Among the first speakers to pay any real attention to the concept of imaging.

Power-hungry; not much bass; susceptible to deterioration of woofer surrounds

I've owned mine for nearly 19 years - fortunately I've avoided the notorious woofer rot problems so far - and while they are no longer the centerpiece of my main system they still sound wonderful in a secondary system. Many newer speakers - some of which I own - have long since surpassed the DQ-10s in the imaging department, but in their day they were among the best.

Jon Dahlquist once said that he set out to capture the imaging and midrange transparency of the classic Quad in a more practical package, and he succeeded.

The imaging is as the ledgends have it, AWESOME. There may be better modern speakers but they lack character - which the DQ-10s have inspades.

weak bass but that is what a sub is for. My C-Vega makes up for that.

A classy speaker with character. These can be had for a reasonable price, get a pair.

Unparalled midrange, wonderful warmth, beautiful midrange.

Bass, tight sweetspot.

I agree with most of the other reviews posted here, except you all forgot to mention the midrange. Although many modern speakers surpass the DQ-10s in overall performance, there is still no speaker made (for under $4000 or so) that compares with these babies on midrange. If you are in love with the human voice and acoustic guitar, and have a dedicated listening area, get ready to experience heaven. Not even Martin Logans or Dulavys (I own both) are as good. I will never surrender my DQ-10s! Five stars on mirange, four on imaging and highs, three on bass response.

Heaven

Power Requirements

Fresh out of high school in 1975, I bought my first stereo. My first speakers were Epicure 20's driven by Yamaha equipment. While making my speaker selection, I saw this enormous speaker and asked if I could listen to them. From that moment on I knew that I would own them someday. Less than 10 months later, I bought them on layaway and picked them up in 1977. I still have them and will most likely never let them go. Despite the size, I've carted them wherever I've lived. My friends still talk about the DQ-10's we partied to. I'm still partial to listening to them using my Phillips 212 turntable. Albums just sound better on my Dahlq's. My power amp is a Mitsubishi DA-A10DC 150 watts per channel which I bought around 1979. The sound is awsome. I still get excited when I here them. Sad to say, my daughter knocked one over and broke one of the speaker wire connectors off the back. I'm going to contact Regnar and see what it will cost to fix and to also refurbish them. This speaker is a large part of my young adult life and I hope to pass them on to my son someday. I personally have never heard a better, smoother speaker. If you've got the hardware to pump them, get them.

Similar Products Used:

Epicure 20

imaging, midrange are superb.....

woofer rot...Regnar can fix this.....

I have had these speakers for many years now and have owned many others. I keep going back to these monsters....The closest speakers I have heard are the big Martin Logans...
These need at least 100 watts per ch. I have the sequerra ribbon tweeters that were a modification but havent used them in years....a little to bright....not for sale either....the dq 1 w subs were a good match 10 yrs ago....get a velodyne or a atlantic tech. sub to match up with these and you will be in heaven....with the proper power.....

I talked with the new dahlquist of canada and it seems they are recreating the dq 10s.....So is regnar.....Regnar is the former designers and service staff of the ORIGINAL DAHLQUIST....I am looking forward to listening to the new dq10s and rg10s ......I AM PUTTING MY WAGER ON REGNAR! BUT I HERE THE PRICE TAG IS AROUND 3200.00 A PAIR....SOUNDS LIKE ALOT$$$$$$ BUT HEH THE DQ 10S WERE POSSIBLE THE BEST SPEAKER SYSTEM EVER MADE. AND IF THEY RECREATED IT AND MADE IT BETTER ( I DONT KNOW HOW ) IT WILL BE A BARGAIN...

YOU CAN PICK UP A USED PAIR OF DQ 10S ON EBAY ALMOST ALL OF THE TIME! 400.00 - 600.00 FOR A GOOD CONDITION PAIR IS THE BEST SPEAKER BARGAIN TODAY ALONG WITH THE MMG MAGNEPANS FOR 500.00......WOW....I just ordered the MMG for my rear speakers...possible the fronts...we will see....

Similar Products Used:

magnepans.......

I would like to add something critical to the sound of the DQ-10's. I was recently reminded of this when the speaker cables I've used for many years ended up being to short in a room adjustment. I had to hook up the 16 gauge Monster cable because the Monster Cable PowerLine 2 was short. I lost definition, imaging and took more amp power. It is very important to use a hi quality speaker cable to get the best sound from this speaker. I am currently waiting for custom built to length monster Cable PowerLine 2 plus to return the Dalquist to their highly enjoyable sound. I also tried this cable for my DQ subs and noticed a better bass response from them. So, the entire system will have the PowerLine 2 plus as my cable of choice. I'm sure their are other good cables, but I could not listen to them without purchasing.

Sound is lifelike and absolutely crystal.

Size, size, and the stands.

I have always had a desire to own high quality speakers but have never had the budget to afford what I would really like. I have been in love with several speakers (Paisley's, Mirage, high end Infinity) in my life and now I have a new love. The Dahlquists are the finest speakers I have heard in my home. They are certainly equal to speakers that cost 5 times what I paid for them. Coupled with the DQ-LP1 low pass filter and the DQ-1W sub the sound is absolutely incredible.

