If the Evoke 20 is Dynaudio’s “Goldilocks” speaker, the one that felt just right for most systems, then the new Contour 20 Black Edition (BE) is the brand’s quiet perfectionist. It doesn’t shout its presence, but it doesn’t need to. Dynaudio’s latest stand mount monitor exudes a kind of self-assured restraint, a mastery of craft, which comes only from decades of refinement.
The Contour line has long served as a bridge between Dynaudio’s more affordable models and their truly high-end offerings. The new Black Edition refreshes that legacy with aesthetic and internal component upgrades that lean heavily on lessons learned from the company’s flagship research. Think of it as the Contemplative Contour, darker in both finish and temperament, but imbued with a depth and precision that reward patience and attention.
At €5,500 per pair ($8,000 U.S.) the Contour 20 BE sits in the upper echelon of stand-mount loudspeakers, a serious investment for serious listeners. But if you’ve ever admired the Danish brand’s ability to fuse analytical precision with musical soul, this might be their most distilled expression yet. Bonus, it comes with an eight year warranty.
Design & Build: “Black Magic”
The Contour 20 BE looks like it could have been designed by stealth bomber engineers moonlighting as furniture makers. Its deep, mirror-gloss lacquer finish absorbs light rather than reflecting it, while the minimalist aluminum baffle provides just enough visual contrast to hint at the technology within.
Everything about the cabinet construction whispers rather than shouts. The curvature of the front baffle reduces diffraction; the seamless integration of the drivers into that precision-milled aluminum plate reinforces both rigidity and aesthetics. From a build perspective, it’s superb, softened edges, seamless transitions, and a reassuringly dense, solid feel. Compared to Dynaudio’s Evoke 20, which carries a more relaxed Scandinavian elegance, the Contour 20 BE is visually more formal and modern, almost monolithic. For this review I had the speakers mounted on Dynaudio’s aluminum Stand 20s, with a custom adapter plate, which are designed to integrate seamlessly with the speakers’ footprint.
The way the Contour 20 BE speakers seemingly disappear in a room, allowing the sound to take centre stage was an intentional decision, according to Otto Jørgensen, Head of Dynaudio Academy, who describes them as “a celebration of purity – in look and in sound.”
Technology & Engineering: Danish Discipline
The original Contour 20 speakers debuted in 2016, followed by the 20i in 2020. In designing the new Contour 20 BE every component was reassessed: the tweeter, the woofer, the crossover, even the port. The goal wasn’t reinvention, but overall improvement. “We updated any part where we could improve performance simply by throwing more money at the problem without re-inventing the wheel,” he says. “We had strict cost limits for the 20i,” Jørgensen says, “but the engineers felt the cabinet was so good that more could be made out of it.” He adds that “they created their own internal prototype, to see how much ultimate performance could be achieved from this cabinet, if there was no cost limit on the bill of materials.” So, they built a no-holds-barred prototype, and that’s essentially what the Black Edition became.
At the top sits Dynaudio’s Esotar 3 tweeter, borrowed directly from Dynaudio’s flagship Confidence range. Its 28 mm soft dome, neodymium magnet, and precision-coated diaphragm delivers a level of detail that feels effortlessly extended but never exaggerated. Behind the tweeter lies Dynaudio’s famed Hexis dome also from the Confidence line. The Hexis is a patterned, porous inner dome, designed to regulate the rearward airflow and flatten the frequency response, reducing unwanted resonances for cleaner treble.
Interestingly, the Hexis wasn’t born from lab measurements alone. “It was a pretty rogue design process,”Jørgensen says. “We started 3D-printing ideas and listening. Measurements didn’t clearly show improvements, but our ears told us it worked. So we trusted the listening results.”
Below the tweeter sits a new 7-inch MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) mid/bass driver, redesigned for higher sensitivity and agility. The neodymium magnet replaces the ferrite unit from the 20i, allowing better airflow behind the cone. “We tried a larger ferrite magnet first,” explains Jørgensen, “but it blocked airflow and caused distortion. The neodymium version, like in the Confidence, gave us a slimmer, more aerodynamic profile.”
The bass port was also enlarged and retuned. “The more powerful woofer needed a larger diameter port,” says Jørgensen. “We tuned it slightly higher than the 20i, sacrificing a touch of low-end extension to give it better agility and higher maximum output.”
