Dynaudio Confidence 20

Dynaudio Confidence 20

Defying the laws of physics; a compact speaker that plays like a floor stander

The compact Confidence 20 may look relatively small, but anyone who has had the fortune to experience the C1 from the previous Confidence series knows that appearances can be deceiving. Like the rest of the series, the Confidence 20 is equipped with the brand-new Esotar3 tweeter and the equally new NeoTec MSP midrange driver. The reflex port features a completely new design, as does the cabinet. This isn’t just a facelift of the earlier Confidence series, but a wholly new range of speakers that shares only the name. Dynaudio Confidence 20 comes with matching stands.

The New Confidence Series

The Dynaudio Confidence series has always been something special. It has not only been a good speaker series but, in our ears, one of the most compelling we’ve ever heard. So how do you improve something that seemingly can’t be improved? You start from scratch. The new Confidence series is the best Dynaudio has ever produced, packed with technology and innovations refined through decades of loudspeaker development by a team of engineers and audio enthusiasts with incredibly high standards for sound, design, and finish. The Confidence series was developed with intensive analysis from Jupiter, Dynaudio's state-of-the-art measurement facility, where the new DDC Lens Waveguide system was developed.

Esotar3 Hexis: The Best Dynaudio Tweeter Ever

The new Esotar 3 tweeter found in the Confidence series is the finest soft-dome tweeter Dynaudio has ever produced, evolving from the Esotar 2 used in the previous Confidence series and the new Contour. The Esotar 3 features a larger chamber to dampen resonances, improved damping, and is equipped with a powerful neodymium magnet for ultimate control. This results in a significantly better transition from the tweeter to the midrange, integrating more organically. Additionally, there’s a new technology called Hexis—a dome placed just beneath the silk diaphragm that helps reduce unwanted resonances, improving airflow behind the diaphragm. This evens out the frequency range and delivers clearer, purer highs with more detail and less distortion.

Previously, the Confidence series floor models featured two tweeters and a complex crossover to direct the tweeter's sound waves towards the listener while minimizing reflections from surrounding surfaces. This reduced the need for acoustic room optimization and significantly enhanced the listening experience. This system was known as DDC (Dynaudio Directivity Control), and its next generation is now part of the new Confidence series. The principle—and goal—remains the same, but now it can be achieved with a far simpler crossover design and just one tweeter. Thanks to the DDC Lens, a complex waveguide that focuses the vertical sound field without compromising horizontal dispersion, fewer reflections occur from the floor and ceiling, yet the expansive soundstage Dynaudio speakers are known for is even wider. Dynaudio’s engineers have also improved the horizontal sound field, meaning your sweet spot is now even broader, enhancing the overall experience.

NeoTec MSP: New Drivers Elevate Performance

The new Confidence series isn’t just about the Esotar 3 tweeter; it also incorporates entirely new NeoTec bass drivers. These drivers feature a newly developed voice coil using up to three layers of fiberglass for increased rigidity and improved airflow. Since Dynaudio doesn’t just create standard drivers for an entire series in this class, there are subtle differences among them. The 'small' Confidence 20 is equipped with a voice coil wound with aluminum, while the remaining models use copper. Copper is heavier than aluminum, and for the larger models, Dynaudio's engineers wanted the speaker to deliver more 'punch' to create a greater synergy with the cabinet's tuning. The membrane is made from MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer), a material that has been perfected by Dynaudio over the decades. The midrange has also received an upgrade, including the new Horizon suspension that allows the diaphragm to extend fully to the edge of the driver, sitting completely flush with the baffle to reduce diffraction from the membrane and tweeter.

The reflex port, which often goes unnoticed in most speakers, has also been tailored specifically for the Confidence series. Each model features a reflex port that has been measured, listened to, and adjusted for its individual model. Confidence speakers are mounted on a solid steel plate that serves as a base for a floor or, in the case of the Confidence 20, the top plate of a stand. This stable foundation, along with the fixed distance between it and the reflex port, allows the Confidence speaker to be placed on wood or concrete floors or on carpet without affecting the port's performance.

Recognizable Design, Refined, Polished, and Improved

Design-wise, you can see connections to the previous Confidence series, notably with the prominent baffle. However, there’s a greater focus on organic design, making the Confidence speakers a piece of visual art. There are clean lines with no sharp edges; everything is rounded, soft, and inviting, encouraging you to not just listen but also to see and touch. The new Dynaudio Confidence series is available in four different and completely new finishes: Ruby Wood, Raven Wood, Midnight Gloss, and Smoke Gloss.