Dahlquist DQ-10 capacitor values?

If the caps you want to replace are not leaking or malfunctioning, one idea is to bypass them with a very small value, like a .01 uf, high quality cap. Bypass just means solder new cap leads to old cap leads, just in case you have not done this before. You don't need to know the values of your existing caps to do this, and it should be a good improvement. Madisound has a good selection of poly caps that will work if you choose this route. If not, you need to buy a meter from Radio Shack, desolder, and measure your caps to get the values.

You can use a capacitance meter to measure them but you will have to remove them from the circuit.

i just built new boards for my dq-10's. new caps & resistors and reused the inductors. i know the values and have a schematic if our speakers are around the same age. don't know for sure what changes, if any were made to newer models. mine are pretty much first run (old) speakers. they weren't even imaged from the factory. the only difference i found on the schematic that i have compared to the actual crossover was some speaker phasing. you'll have to check yours, but all runs and values were identical. let me know if i can help and i'll send you a print.

Brian, have you noticed a sound difference after rebuilding the crossovers? Would you be willing to share the schematic and component values? I would very much appreciate that. I just bought a pair of first generation DQ-10s (1975, not imaged). I'm toying with the idea of rebuilding.

Go here for a crossover schematic.
http://www.diyhifi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=291

I am still looking for my instructions from 1978 when I upgraded mine.

Mingles, the instructions for mirror imaging may be found here: Dahlquist Yahoo! Group Same goes for the later s/n schematics, but those have already been linked to.

- JP

I used to own 2 pairs of DQ 10 1 stock + 1 with a crossover upgrade. The one with the X-over upgrade was a much better sounding speaker, much more open. Got them with the upgrade. Just my 2 cents. My move to Maggies was next. Love them DQ 10 though.

It is a dramatic change to go to Mills Resistors, Goertz foil air core inductors (woofer circuit inductors), and Solen Fast Caps. Plenty of room to upgrade crossovers. Upgrade wiring to braided 14 awg except woofer and midwoofer, use heavy braid monster speaker cable. Of course, convert to biamp the two sections. You will find many resources for crossover changes online. I also have a crossover schematic if you do not find one.

A Scanspeak D2010 (corrected for ohms with a resistor) takes the place of the supertweeter and tweeter while a Hi VI DMN-A 2" cupped Midrange replaces the midrange. A nice Scanspeak Revelator takes the place of the mid-woofer and same inverted AR woofer main. Beautiful sound experience, just keep the speaker impedence correct and follow crossover mod to change tweeter circuit from supertweet + tweeter to 1 D2010 each.

I don't use stands, you need them to be on the floor to gain a low frequency advantage, very inefficient woofer.

They say to also remove the back metal shield too, but I have tried it both ways and as long as it's attached well with foam gasket there will be no noticible advantage. All of the above section speakers have a back carpet like covering (original covering) and the speaker does not rely on backfed sound.

Some would say that the speaker should be left original but I say why not improve on a great design with the latest enhancements in drivers and discrete components.

Wish I could post some pics here.

Good luck!
Reliaserv