Note: measurements taken in the anechoic chamber at Canada’s National Research Council can be found through this link.

Over the years, the Danish manufacturer Dynaudio has released many successful standmount loudspeakers. Recently, I had the pleasure of evaluating their Confidence 20A active speaker system. I absolutely loved these speakers, but I realize that few people are willing to invest US$24,000 in a stereo loudspeaker setup—even an active system with built-in amplification. Meanwhile, the passive design on which the Confidence 20A is based, the Confidence 20, sells for US$13,000 per pair, including matching stands.

Positioned below the Confidence series is Dynaudio’s Contour i series, where you’ll find the Contour 20i passive standmount loudspeaker, which received a Reviewers’ Choice award when Hans Wetzel reviewed it for SoundStage! Ultra back in 2020. At US$5750 per pair, the Contour 20i is certainly not cheap, but it’s much more accessible than the passive and active Confidence standmount models.

Last spring, Dynaudio introduced the latest iteration of the Contour 20: the Contour 20 Black Edition (BE), nicknamed the “Dark Star.” Retailing for US$8000, CA$11,000, £5960, or €7000 per pair (the UK and European prices include VAT), the Contour 20 BE is not a replacement for the Contour 20i, but rather a concurrently offered special edition. That makes the upgrade path through the Dynaudio standmount lineup much smoother.

Design and features

Dynaudio’s aim with the Contour 20 BE was to improve on every aspect of the Contour 20i, while retaining the cabinet itself. Like the Contour 20i, the 20 BE’s cabinet is very robust, constructed of thick 18mm MDF, with a double-thick front baffle into which a 14mm aluminum front-baffle plate is inset.

The Contour 20 BE measures 17.3″H × 8.5″W × 15.7″D, but at 32.2 pounds, it’s slightly heavier than the 20i. The 20 BE looks very similar to the Black High Gloss version of the Contour 20i, apart from a couple of details. The aluminum tweeter and woofer surrounds and the rear terminal plate, styled in gunmetal gray on the 20i, are black on the 20 BE.

The most obvious visual difference between the two models is the rear bass port, which is considerably larger on the Contour 20 BE. This larger bass-port opening vents a wider and longer port tube, which is flared at both ends. Such a design makes airflow more precise, Dynaudio claims, reducing distortion and increasing dynamic capability. Combined with the Contour 20 BE’s upgraded midrange‑woofer, this results in a substantial improvement in bass detail.

For the Black Edition, Dynaudio initially tried to enhance the Contour 20i’s 7.1″ midrange‑woofer by increasing the size and strength of the motor’s ferrite magnet. However, the larger magnet interfered with the airflow behind the driver cone, which forced Dynaudio engineers to look for another solution. That solution was to adapt Dynaudio’s flagship Confidence 20 woofer, which uses a more powerful yet more compact neodymium magnet. The resulting design increases the driver’s sensitivity.

The tweeter was upgraded as well. Instead of the Contour 20i’s 28mm Esotar 2i Hexis tweeter, which is Dynaudio’s second-best tweeter, the Contour 20 BE employs Dynaudio’s most advanced tweeter, the 28mm Esotar 3 Hexis—the same tweeter used in the flagship Confidence series. According to Dynaudio, the “Esotar 3 is more sensitive than previous models, which means it can react with a lower input voltage . . . it can play louder, with amazing clarity, for longer.”

The crossover of the Contour 20 BE was also substantially improved, with a design that uses fewer parts than the Contour 20i’s crossover. Like the Contour 20i, the 20 BE employs second-order filters. But the crossover frequency is higher—3.6kHz, compared to 2.2kHz on the 20i. The simplified Contour BE crossover has a lower Q-factor, which means it is more damped and offers greater control. In addition, the Contour 20 BE’s crossover employs premium components, including Mundorf resistors and capacitors. The result is a crossover that delivers improved transient response, better dynamics, lower distortion, more precise imaging, and higher power handling.