Finally, the crossover has been completely re-voiced using high-end Mundorf capacitors and a simpler second-order topology. “Our aim,” Jørgensen says, “is always smooth off-axis response, anechoically flat performance, and minimal phase error, but without obsessing over perfection in one area at the expense of another. It’s about balance.”
Dynaudio validated the design through rigorous testing in their Jupiter measurement facility, but, as always, “in the end the listening test is king” explains Jørgensen.
Listening Setup
The speakers were positioned 60 cm from my rear wall and 80 cm from side boundaries, with an 8-degree toe-in. Break-in was approximately 80 hours before formal listening. Dynaudio does supply foam plugs to plug the rear ports in case listeners are experiencing too much bass that can’t be corrected with placement. I didn’t require them in my listening room. Test audio tracks were played using both Qobuz and Tidal streaming services using PS Audio’s AirLens streamer and StellarGold DAC.
Listening Impressions
Lana Del Rey – “The Grants”
This track’s layered vocal harmonies and orchestral backdrop reveal how gracefully the Esotar 3 handles complexity. The Contour 20 BE delineates each vocal layer with pinpoint clarity, yet maintains an emotional softness. There’s no etch or glare, just the singer’s breath suspended in a dark, quiet space.
Compared to Revival’s Atalante 3, the Contour 20 BE sounds slightly more restrained tonally and less forward, presenting a more neutral midrange palette. Yet that composure rewards the listener with remarkable clarity and definition as you can trace every decay and subtle dynamic nuance with ease. The soundstage is deep, but not as wide as the Atalante 3. Lana’s voice emerges from a black background and is perfectly centred. Around her, the soundstage unfolds in quiet waves of depth, instruments blooming gently behind and beyond. It’s the kind of rendering that doesn’t just ask you to listen, but to dwell in the moment, drawing you into long, reflective sessions where the outside world seems to fall away.
Hans Zimmer – “Time” (Inception Soundtrack)
Zimmer’s cinematic crescendos test dynamic control and composure. The Contour 20 BE handled the gradual build with poise. Piano notes were delicately shaded and as the orchestra swells, the Contour 20 BE never hardened or lost composure.
Where the Evoke 20 could sound congested at high listening levels, the Contour 20 BE remained unflappable. The upgraded Magnesium Silicate Polymer (MSP) woofer handled bass lines with firm control and authority, maintaining definition without a trace of mid-bass excess.
Compared with the Atalante 3, which delivered a more substantial, grounded sense of weight to the track, the Contour 20 Black Edition leans more toward neutrality and precision. Notes start and stop with studio-monitor immediacy, each instrument clearly delineated without added heft or coloration.
Holly Cole – “Trust in Me”
Few tracks expose treble refinement like Holly Cole’s sultry rendition of this standard. The Esotar 3 tweeter proves its pedigree here. Sibilants are rendered with natural sheen but zero bite. The ride cymbal has a burnished metallic texture, never tizzy.
Cole’s voice floats free of the cabinets. The micro-dynamics, her inhalations, lip movements, are tangible. Compared to the Atalante 3, which offers a slightly warmer tonal signature, the Contour 20 BE remained focused on neutrality and clarity. It rendered each note with precision and honesty, revealing the recording’s subtleties without added colour.
David Bowie – “I’m Afraid of Americans”
Here the Dynaudio’s rhythmic discipline takes center stage. The dense industrial production, with percussive layering and synthesized grit, can easily turn messy on lesser speakers. The Contour 20 BE maintained separation and drive without sterility.
Bass was tight and fast and somewhat more agile than the Atalante 3’s fuller presentation. At high volumes, it retained composure: no hardening, no fatigue. It faithfully conveyed what’s on the track, offering a revealing, unvarnished view of the recording. Those who prioritize honesty and tonal neutrality will particularly appreciate its approach.
Royal Wood – “In the Garden”
Royal Wood’s recording showcases the Contour 20 BE’s ability to convey scale and presence from a compact cabinet. The piano occupies the center with solidity, while subtle harmonic overtones and room cues are rendered with natural clarity.
You can sense the dimensions of the recording studio, and the final chord decays into a near-tangible silence. While it can’t quite match the soundstage of the Atalante 3, the Contour 20 BE truthfully captures Wood’s warm but measured vocal.
