Multitest bookshelf speakers – 2500 Euro – part 1

Dynaudio Evoke 20

Dynaudio – we hope – needs no introduction. These Danes (another northerner…there are quite a few up there!) have been making speakers for decades. And they do it very nicely, otherwise you wouldn’t last that long. Like a few other brands in this huge test, Dynaudio supplies both consumers and studios. We have the midrange consumer speaker: the Dynaudio Evoke 20.

Like many models in this price range, the Evoke 20 is a 2-way bass reflex speaker. A very traditional setup that many people like. We are especially curious about how this sounds after two “closed” systems based on a passive radiator. Although the principle is partly the same as bass reflex of course.

The sound

Martijn is all for this Dane. He thinks Beethoven sounds glorious. Those are powerful words! Dynamics are beautiful with this bookshelf. Both micro and macro dynamics. The bass is also a bit richer than with the previous two. That’s not surprising since this is a bass-reflex model. Every system has advantages and disadvantages. Bass reflex can sound a little richer. We do hear, for example, that the extinction of bass is different: the characteristic of the bass changes.

Also, things don’t go quite right with the song “Sohn”. There the Evoke 20 really has some issues. It becomes messy and ‘boomy’. And that while the match with the Hypex Nilai is certainly not bad and the previous two have shown that it can go well. It does not have to be a disaster, because this track is just crazy. And with classical music, the Dynaudio performs excellent.

Measurements Dynaudio Evoke 20

The measurements of the Dynaudio Evoke 20 are tidy in themselves. We see a slight “bowers bump” as we have christened it. A slight rise from 3000 – 8000 Hz. This gives some air and sparkle. It is much more subtle than what B&W does, so it is not really noticeable.

Distortion is under control. Most of it is below 0.5% (-45dB). From 3000 Hz it falls below 0.2% / 0.1% (-60dB). Overall it is not the cleanest speaker we have measured, but within margin.

Impedance is friendly. Nothing falls below 5 Ohms, so even a tube amp will work. We see a kink at about 1000 Hz. That’s probably cabinet resonance. The peaks are a bit high, so a tube amp will color in the mid/high though.

Specifications Dynaudio Evoke 20