There's something special about a company that seldom rolls out a new product line. Take Porsche for instance. Instead of frivolously discarding the distinctive air-cooled 911 after a few years, the company simply improved upon its basic architecture that dates back to 1964. This timeless piece of machinery continued to evolve, both aesthetically and technologically, with the needs of the then current customer. This evolution continued until 1998 when the 34-year-old architecture simply couldn't hold up to the current competition.
Evolution of designs in the 21st century is not a concept limited to a select few auto manufacturers. In the audio world, Dynaudio products tend to have a long cycle period - at least in terms of basic design. While their duration might not be as lengthy as the air-cooled Porsche 911, some of their products have certainly been tested over time. And for a loudspeaker maker, capitalizing on good past designs is certain to better the new ones.
ImpressionsIf evolution is a process of continuous growth, I wondered if Dynaudio was trying to put one over on me? The Esotec System 242 packaging looked all too familiar and its contents truly had me confused. Everything from the protective inserts to the speakers and crossovers appeared identical to the company's discontinued System 240MKII (like the ones I tested in the January '06 issue). Upon a closer look, I noticed that the components brandished new model numbers. Still, I wasn't completely convinced there was any difference between these and the outgoing models.
The tweeters used in the System 242 are the Esotec MD 102, 28mm (1.1") soft dome drivers whose only mounting option is a flush mount cup. These speakers are not particularly trim with a total depth of 29.1mm (including the terminal lugs) and large mounting diameter of 55mm, making them a difficult fit in most factory locations. Their textile soft domes feature a special coating that is said to facilitate extended high-frequency response and to minimize cone breakup. A chamber behind the dome is used to eliminate reflections from inside the structure and to acoustically dampen the driver, effectively decreasing high-frequency distortion. Connections are made via two large, flat metal lugs extending from the rear of the driver. These lugs protrude through the gray, hard plastic mounting cup and do nothing to trim the overall mounting depth of these drivers. To protect the dome, a strong wire mesh presses into the small space between the cup and the driver. There are limited supplies provided for mounting the tweeter, so imagination might be required.
The handsome Esotec MW 162 woofers are 6 11/42" drivers that use 3" aluminum voice coils wrapped around aluminum formers for "low-moving mass." The cone/dust cap is actually molded from a single piece of thermal-formed black polymica with a defraction-optimized shape that is said to aid with in-car imaging for a realistic three-dimensional soundstage and is attached at the edge via a butyl rubber surround. Adding structure to each woofer is a cast aluminum chassis with "aerodynamically shaped ribs," finished in a lightly textured dark gray paint. The basket is very open with minimal obstructions and encases the motor within the lower rib section. The motor uses an internal double magnet system and a large vented pole at the rear. The terminal lugs are sturdy, mounted on opposite sides of the driver upon the spider land. Enhancing the overall look of the woofers and to keep appendages at bay, a pair of two-piece grilles is included.