Short answer: the Mission LX-3 MKII. It ranks #138 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 3.6/5); the Dynaudio Special Forty ranks #148 (rated 3.5/5).
The Dynaudio Special Forty is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. Premium bookshelf speakers with strong output, wide dispersion and fairly deep bass from a compact rear ported cabinet. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 4.73 against 4.17 for the Mission LX-3 MKII. Its bass reaches about 54Hz before falling 3dB, against 67.4Hz for the Mission LX-3 MKII. The tradeoff: 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.
What the Mission LX-3 MKII does well: Large affordable standmount speakers with a 6.5 inch woofer, useful bass and easy to drive sensitivity. The catch: On-axis smoothness of 0.217 and predicted in-room smoothness of 0.344 reveal clear response unevenness, with a -0.46dB-per-octave downward tilt.
Buy the Mission LX-3 MKII. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Dynaudio Special Forty.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Premium bookshelf speakers with strong output, wide dispersion and fairly deep bass from a compact rear ported cabinet.
Large affordable standmount speakers with a 6.5 inch woofer, useful bass and easy to drive sensitivity.
Prices on this page were last checked October 31, 2026 at 7:11 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Dynaudio Special Forty | Mission LX-3 MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3600 per pair | £249 per pair |
| Ranked | #148 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #138 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 42.5Hz (derived from ASR on-axis curve, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 67.4Hz (measured, ASR via spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 14.1”H x 7.7”W x 12.1”D (358.1 x 195.6 x 307.3 mm) | 13.6H x 8.9W x 12.1D in |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (4.9 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 8 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 83.5dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner; 86dB manufacturer specified) | 88dB |
| Drivers | 5.9” MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) cone woofer, 1” Esotar soft dome tweeter | 1” microfiber-dome tweeter, 6.5” composite-fiber woofer |
| Weight | 17.9 lbs (8.1 kg) each | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.73 | 4.17 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.74 | 6.42 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Enclosure | - | 2-way, bass-reflex |
| Country | - | United Kingdom (design) |
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