Specified frequency response is 50Hz–23kHz, ±3dB; the -6dB point is 43Hz. Nominal impedance is 4 ohms, and sensitivity is 86dB (at 2.83V/1m).

Everything about the Contour 20 BE’s build, fit, and finish is top-tier, similar to Dynaudio’s flagship Confidence series. The Contour 20 BE’s heavy cabinet, mirror-like gloss-black finish, impeccably machined and finished aluminum baffle, and WBT Nextgen Signature binding posts all testify to the fact that this is a luxury loudspeaker.

Setup

The Contour 20 BE speakers are shipped double-boxed, with foam inserts and slipcovers. A port bung plug for each speaker is supplied, along with instructions for use, safety instructions, and a warranty extension card that increases coverage from five to eight years with online registration. Magnetic fabric-covered grilles are also included.

For my review, I placed the Contour 20 BEs atop my sand-filled Target MR24 24″‑high speaker stands and connected them to my Bryston 7B³ monoblock amplifiers with a 3m pair of QED Signature Supremus Zr speaker cables. My Bryston BR‑20 streaming preamplifier was used to stream music from my Mac Mini, which I use as a Roon server.

All listening was done in my 7.75′H × 18.5′W × 13′D acoustically treated listening room, with the loudspeakers placed 50″ from the front wall, 30″ from the side walls, 7.5′ feet apart, and 9′ from my listening position, all measured from the centerline of the front baffles. I toed the speakers in so that they pointed just outside my shoulders.

Listening

The first track on the playlist I created for this review was “Jardin d’hiver” from jazz singer Stacey Kent’s album Raconte-moi . . . (Bonus Edition) (24‑bit/96kHz FLAC, Token Productions / Qobuz). This sweet, sedate song has a gentle, flowing tempo that reels you in, along with subtle microdynamics. Through the Contour 20 BEs, the opening piano notes had a beautiful tone, while the flanking bell chimes were pristine. I was enamored with the gentle taps and palming of the conga drumming and the microdynamic textures of the shaker. Kent’s girlish voice was portrayed excellently by the Danish standmounts, their presentation exuding finesse, detail, delicacy, and natural warmth—all of which this chanteuse deserves. I was also impressed with the Contour 20 BEs’ presentation of the double bass, the notes possessing honest weight and extension.

Sticking with romantic, female vocals, but stepping up the sexy, I next played Imelda May’s “Call Me,” from Life. Love. Flesh. Blood (24/96 FLAC, Decca / Tidal). The opening notes of the electric guitar on the left side of the soundstage had exquisite, golden boom. The Dynaudios were just as proficient at communicating the brighter, crisper string sounds of the acoustic guitar on the right, along with the resonances from the guitar body. I noted the wide soundstage presented by the Danish speakers, which reached out just beyond the speaker boundaries and behind the front wall, with the reverb and extended decay of the notes wrapping right around me. May’s intoxicatingly seductive singing had delightful warmth, combined with stimulating detail and nuance. The Contour 20 BEs proficiently embodied her voice, giving a sense of depth and of the physical presence of flesh and blood. The overall presentation was rich and meaty, but in no way overripe. If I might make an analogy, it was like a caffè mocha, combining chocolaty sweetness with the smooth strength of espresso—indulgent but not sugary.

Taking things up a few notches, I cued up Charlie Hunter’s “(Looks Like) Someone Got Ahead of Schedule on Their Medication,” from Everybody Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth (24/96 FLAC, GroundUP Music / Qobuz). The kick-drum strikes and synchronized bass-guitar plucks were concussive and dynamically convincing, leaving me shaking my head in disbelief that the 20 BEs’ specified bass response is -3dB at 50Hz and -6dB at 43Hz. Given these speakers’ modest size, I found the fullness, thump, and control they provided with this bass-heavy content very surprising. No doubt about it: the Contour 20 BE is a big-sounding standmount loudspeaker.

