Review: Scansonic HD M20.2

You might be forgiven for thinking that the M20.2 is a fine-tuned version of the M20. But in reality, it’s a brand new speaker from Scansonic HD.

“It probably should have had a different model name, such as M200. It would have been more informative,” admits CEO Morten Kim Nielsen in an email.

The Danish manufacturer, which is part of the Dantax Group along with the prestigious Raidho brand, has retained the best drivers from the old M series, but has built an entirely new design around them.

Completely new design

The most fundamental change is that the M20.2 uses slave unites (passive radiators) instead of bass reflex ports. Two 13 x 23 centimetre passive radiators on the back replace the previous port solution. This offers several advantages: elimination of port noise, tighter and more controlled bass, and, not least, greater flexibility in room placement. The speaker can now be placed closer to the wall without the bass becoming exaggerated or uncontrolled.

Scansonic has kept its famous ribbon tweeter, a kapton/aluminium construction that weighs only 0.03 grams. This is about 50 times lighter than a conventional dome tweeter, which pays off in terms of lightning-fast response and hopefully the ability to reproduce even the finest details without distortion. The frequency range is rated at 30 kHz, which is well above the audible range for humans.

For midrange and bass, the M20.2 uses two 13.5 cm drivers with a special four-layer cone in a honeycomb pattern. The goal is to balance strength, rigidity and elasticity to minimise distortion. After all, a clean and detailed sound is essential for enjoying music to the fullest!

Design-wise, the M20.2 differs from its predecessors. Where previous models had very slim profiles, the M20.2 has a wider front and narrows at the back. Available in satin white or black, the speakers fit elegantly into a modern and minimalist home.

Expensive crossover

On the inside of the Scansonic HD M20.2 is a brand new crossover. It’s not unusual to cut costs here, but Scansonic has gone to the expense of high-quality capacitors, inductors and resistors that are usually reserved for much more expensive speakers. This is to minimise signal loss and achieve the best possible phase response. This is not only important for dynamics, but also to create the most accurate and correct stereo sound image possible. Where the sound hangs freely between the speakers towards the horizon instead of clinging to two half-soaked speakers on opposite sides of the room.

The speakers have an amplifier-friendly impedance of 8 ohms, with 4 ohms as a minimum. Together with a healthy 88 dB sensitivity, this means that the M20.2 is not particularly demanding when it comes to the amplifier. But as always, it’s important not to skimp on the electronics if the goal is to get the speakers to perform at their very best. And indeed it is.

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Different amplifiers

During the test period, the speakers have been powered by integrated amplifiers such as the McIntosh MSA5500 and the now discontinued Hegel H590. The McIntosh sounds delicious and creamy, while the Hegel has an almost inexhaustible amount of power and an extremely dynamic midrange. The much more affordable Hegel H120 has also been put through its paces with good success, but I’d say the H190V is probably the best of the bunch when weighing price against performance.

But the biggest aha moment for me was probably the Cyrus 40 AMP with 40 ST in front (test coming soon). The two boxes together may be as expensive as the H590 alone, but the way Cyrus combines dynamics with an extremely resolved and musical soundstage is exemplary. It almost sounds as if you’ve suddenly got a centre speaker that ties the outer edges together.

Super smooth treble

I’m immediately struck by how seamlessly the ribbon tweeters integrate with the midrange drivers. This is not a given, as ribbon tweeters have a special dispersion, but Scansonic has solved it in an impressive way. Bruce Springsteen’s I’m On Fire reveals the speakers’ ability to create a distinct “phantom centre channel”. His voice is clearly placed in the centre, while the details of the production are placed precisely in the soundstage. By angling the speakers inwards, the effect is further emphasised.

Lordes Royals puts dynamics and bass to the test. The passive drivers deliver a surprisingly tight and controlled bass. While it doesn’t reach the very deepest frequencies with the same authority as much larger speakers, the balance and air is impressive. The bass is fast, articulate and provides a solid foundation.

Open sound and impressive midrange

The more I listen, the more impressed I am with how open the M20.2 sounds. The crispness of the upper midrange is particularly striking – young Marie-Elisabeth Hecker’s cello sounds wonderfully lifelike, while the piano keys dance playfully in the soundstage. The treble follows up with plenty of air, and it’s remarkable how much quality you get for the price.

In a direct comparison with the Respons Jussi – a floorstanding speaker model that costs 10 times as much – music actually escapes more freely from the Scansonic. This is quite impressive, as dynamics and freely moving drivers are at the very core of Respons’ DNA. Admittedly, Respons’ beryllium tweeter has great qualities, and these speakers are even more homogeneous, with a better illusion of all frequency ranges coming from a common point. The dispersion is also more even with the Respons speakers, so you get pretty much the same upper frequency response no matter where you stand in the room.

The Scansonic ribbon tweeter, on the other hand, has a more directional dispersion and you can honestly hear a slight difference in sound when standing compared to sitting. But it’s nowhere near any of the horror stories we’ve heard from ribbon tweeters, and the M20.2 doesn’t have a distinctly narrow sweet spot.

Rocking above the price tag

Finally, I’d like to take a stab at really heavy rock. Nine Inch Nails sound fatter and punch harder with Scansonic, while there’s a lightness in brighter instruments that most competitors in the price range have to look long and hard for. The speakers can easily line up at the starting line with both Revival Atalante 4 and KEF R7 Meta and come away with the honours. They sound so complete and are so easy to love that they will be what many people are looking for.

 

Conclusion

The Scansonic HD M20.2 represents a whole new way of thinking from the Danish manufacturer, not just an upgrade. The holistic integration between the ribbon tweeter and midrange drivers is immensely successful in this price range. With a natural, warm and engaging tonal balance, the crispness of the upper midrange and the airy, detailed treble, it’s hard to believe the speakers only cost €2,800. The move to a slave system has resulted in a more controlled bass and greater flexibility in room placement. This is truly a speaker that performs well above its price range and in some areas can compete with models costing many times more.