Full 5.1 or a dynamic duo: find your perfect Emit speaker set up

Dynaudio
(Image credit: Dynaudio)

If you’re looking to step up your speaker game in your home, whether it’s to tune into crisp dialogue in a Scandi-noir thriller, or pick out punchy bass on your Spotify playlists, it can be hard to know where to start. A great place to start would be Danish hi-fi brand Dynaudio’s Emit range of high-end speakers, sitting at a price point that won’t break the bank. 

You don’t need to be a die-hard hi-fi aficionado to get the most out of this kit either – there will be a perfect set up for you no matter the space you’re working with.

 Like the artist intended

Dynaudio

(Image credit: Dynaudio)

The first thing you want to consider is what you’ll be using your set up for. Dynaudio features five speakers in its Emit range that can be used in various combinations for different needs. If you are looking to turn up the volume in a small or medium-sized room, then it’s worth starting with the Emit 10 and Emit 20 respectively. 

These speakers can be stand mounted or set up directly on a surface. Using technology derived from Dynaudio’s ultra-high-end Confidence, Contour i and Evoke series, they are compact models that pack a punch. The high-end drivers are built with MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) membranes, meaning that you hear a purer sound – the way the original artists want you to hear it.

On its own, an Emit 10 will immerse you in epic sound quality in a small room while an Emit 20 will do the job expertly for a medium-sized space. Dynaudio’s low-loss crossover technology allows for excellent sound dispersion between speakers because their timing is perfectly in sync. 

Using the 28mm soft-dome design of the Cerotar tweeter, the Emit 20 delivers sweet-sounding high frequencies while the Hexis inner-dome smooths the frequency response and reduces unwanted resonance for great clarity. You can use them in a home cinema system and those nail-biting scenes will have you truly on the edge of your seat. Or play your classic vinyl records and relive the magic as though the artists were there in the room.

 Turn it up a notch

Dynaudio

(Image credit: Dynaudio)

If you want to take your audio experience to the next level, though, then the Emit 30 and Emit 50 floorstanding speakers will bring the power. Larger than the 10 and 20 but still compact enough for a living space, these are two-and-a-half-way speakers made to deliver room-filling performance.

Like its little brother, Emit 10, the Emit 30 uses MSP woofers similar to those used in the Evoke series – this time doubled-up in each speaker for more low-frequency muscle, plus midrange clarity and punch. As a standalone pair they easily fill medium to large rooms with outright powerful sound. 

When listening to music you’ll hear it as strong, tight bass and startlingly clear vocals, instrumentals and more – even when you’ve got the volume on floor-shaking level. For the tech-lovers out there, this is partly due to there being more windings on the woofer’s voice-coil because of Dynaudio’s use of aluminium wire rather than copper. More windings equals more power, and clearer delivery of the finer sounds.

On top of this, the bass-port on the back panel has dual flares (one inside; one outside), and has been tuned to minimise unwanted ‘chuffing’. Depending on how far from the wall you want to position your Emit 30s, foam inserts included in the box can be used to optimise the audio performance. Its cabinets are made from 18mm polyester fibre-damped MDF, too, so you get a stable platform with just the right amount of resonance suppression.

 At the centre of the audio experience

Dynaudio

(Image credit: Dynaudio)

The Emit 30 is powerful, but if you’re looking for all these tech specs but with maximum audio boost, then the Emit 50 is your dream speaker. The 18cm woofers are the same as those in the Emit 20 – but this time there’s two of them. This gives a bass that really digs deep (-3dB at 33Hz, to be clear). On top of that, the midrange driver is exclusive to Emit 50 and it’s derived from the version used in the Evoke range. It’s designed for speed and precision: exactly what you need for those epic film scores and your favourite tunes with moving string sections.

These four speakers are excellent in their own right but their audio prowess is at its peak when they come together in the Emit 5.1 surround sound system. This is how you’ll be able to get the feel-it-in-your-chest cinema experience in your own home. The jewel in this 5.1 crown has to be the centre speaker: the Emit 25C. It’s where the lion’s share of dialogue comes from in a movie, and it’s where the focal point of the music often comes from in a multi-channel mix. It’s an important piece of kit.

It’s essentially an Emit 30, turned on its side, with the mid/bass drivers placed either side of the tweeter. This means you get total consistency between the centre speaker and the others in your set. With the same Hexis tech as the rest of the set, its small dimpled inner dome reduces reflections to the back of the playing surface. This means incredible detail resolution: sweet, smooth treble that doesn’t fatigue your ears – even during a long listening session.

Just like the rest of the Emit series, the 25C is available in three custom laminate finishes: Black, White and Walnut. Whatever the look of your space, it will blend in stylishly and seamlessly.

At a price that is pretty attractive considering its technical superiority, the Dynaudio Emit series will without question raise your audio standards. And if you’re looking to enter the high-end audio club, the Emit series has the best seat in the house.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

Read more about how we test