I GOT LUCKY and found a Pair of Dahlquist DQ 10's with Pedestals at a Local Goodwill For a Whoppin 6.88 each
for a Total of 14.45 With TAX
and What an Investment
Had to laugh when My friend who brought me said you are not going to get those in my Vehicle
I said ok watch me
So she than twisted it to what do you need them for
I simply said if you knew what they were you would not even ask that
WOW!!!
A Bit Weak In the Bass But Normal for these
I have them matched with another Pair Of OLM Walsh 3XO that I bought for as well a WHOPPIN 50.00 for the pair
They match VERY WELL

I purchased these speakers off CL a couple days ago for $350 so my experience with them is somewhat limited, but this level of auditory quality is rare (and absolutely criminal at this price point), so here I am writing this review...

WOW! WOW! WOW! Oh, and did I say WOW!? But before I define what "WOW!" means, I should mention which DQ-10s I have since it seems to make a bit of a difference. I have the mirror imaged type with the large yellow capped crossovers. I have them blue tacked to a pair of sand filled dual pillared Target stands about 27 inches off the floor. I have them as fronts in my HT system with no center (no room) and ADS L570s as rears with a modest Mirage subwoofer (need a better one, but still serviceable). They are powered by a Yamaha RX-V4600 surround sound receiver putting out an honest 110 watts @ 8 ohms (a VERY highly rated receiver that pushes a fair amount of current. It originally sold for $1900 a few years back). My source is a PS3 running blu-ray movies set to their lossless audio track. BTW, I also have a vintage 1979 Pioneer SX-1080 receiver (a VERY honest 120 watts per @ 8 ohms) that I plan to try with the DQ-10s. I'll do another review at a later date with that one though. Many here are pushing far more wattage through their DQ-10s, but I am here to tell you that you don't HAVE to have that much power to reach audio nirvana. I'll no doubt acquire more power later (probably stay with solid state power mated to a nice tube preamp), but for now, I have no complaints whatsoever. Now to that definition of "WOW!"...

Open, airy, smooth, dynamic, musical, rhythmic, delicate, forceful, sweet, ultra-detailed, expansive, HUGE soundstage, intoxicating, pleasant, unfatiguing, friendly, forgiving (I might modify this opinion with more 2 channel listening, but for now...), soulful, layered, complicated, honest, lush, neutral, engaging, and just plain wonderful! I have never heard a speaker that does so much so right... at ANY price much less at anywhere near 350 clams! These DQ-10s are easily the best audio speaker I've ever owned and one of the finest I've ever heard. I don't make it a habit of auditioning speakers I can't afford, but I have heard and owned some damn fine speakers in my time, but these Dahlquists are legendary for VERY good reason and sit solidly on the top of the heap! I am totally befuddled as to why they command so little on the used marketplace, but I can tell you I literally giggled all the way to the bank/ATM. Are you beginning to see what "WOW!" means?

I would be a little worried about this review costing me $$$ (I plan to get another pair someday) except that these speakers have been around for decades. Perhaps it's their square face or odd size or that they suck watts up and beg for more, but at the end of the day, It's all about the sound, and these jewels deliver the goods in a mile long freight train! Just keep dissing them you guys... at least until I get my second pair! lol

Legendary... yes, that just about sums it up. :-)

I bought my 10's new in 1980. I would not trade them for anything else. Like mentioned in other reviews you HAVE to have some major power to drive them, and a subwoofer is a almost a necessity for complete dynamic range. Until recently I was driving mine for the last 28 years with a Mcintosh MC2200. I first had a Phase liner 400 but kept frying it up and blowing fuses in the DQ's. Ever since I bought the Mac I never had either problem. I had just recently added a second MC2200 and ran each one mono into each speaker, the DQ's eat every watt of power but sing like never before. the rest of my stuff is a Mcintosh C32 preamp and a Sony XA777ES (which i just got) and the key to the system a Velodyne DD15 subwoofer. I would never replace the dq's but do want to move up to a C40 preamp and a MC352 amp. As far as upgrading the speakers I was lucky and found rebuilt woofers on e-bay @ $139 per pair and had replaced the capaciators with new Solens for about $120.00 so if your a litte handy It does'nt cost a lot to bring them back to their new origional splendor.

