The Joy of Simplicity
As the years pass by, I find myself gravitating toward things that are simple yet deeply effective. Does it make my life easier? Does it save me time? Can I enjoy it just as much as “reference” gear, but with far less complication? Like our publisher, I’m a huge car guy and have been fortunate enough to have owned some very sophisticated, ultra-high-performance machines that cost as much as a house. Recently, though, I purchased a simple 2025 Mazda Miata for $39,000 to see if I could capture just as much driving pleasure as the big-boy cars for a fraction of the price (and without all of the technology).
The answer was a resounding yes.
Can the same philosophy be applied to audio? Can a system that takes away the guesswork and clutter still deliver reference-grade thrills? The Dynaudio Focus 50 makes a compelling case.
Living with the Focus 50
When Jeff reached out about reviewing the Dynaudio Focus 50, I was already intrigued. Soon after, I was in touch with John Quick, Dynaudio’s VP of Sales & Marketing for The Americas. Not only did he arrange a pair of well-broken-in Focus 50s for delivery, but he showed up the very next day to help me get them perfectly dialed in. That personal touch mirrors what these speakers are about: ease, confidence, and immediate enjoyment.
The Focus 50 is not just a loudspeaker; it’s a complete hi-fi system built into two elegant cabinets. Each speaker houses three custom-tuned Class D amplifiers: one 110-watt amplifier dedicated to the soft-dome Cerotar tweeter, a 280-watt amplifier for the refined neodymium midrange driver, and another 280-watt amplifier for the dual Esotec+ woofers. Together, they deliver up to a thousand watts of clean, effortless output. A powerful DSP engine runs the show, managing everything from crossover behavior to room-adaptive EQ. Placement compensation is as easy as opening the Focus app and telling it whether the speakers are near a wall, in a corner, or freestanding. Dirac Live room correction is built in, offering even deeper control for those who want to extract every ounce of performance from their space.
The attention to detail extends to the small things: attach the magnetic grills and the Focus 50 automatically engages a grille-specific EQ profile to maintain tonal balance. Want to stream? The list of native options is as long as it is impressive: Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Qobuz Connect Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, Roon Ready integration, and even high-quality Bluetooth. Prefer physical sources? You can connect via Toslink, coaxial digital, analog RCA, Ethernet, or even wireless WiSA. Vinyl fans, streamers, TV users, and minimalists…the Focus 50 is ready for all of them.
It all adds up to something unusual in the high-end world: a true plug-and-play system that still sounds like serious audiophile kit. No stack of gear, no guesswork, no racks of cables, just elegant towers that make music.
Design and Craftsmanship
Dynaudio has been refining loudspeaker design in Denmark since 1977, and the Focus 50 carries that heritage forward in a way that feels both cutting-edge and timeless. The cabinets themselves are sleek and modern, with a subtle taper that makes them appear less imposing in the room. Available in finishes like High Gloss Black, High Gloss White, Blonde Wood, and Walnut, they are beautifully executed; the kind of understated craftsmanship that feels Scandinavian to its core.
Behind the refined exterior lies serious engineering. The 28mm Cerotar tweeter uses a precision-coated soft dome coupled with Dynaudio’s Hexis inner dome. This clever structure smooths the airflow behind the diaphragm, reducing resonances and delivering cleaner, more open treble. The 15cm neodymium midrange driver borrows technology from Dynaudio’s flagship Confidence range, offering speed and natural tonal balance across vocals and instruments. Bass duties fall to a pair of long-throw 18cm woofers, also using Dynaudio’s signature MSP (Magnesium Silicate Polymer) cones for strength without adding coloration.
The cabinets are carefully braced to minimize vibration, but unlike traditional passive speakers, there’s no need to worry about matching an amp or crossover voicing. Everything inside the Focus 50 is tuned as a complete system. The DSP doesn’t just handle crossovers; it also adapts the speakers to your room, compensates for boundary placement, and integrates seamlessly with Dirac Live correction. This means you get the kind of consistency and synergy that even seasoned audiophiles can spend years chasing with separates.
All of this engineering is presented without fanfare. The Focus 50s don’t shout “technology” at you; they disappear into the room, leaving nothing but music and a sense that someone did all the hard work so you don’t have to.
