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Experience w/ 40-75 watt amps on Dunlavy IVs

I love my Dunlavy SC-IV improved speakers. no really, I do. They have been in residence longer than JM Labs Mezzo Utopias, Dynaudio Contour IVs, Thiel CS 5is, Apogee Mini Grands and Wilson Watt Puppy Vs.
The current amp is an Ayre V3 with all available updates. Preamp is an Ayre K1xe and sources are a VPI Aries with a Dynavector karat Mk II and an Ayre C5Xe. I really like the sound of the rig but have the itch to try something new in the way of an amp. I will keep the Ayre V3 but am looking a a lot of alternatives.

BAT VK-60
Music Reference RM 200 II HC ( 40 watts )
Pass Aleph 5 stereo
Stereo Knight M-75 monos
McIntosh MC 275 MK V
Pass Aleph 0s

All are in the 40-75 watt range. With the exception of the MC 275 and Music Reference all are in the sub 2k range used.
Having been down the Krell MDA 300 mono and VTL MB 450 route with other speakers, I am wondering if anyone has experience with moderate power into the SC-IVs. Most listening is done in the 85 db range BUT the occasional head banging evening will strike. I supplement the lowest octave and a half with 2 sealed 12" subs driven by good old ice power.

Any practical experience out there with 4- 75 watts of gas into the SC-IVs?
128x128meadowman
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drubin
3,274 posts
 
Not exactly, but I have found the 35wpc PrimaLuna ProLogue 5 to work with reasonable success on my SCIII.A Dunlavys. Maybe not for headbanging, however.
pdreher's avatar
pdreher
1,208 posts
 
Have never owned Dunlavy's, but can tell you I really enjoyed (and miss) the time I owned an MC275MKV. It sounded more powerful than a Plinius SA-102 class A ss amp rated @ 125wpc into 8 ohms. Really a great little amp.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
A friend has a the same or similar system with subs; however, he has settled on Parasound JC-1s, which are 400 watts a channel. He is a professional musician[ violin] who wants realistic sound so a lot of power can't hurt. I use a CJ 350 myself on 89db efficiency speakers myself; don't use it most of the time but it is there when I need it.
pryso
1,928 posts
 
One year at the CES, John Dunlavy used a SET Bel Canto amp (sorry, I'm not familiar enough with them to identify model) to drive DAL SC-IIIs.

Stanwal, if your friend is the same as mine it is not a similar system. My friend has Duntech Princesses which, in spite of their efficiency rating do require significant power to perform their best. His JC-1s puts out 800 wpc into 4 ohms which is the rating for those speakers. I also owned a pair of Princesses for 19 years and can vouch for the match with the JC-1 amps.

On the other hand, from all I've read, the respective DAL models (different drivers and crossover from Dunlavy's Duntech models) are more compatible with lower powered amps so a quality 40-75 watt tube amp could be a nice match.
raquel
841 posts
 
I ran a pair of SC-III's for about six months with my VAC Renaissance 70/70 Mk. III, which puts out about 65 watts per channel. It sounded fantastic, but the VAC cost $14,000 in Year 2000 dollars so it SHOULD have sounded damn good.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
Pryso, I was talking to Carter last summer about a pair of SC IVs that were for sale and forgot exactly what he had; I know the Duntechs were suppose to be the better ones but didn't realize they were that different. I haven't seen any in person for years, just photos. There use to be a saying in auto racing that the only way to beat cubic inches was with rectangular money; that is creating a small engine to compete with a big one costs more money. There seems to be something similar in audio, the really good low powered amps cost more than a lot of big ones.
taxmandme
10 posts
 
I used a BAT VK-60 and BAT VK-5i with my Dunlavy SC-IVs and the sound was fabulous! The room was 14' X 22' and I never felt that I needed more power. Hope this helps.
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