Well, I have to say the guy below is a knuckle head. I purchased the DQ-10's new in 1983 for $1500 a pair. I had the five star service from Dahlquist (Regnar) last year ($1800) I waited about a year to get them back, and when I did, they never looked or sounded better! Top notch work that blew my mind. FYI: They fully rebuild the woofers, not refoam only. I think some people are confused about the terminology. Upgrades, rebuilds, wood work redone, they did it all. Some individuals are so eager to complain about something when they get aweful work, but when they get something great, most do not write about good experiences. What's wrong with customers posting positive feedback? Raving about using a junkie (do it yourself) non original foam surround kit from China, on one of the best speakers of all-time, versus factory rebuilt woofers plus upgrades & just about a complete refurb - I'm not only proud of the outcome, but proud that they are an American company that did a great job! I did my research by looking at new speakers of today, and I'm looking at spending $6600 - no thanks. I'm serching ebay for a second set to send them - for rear channels. Two sets of refurbed 10's for much less than one set of new speakers - that's a bargin! These are my babies & wanted them serviced correctly. Most people who own them are not teenagers, they are professionals with audiophile taste.

My dad gave me a pair of Dahlquist DQ10s. I refoamed um and repaired everything that I think needs repairing. I just want to know how many watts they are rated for and how many ohms so I can fire um up and get hooked on hi fi.

I've owned a pair of Dahlquists for a few months and enjoy them immensely. Wondering image, soundstaging and information retrieval ( that sounds like "Brazil"). On the other hand, these are all the characteristic of a true audiophile speaker which comes with a caveat. If your source and accompanying equipment sounds great, so will the speakers. But bad recordings sound even worse on these kinds of speakers. And mediocre records that might have the flaws evened out by more forgiving speakers will appear with "warts and all" on the Dahlquist. It's always a trauma to have a favorite album suddenly sound bad. But at aside, for the used prices you get Dahlquist Dq-10s for, well, you get a taste of the true high-end at bargain prices. You be able to get a good used pair for $250-$350. To pay $500 is a little high these days. Things to look for: A factory, mirrored imaged pair is a plus - this will give you better imaging and you won't have to tear up your speakers. Also look for pairs with the big yellow capacitors. These have aged better than the older style and are another bonus when bargain hunting.

NOW ON ANOTHER NOTE: I have to say there is a obvious and unbalanced number of threads here saying "SEND YOUR SPEAKER TO REGNAR". Yes, these people do love and take fine care of old Dahlquist speakers, but I don't like anyone shilling on forums for their business. I seriously don't believe the number of people here pitching REGNAR's services are in line with the real number of people who are willing to pay $1,200 to refurbish a $200 speakers. Some teen who inherited his dad's old speakers has $800 to fix them? I think not. Those of you who have "bad" woofers, where the foam that holds them in place is rotten. Did you know you can fix these fairly easily (If you're a do it yourself type) for about $20 with foam replacements. Anyone who is going to charge you $200 for a "rebuild is ripping you off a bit, when most woofer will ONLY need foam. But anyway, my point is, let's keep the comments unbaised, shall we?

I've bought my Dq-10 mkI used (almost new) from a collector and after I reconed it from a great professionist.
These speakears are almost impossible to: drive, place and deal with:
to drive because to give their best they need the fastest and strong amplifier possible;
to place because they are cardioid so better consider them like a dipole (far from the walls);
to deal with because listener must be far from the speakers and only in a fixed position.
If out of this conditions, sound fall down; but strictly respecting their costraints, one of the best acoustic project designed in audio history. I think John Dahlquist was in mind to project a speaker that resembled the acoustic design of quad electrostatic but with dynamic speakers and no electrostatic pannels try to avoid quad limits: he made a great job to conceive and built them!
Yes, there are some weakness.
Bigger is the woofer: not at the level of the other 4 speakers, when drived with a strong and fast amplifier it don't follow the signal (distortion).
Other speakers are excellent instead: to listen better ones, you have to go to listen at beasts like Esotar, Audio Technology, last B&W, Wilson Audio and Quad electrostatic.
To find a clearly better loudspeakers, you have to listen at beasts like Quad 2905, Sonus Faber Stradivari...and few others: the top of the top - surely very expensive !

My equipment:
EMT 982
EMT 950+TSD15 SFL+HASHIMOTO HM-3(1:20 step up)+ A.R. sp-11 phono stage+extreme phono crimson
Sansui TU-X1
Studer A-721
Audio Research sp-11 mkII (nos Siemens equipped)
VTL MB300 (nos siemens and g.e., kt88 Genalex reissue-cryo)
Jps labs superconductor 2
To match tubes, Hitchock 539B
(Yes, I know, it is quite criminal driving dq-10 with this kind of amplifier...Simply I don't exagerate with volume!)

