How do Dunlavys compared to new stuff?


I attended a Stereophile show in the 90s and the Dunlavy SC-IV was my favorite. I'm considering new speakers (thanks for the help on previous threads) and wondering if in 15 years newer designs have left them behind. How would these compare to similar designs/cost speakers of today?

There are some IIIs for sale, how do they compare to the IV? How much would IVs cost do you think?

Thanks,
Jim
river251

Showing 3 responses by meadowman

River,

I have been through the speaker mill over the years myself. From Vandersteen 2Cs to Meadowlark Audio Heron Hot rods, to Apogee Mini Grands, Mirage M3si, Dynaudo Contour IVs, JM Labs Mezzo Utopias and more. I currently have a pair of the DAL SC-IV Improved ( not the Full IVA but almost ) paired with some Final Labs 12" sealed box subs. I am done lusting after speakers. The SC-IV has a natural presentation that I find very revealing and musical at the same time.
Sounds Real's comment makes me wonder if he listens to music or sine waves or if he has ever actually listened to a pair of SC-IVs . "I don't think they are current. They focus on frequency response, extension at both ends and don't really serve the music". I understand everybody is looking for their OWN sound but somehow I get the idea that a speaker that "focuses on frequency response, extension at both ends" would be a good thing. The funny part is the SC-IVs DO NOT focus on extension at least in the bass. I mean, a 6 foot tall sealed box that only goes down to 45hz!! How is that "focused on extension at the extremes"?
Anyhow, I have really taken to the overall presentation of the SC-IVs. Set up is IMPORTANT but then setup of ANY speaker is important. Your room and how it works with the dispersion patterns is what you must learn and how any speaker performs in it is a combination of the hard performance factors of the room and speakers work together as a system. Move them around, move your seating, move your furnishings, move you equipment out of the middle of the speakers ala Jim Smith of Get Better Sound. I have my speakers well into the room and off the side walls. The room dimensions are not symmetrical ( stairway opening and no real rear wall for almost 30 feet ) and the setting up process took me a few weeks of trial and error. Fun trial and error. Learning your own room and your likes are a ton of fun and the SC-IVs make it easy as the bases move well over carpet or hard surfaces.
I have paired the SC-IVs with both tube and SS gear and right now am getting all I want from a 20 year old 100 wpc Ayre V3 amp.
Not to hijack the thread but if anyone has actually read this far I have a question or two.

1. Can 50-60 watts of Balanced Audio Technology VK 55 or VK 60 make the SC-IVS walk and talk?

2. What sort of spikes/cones/points does anyone use for isolation on carpet and a sprung floor?

Back on topic, River251 if you can find a pair of SC-IVs and they are in good shape and not too hard to get ( shipping, WAF etc. ) then by all means go for it. All you have to gain is more experience listening to your room and your music with some new to you speakers. What's not to love?
No Regrets,

What do you power your SC-IVs with? Have you tried a few different amps? I would love to hear your impressions of amp/speaker pairings.
Sounds_Real,

We are talking about a similar speaker. The SC-IVA was John's response to the reviews and customer reactions to the original SC-IV. The A went significantly lower in the bass dept. due to different woofers and crossover changes as well. Still, the speaker is not a true full range design. I have heard many pairs of IVs in the original, improved and A designation and not one of them had real usable bass much past 35 hz and in most rooms the 40hz range was more common.
More to the point, how does a speaker that focuses on frequency response and extension at the extremes fail to serve the music? Please do not get me wrong, I have heard more exciting mid range and more well defined imaging in other speakers but to MY EARS* the SC-IV gets so much right and does so little wrong that it not only stands up to today's designs, I feel it would be really hard to find any current speaker that holds a candle to the SC-IV or SC-IVA at anything close to their cost when new, let alone used pricing.
The great thing about the audio gig is the fact that we are all listening with our own ideas of what is good and correct and pleases us. I am so glad we have made it out of the "Specs are Everything" era. Remember when manufacturers claimed .0005 % THD and that was supposed to be all we needed to know about an amplifier?
If you are not pleased by the Dunlavy's that is more than just OK. That is part and parcel what makes this hobby/addiction so darn much fun.

*YMMV