Dunlavy SC-V Floorstanding Speakers
Dunlavy SC-V Floorstanding Speakers
USER REVIEWS
[Mar 20, 2013]
Robb Brewer
AudioPhile
I will admit I I am an avid Dunlavy fan and between my 2 channel room and home theatre I have 5 sets of Dunlavy's including a center channel model HRCC1. Anyone that tells you the SCV's are anything short of amazing is more than likely running them with inferior equipment. They sound their best with large tube amps preferably Audio Research components. I have tried BAT and Antique sound labs equipment and there is no comparison. Audio Research is the best gear out there. The set up is not difficult to do and well worth softening the listening room. I have listened to MANY audiophile systems and have never heard anything close to them. The only speakers that are any where near them are the new Vandesteens and they ar 45K a pair. As stated garbage in will be garbage out so if you dont have the required gear dont waste you time |
[Aug 20, 2012]
Nil
AudioPhile
I can't believe I stumble upon this thread. Again. I didn't even realize that I had posted my review almost 10 plus years ago!! My electronics, cables almost everything has changes except the Dunlavy's. I think that is saying a lot.
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[Apr 24, 2011]
patton
AudioPhile
I have never wrote a review for a piece of audio equipment, as I find the subject anymore too full of psychobabble voodoo, marketing ploys, and "tweakers" who don't play an instrument or record themselves..... or understand live music, let alone the recording and mastering process. You hear what you want; psycho-acoustics is another subject matter all together. But these loudspeakers warrant some true praise, and speak to John Dunlavy's engineering savvy and understanding of acoustics.
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[Oct 07, 2010]
Gianni X. Wong
Audio Enthusiast
Simply,this is the best speaker money can buy--even if I were the wealthiest man alive,I would still use these speakers for my music playback;or may be I would use the same design model but implement drivers with even lower distortion and faster settling time(a sum of propagation delay,rise time,overshoot recovery to within the error margin),all other measurements being equal. These speakers have a set of credibly documented and unconditionally guaranteed measurements that describes every performance parameter of a electromechanical transducer and has yet to be surpassed by any other speakers. Some other speakers may have lower distortion in the low bass,Wilson Audio and Celestion come to mind,and still some others may have faster drivers;however,when interpreted as a whole,the SC-V's acoustic and electrical properties are still the most accurate in its ability to reproduce an input signal.
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[Sep 01, 2008]
Shocked One
AudioPhile
Strength:
Incredible sound, and isn't that what speakers are supposed to be about?
Weakness:
Narrow sweet spot. Steven Stone of Stereophile magazine once said of the VI's (August 1996) they are like giant headphones for one person. (Unless everyone is sitting directly behind each other)
Although I have never actually owned the Dunlavy V's, I feel qualified to comment on these having owned a pair of Duntech Sovereign 2001's as well as a pair of Dunlavy VI's. (and besides, audioreview.com does not have a formal review section for the Sovereign 2001's)
Similar Products Used: There are other speakers that may be better at some aspect or another, but for honest sound from top to bottom at REALISTIC musical volumes, there really is nothing similar for me to put here...
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[Jan 23, 2003]
Will Berdan II
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Plays quite loud for a time and phase accurate speaker... delivers excellent punch and a quite clear and smooth musical delivery. Since the company just went out of business, all models left should be discounted heavily, making them an even better value.
Weakness:
Size is definetely a problem.. this speaker takes up a great deal of room, and needs to be positioned farther from sidewalls than typical (non-d'appolito array) speakers. Sounds somewhat closed in, and does not image as perfectly as some other time and phase accurate speaker systems. But, easily the #1 weakness is that it is now no longer produced (no warranty, no chance for matched replacement drivers, etc). Now only two time and phase accurate speaker companys are left. I have lived with the Dunlavy SC-V for well over 1 year now in my own home. When properly set up, this speaker can produce a very tight, focused soundfield that quite simply embarasses speaker systems that are not time and phase coherent. Because the drivers are positioned in a D'Appolito array, you must be very carefull that the speakers are level on the floor ( I had to shim my Dunlavys) or else the drivers will not be able to integrate properly. These speakers can take more effort to set up, but the end result is definetely rewarding, and this model is quite smooth and enjoyable to listen to. I rated the value of the Dunlavy SC-V's a 3 because I feel there may be a few other speakers that can outperform them at the 13k price point, but they are still top notch performers. If you rate the value of the discounted prices that dealers are now selling them at (well under 10k) then the value is much more like a 4. Performance-wise I give the SC-V's a 4. I regard this "4" rating to still be higher than any non-time and phase accurate speaker (that I have heard) with a "5" rating, but it still doesnt image or dissapear quite as well as some other models of time and phase accurate speakers. Make no mistake though, this is a top notch speaker. ...Just for the record, my current system is: Pioneer DV-AX10 DVD-A/CD/SACD, Audio Research LS25mkII pre-amp, 2 Classe Cam 350 monoblock amplifiers, AudioQuest Anaconda interconnects (0.5m and 2.0m) and 2 pairs of AudioQuest Killimanjaro speaker cable in a biwire configuration (0.5m each) , Richard Grays 400s units (2). |
[Sep 25, 2002]
Sound Broker
AudioPhile
Strength:
Absolute transparency, phase coherence, dynamics, and frequency response. A true window into the music when set up correctly.