Listening Sessions
Malia – “Celestial Echo”
British-born, German-raised jazz and soul vocalist Malia has always had a gift for combining smokiness with vulnerability. On “Celestial Echo,” from her 2014 album Convergence with Boris Blank of Yello, her voice becomes the centerpiece of a richly layered electronic soundscape. Through the Focus 50s, her vocals floated holographically between the speakers, intimate yet spacious, while percussion accented the edges of the soundstage with pinpoint accuracy. The bass was a revelation: profound, supple, and taut, far exceeding what you would expect from the modest size of the woofers. The quiet background gave the impression of a black canvas on which every note was etched.
Yello – “Planet Dada (Flamboyant)”
Swiss electronic pioneers Yello have been bending genres since the early ’80s, blending pop surrealism with cinematic production. “Planet Dada,” from the 2003 album The Eye, is one of those tracks that quickly exposes a system’s flaws. On a bright speaker, its barrage of metallic highs can become shrill and fatiguing by the end of the song. The Focus 50s turn it into an event with the soundstage stretched wall to wall, front to back, and even upwards with laser-etched precision. Every effect, sample, and layered rhythm had its place, creating a nearly immersive experience that rivaled surround sound. And importantly, all of that top-end energy comes through without a trace of glare.
Maroon 5 – “Sex and Candy”
Originally a late-’90s alt-rock staple from Marcy Playground, “Sex and Candy” is reimagined here by Maroon 5 into something far more dynamic and groove-driven. Where the original is veiled and subdued, this version is explosive, with Adam Levine’s vocals soaring over a dense wall of instrumentation. The Focus 50s embraced the challenge, delivering dynamic slam from top to bottom with no compression or sense of strain. The soundstage filled my room in a way that truly deserved the cliché “wall of sound.” This track demonstrated just how comfortable the Focus 50s are with modern, energetic productions that demand both weight and finesse. If you like “big and bold” in your music, then be sure to give this track a spin!
Larry Carlton & Robben Ford – “NM Blues 08”
Jazz fusion legends Larry Carlton and Robben Ford are both guitarists’ guitarists, Carlton with his smooth, lyrical phrasing, Ford with his blues-infused bite. On “NM Blues 08,” a live recording, they sit side by side, trading licks and weaving lines. The Focus 50s presented them as if they were right in my room, Carlton just inside the left speaker, with Ford mirroring him on the right. Each note, each pluck, each tonal nuance was clearly delineated, yet the interplay between them felt organic and whole. Lesser speakers often blur these duets into a wash of strings. But here the artistry of two masters came through in vivid detail.
You’ll Love the Focus 50 If…
You want reference-quality sound without the endless stack of boxes. You value simplicity, but refuse to sacrifice performance. You want a system that adapts to your lifestyle, whether that’s late-night vinyl sessions, Sunday morning streaming playlists, or movie nights with wireless TV audio. You want elegance in your living space without the distraction of racks and cables. And most of all, you want to rediscover the joy of listening without worrying about the gear.
Final Reflections
System synergy is one of the most overlooked yet costly factors in high-end audio. Building a setup from separate amplifiers, preamps, DACs, streamers, speakers, and cables can become an endless cycle of trial and error. Even highly regarded components on paper may fail to complement one another in practice, leaving the result far less than the sum of its parts. With the Dynaudio Focus 50, however, the engineering team has already solved this equation by designing the product as a fully integrated system. Buyers don’t need to worry about matching components or second-guessing compatibility; it simply works as intended. Could one assemble a synergistic system from separates that sounds as good, and competes with the Focus 50’s $11,000 price point? Perhaps, but achieving the same balance and refinement would be a formidable challenge.
The Focus 50s surprised me, but not because of their performance, which was consistently excellent. But because of how much I enjoyed the ease of that performance. They offered gorgeous bass, some of the best imaging I’ve heard in my room, treble that revealed without ever fatiguing, and more flexibility than most listeners will ever use.
Like my Miata, they reminded me that joy doesn’t always require complication.
Sometimes it’s about stripping away the noise, focusing on what matters, and just enjoying the ride. The Focus 50s are reference sound, distilled and simplified, and that’s a refreshing thought. – Todd Cooperider
Notes from the field
Just a little bit to add here, after using the Focus 10 – I couldn’t agree with Todd more. The level of performance that the powered Dynaudio speakers deliver, even with the small Focus 10s make it an easy path for those not wanting a rack full of gear and tons of cable to embrace high performance audio. -Jeff Dorgay
Thanks to Dynaudio and Todd Cooperider for the photos. Please click the manufacturer link below for all the Focus 50 Specifications.
