Yesterday I published a review of the Roon Nucleus, the media server I never knew I needed. After spending a few weeks with the Dynaudio latest consumer-friendly bookshelf speakers, the Focus 10, I am in trouble. They are the speakers I never knew I needed and my bank balance is getting nervous.
Dynaudio is a Danish loudspeaker maker founded in 1977 that builds speakers using only their own drivers (1). Best known in the recording industry for their professional studio monitor speakers, Dynaudio also provide speakers for Volvo and Volkswagen cars.
Dynaudio speakers create hand-crafted high-end loudspeakers for the discerning listener. In recent years they have ventured into the consumer speaker range. Now when we say consumer speakers, we are not talking about JB Hi-Fi quality speakers but something far beyond that.
The Dynaudio Focus 10 is one such high-end speaker, priced at a cool AUD$6,999. It is no ordinary speaker though, belying its understated appearance. It is in fact an active speaker with inbuilt hardware to provide an audio experience normally reserved for professional loudspeakers. Dynaudio actually used the same driver/amplifier system that they use in their professional Core series.
The Focus 10 speakers are active speakers that include a class-D amplifier driving a 2-way/2-driver system that not only will play something connected directly to them but can also connect digitally and/or wirelessly in a variety of ways to stream your favourite music from your favourite location – including a Roon Nucleus media server.
Design and hardware
Each speaker features two amplifiers and two drivers with each driver supplied with its own specific amplifier to match its power and requirements. As Dynaudio do, the drivers are made by Dynaudio – a smaller 28mm Cerotar soft-dome tweeter (which arrives with a plastic cover protecting them) and a bigger 14cm Esotec+ mid/bass driver. Each driver is powered by a Pascal class-D amp, the tweeter a 110W amp and the mid/bass driver a 280W amp.
That set up alone would be impressive but wait, there’s more. Each speaker also includes a Stream810, iMX7 streaming module from StreamUnlimited which, as you may have gathered already, helps the speakers stream music. It allows the Focus 10 speakers to be able to handle Bluetooth 4.2 (I do wonder if it will be upgraded to support 5 and above in future years), Wi-Fi, wired Ethernet, uPnp, Chromecast, AirPlay, Internet Radio, Roon Ready and voice assistants and more! So it’s a smart, active loudspeaker!
The Focus 10 look great without any grilles on them but they do arrive with magnetic grilles should you wish to use them to protect the drivers from dust, kids, pets etc. The more discerning listener may notice that the music sounds different with the grille on versus off but luckily for them the Focus 10 senses when the grilles are on or off and automatically compensates for the attenuation of the sound by adjusting the speaker’s frequency response (EQ).
So, the Focus 10 may not be cheap, but you are getting more than a speaker, you are getting a loudspeaker, an amplifier, inbuilt streaming and pre-amp technology.
On the back of the Focus 10 speakers, you will find all the connections you may need. There is no bass port which aids in positioning them – there are much more options with a fully sealed enclosure. All you need is the power cable supplied (in two different lengths so you can position one a bit further from a power socket) to set up your new wireless Focus 10.
One speaker is denoted the primary speaker and if you check out the pictures below you should be able to guess which is the primary speaker – the one with all the connection options on the rear. You have the Ethernet network port, all the pairing option buttons, coax in and out digital ports, RCA analogue inputs, optical in, sub-out and a 12V trigger port.
The coaxial output port can be used to connect physically to the client (secondary) speaker. The USB ports can only be used for firmware and service updates unfortunately.
DSP and audio handling
The digital signal processor of the Focus 10 is of Dynaudio’s own design. The setting up of the DSP/room correction is super simple in the Dynaudio app as you would expect from what is a “consumer” product. Those who are advanced users and want to fine tune it themselves can do so using Dirac from within the app too.
Within the app you decide whether each speaker is depending on where you place each speaker, be it next to a wall, in a corner or in a neutral position. The two speakers do not have to match, and you can choose different locations for each and the DSP will take care of the rest.
The DSP uses bass attenuation to compensate for increased bass caused by the walls nearby. I set the left speaker to corner and the right (primary) speaker to neutral but if I purchased these myself I would use Dirac Live to get the environment and DSP set to optimal levels. The inbuilt basic DSP is great but if I’m going to pay $7,000 for these I’m getting the best possible experience out of them.