Weakness:
Absolute transparency. Unforgiving of poor rooms, poor equipment and poor setup. Get them right and they will floor you. I've been in the audio industry for 25+ years and these are quite simply the finest loudspeakers that have ever graced my listening room. They are staggeringly transparent, absolutely coherent, truly full range, and totally involving. They throw the largest soundstage of any speaker that we've heard come thru. They do not editorialize the sound, but deliver only what you put into them. The better you feed them with, the better they sound. Failure to treat your room acoustically, failure to use top notch electronics or failure to spend the hours necessary to set them up will result in failure to achieve what they are capable of. This is not the SC-V's fault, they are just so incredibly transparent that everthing will effect them. Interestingly enough, they were very easy to set up in our room (which is acoustically treated). I had a pair of B&W Nautilus 801's and Nautilus 802's in here previously, and there is simply no comparison...the Dunlavy's are superior in every possible way. These easily compete with the super speakers out there (we've had most of them in here at one time or another) and as such, are a bargain. System: Theta Casablanca II w/Extreme DAC's, Theta Pro Gen Va DAC. Theta Dreadnaught and Citadel power amplification. Faroudja digital transport. Wireworld and Goertz digital, signal, power and speaker cabling, Exact Power EP-15 power regerators, Echo Busters acoustic treatments. Similar Products Used: B&W Nautilus 801/802. Thiel CS-7, Infinity IRS-V, Genesis 201's, Magnepan MG-20's, Infinity Prelude MTS, Infinity Intermezzo 4.1's...and many more. |
[May 30, 2002]
Aaron
AudioPhile
Strength:
Dynamics, Low end extension, and lack of distortion at very loud levels. Very easy for most amplifiers to drive due to flat impedance and high efficiency. Readily available drivers if a mishap happens.
Weakness:
Size, cost, and lack of forgiveness of components up stream. The Dunlavys are very revealing and can be a bit finicky with its companion components. Once the speakers and room are set up properly with high end components, few speakers at any price compare to the SC-V. I have used them for some time to listen to my 1500+ CDs and 1000+ LPs. The appearance of the SC-Vs aren't for everyone, but if you have a room that is decorated properly they can blend in a bit. It is hard to hide 7 ft speakers, regardless of manufacturer. These speakers should only be recommeded to those that are dedicated enough to set up a system with great concern and have the components that will not be embarrassed by the Dunlavys' revealing nature. Similar Products Used: Multiple Magneplanars, Martin Logans Monoliths, Klipsch Horns, Genesis II, B&W Matrix 801 & Nautilus 802. |
[Mar 21, 2000]
Dan Brauser
Audiophile
Strength:
Imaging and seamless integration from top to bottom is the best that I have heard in the thirty-some years of pursuing this hobby. Any upgrade in equipment or wiring is immediately apparent. This is a very narrow beam design that is placement sensitive, but will reward with a very dynamic presentation and huge sound stage. Later model ARC and BAT epuipment with Audio Magic cables produces an incredible synergy.
Weakness:
Needs high current amps to sound best. Vertical bi-amping is a great way to satisfy these hungry beasts. Also, they just sound much better in a large volume room. Perhaps the best value in High End Audio today. Buy these babys used for 6-7K add a couple of high current amps and quality cable and get ready for the audio ride of your life. Similar Products Used: Infinity RS 1B, Magnaplanar Tympany 1C, Legacy Whisper |
[Dec 24, 1999]
tapani lappi
Casual Listener
Strength:
this is real music
Weakness:
big,heavy,expensive,but real life big speakers,but when you want listen real music i think it`s only choice. others speakers what i say first is very good but when you get dunlavys you get all best of them.i have now dal 6 what give more but dal 5 is one world top speakers absolute.i am not amazing how many top recordings studios use dunlavys their reference studio loudspeakers, they are so good. Similar Products Used: wilson grand slamm, avalon eidalon, mangnepan 20, |