Overall Impressions
I found the Contour 20 BE’s sound signature to be introspective, articulate, detail-driven, and quietly confident. It consistently revealed emotional depth through honesty, not embellishment and that appears to be exactly what Dynaudio was aiming for.
“I think it’s fair to say that the 20 BE is a quite neutral speaker, whereas with Heritage Special and Special Forty we allowed ourselves to stray from objective goals to attain some “fun factor.” That said, I think it is fair to say that the 20BE is more towards the forward, open sound of Heritage Special and Special Forty, than the 20i which is a bit more laid-back,” says Jørgensen.
Amplifier Synergy
It should be noted that the Contour 20 BE thrives on current. Driven by the Kinki Studios EX-M1+, it already impressed, but switching to the Atoll IN400 Evolution unlocked a smoother, more liquid midrange and dynamics. To maximum their potential these speakers perform best when paired with powerful, high-quality amplification that can fully unlock their detail and dynamics.
Jørgensen concurs: “We don’t recommend specific amps. The Black Edition is transparent. You’ll hear what the amplifier is doing. The better the amp, the better the result.
Hardware checklist
- Kinki Studios EX-M1+ integrated amp
- Atoll IN400 Evolution integrated amp
- Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Edition speakers
- Dynaudio Evoke 20 speakers
- Revival Audio Atalante 3 speakers
- PS Audio AirLens streamer
- PS Audio StellarGold DAC
- Supra sword Excalibur speaker cables
- PS Audio PowerPlant 12
- Synergistic Foundation SX 12 power cable
- Synergistic Foundation SX 10 power cable
Tracklist
- Lana Del Rey – The Grants (Qobuz)
- Hans Zimmer – Time (Qobuz)
- Holly Cole – Trust in Me (Qobuz)
- David Bowie – I’m Afraid of Americans (Tidal)
- Royal Wood – In the Garden (Tidal)
Specifications
- Type Bookshelf
- Sensitivity (dB @ 2.83V/1m) 86
- IEC Power Handling (W) 180
- Rated Impedance (Ohm) 4
- Minimum Impedance (Ohm) 4.6
- Lower Cutoff (Hz @ +/- 3 dB) 50
- Upper Cutoff (kHz @ +/- 3 dB) 23
- Lower Cutoff (Hz @ -6 dB) 43
- Upper Cutoff (kHz @ -6 dB) 33
- Box Principle Bass reflex, rear mounted dual flared port
- Crossover 2-way
- Crossover Frequency (Hz) 3600Hz
- Crossover Topology 2nd order
- Tweeter 28mm Esotar 3 with Hexis
- Woofer1 x 18cm MSP with Neodymium magnet system
- Weight kg14.6
- Weight lbs 32.2
- Width mm 215
- Height mm 440
- Depth mm 400
- Width inches 8.5
- Height inches 17.3
- Depth inches 15.7
- Width mm incl. feet/grill/stand 215
- Height mm incl. feet/grill/stand 440
- Depth mm incl. feet/grill/stand 403
- Width inches incl. feet/grill/stand 8.5
- Height inches incl. feet/grill/stand 17.3
- Depth inches incl. feet/grill/stand 15.9
- Packaged Width mm 300
- Packaged Height mm 570
- Packaged Depth mm 500
- Packaged Width inches 11.8
- Packaged Height inches 22.4
- Packaged Depth 19.7
- Finishes Black High Gloss
Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Edition
5.500 EUR per pairThe Dynaudio Contour 20 Black Edition isn’t designed to impress in the first five minutes. It doesn’t embellish or exaggerate; it builds trust over time, like a reference book that reveals new insights with every reading. Its balance, refinement, and transparency are exemplary and the build quality borders on art. And while its tonal character leans neutral, it never drifts into coldness. “The Black Edition is one of a handful of Dynaudio products that I would put in front of you, if you ask me to demonstrate what the Dynaudio sound is. Because our target is not to have one, and while this is an unattainable goal, this is a pretty good shot at it in my humble opinion,” explains Jørgensen. For those who value neutrality, effortless long-term listening, and superior craftsmanship, the Contour 20 BE represents Dynaudio at its most fully realized and refined.
Pros
- Superb neutrality and transparency
- Excellent spatial realism and staging
- Good bass extension for stand-mount
- High craftsmanship and build quality
Cons
- Premium price
- Only comes in black