For an even more strenuous test of bass performance, I went to the infamous track “Poem of Chinese Drum” from Hok-Man Yim’s Poems of Thunder: The Master Chinese Percussionist (16/44.1 FLAC, Naxos World / Qobuz). Through these Danish speakers, the pounding Chinese “gu” kettledrum seemed to verge on flexing my room as it reached 105dB peaks, yet the speakers remained composed, delivering walloping dynamics without any apparent distress. Despite the dynamic assault, imaging throughout remained precise, and all the while the timbre of the drums, including the woody rhythmic rim strikes, was pleasingly authentic. Only in reaching the full dynamic potential of this track at the lowest frequencies did the 20 BEs just barely reveal their physical limits compared to similarly performing floorstanding loudspeakers, such as my own Dynaudio Confidence C2 Signatures.

Jens Thomas, a German pianist and vocalist, delivers a beautiful homage to Neil Young on his 2023 album Neil Young Collage (16/44.1 FLAC, O‑Tone / Qobuz). It’s a work of striking contrasts—an intoxicating tonal tapestry with larger-than-life sonic imagery. Thomas’s rendition of “After the Gold Rush” is a personal favorite, and hearing it through the Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Editions was revelatory. The Contour 20 BEs reproduced the close-miked piano realistically, creating a sensation of sitting inside the instrument, of seeing and hearing the hammers rolling across the soundboard. The soundstage was expansive and immersive, with the reverb of the keys enveloping my room and even reaching overhead, bathing me in a luminous glow. Thomas’s voice emerged organic and unforced, his chest resonance intact, with no artificial coloration—nothing added, nothing missing. The subtle grain of his timbre, the gentle rasp of his breaths, and the emotional weight behind each phrase were faithfully conveyed. Background vocalists were delineated in their own spaces with alluring clarity. Even during the most forceful piano notes, the Contour 20 BEs stayed composed, avoiding glare or hardness.

I’m reviewing the Black Edition of the Contour 20, so what better song to play though these speakers than the title track of AC/DC’s Back in Black (24/96 FLAC, Columbia / Qobuz)? The opening percussion hit me with concussive force, raw but never unruly, the Contour 20 BEs delivering an exciting blend of impact and finesse. Cymbals had their signature rasp, crisp and finely detailed, yet the splashes and crashes never crossed into harshness. Even at party-level volumes, the Esotar 3 tweeters exuded refinement and polish, providing plenty of texture without generating fatigue. Guitars had the expected crunch and drive, brimming with energy while remaining well-defined and free of smear. The soundstage stretched wide, extending beyond the speakers’ outer edges, creating a sense of scale that suited the track’s swagger. Bass notes reached deeper than you might expect from a standmount design. The Contour 20 BEs played with rhythm and authority like a middleweight. The result was a thrilling performance, controlled yet unapologetically alive.

Comparisons

I compared the Dynaudio Contour 20 BEs with two other standmount speaker pairs: my Focal Electra 1008 Be 2s (discontinued, US$5499/pair when available) and a loaner pair of Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3Gs (US$7599/pair).

On “New York” from Cat Power’s album Jukebox (16/44.1 FLAC, Matador / Tidal), the enthusiastic hi‑hat hits were more energetic and forward through the Platinum 100s, while the Contour 20 BEs reproduced them with more finesse. The 20 BEs’ Esotar 3 tweeters always remained fully integrated with the midrange‑woofers. While the Platinum 100s rendered the shudder of the drum skins vividly, the Dynaudios de-emphasized the strikes in favor of the timbre and resonance of the drum bodies. Powers’s voice had generous detail through the Platinum 100s, with the clear sibilants giving the impression of a live performance and the reverb around her vocals providing a sense of space. In comparison, the Contour 20 BEs presented her voice with greater smoothness, conveying a sense of swagger with a liquid quality that presented her in a rather unplugged and personal manner. The Contours did not reveal as much reverb or sense of space as the Platinum 100s, and they seemed to smooth out the rawness in Powers’s vocals; the Platinum 100s exposed that rawness more viscerally. Both speaker pairs laid out clear images and a generous soundstage; however, the Contours provided a clearer sense of space around instruments, while separating the background and reverb from the images more distinctly. Overall tonal balance was similar, with the Contour 20 BEs sounding a notch darker, and the Platinum 100s having a bit more treble presence.

