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Miss my Dunlavy Speakers, Were to go...

I had a pair of Dunlavy SC-1 speakers several years ago, and I miss them. They were so accurate, detailed (but never bright), and totally Disappeared into a room with hardwood floors and wood paneling that was only 10x10. I loved those speakers and miss them.

Short of finding a pair used were should I turn? My room is a little better, but not much. I listen fairly close. I have found Dynaudio just a bit dry for me. They have had most of what the Dunlavys offered, but just a little lean. I found Totem's Arro, Mite, and DC to be great, but not quit as accurate. They sing like the dickens and almost disappear, but they lacked a bit of the precision.

I have some Ohm that are still breaking in, but I'm having trouble getting used to their presentation. They sound a little laid back to me, and while I love the boxless sound they produce, it comes at the price of accuracy.

Anyway, these are just my MHO of these speakers and I know every person, room and system is different. I'm not trying to bash any of the above speakers. They all are really nice. I'm just to express where I stand, and trying to get a little guidance from some Dunlavy lovers out there.

Aside from any suggestions I may be moving onto Gallo 3.1s next.

Cheers,
mailman199
daverz
487 posts
 
Finally scooched the SC-IIIs out of the spare bedroom and hooked them up to my Rogue M-180s.  I just set them to the outside of my Vandersteens, toed in a bit, but not very carefully.  I never had these hooked up to my big tube amps.  They sound vibrant, fast, and image effortlessly.  Surprising how solid the center image is without fussing.  The treble sounded just a tad strident, but they have been sitting idle for for 10 years.  And I'm sitting only 9 feet from each speaker,  not quite the recommended 10 feet or 3 meters (as I seem to recall).

The speakers must be 20 years old.  Should I be worried about aging components in the crossovers?  
prof
3,435 posts
 

@mailman199

I have found Dynaudio just a bit dry for me.


I’ve always found the same with Dynaudio. I was for a while quite interested in Dynaudio speakers but never could get past that bit of "reserved" buttoned up dryness to the sound.

I always enjoyed Dunlavy speakers and almost bought the Aletha or Athena.

I’d bet you may be very happily impressed if you can find a pair of Thiel 3.7 or 2.7 speakers. As you probably know they are time/phase coherent like the Dunlavy, but those last Thiel models are incredibly coherent and one of the least fussy speakers I’ve owned to set up, and posess a wide sweet spot where the tone changes very little with position. (Whereas the Dunlavy were by design much more directional and closer to head-in-a-vise design).


daverz
487 posts
 
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but after spending about $11k on other speakers, I think the Dunlavy SC-III are the best speakers I own.  IIRC, I spent under $3k on them in the early 2000s.
pryso
1,901 posts
 
I've now been in this audio hobby for decades.  I owned Duntech Princess speakers for 19 years, by far the longest of any other component over all this time.  The only reason I sold them was due to their size and a pending move.

For those not familiar the Princess was produced in OZ while John Dunlavy was still involved there.  Soon after I bought mine he returned to the US to establish production of a new Duntech model here (shipping from OZ was expensive since so many models were large and heavy).  That model was not successful and John separated from Duntech and started Dunlavy Audio Labs (DAL).  Many of the new models were very similar to the earlier Duntech designs.  My Princess evolved into the SC-IV and then SC-IVa.  He was an exceptional designer and every model I auditioned was musically rewarding. 

DAL is unfortunately gone, but Duntech continues on in OZ.  I understand there is still a Princess model, although not the same as I owned.
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