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Review: Dahlquist DQ-10 Speaker

Category: Speakers

Hello fellow audiophiles, I want to share with you my listening experiences of Jon Dahlquist's complete speaker system.

Many times you read reviews of the DQ-10 speakers and they most always comment on the lack of low-end and power hunger of the speakers. While true, this does not provide a true representation of what the complete Dahlquist speaker system is capable of. For those familiar with the Fulton Mod-J system, it would be like critiquing this system without its base module.

The complete Dahlquist speaker system consist of the famous DQ-10 main speakers; the DQ-1W subwoofer, the DQ-LP1 electronic crossover (and DQ-ST10 speaker stands for proper main speaker positioning).

The DQ-10 is a 5-way, open baffle, time-aligned speaker; the DQ-1W is a passive 13" subwoofer; and the DQ-LP1 is an electronic crossover that features a passive, distortion free high-pass section and a freq/gain adjustable low-pass section.

Several years after initial introduction, Dahlquist modified the main speaker design to mirror image the left and right speakers. This provided symmetry and widened the soundstage even further. If you are looking to buy a set, this is the version to get!

After 30 years of ownership the Dahlquists system still takes my breath away. The sound stage is extremely wide, I can close my eyes and picture the musicians playing, with each instrument precisely located across the front of my listening room. The accuracy and clarity is stunning, piano notes are clear and true; symbols ring with purity; acoustic guitar strings sound crisply plucked; and drum beats are powerful and tight.

The 5-way crossover network is the reason for the speaker's power hunger, it has several power resistors in it that really heat up. But what you get in return for this design is accuracy (purity of note) and clarity (distortion free) of sound because each speaker driver only has to work in a limited frequency range. This is especially true of the DQ-10 woofer driver which only has to work down to 60hz with the electronic crossover in the setup.

Because of its power hunger, it is extremely important to drive the Dahlquist system with ample power. I drive the main speakers with a Bryston 4B and the subwoofer with a Bryston 3B in mono mode, a total of 800 watts. What is important for any amplifier to achieve powerful and tight base is to not be current limited. This is the case, as with the Brystons, when the amplifier doubles its output power output when the speaker impedance is halved (i.e. 200 watts @ 8 ohms, 400 watts @ 4 ohms). Plus, the amplifiers must have a high dampening factor (i.e 500+) to ensure that the speaker driver has a single, fast excursion for a drum beat, without ringing.

With this setup, there is no one who would say the Dahlquist system lacks low-end. The frequency range is very wide, something like 25hz - 30khz. The adjustability of the DQ-LP1 crossover allows for completely seemless integration of the subwoofer into the mains. You cannot tell that the low base notes come from a seperate speaker box from the mains!

Given today's market prices, you can acquire a nice set of DQ-10s for $500, a DQ-1W for $200, and a DQ-LP1 for $300 = $1000 for the complete system. I venture to say that you cannot buy another full range speaker system for this price that will beat the Dahlquist system. You would have to spend multiples of that price to try to come close.

I certainly recommend them!

Associated gear
Click to view my Virtual System
jjh92
fhet
9 posts
 
I remember the spring of 1976 and I was listening to one of the very early imported DQ10s here in Italy. Nothing in the shop came close to that sound experience and I am talking about the Acoustat X with their dedicated tube amplifier in the rear and the Magnepan Tympani of the time, two great loudspeakers for sure but nevertheless the DQ10 to my ears were simply superior.
Needless to say that at the time I could not afford them, because they were so expensive as well as the electronics needed to let them sing properly.
Some years later I had a real job and realized my dream, my first High End system including big Counterpoint electronics and gee what a gorgeous sound!!!
The neighbors were very mildly upset about the S.P.L I reached in my apartment but nevertheless nobody of them complained about the almost absence of both IM distortion and a dwarfed and restricted soundstage :-).
And those musical transients, they were really sharp like razors and real lifelike. The DQ10 were the first loudspeakers I have experienced which really opened a big window in the midrange, the house of music.
I am still in love with them.
What an incredible musical instrument they really are! They are truly iconoclastic because changed for ever the way to design high accuracy loudspeakers (think of the time alignment pioneered by Dahlquist and used by all the actual high end loudspeaker manufacturers).
Thank you Jon and Saul for this wonderful piece of audio art!
dlkramer
2 posts
 
I purchased a pair of DQ-10 speakers back in 1980. At that time I ran them through a Nikko Beta II pre-amp and a Nikko Alpha 230 power amp. I slowly added to my system by first purchasing one DQ-1W subwoofer with a Dahlquist DQ-MX1 passive crossover. I then purchased another DQ-1W subwoofer and a Dahlquist DQ-LP1 active cross-over as well as a second Nikko Alpha 230 power amp to drive the dual subwoofers. I was back in collage then and basically added one piece of equipment each year at the end of my summer break with the money I had saved working. I completed the system in 1986. It is now 2013 and the system is still working strong and still sounds amazing. A few weeks back I noticed the left woofer in the DQ-10 was buzzing. The foam surround had detached leaving the paper cone to resonate freely. Not bad for 33 years of use, 4 of which were during during senior year of college and grad school (this equates to high volume for long periods of time). I researched getting new surrounds and re-foaming myself, but I tried that with a pair of bookshelf speakers a year ago with poor results. I found that Regnar was the best place to send these for what they call reconditioning. After placing my request via email they actually called me and explained all the procedures that they do for reconditioning the woofer. I was very impressed. I sent off the woofers a week ago so I will need to provide a follow-up once they are returned and installed into the now lifeless DQ-10s.

I know speaker design has improved vastly over the years with CAD and new exotic materials for stiffer drivers as well as new amplifier designs but for their age, my DQ-10s with dual DQ-1Ws and Class A bi-amplification still impress people who come over for a listen. Even the younger generation, who's hearing response is definitely much better than my aged ears, marvel at their sound.
saygrr
72 posts
 
Thanks to the three previous posters. I was just checking this thread out of curiosity, it has been a while. Fhet your comment about the Magnepan Tympani I can relate to. I had DQ-10s sold them bought Tympani 1Ds but never got as happy with them as I was with the DQ-10s. Even though I'm very happy with my current system I still miss the DQ-10s. Back in there day they were ahead of the competition.
xiekitchen
821 posts
 
I have a pair of DQ-10's I bought about 4-5 months ago now, the later versions with mirror image.. for kicks I decided to use these as a project to replace crossover caps, resisters, tweeter drivers... to see what would happen... 1st project was to re-foam the woofers... I did this without any problems, using the proper kit for this woofer, just took my time and worked it very carefully. I am VERY happy with the results and sound of these woofers. I replaced all the caps with either Kimber, Auricap or Dayton.. listened for a while then decided to change all the caps to Clarity caps blue or red series, so I'm letting those all burn in now with nice results.. I changed out the interior fiberglass for acousti-stuff, also adding dynamat to woofer basket and interior walls.. also added a special mass loaded 1.25" thick foam inside walls... improved bass again quite much... I cannot however get the supertweeter circuit to work.. maybe that little coil is blown? replaced all resisters with mills... put new connectors on top bypassing fuse.. using all new wire throughout.. supra wire from sweden.. tried two different tweeters finally settling on a nice small vifa soft dome with neo magnet... very very nice now... no matter what driver I hook up to supertweeter circuit, still no sound.. hmmm
xiekitchen
821 posts
 
Has anyone replaced the 4" phillips midrange cone with anything significantly better?? I am looking at a 4" Scanspeak cone wondering what that will do... anyone have any other recommendations?
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