Dynaudio’s anniversary standmount, in detail. The Special Forty’s specifications are set out below.

The Special Forty was built to mark Dynaudio’s fortieth anniversary in 2017, and it has stayed in the range because it turned out to be one of the best things the company had ever made rather than a limited commemorative run. It is a two-way standmount in the classic mould, but the parts are exceptional: a tweeter developed exclusively for this model and a 17cm woofer Dynaudio calls its best at that size. What has changed over the years is the finish, with the original Grey and Red Birch giving way to the current Black Vine and Ebony Wave, each veneer unique to the individual speaker.

Brief product overview

A two-way rear-ported standmount with a 28mm Esotar Forty soft-dome tweeter and a 17cm MSP cone woofer, crossing over at 2,000Hz with a first-order topology incorporating Dynaudio’s Phase Alignment and Impedance Alignment. The Esotar Forty is exclusive to this model, a fresh take on the Esotar2 that was Dynaudio’s finest tweeter before the Confidence range’s Esotar3, with a rear pressure conduit that opens up space behind the dome and damps the air behind it, extending the tweeter’s clean output down to around 1,000Hz for a smoother handover to the woofer. The woofer uses a one-piece MSP cone and dust cap on an airflow-optimised basket with a hybrid magnet system drawn from the Confidence and Evidence ranges. Sensitivity is 86dB, though independent measurement puts it closer to 84dB, with a 6-ohm nominal impedance dropping to a 4.9-ohm minimum, and IEC power handling of 200 watts. Frequency response runs from 41Hz to 23kHz within 3dB. The cabinet measures 198 x 360 x 307mm and weighs 8.1kg each, in Black Vine or Ebony Wave high-gloss veneer, each finish individually unique. There are no bi-wire terminals.

How it sounds

The Special Forty is smooth, extended and unusually refined, with a treble the reviews describe as beautifully clean and fatigue-free, which is the Esotar Forty’s doing, and a midrange with real body and honesty. It is revealing enough that a cartridge or source change is plainly audible through it, yet forgiving enough that lesser recordings stay listenable, which is a difficult balance and the reason the speaker has aged so well. Bass is tuneful and reaches lower than the cabinet suggests. The point to plan around is drive: at an effective 84 to 86dB into a 6-ohm load it is not sensitive, and reviewers are unanimous that it needs a reasonably powerful, capable amplifier to sound its best rather than merely play.

What we’d partner it with

The Arcam A50 Signature is a fitting match for a speaker of this standing. Built to mark Arcam’s own fiftieth anniversary, it is the company’s first dual-mono Class G integrated, with each channel a self-contained module with its own transformer windings, regulation and heatsink, delivering 150 watts into 8 ohms and 220 into 4. Class G gives it the delicacy of Class A at normal levels with the headroom for large dynamic swings, which suits a revealing but power-hungry speaker. An ESS ES9039Q2M DAC handles digital via HDMI eARC, USB-C, optical and coaxial, and there is a balanced XLR input alongside three RCA pairs.

The A50’s phono stage is a genuine strength, a Class A design handling both moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges, so a turntable connects directly. The Rega Planar 6 fitted with the Nd7 is a fitting partner: a Tancast 8 foam-core plinth, a hand-matched Neo Mk2 power supply and a dual-layer glass platter, with the Nd7’s fine line nude diamond stylus. The Nd7 is a moving-magnet design, so it runs into the A50’s MM input directly. As a Rega turntable it earths through its phono lead, so there is no ground wire to attach.

For network streaming, note the A50 has Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX Lossless but no Wi-Fi or Ethernet, so Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify Connect need a separate streamer, such as Arcam’s own ST5, connected to a line or digital input.

For stands, use solid, appropriately heighted stands to place the tweeter near ear level; Dynaudio’s own Stand 6 is designed for speakers of this size. On cabling, use a well-made speaker cable of appropriate gauge for the run; AudioQuest and Chord are the cable brands we stock.

Who shouldn’t buy it

If you want a more affordable Dynaudio standmount, the Evoke 20 shares much of the same driver thinking at a lower price. If you want network streaming built into the amplifier so the system needs nothing else, the A50 offers Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi, so plan for a streamer alongside it, or consider an amplifier such as the Arcam SA35 that has streaming built in. And if your amplifier is modest, this is the wrong speaker for it; the Special Forty rewards power and quality and will sound reserved without them.

The Special Forty’s port fires from the rear, so leave space behind the cabinets where you can; the speaker is fairly sensitive to placement in this respect. Set them on solid stands with the tweeters near ear level and experiment with toe-in, as a two-way of this quality rewards careful aiming. Connect a television to the A50’s HDMI eARC input if you want one in the system. For vinyl, connect the Planar 6 to the phono input; as a Rega turntable it earths through the phono lead, and the Neo Mk2 supply is hand-matched to the motor, so keep the two together. Note the Special Forty has a single pair of terminals, so bi-wiring is not an option.