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Dynaudio Contour 30i Floorstanding Speaker at Vinyl Sound Buffalo, NY USA

The Contour 30i is a 2.5-way floorstanding loudspeaker from Dynaudio (Skanderborg, Denmark), available at Vinyl Sound in Buffalo, NY, USA. The mid-size model in Dynaudio's Contour i series, it is built around two 18cm MSP cone drivers with large-diameter aluminium voice coils and the upgraded Esotar2i soft-dome tweeter featuring the Hexis inner dome and a more powerful neodymium magnet system trickled down from the flagship Confidence range. Frequency response extends from 32 Hz to 23 kHz, IEC power handling is 300W, and the rear-ported bass reflex cabinet features dual rear ports for improved bass control at higher output levels. Each pair is built and finished in Denmark to Dynaudio's furniture-grade quality standards. The Contour 30i received the hifitest.de Gear of the Year 2024 award.

Esotar2i Tweeter and Large-Diameter Aluminium Voice Coils

The defining characteristic of the entire Contour i series is the upgrade from the original Esotar2 tweeter to the Esotar2i, and the Contour 30i benefits fully from this revision. The Esotar2i adds the Hexis inner dome, a secondary acoustic element first developed for the Dynaudio Confidence line, which sits behind the 28mm soft-dome diaphragm to control rear-wave resonances and smooth the tweeter's frequency response. The Esotar2i also incorporates a more powerful neodymium magnet system in place of the original's configuration, improving sensitivity and transient detail retrieval. A larger rear chamber, derived from Dynaudio's Core professional monitor series, provides additional room for the diaphragm to operate without restriction at higher excursion levels. Below the tweeter, both 18cm MSP drivers use large-diameter aluminium voice coils rather than the smaller copper units found in competing designs at this price point. Dynaudio's engineers specifically evaluated smaller voice coil configurations during development and rejected them on listening grounds despite acceptable measurements, concluding that the larger aluminium coils delivered more control over cone movement, particularly at high frequencies and high volumes. The 2.5-way crossover at 300 Hz and 2,200 Hz uses second-order networks and was redesigned for the i generation, with impedance correction circuitry removed because the revised driver materials now handle linearity correction intrinsically, resulting in a cleaner signal path with fewer passive components.

Cabinet Design and 2.5-Way Bass Reflex Architecture

The Contour 30i uses a 2.5-way configuration, a topology that sits between a pure two-way and a three-way design. Both 18cm MSP drivers handle bass frequencies, but only the upper driver extends into the midrange band, crossing to the Esotar2i tweeter at 2,200 Hz. The lower driver rolls off at 300 Hz and operates purely as a bass reinforcement unit, increasing low-frequency output and extending bass depth without introducing the midrange overlap that would occur if both drivers were run full-range. This arrangement enables the Contour 30i to reach 32 Hz while maintaining a coherent midrange presentation without the complexity of a dedicated midrange driver. The cabinet features dual rear-firing bass reflex ports, a step up from the single port in the Contour 20i, providing additional airflow capacity to support the second woofer's bass output cleanly. The multi-layer curved cabinet profile and solid aluminium front baffle follow the same acoustic and structural design principles used across the Contour i range, and all panels and finishes are built and inspected at Dynaudio's factory in Jutland, Denmark, to furniture-grade standards.

Key Features

• Esotar2i Tweeter with Hexis: The upgraded 28mm soft-dome tweeter featuring the Hexis inner dome from the Confidence range, a larger rear chamber from the Core professional monitor series, and a more powerful neodymium magnet system for improved sensitivity and detail retrieval.
• Dual 18cm MSP Drivers with Aluminium Voice Coils: Two mid/bass drivers using variable-thickness MSP diaphragms and large-diameter aluminium voice coils for precise cone control, extended frequency performance, and low thermal compression under sustained high-output use.
• 2.5-Way Bass Reflex Configuration: A dual-driver 2.5-way topology in which the upper driver covers midrange and bass while the lower driver handles bass only, extending low-frequency output to 32 Hz without sacrificing midrange coherence.
• Dual Rear Ports: Two rear-firing bass reflex ports provide increased airflow capacity relative to the single-port Contour 20i, supporting cleaner and deeper bass performance at higher listening levels.
• Simplified Second-Order Crossover: Redesigned 2.5-way crossover at 300 Hz and 2,200 Hz with impedance correction circuitry removed, resulting in a shorter, cleaner signal path made possible by the improved linearity of the Contour i generation drivers.
• 300W IEC Power Handling: Generous dynamic headroom suited to medium and large listening rooms, with a 4-ohm impedance rating compatible with high-current amplification.
• Furniture-Grade Construction: All Contour 30i pairs are built and finished at Dynaudio's Skanderborg factory to furniture-grade standards, with any finish or structural defect triggering a full refinishing of both speakers to maintain pair consistency.
• Contour i Series Refinements: New driver baskets, revised internal wiring, and a retuned crossover distinguish the 30i from its 2016 predecessor, with all improvements validated by Dynaudio's Jupiter measurement facility and extensive listening sessions.

