliver quality audio output with great accuracy. The great thing is that you can enjoy their devices whether you have money to spend or you are on a tight budget.
B&W devices deliver excellent performance at reasonable prices. Though they can be quite costly, you should expect nothing but the best from them.
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