Others characteristic go to read others review: I generally agree with them so I don't want to bore you with the same words...I have tried to write others different views...
A suggestion: if they don't play in a wonderfull way, it is always due to the equipment !
So, like B&W 800D series and Quad 2905, to give their best they need the best equipment: a good trial to understand great equipment!
So if you want to buy them, please remember you have to work a lot to make them singing finding the right equipment and placement; but if you reach in it, probably you have got loudspeakers will be very difficult to sell ! The bargain !
Finally, one of the best acoustic project and one of the best masterpiece ever made in audio industry.

If Your DQ-10s Drivers other than the low woofers are in good shape, dont get rid of them; a DIY rebuild will
make them sound better than ever before. Dahlquist [ Regnar ] can supply parts kits and re-cone the woofers
that when installed will amaze any DQ-10 owner. I started out by sending the woofers in for cones, and
while waiting on them up-graded the systems by mirror-imaging, installing new poly-capacitors. replacing
the wiring, potentiometers, and main fuse holders. When the woofers arrived and were installed in the
newly sealed cabinets [ original factory sealing was poor; especially where the wiring harness went into
the enclosure ] I heard what I assumed to be proper DQ 10's.

Now that almost a year has passed, My system sounds the best it ever has. Dahlquist supplied all the parts
and the instructions to fulfill the promise phased array promised 30, years ago when i bought my DQ 10's new.

Amazing sound quality, beyond anything I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. The catchwords all apply: sound stage, imaging, accurate sound reproduction; in short, there really isn't anything I dislike about these speakers.

The DQ 10's like power. I recently purchased an Anthem Statement A5, surround sound amplifier and have married the DQ 10's into a surround sound system. While the outcome is a joy, it is an entirely different platform, involving a synthesis of sound. I think the DQ 10's are really best on their own, in a two channel system, where they really shine when driven by extreme power, such as a Bryston 4B.

Also, they're a fair size and require a good sized room. They're also not light, at some 50lbs each.

I purchased my DQ 10’s, new, in 1980, from a place in Niagara Falls, called the Electronic Supermarket. After a single audition, I completely fell in love and have owned them, ever since. They sang, sweetly, for 17 years, driven by a Bryston 4b, until life and ill health got in the way. Last year, I decided to have them rebuilt, after ten years of silence, by Regnar, which employees many of the same people who originally built them. I explained to Joe that I wanted a complete overhaul, which included re-foaming the 10” Advent woofers, and midrange speakers, making a new midrange board, which had cracked and broken, rebuilding the crossovers, rewiring, a new rheostat, gold plated terminals, new speaker cloth, new woofer box dampening material and refinishing the walnut trim with a cherry tint. Joe referred to this process as the five star treatment and that, it certainly is.

It took time, as all good things do; I believe I waited some four months. The workmanship was/is meticulous, the speakers like new (in fact, an altogether new and desirable being).

I think I need not add to the legend of these speakers or the bang for the buck. If you love your DQ 10’s as I have, it’s well worth having Regnar rebuild them. I can’t say exactly what the cost was, as I had to deal with shipping and border issues, but I think the rebuild itself was in the area of $1,200 and my question to you is: what can you buy for $1,200 in the audiophile world that can compare to these legendary speakers?

Soundstage is striking, beating some of the best sub-$5,000 speakers I've heard. It's a truly great value from the used market. There are folks to help rebuild and replace parts and know what they are doing when you need it (Regnar.com).

Invest in a powerful and fast power amp to make them shine. I'm not sure it's the flatest response curve out there.

The reviews at Audio-Review were helpful in helping make by decision to buy the DQ-10 after listening to them many years ago. I was not disappointed. I was looking for a rich, full sound-stage, and excellent imaging. I was sold . My previous B @ W 704 speakers were cheerfully replaced and moved to the secondary system. I proceeded to replace the power amp to a Aragon 4004 power amp. I also found two (stereo), line-wired B&W 300 subwoofers a great help for the low end. I just recently replaced the caps in the speakers with a kit from Regnar.com. I was happy before, but now I'm listening to music all over again while in the process of breaking in the new caps. The caps are clearly the best investment I've make for the improvement in sound returned. I was happy before, but the new caps put more tone and flesh around the bone of a beautiful sound-stage. The speakers are just more musical. I'm writing to concur with many previous writers that love the DQ-10's, but I also want to recommend a good power amp and the cap upgrade kit. It's hard to believe that a speaker of this age would be this much better than a modern speaker at a much higher price. There is something special about the presentation of the music. Some speakers may be more accurate or flat in their response curve. I think my B&W's are., but if you love a musical presence, the DQ-10 are special. While I'm always looking for something new, these are staying!

Similar Products Used:

B&W 603, 704 speakers, Polk SDA-2's