Technical Specifications

Awards and Critical Recognition

• hifitest.de Gear of the Year 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Dynaudio Contour 30i?

The Dynaudio Contour 30i is a 2.5-way floorstanding loudspeaker built in Skanderborg, Denmark, and part of Dynaudio's Contour i series. It features two 18cm MSP cone drivers with large-diameter aluminium voice coils, a 28mm Esotar2i soft-dome tweeter with Hexis inner dome, and dual rear-firing bass reflex ports. Sensitivity is 87 dB, impedance is 4 ohms, power handling is 300W IEC, and frequency response extends from 32 Hz to 23 kHz.

How does the Dynaudio Contour 30i compare to the Focal Kanta No. 2 or Sonus faber Sonetto V?

The Dynaudio Contour 30i, Focal Kanta No. 2, and Sonus faber Sonetto V are all competitive mid-size floorstanders in a similar tier. The Kanta No. 2 uses Focal's Beryllium tweeter and Flax cone drivers in a two-way bass reflex design with a more forward tonal character, while the Contour 30i's Esotar2i tweeter is tuned for low distortion and long-term listening comfort with a more neutral presentation. The Sonetto V uses a two-way design with Sonus faber's DAD tweeter and cellulose cone drivers, emphasizing warmth and a traditional Italian aesthetic. The Contour 30i distinguishes itself through its 2.5-way topology, dual rear ports, full in-house driver manufacturing, and Denmark factory construction with matched-pair finishing.

What is the difference between the Esotar2 and Esotar2i tweeter in the Contour 30i?

The Esotar2i is the updated version of Dynaudio's Esotar2 tweeter, introduced with the Contour i series refresh. The primary changes are the addition of the Hexis inner dome, a rear-wave resonance control element first developed for the Confidence range, a larger rear chamber adapted from the Core professional monitor series, and a more powerful neodymium magnet system replacing the original's motor configuration. These revisions result in a flatter measured frequency response, reduced harmonic distortion, improved sensitivity, and greater transient precision compared to the standard Esotar2 found in the pre-i Contour generation.

What is a 2.5-way speaker and how does the Contour 30i use it?

A 2.5-way design uses two bass drivers and a tweeter, but crosses the two bass drivers at different frequencies rather than running both full-range. In the Contour 30i, the upper 18cm MSP driver handles both bass and midrange frequencies up to the 2,200 Hz tweeter crossover point, while the lower 18cm MSP driver operates only below 300 Hz as a dedicated bass reinforcement unit. This arrangement delivers the bass extension and output capacity of a dual-woofer system while keeping a single, coherent driver responsible for the midrange band, avoiding the interference and integration challenges that arise when two full-range drivers overlap in the same frequency region.

What amplifier does the Dynaudio Contour 30i work best with?

The Contour 30i is rated at 4 ohms with 87 dB sensitivity and 300W IEC power handling, making it best suited to amplifiers capable of delivering stable, high-current output into a 4-ohm load. A minimum of 75W into 4 ohms is recommended for adequate dynamic performance, though the speaker scales well with higher-powered amplification in medium to large rooms. Integrated amplifiers from NAD, Hegel, Exposure, or Bryston at appropriate power levels are all well-matched choices. The Contour 30i benefits from a neutral, linear amplifier rather than a tonally coloured one, as the Esotar2i tweeter is highly revealing of upstream components.

Where can I buy the Dynaudio Contour 30i in Buffalo, NY or the USA?

The Dynaudio Contour 30i is available 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 system matching for your listening room.

How does the Contour 30i differ from the Contour 20i?

The Dynaudio Contour 20i is a standmount two-way loudspeaker using a single 18cm MSP driver and the Esotar2i tweeter, designed for small to medium rooms. The Contour 30i is a full floorstander in a 2.5-way configuration with two 18cm MSP drivers and dual rear ports, extending bass response from the 20i's 40 Hz down to 32 Hz, adding significant low-frequency output and dynamic headroom without requiring a subwoofer. The 30i's second MSP driver and dual-port cabinet also raise IEC power handling from 200W to 300W. Buyers who want to avoid stands and achieve fuller bass performance in a medium-sized room will find the 30i a natural step up from the 20i.