Audio Media reviews Core 7

Audio Media International's Stephen Bennett sets out to test Core 7.

"The monitors are designed and built in Denmark and are – as one might expect – beautifully finished in a neutral grey and very stylish in appearance. They exude rigid quality and I’m sure that they will easily survive the rigours of the recording studio.

(...) I set the Core 7s up in a well-treated studio on stands well away from the walls and adjusted the rear panel settings to Free and Neutral. The monitors did not disappoint. Bass was well extended for such a small monitor and the ‘one note’ effect that ported speakers often exhibit was not overbearing. The upshot of this is that the Core 7s enabled me to make low end decisions that translated well to both my much larger domestic hi-fi system and earbuds. Detail and stereo imaging were exceptional – I always find that two-way nearfields are better in these respects than larger monitors. There’s ample power, which is important even at low listening levels and transients are reproduced with sufficient rapidity.

The Core 7s easily allowed me to hear those low-level sounds that are important when creating mixes that translate well. Unlike some studio monitors, I think I could even live with these Dynaudios to listen to music for pleasure – they exhibit no fatiguing harshness, midrange honk or boominess and I love the sound of the Core 7’s high frequency units.

(...) For all their developments over the years, Dynaudio speakers and monitors do still appear to have a ‘family sound’ and the Core 7s are no exception. These ‘baby’ Dynaudios follow in the fine tradition of the company’s other products and, if you end up producing poor mixes or recordings using these monitors, it’s not going to be the equipment that’s the issue. If you’re in the market for a powerful and useable compact nearfield monitor, the Core 7s should definitely be on your audition list."