Reviewed: Dynaudio LYD 48 Studio Monitor Speakers
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Reviewed: Dynaudio LYD 48 Studio Monitor Speakers

Where the LYD 48 jump out ahead of other speakers in the range is that they are a three-way midfield monitor, and are not limited to the constrictions of a two-way crossover, as is often the case in many studio monitors. Sure, you can use these as desktop nearfield monitors, but they are really better suited to being heard from a bit of a distance. The same goes for the space behind the monitors too. They demand to be placed in a more open area with some space behind them before the confines of a wall affect their sound with early reflections and a false bottom end in your listening experience. The result is an overall listening experience that delivers articulation and clarity where it is needed. Plus you can drive more volume with the three Class-D amplified drivers to accommodate the larger room that they are more suited to. What results is the ability to listen critically at both lower volumes to pick out distinct mid-range articulation, and at higher volumes for focusing on how the low and high frequencies balance with the rest of the mix.

 

These speakers are all about the three-way driver setup. A slightly larger than 1” tweeter is matched up with a 4” mid frequency driver and an 8” woofer to cover a very balanced and even audio response. There are no real bumps in certain frequencies from the EQ curves overlaying heavily between mismatched drivers with the three speakers working suitably well together here. The result is an articulated audio reproduction that allows you to hear the faults in your mix right away. If you need a little added control to suit the room, there are a few options on the back to control the low frequency response. A ‘bass extension’ control allows you to increase the lower frequencies whilst also gently rolling off the top end with a single switch to listen at higher volumes in a larger room.

 

For those of you with limited space, it also has a room control switch, which allows you to set the position to ‘wall’ or ‘free’ depending on the speaker’s position in your room. This then adjusts the low frequency response to suit your environment, making these a viable option for home studio environments where space is often at a premium. Either way, in a small or large room, these monitors sound fantastic. They have a beautiful response and a clarity that needs to be heard. If you need to hear faults in your mix, the LYD 48s will certainly help you find them.