What speakers would you like to hear reviews on?

What speakers would you like to hear reviews about? I'd love to hear more about the AR 90s. Also, Maggies, or other planars. Also Dahlquist DQ-10s. And any funky designs.

While I always make my final choice whether I like something or not, I enjoy reading other's opinions and reviews.

I've got a collection of speakers I'd be willing to answer questions about. And I'll write reviews about each one when I've got things in order.

I've got Boston Acoustics A-40s, A-70s (series 1 and 2), A-150s, A-200s. I've got Cambridge Soundworks Model 6s and Model 17s. I've got Design Acoustics PS-10s. I've got ADS L570 IIs and L630s. I've got Polk Monitor 7s and R-15s. I've got DCM CX-27s. I've got Infinity Reference Threes. I've got Minimus 7s and 7ws. I've got Baby Advent IIs. I've got Micro Acoustics FRM-1s. I've got baltek 30s. I've got Pioneer CS 201 IIs. I've got JBL L46s. I've got Cerwin Vega HED CV-3000s. I've got Cambridge Soundworks surround speakers.

I've got original Large Advents on the way. I've got New Large Advents on the way. I've got Advent 5012s on the way. I've got Dynaco 25s on the way. There are some powered Large Advents here waiting for the owner to pick up (I'm babysitting). I may get some AR 94s.

There's probably some others kicking around, too. If you have questions about any of these, feel free to ask. And expect full reviews in the future.

And if you have AR 90s, Maggies, planars, Dahlquist DQ-10s, and any funky designs, and some free time on your hands, write a review about them- I'd love to read about 'em.

Best,

Paul

id really love to hear some reviews on any IMF speakers, iv been after a set for 2 years now but there all well out of my student price range

I have a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10's, and have written about them extensively, and am only too happy to continue to do so.

I purchased them direct from Dahlquist when I was the National Sales Manager for Pickering (in 1977) after having used them in the Pickering booth at a Hi-Fi Show in a hotel in Philadelphia. They were designated "show models" incorporating unusual resistors and capicitors in the crossovers that never made their way into production units. As such, I suspect the pair I own has a slight advantage over "stock" DQ-10's

I purchased a pair of B&W 802F Specials to replace the DQ-10's, and used them for a quite a few years, before dragging the 10's out of storage and trying them out once again (after moving into a new home, with significantly different acoustics in my listening room). The woofer surrounds had rotted, and I wound up sending them off to Regnar in N.Y. to have them rebuilt (after a botch-job of refoaming them by Simply Speakers in Florida). The result is basically an "all-new" speaker, that sounds better than I can ever recall.

These speakers are incredibly fickle, and, as long as the owner can provide all of the following, they can provide a crystal-clear, astonishingly wide and deep soundstage, and incredibly detailed sound:

1.) A high-power, high-current amp.
2.) Stands to elevate them at least 16" off the floor
3.) Spikes, or other such acoustic isolators to effectively de-couple the speakers from the stands.
4.) A room large enough to have the speakers at least 3' from the wall behind them.
5.) High quality associated equipment (amp, pre-amp, CD player, turntable, cartridge, etc.)

I guess I've found the ideal location for mine, and they sound much, much better than the B&W's, even though previous comparisons between the two resulted in the B&W's winning out.

The Dahlquist DQ-10's still hold their own against just about anything on the market (even today) with their transparent, entirely neutral sound, and total lack of coloration. With the proper amplification, they even have a significant dynamic range (something they were never noted for in the past) and can provide hours of listening pleasure without that annoying listening "fatigue" that so often accompanies many speakers.

While just about everything sounds good on the DQ-10's, it is the human voice that continues to blow me away. Having heard Joan Baez sing "Diamonds and Rust" was what sold me on them 29 years ago, but listening to Telarc recordings of the Atlanta Symphony Chorus today really illustrates these speakers' remarkable capabilities. You can readily "see" the entire chorus: sopranos to the left; altos left of center; tenors right of center; and basses to the right, and all behind the speakers too.

Once in a while, Regnar has a completely refurbished pair of DQ-10's available for sale at $1,500 a pair (the price the speaker sold for just prior to the company going out of business), and I can't imagine a better deal. Often, DQ-10's are available on eBay and other such sites, and for a song too, which makes them quite a bargain, efen if they need work.

They continue to delight me, and everyone who comes to my house and who hears them. Many had heard the B&W's before, and thought they were "the best thing I've ever heard," until hearing the Dahlquists. Still a sonic treasure, in my honest opinion (for whatever that's worth!).

