amps for dunlavy sc4

VTL 450 signature works excellent even in triode mode.

Any of the Ayre amps works great too, V-3 are only $1500 used, great match.

I believe that these speakers were voiced using a Spectron Musician II. If not, it may be that I heard Mr Dunlavy is using the Spectron with these. This is a great amp and way above the Adcom in sonics. Good luck.
Jim

When I spoke with Mr. Dunlavy he said his first choice was the Rowlands, for those on a on a more modest budget he recommended the Spectron.

I don't see how ANY AMP DUNLAVY RECOMMENDED for his speakers should be taken into consideration really! RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!!.....
I was at Dunlavy's factory for a tour for 2 whole days, when he owned it, and EVERY single listening room and rig set up he had sounded WORSE THAN ANY, that's right ANY audiophile rigs I EVER heard!!! The sound was worse than I care to recollect! I was embarased for John really, as I saw a few other guests touring the factory during my stay, all pretty much shaking their heads about the sound as I did! No offense, I think highly of JOhn. But "Golden Ear" he aint!!...even if he is a well achieved engineer and speaker builder!
John has been known to say in the past that you can use "any 'ol amp" or "any 'ol speaker wire" and it shouldn't matter with his speakers! I must say, I've made his speakers sound NIGHT AND DAY better than he ever did at his shop! I do like a lot of things about his speaker designs. But his choices and recommendations for associated gear I think leave a lot to be desired! Just my input...

I've always felt that, while solid state will give you the better bass control in Dunlavy speakers, and there are some who like the Aloia amp with them, they really seem to come alive with tubed amplification. The best sound I've heard from the 4s and 4As has been with VTL and VAC amplification; the VTL did a better job in the bass, the VAC sounded terrific in the midrange. I think Mejames' suggestion is a good one; they also work well with the VTL 150 monoblocs and stereo amp.

Rumour has it that Edge amps work well with Dunlavy.

I like Pass Aleph O monoblocks with a Pass P preamp all running on balanced interconnects. The Pass O delivers 150 WPC into 4 Ohms (my SC-4s). I use the Dunlavy speaker cable but am up in the air regarding its quality.

I've used Aloia, Rowland, Levinson, Pass in solid state, Kora, Air Tight, Cary in tubes and three different models of Plinius. The Plinius is a fantastic match with the Dunlavy III's, IV and IVa's.

Incidentally, J-D is also running a review of these speakers!
Other amps I liked with the IVa (but head J-D's advice) are the following:
YBA Passion stereo (ss)
Symphonic Line Kraft 250 (ss)
Jadis defy (tube)
(In no order of preference).
Note, I never lived with the IVa's -- just auditioned them at a friend's house.

i've auditioned them with pass and arc and have them at home with VTL 185s. Like stated above the bass is a little better with the solid state but the mids and highs sound so good with tubes it was a no brainer to me. the VTL do a good job with the bass so i don't feel like i'm missing anything

I've got the sc3's... and they LOVE the Steve McCormacks DNA 0.5 Rev. A (Steve's new outfit is SMCAudio... and the mod's turn a good amplifier into a great performer...)

I have the SC IV-A's and running them w/ McCormack DNA-2DLX. Sound very open, very fast and responsive bass. I used to have ML SL3's with same system but the Dunlavy's are several notches better.

John Dunlavy was quite fond of Plinius Amps from Australia.
Remember, though he was an American, he lived in Australia for quite some time.