“Loveless” from Lo Moon’s self-titled album (24/96 FLAC, Columbia / Tidal) opens with a gentle bell-like tone, similar to a vase being struck with a rubber mallet. Through my Focal 1008 Be 2 speakers, that tone’s ring was a little more pronounced than through the Dynaudios; the Danish speakers delivered a slightly warmer tone, as if from a vase made of thicker glass. The ensuing deep growl of the synth was presented with a little more thickness and weight by the Dynaudios. There is a washboard-like repeating synth effect that begins after the bell tone stops. With the Focals, the sound was quite dry and hiss-like, while the Dynaudios seemed to deliver it in a smoother, less raspy manner. Percussion hits had similar impact, both speaker pairs demonstrating dynamic proficiency, but the Focals exposed the drum skins’ texture a little more. The background synth effects, as well as reverb and decay, were more apparent through the Focals, and noticeably less so through the Dynaudios; the 20 BEs maintained focus on the foreground elements and drew less attention to the atmospheric background effects, making the Dynaudios sound more relaxed and composed. Guitars had a richer tone through the Contour 20 BEs and cymbals splashes were less prominent, while always remaining silky smooth.

Conclusion

The Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Edition is an exceptional standmount loudspeaker that elevates the Contour series to new, impressive heights. Its integration of the Esotar 3 tweeter, Confidence-inspired woofer, and upgraded crossover delivers a richly detailed, dynamically authoritative, and effortlessly natural presentation. Imaging is precise, and soundstaging is expansive. Bass performance belies the speaker’s modest size, making it fully capable as the centerpiece of a dedicated two-channel system. It’s a loudspeaker for the discerning ear, one that values honesty over hype and refinement over ostentation. If you’re seeking a standmount that combines luxury craftsmanship with high performance, this Dark Star, the Dynaudio Contour 20 BE, might just be for you.

. . . George de Sa
george@soundstage.com

Associated Equipment:

• Loudspeakers: Dynaudio Confidence C2 Signature, Focal Electra 1008 Be 2, Monitor Audio Platinum 100 3G
• Foundations: Quadraspire SV3T audio rack; Target MR24 sand-loaded loudspeaker stands
• Streaming preamplifier: Bryston BR‑20
• Amplifiers: Bryston 7B³ monoblocks
• Music server: Roon Core on Mac Mini 16GB/256GB, Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1TB USB HDD
• Cables: Audio Sensibility Statement speaker cables, interconnects, and power cables; QED Signature Supremus Zr 3.0m speaker cables; Pangea AC-9 Mk 2 power cables; Zavfino 1877 Fusion balanced XLR interconnects; Van Damme XLR interconnects, Furutech ADL Alpha Line Plus 1.0 m (RCA) interconnect; XLO Signature 3 Series RCA 2.0 m; Furutech ADL Formula 2 USB cable.
• Network: Netgear wireless modem

Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Edition loudspeaker
Price: US$8000, CA$11,000, £5960, €7000 per pair
Warranty: Five years, parts and labor; eight years with registration

Dynaudio A/S
Sverigesvej 15
8660 Skanderborg
Denmark
Phone: +45 8652-3411
Fax: +45 8652-3116

Website: www.dynaudio.com

North America:
Dynaudio North America
500 Lindberg Lane
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: (847) 730-3280
Fax: (847) 730-3207

Email: sales@dynaudiousa.com