Sorry - I forgot a very essential aspect of the DQ-10: you absolutely, postitively must have a subwoofer with them. Low bass was never their forte, and in this respect they are seriously lacking (but so too are the B&W 802F Specials). I use a Definitive Technology SP-15, and am very satisfied with its performance, as well as how well it "blends" in with the DQ-10's. I do not recommend the old Dahlquist DQ-1W sub, as it doesn't go that low, and requires an outboard crossover and additional amplifier.

I had the Dahlquist electronic crossoer (I've forgotten its model number) along with a bridged, Rotel amp to drive the DQ-1W, and while it sounded OK, it didn't come close to the Definitive Technology powered sub in terms of tightness, and the ability to go really low, as with organ pedal notes, and some synthesizer stuff.

Sorry to not have included this in my original posting on the DQ-10's.

Thanks Ed. It's always a pleasure to read your reviews.

cubdog

You're welcome!

A review of Dynaco A-50's would be nice. Especially how they compare to the A- 25's.

cubdog

Cub, I'll write about my Dynaco A-25s, once they make it here to my house.

I too, would like to hear about the Dynaco A-50s. I've heard a few say they are superior to the A-25s, but more people favor the A-25s that I've come into contact with than the A-50s, who've heard both.

As for the Dahlquist DQ-10s, guess what mysteriously arrived at my doorstep?

This post has been edited by thedelihaus on October 03, 2006 08:18 pm

emaidel,

Before I lose my chance to hear these- the DQ-10s, (and I've got to figure out who'se permission to ask), what power wattage do you recommend?

I almost sold a few things off to purchase a Yammie M-45 ($145), at 135wpc at 8 ohms, but didn't have the time to do so, nor the funds at the moment to purchase it outright, and missed my chance. But I'll see what a friend has to borrow from- the strongest I have is a 65wpc amp.

What's the lowest you'd suggest? And what power do you run yours at?

I'm using an Adcom GFA-5800, which puts out 250 watts per channel at 8 ohms, and 400 at 4 ohms. The DQ-10's have a "nominal" impedance of 8 ohms, but actually are a lot closer to 4, or at least, so I've been told.

The GFA-5800 is occasionally available from online sellers, usually for between $500 and $850. The "list" price for the amp was $1,500, and even that was a steal.

I wouldn't consider anything less than 100 watts per channel, even in a fairly small room, but the high power, and high current of the Adcom really makes them sing. Many DQ-10 owners insist that the only way to go is with a tube amp, and since I've never had the opportunity to own such an amp and connect it to my DQ-10's, I can't speak for those folks, but there are quite a few of them out there. It'll be a miracle if you can find a tube amp with as much as 250 watts per channel, but the match between the Dahlquists and tubes seems to be a "match made in heaven," according to those who've done so.

Hope you got a good deal, and enjoy your latest acquisition!

No one said this thread could only be about the Dahlquist DQ-10, but I hope that this site doesn't go in the direction of AudioKarma.org insofar as the Dynaco A-25 is concerned.

The A-25 was a fine little speaker in its day (early 70's) which sold at retail for a whopping $79.95. It was a pleasant, neutral-sounding, and fairly inefficient speaker (when compared to other, similary-priced speakers) and even got a top-rating from that bane of the audio industry, Consumer Reports. (Consumer Reports' favorite had been the AR-2ax, and they rated the A-25 over the AR, much to the surprise of many.)

But that's about it. According to many posters at AK, the A-25 is just about the best thing since sliced bread, with no peers anywhere. Sorry, but that just ain't so.

It's a nice, little speaker, that plays fairly loudly without distortion and has little coloration. But the all-time best, greatest, most wonderful, astounding, etc., etc.? Not a chance.

When I bought my 10's the seller had them hooked up to a 75wpc Mac tube amp. They did sound wonderful. Currently mine are driven by an Adcom GFA-555II amp with 200wpc. BTW I own 2 pair of A-25's and love them. Paired with my Yamaha CR-2020 they make the best office system I've ever had.

cubdog

I think that says it all. I didn't mean to disparage the A-25: it's just that over there, the belief is that the speakers have an almost diety-like stature that they simply don't deserve. Certainly nothing today at $79.95 can match them, but that's the catch: they were, and still are, a spectacular bargain for the price.

I understand. They are, were, a great $80 speaker though. Plus mine were free. Thanks agin John!

cubdog

Paul,
are you getting a Carver soon? we put the 10's on the 135wpc Carver Receiver and it sounded very, very nice.