Dayton Audio MK402 Bookshelf Speaker Teases Audiophile for only $70/Pair

Dayton Audio proudly announced the newest addition to their best-selling line of home theater speakers. The MK402 is a simple 2-way speaker featuring a 4" woofer and a 3/4" soft dome tweeter, which Dayton Audio claims will cause many to rethink their concept of a budget speaker system.The drivers used in this design are vital to the compact design. The 4" woofer in the rear ported enclosure is designed to play down to 60 Hz making it easy to blend with a powered subwoofer in a home theater environment while also not hindering the critical vocal range. Dayton Audio claims the 3/4" tweeter is capable of producing effortless high frequencies with a wide dispersion. These two drivers, paired with our simple yet effective crossover, are said to create a soundstage that is sure to awe even the harshest of critics.

Dayton Audio MK402 Backview - note the rear port and 5-way gold plated binding posts

"The goal was to create a bookshelf speaker with excellent build and sound quality for under $70/pair."

says Dayton Audio Product Manager Judd Baker.

"We designed the speaker for smooth sound experience that minimizes listening fatigue and maximizes sound quality. The form factor is small enough that it could be used for desktop listening, yet features enough presence to fill rooms of significant size in such a way that rivals larger speakers in even home theater applications."

The MK402 features an attractive, textured black vinyl finish that stands out immediately at first glance. The cabinet offers a unique geometric design for the baffle which sets it apart from the boxy, basic speakers in its price range. The grill is removable and constructed of a high-quality black cloth that discretely obscures the most appealing feature of these speakers – the drivers.

The crossover featured in this design brings into play a 2.5 kHz, 2nd order low pass and a 3rd order high pass, both utilizing acoustical slopes. The board is then affixed to the rear of the recessed terminal cup, which features a pair of 5-way gold-plated binding posts. Elegance and sophistication is how Dayton Audio describes this speaker system while affordability is the MK402’s reality for budding audiophiles. It is unusual to find a speaker in this price range to offer a crossover design of this calibre.  In fact, we've reviewed speakers in the past at nearly 8 times the price that employed nothing more than a first order network on the tweeter while running the woofer fullrange into its audible breakup mode. So it's refreshing to see a loudspeaker manufacturer put forth most of the budget into quality parts while cutting the margins in order to offer a truly compelling, high value product that will surely gain significant marketshare as a result.

Speakers with narrow baffles, and smaller drivers like these tend to exhibit excellent off-axis dispersion which helps them disappear into a room. If mated with a powered sub and used within its SPL limits, it is very likely one could assemble a truly audiophile speaker system on a shoestring budget.  We eagerly await to check a pair out and do a formal review in the near future.

*The MK402 Bookshelf Speaker Pair is available now. Coming soon are the MK402BT Bluetooth power version and MK442 Center Channel. Both will be available March 2018.

For more than 20 years, Dayton Audio has been a leading supplier for audio and video, combining real-world design with high-tech manufacturing techniques to offer some of the finest consumer electronic products today. Every Dayton Audio product is designed and engineered in the USA to provide the highest level of performance and value, backed by industry-leading warranties and support. Dayton Audio products can be purchased through authorized resellers including Parts Express (parts-express.com). Visit us online at www.daytonaudio.com.

Unless otherwise indicated, this is a preview article for the featured product. A formal review may or may not follow in the future.