Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-IV


Greetings,

I've always been very interested in owning DAL SC-IV's, but given their current age, I'm a little concerned with making the investment in a pair.

I would assume the way Dunlavy matched/tuned drivers to achieve his results, would mean that just replacing a failed driver (if they're even available) with an off-the-shelf version would have a serious impact on sound quality.

Are the drivers in these speakers prone to failing and/or deteriorating over time? Are replacements available, and can you maintain the accuracy of the system with a standard replacement driver? Anything else I should know about investing in a system of this age?

Thanks for any and all input...I just don't want to invest in something that may be on the backside of the curve of its useful life.
seadweller

Showing 2 responses by pryso

Seadweller, I'm more familiar with Duntech than DAL but I believe John did tune/match all his drivers and crossover parts in DAL models too. So replacements should be done with caution.

As Rcprince stated most common may be foam surround failure from age. But even there rebuild choice should be made carefully. One friend with Duntech Princesses (closest sibling to the SC-IV) had his woofer surrounds refoamed. But that speaker repair didn't utilize the correct weight foam for the Dynaudio drivers and my friend had to have them redone by someone who knew what they were doing.
Yes, changing out a driver with a new replacement is a task most should be up to. Just pay attention to the wiring (taking a photo of the original may help) so you don't reverse phase.

As mentioned earlier, I'm not as familiar with DAL as Duntech models but I believe John not only tested individual drivers, he then tailored crossovers to match desired response for each speaker. I'm told Duntech keeps records of manufacturer so that a similar driver (spec-wise) can be supplied for replacement. I don't know if that practice was continued with DAL or not.

A few comments regarding set up if you do buy a pair. I believe use of spikes is room dependent and that relates to suspension VS solid floor, construction material, and floor coverings. Next, my Princess manual specified a 3 meter distance for listening to allow the five drivers to converge properly. A 10' equilateral triangle set up can work nicely. However, distance from sidewalls in important and should be a minimum of 3', more is better. Lastly I understand the DAL models may have been a bit easier to drive than similar Duntechs. My Princesses were rated at 90 dB but John suggested a minimum of 200 wpc "for musical enjoyment". ;^)

Good luck. I too believe all of Dunlavy's designs (Duntech and DAL) hold up very well and can offer great bargains in today's market.