In this review, we will be comparing Heritage Special and Contour 20i, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Dynaudio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Dynaudio Heritage Special and Dynaudio Contour 20i first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Dynaudio Heritage Special | Dynaudio Contour 20i |
|---|
| Brand | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 | Dynaudio
Denmark · founded 1977 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1.1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 7" MSP | 7" MSP |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-23k Hz | 39-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 85 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Weight | 11.00kg / 24.2lbs | 14.00kg / 30.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15-3/16" x 8-3/16" x 12-5/8"
385.0 x 208.0 x 320.0mm | 17-5/16" x 8-7/16" x 14-3/16"
440.0 x 215.0 x 360.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Dynaudio Heritage Special and Dynaudio Contour 20i speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Dynaudio Heritage Special |
Dynaudio Contour 20i |
| Near-field |
Good |
Good |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
No way |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Heritage Special and Contour 20i are 2-way speakers.
Dynaudio Heritage SpecialDynaudio Contour 20i
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Dynaudio Heritage Special |
Dynaudio Contour 20i |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 7-inch
|
1 x 7-inch
|
Heritage Special features a 1.1" Esotar 3 Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200 Hz. On the other hand, the Contour 20i features a 1.1" Esotar 2i Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 7" MSP Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200 Hz.
Frequency Response
Heritage Special has a frequency range of 42-23k Hz whereas Contour 20i has a frequency range of 39-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 39Hz, the Contour 20i can go slightly deeper then the Heritage Special's min frequency of 42Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Heritage Special and Contour 20i have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Heritage Special sensitivity is rated at 85 dB and the Contour 20i's is at 86 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Dynaudio Contour 20i a more sensitive speaker compared to Dynaudio Heritage Special, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Heritage Special and the Heritage Special can provide this impedance level.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Dynaudio Heritage Special
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Heritage Special features Binding post type posts and Contour 20i has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both Heritage Special and Contour 20i have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Dynaudio Heritage Special's and Dynaudio Contour 20i's external dimensions. Dynaudio Heritage Special has external dimensions of 385.0 x 208.0 x 320.0mm (15-3/16 x 8-3/16 x 12-5/8inch) whereas Dynaudio Contour 20i has external dimensions of 440.0 x 215.0 x 360.0mm (17-5/16 x 8-7/16 x 14-3/16inch).
Dynaudio Contour 20i is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 7mm wider, 55mm taller and 40mm deeper than Dynaudio Heritage Special.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Dynaudio Contour 20i needs about 16% more floor or shelf area. Dynaudio Contour 20i is 40mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Dynaudio Contour 20i is 55mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Dynaudio Heritage Special is approximately 665.6cm2 / 103.2inch2 and base area of the Dynaudio Contour 20i is approximately 774.0cm2 / 120.0inch2. The Heritage Special requires 14% less surface area than the Contour 20i which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Dynaudio Heritage Special weighs 11.00kg / 24.2lbs and the Dynaudio Contour 20i weighs 14.00kg / 30.8lbs. This makes the Contour 20i 27% heavier than the Heritage Special.
Here is a comparison of how Heritage Special and Contour 20i's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Dynaudio Heritage Special
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
180 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Height |
385mm
vs
440mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
665cm2
vs
774cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
86 dB
vs
85 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Low Frequency Response |
39 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
5750USD
vs
7000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Dynaudio Heritage Special |
Dynaudio Contour 20i |
| Brand |
Dynaudio |
Dynaudio |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Sensitivity |
85 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-23k Hz |
39-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
7" |
7" |
| Woofer Composition |
MSP |
MSP |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200 Hz |
2200 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
385.0mm (15.2") |
440.0mm (17.3") |
| Width |
208.0mm (8.2") |
215.0mm (8.5") |
| Depth |
320.0mm (12.6") |
360.0mm (14.2") |
| Weight |
11.00kg (24.2lbs) |
14.00kg (30.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Both are Dynaudio, from different ranges - so the house sound is shared and the differences are mostly in scale, engineering and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Dynaudio Contour 20i digs deeper - 39Hz against 42Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (85dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 180W). |
| Size | depends | Dynaudio Heritage Special is easier to place; Dynaudio Contour 20i is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Dynaudio Contour 20i is cheaper - $5,750 against $7,000, about 18% less. |
A Dynaudio Heritage Special B Dynaudio Contour 20i
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Dynaudio Contour 20i has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.