Short answer: the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8. It ranks #23 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.4/5, at $6,000. The Dynaudio Special Forty ranks #148, rated 3.5/5, at $3,600, $2,400 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
What the Dynaudio Special Forty does well: Premium bookshelf speakers with strong output, wide dispersion and fairly deep bass from a compact rear ported cabinet. Watch for: A glaring, sometimes sibilant quality around 3-4kHz was the most noticeable issue in listening, the one thing the reviewer would want notched out with EQ.
The Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 is the more accurate, deeper-bass pick. A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.59 against 4.73 for the Dynaudio Special Forty. Its bass reaches about 41Hz before falling 3dB, against 54Hz for the Dynaudio Special Forty. Watch for: A dip in the midbase around 100Hz noticeably reduces the “chestiness” of male vocals compared to the reviewer’s reference speaker.
Buy the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $2,400 saving on the Dynaudio Special Forty is not enough to make up the difference.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Premium bookshelf speakers with strong output, wide dispersion and fairly deep bass from a compact rear ported cabinet.
A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Dynaudio Special Forty | Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3600 per pair | $6000 per pair |
| Ranked | #148 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #23 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14.1”H x 7.7”W x 12.1”D (358.1 x 195.6 x 307.3 mm) | 31.8”H x 11.4”W x 17.6”D (807.7 x 289.6 x 447 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) | 84.4dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 5.9” MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) cone woofer, 1” Esotar soft dome tweeter | Dual 8” woofers, 5” midrange, 28mm tweeter |
| Weight | 17.9 lbs (8.1 kg) each | 103.6 lbs (47 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.73 | 5.59 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.74 | 7.04 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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