Software
The app, available on your smartphone’s app store is how you set up the speakers, connect them to your network etc. At first I had issues connecting the speakers to my network and my Google Home (because it’s a Chromecast device) due to it preferring the 2.4GHz network and my network uses a hybrid of the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz network (eero). After switching off the 5GHz of my network for a few minutes I was able to connect the speakers. You can also set the frequency balance of the speakers to bright, neutral or dark depending on your listening preferences – this is “derived from the system Dynaudio uses on their professional studio speakers.”
Within the app is where you set up your DSP or room optimisation. Other uses of the app are to pair a Bluetooth device, set up a power saving option or quick startup (whichever you prefer) and choose your WiSA options.
“WiSA is both a hardware and software standard for delivering high-resolution digital audio wirelessly from a source device to a maximum of eight channels. It does this with a high degree of reliability and can transmit audio at up to 24-bit/48kHz or 24-bit/96kHz sample rates, which WiSA says is twice the quality of CDs. The specification also allows WiSA systems to support 3D audio formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.”
Advanced settings include the ability to “enable subwoofer” which cuts the speaker’s low frequencies at 80Hz to let the sub handle the deep bass instead.
The Dynaudio app allows you to search and play music from apps Tidal and/or Spotify along with various online radio stations although if you are going to be using these speakers you will be unlikely to be finding music to play through this app. You can control the playback through this app, just as you can through the smallish plastic remote control included.
How do they sound
Describing the sound is often difficult but of course the source of the music is a big determining factor over the sound that comes out. I found using the Roon Nucleus (yes, the Focus 10 are “Roon Ready”) provided the best quality music but that is hardly surprising.
For ease-of-use Bluetooth and Chromecast are a big factor and something you would probably only use when in a hurry and can’t be bothered firing up a better audio source. It’s not bad, just not as good. Both are still mind blowing, knock your socks off crazy audio, just one is better than the other.
The sound was well balanced and warm through the entire range of frequencies. The music blew my head off. Although I listen to a large range of music when testing headphones and speakers I have a penchant for strong, hard metal (Parkway Drive has been high on my rotation this year) and heavy, crashing hiphop. These just blew me away.
The metal just crushed everything with the ability to hear every single frequency without any overpowering of one over another was just amazing – something I have only heard this good through extremely high end headphones – this is the first high end audiophile set of active loudspeakers I have tested out though.
There was a difference in the quality of the music when using the Ethernet port of the speaker compared to a wireless connection but my network at home is a pretty strong mesh network so it did not suffer much at all. The stronger your network at home the improved quality of the music. If I was going to set them up permanently I would definitely invest in a network point near the primary speaker.
Don’t expect heart-stopping bass from the Focus 10 but the bass they deliver is tight and without any distortion that you see from cheaper speakers. There is still enough bass to well and truly enjoy even the bassiest song. If you really want that kick butt bass then add a subwoofer to them using the digital sub-out port on the primary speaker.
Those into not as heavy music will love the colourful, rich sound produced by the Focus 10 loudspeakers. The tweeters fire off producing amazing detail while the lower end is comfortably covered in that warmth of sound in an extremely accurate way.
Conclusion
The Dynaudio Focus 10 active loudspeakers are a complete wireless sound system that still offer all the benefits and capabilities of a more traditional wired setup. They do it all. They are a streaming music player, a DAC, a preamp, an amp and a loudspeaker – all in the one box.
The hardware is exquisitely made by Dynaudio in their usual precise way which results in a quality of sound that can well and truly knock your socks off. Everything included inside the loudspeakers provides an overall performance that is extremely high.
I thoroughly enjoyed using the Focus 10 sitting on my desk for the past few weeks, cranking up various tracks and thoroughly enjoying them the way they are meant to be. The speakers sound great in a small to medium room and certainly provide a great soundstage experience.
Easy to set up, easy to use whether it be wired, wirelessly, Chromecast, Bluetooth, Airplay, Roon Ready or other, the Dynaudio Focus 10 offer everything you could want from a bookshelf speaker.
After all this time with the Dynaudio Focus 10 active loudspeakers I can say that I am comfortable recommending them to anyone with enough money who enjoys their music without any encumbrance and in the quality that you have it stored as.
The Focus 10 speakers come in a range of colours and finishes including Black High Gloss, White High Gloss, Walnut Wood and Blonde Wood so you can purchase those which suit your home the best. Quality this good doesn’t come cheap though with the Dynaudio Focus 10 active loudspeakers retailing for $6,999 from Addicted to Audio.
I wonder how I could slip the purchase of these through the budget the CFO (wife) is so often pouring over.
