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Dynaudio Special Forty Anniversary Standmount Speaker (Pair) at Vinyl Sound Buffalo, NY USA

The Special Forty is a two-way anniversary standmount loudspeaker from Dynaudio (Skanderborg, Denmark), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Created to mark Dynaudio's 40th anniversary, it houses the exclusive 28mm Esotar Forty soft-dome tweeter with advanced airflow engineering, a 17cm MSP cone woofer with hybrid neodymium-ferrite magnet system and AirFlow Basket, and a first-order crossover at 2,000 Hz incorporating Phase Alignment and Impedance Alignment technologies. Sensitivity is 86 dB, impedance is 6 ohms, IEC power handling is 200W, and frequency response extends from 41 Hz to 23 kHz. Available in exclusive Black Vine and Ebony Wave high-gloss finishes, each pair is designed and built in Skanderborg, Denmark. The Special Forty is the recipient of the What Hi-Fi? Award 2017, 2018, and 2019 for Best Standmount Speaker, the Hi-Fi Choice Editors' Choice 2018, the Stereophile Recommended Component 2022, and the hifi+ Editor's Choice 2024.

Esotar Forty Tweeter: Airflow Engineering and Pressure Management

The Esotar Forty is a 28mm soft-dome tweeter designed exclusively for the Special Forty, drawing on Dynaudio's four decades of high-frequency driver development. Its DSR (Dynaudio Secret Recipe) precision-coated dome sits at the front, while behind it, a new pressure conduit — a shaped vent through the hybrid magnet system — creates additional rear chamber space. This space accommodates more damping material and reduces back-pressure on the dome's rear surface, with the conduit shape itself actively optimising rearward airflow. A secondary aero-coupled pressure-release system positioned below the voice coil reduces unwanted pressure pockets that would otherwise form during high-excursion operation and cause resonance artefacts. These two rearward airflow management features, working in combination, allow the Esotar Forty to operate with lower distortion and greater transient precision than conventional tweeter designs at this dome size. The result is an extremely low resonant frequency, which smooths the transition to the woofer through the first-order crossover and provides wider overlap integration between the two drivers.

17cm MSP Woofer: Hybrid Magnet System, AirFlow Basket, and Asymmetric Spider

The Special Forty's 17cm woofer is the most advanced version of Dynaudio's legendary 17W75 MSP driver, drawing on technologies from the Confidence and Evidence reference ranges. The one-piece MSP cone and dust-cap, with balance ribs bonded directly to the voice-coil former, provides an exceptionally rigid and consistent mechanical connection between cone and voice coil with no adhesive joint to introduce compliance variation over time. The driver uses a hybrid magnet system: a powerful neodymium rare-earth magnet positioned inside the voice coil provides maximum magnetic flux density precisely where it is needed, while a supplementary ferrite magnet disciplines the flux distribution to maintain symmetrical cone excursion and suppress second-harmonic distortion. Placing the magnet inside rather than around the outside of the voice coil reduces the amount of material inside the driver basket, which also decreases internal acoustic reflections. An asymmetric spider, functioning as a passive harmonic rectifier, further suppresses upper harmonics and allows individual instruments within dense orchestral or ensemble recordings to be resolved with exceptional clarity. The AirFlow Basket supports all of this with an open, ventilated structure that minimises internal reflections while maintaining the basket's structural rigidity and the driver's precise positional stability in the cabinet.

First-Order Crossover with Phase Alignment and Impedance Alignment

The Special Forty's first-order crossover at 2,000 Hz is a variant of Dynaudio's classic first-order topology, one of the few speaker designs at any price point that maintains this network architecture. First-order crossovers produce the minimum phase shift of any crossover type and allow the widest natural overlap between drivers, which is why the Esotar Forty and MSP woofer are both designed with extended frequency range capabilities beyond their operating bands. Phase Alignment technology within the crossover ensures that the time relationships between the two drivers are precisely maintained through the crossover region. Impedance Alignment technology addresses the impedance variation that first-order networks can introduce across the audio band, keeping the speaker's electrical load behaviour consistent and predictable for amplifiers across a wide range of output impedances. Specially selected passive components handle both functions, contributing to the speaker's 6-ohm nominal impedance, which is slightly easier to drive than the 4-ohm rating found in many competing designs.

Key Features

• Esotar Forty Tweeter: The exclusive 28mm soft-dome tweeter developed for the Special Forty, featuring a pressure conduit rear chamber vent, aero-coupled pressure-release system, and DSR precision-coated dome for class-leading airflow management and low-distortion high-frequency reproduction.
• 17cm MSP Woofer with Hybrid Magnet System: The ultimate version of Dynaudio's 17W75 MSP driver, using an internal neodymium magnet, supplementary ferrite flux control, one-piece MSP cone, and AirFlow Basket for symmetrical excursion, low harmonic distortion, and exceptional bass-to-midrange clarity.
• Asymmetric Spider Passive Harmonic Rectifier: A uniquely shaped spider that suppresses upper harmonics generated during woofer excursion, enabling the resolution of individual instrument lines within complex musical passages.
• First-Order Crossover at 2,000 Hz: Dynaudio's classic first-order topology with Phase Alignment and Impedance Alignment technologies, providing minimum phase distortion, maximum driver overlap, and consistent electrical behaviour across the audio band.
• AirFlow Basket: A purpose-designed open driver basket developed at Dynaudio Labs to reduce internal acoustic reflections and increase air movement without compromising structural rigidity or driver alignment precision.
• 6-Ohm Impedance: A nominal 6-ohm load, more amplifier-friendly than the 4-ohm rating common across Dynaudio's current range, giving the Special Forty compatibility with a broader set of high-quality integrated amplifiers.
• Exclusive High-Gloss Finishes: Black Vine, a dark veneer with vivid contrast detailing, and Ebony Wave, a sinuously grained hardwood, both unique to the Special Forty and produced to the same high-gloss multi-layer lacquer standard as Dynaudio's most prestigious speakers.
• Sold as a Pair: Built and quality-inspected at Dynaudio's Skanderborg factory, with five-way binding posts and the 40th anniversary logo on the rear panel.

Technical Specifications

Awards and Critical Recognition

• What Hi-Fi? Award 2017, Category: Best Standmount Speaker above £2000
• What Hi-Fi? Award 2018, Category: Best Standmount Speaker above £2000
• What Hi-Fi? Award 2019, Category: Best Standmount Speaker above £2000
• Hi-Fi Choice Editors' Choice 2018
• Stereophile Recommended Component 2022
• hifi+ Editor's Choice 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Dynaudio Special Forty?

The Dynaudio Special Forty is a two-way anniversary standmount loudspeaker built in Skanderborg, Denmark, created to celebrate Dynaudio's 40th anniversary. It features the exclusive 28mm Esotar Forty tweeter with advanced airflow engineering, a 17cm MSP woofer with hybrid neodymium-ferrite magnet and AirFlow Basket, and a first-order crossover at 2,000 Hz with Phase Alignment and Impedance Alignment technologies. Sensitivity is 86 dB, impedance is 6 ohms, power handling is 200W IEC, and frequency response extends from 41 Hz to 23 kHz. It won the What Hi-Fi? Best Standmount Award three consecutive years, from 2017 to 2019.

How does the Dynaudio Special Forty compare to the ProAc Response D2R or Harbeth P3ESR XD?

The Dynaudio Special Forty, ProAc Response D2R, and Harbeth P3ESR XD represent three distinct approaches to the premium compact standmount category. The ProAc D2R uses a ribbon tweeter and ProAc's proprietary cone driver in a rear-ported two-way design with a warm, musical British character. The Harbeth P3ESR XD uses Harbeth's proprietary RADIAL2 diaphragm material in a sealed enclosure, known for its natural midrange and ease of drive. The Special Forty differentiates itself through the exclusive Esotar Forty tweeter with dual airflow management systems, the hybrid magnet woofer with internal neodymium magnet and AirFlow Basket, and a first-order crossover with Phase and Impedance Alignment, producing a presentation that balances analytical resolution with musical authority across a wider dynamic range than either competitor.

What is the Esotar Forty tweeter and why is it exclusive to the Special Forty?

The Esotar Forty is a 28mm soft-dome tweeter developed specifically for the Special Forty anniversary speaker, incorporating two unique airflow management systems not found in any other Dynaudio tweeter at the time of its introduction. A pressure conduit behind the dome creates additional rear chamber volume and shapes rearward airflow, while an aero-coupled pressure-release outlet below the voice coil suppresses pressure pockets that cause resonance and distortion during high-excursion operation. These systems enable the Esotar Forty to operate with a lower resonant frequency than conventional tweeter designs, providing a wider natural overlap with the woofer through the first-order crossover and contributing directly to the speaker's phase coherence through the crossover region. Technologies from the Esotar Forty subsequently informed the development of the Cerotar tweeter used across the Evoke, Emit, and Focus series.

What amplifier works best with the Dynaudio Special Forty?

The Special Forty is rated at 6 ohms with 86 dB sensitivity and 200W IEC power handling. The 6-ohm impedance is more amplifier-friendly than the 4-ohm load common in Dynaudio's current range, giving the Special Forty compatibility with a broader range of amplifiers including those with higher output impedance. A minimum of 50W into 6 ohms is sufficient for small to medium rooms, with 100W or more recommended for larger spaces or higher listening levels. Integrated amplifiers from Naim, Rega, Hegel, or Luxman at appropriate power levels are natural partners, with the first-order crossover being particularly transparent to upstream amplifier character.

Does the Dynaudio Special Forty need dedicated stands?

Yes, the Special Forty is a standmount speaker that performs optimally on rigid, mass-loaded dedicated speaker stands that position the tweeter at seated ear height, typically around 60 to 80 cm from the floor. Dynaudio's matching Stand 20 is compatible with the Special Forty's footprint and provides the mechanical stability needed to allow the first-order crossover and hybrid magnet woofer to perform at their best. A stable, non-resonant stand is particularly important with first-order crossover designs, where microphonic cabinet movement can more easily reach the crossover region than with steeper filter topologies.

Where can I buy the Dynaudio Special Forty in Buffalo, NY or the USA?

The Dynaudio Special Forty is available as a pair at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. Vinyl Sound is an authorized Dynaudio dealer serving customers in Buffalo, Western New York, and across the United States. Contact Vinyl Sound Buffalo to arrange a listening demonstration or to discuss stand and amplifier pairing recommendations.

How does the Special Forty differ from the Contour 20i?

The Dynaudio Special Forty and Contour 20i are both two-way standmount loudspeakers built in Denmark, but they differ fundamentally in driver design, crossover topology, and character. The Contour 20i uses the Esotar2i tweeter with Hexis, a new variable-thickness MSP woofer with aluminium voice coil, and a simplified second-order crossover at 2,200 Hz, housed in a curved multi-layer cabinet with an inset aluminium baffle. The Special Forty uses the exclusive Esotar Forty tweeter with dual airflow management, the 17W75-derived MSP woofer with hybrid magnet and AirFlow Basket, and a first-order crossover at 2,000 Hz with Phase and Impedance Alignment. The Special Forty's first-order crossover produces less phase distortion and greater driver overlap, while the Contour 20i's second-order network offers steeper out-of-band roll-off. The Special Forty also has a 6-ohm versus the Contour 20i's 4-ohm impedance, making it the more amplifier-friendly of the two.