The speakers do not detract from the music in any way. I primarily listen to progressive, bebop jazz, and German classical and find the Dahlquists to be up to any challenge my music throws at them, be it Coltrane's sax or Steve Howe's guitar. Chris Squire's bass solos are clearer than I have ever heard them. Listening to music I have heard for almost thirty years has been a rediscovery in many cases. I have heard new things in songs I have heard thousands of times.

My beef with size is only that they take huge amount of room when properly positioned (the 2-3 feet from the wall mentioned in earlier reviews is not unreasonable). Its not really my problem but like many others it has been the only comment my wife has made about my speakers. My other complaint is that the stands I got are pretty cheesy. My intention is to make the ones mentioned earlier here, perhaps using black marble and walnut.

A QSC MX-700 amp, which is more than ample, currently feeds my speakers, the sub is feed by a Carver Cube M-400T. Eventually I will replace the QSC with two more cubes.

Finally I will finish by saying that these are the last speakers I'll buy. My intention in the future is to upgrade them with new caps, perhaps send them to Regnar for an overhaul and to be mirrored, and if I get really into it I may buy a second pair.

Similar Products Used:

Phase Technology, Mission

None

I've bought my set of DQ-10's in 1978 (sn #2849, 2850) and have never had the desire to own another set of speakers. When these speakers were introduced in 1974, they literally set the audio world on its ear! Prior to the Dahlquists, I owned Magnapans and there was no comparison relative to the accuracy of the various frequency ranges - Dahlquist ruled. Today, the DQ-10's are the showpiece in my home theater system, matched with a Martin Logan Cinema center channel speaker, Scripts rears, and B&W special effects. Since Dahlquist and Martin Logan both focused on providing that "transparent" sound, they blend well.
Regarding the typical bass issues, as I recall, Jon Dahlquist never desired to integrate an overwhelming bass into this speaker. In fact, Dahlquist product literature from 1978 states that, if you are looking for a big, powerful bass, the DQ-10's are not for you. However, things have changed with the advent of home theater. In any event, any bass issues were resolved with the addition of a Velodyne ULD-18 subwoofer.
Regarding the DQ-10's propensity to gobble up whatever power you feed it, well, it's true. I experimented with several amp setups before settling on a pair of Carver M1.0t power amps bridged to provide 600 wpc. The sound with the bridged setup is absolutely wonderful. Take one of the amps away and run with one amp at 250 wpc and you notice an immediate decrease in tonal quality. They just love power and can handle anything you feed it.
With all the technological advances in audio, especially in the past ten years, it's refreshing to see something going on thirty years old that provides sound quality suitable for today's audiophile requirements.

Very musical yet exciting.

I owned DQ-10s from 1980 or 1981 until they were stolen in January 1992. My local stereo shop teased me that they had ordered the hit because they knew I would never give them up and buy new speakers from them. They were right, I still think of the DQs fondly. That is why I read all the reviews after I found this site. The DQ-10s replaced double Advents that got halved in a divorce. The DQs started me down a dangerous and expensive path. After owning them, I could not stand box speakers. I had to replace them with Apogee Stage speakers which I eventually converted to Mini Grands by adding the matching subs and cross over. I have noticed complaints on this board of how hard the DQs were to drive. Well with Mini Grands, there are two mouths to feed and they demand gourmet cuisine. Apogee speakers are another fine product that is no longer made but are so good that they have a cult following. As for complaints that the DQs require lots of power, I ask what those people expect from a top quality speaker? Any speaker of that quality deserves good electronics. Good, clean power is probably a lot more affordable now than it was in the 80's. Lastly, if anyone out there has used DQs with the name Donald Shaulis carved on the back sitting on hand built pedestals of 1.5 inch solid walnut, those speakers were stolen. If you knew that when you bought them, I hope the tweeters fry your amp. If you did not know they were stolen, please take very good care of them. May all the legitimate DQ-10 owners enjoy many more years of wonderful listening.

open sounding not boxy

maybe the width

In 1978 I fulfilled a life long dream to own an ultimate sound system. There were 4 of us work buddies that made a 60-mile trip to hear some good stereos. The place was called Hi Fi Buys in Indianapolis. Little did we know on the way there that we would all eventually buy these Dahlquist DQ-10a's that we were about to hear. The salesman put on a song called "Feels So Good" from an album by Chuck Mangione. I had never heard of this guy. Little did I know that the music I was about to hear was going to change my listening ear forever. The turntable was a Denon DP1800 with a Grado cartridge, using a Threshold pre-amp & their 150W mono power amps. There was also a pair of the DQ-1W's and the DQ-LP1 crossover. Of course the speaker cables was the biggest things I had ever seen. Within about 1 minute into the song every hair on the back of my neck and my arms were standing up. I was in total awe at what I was hearing. I was now witnessing what I plan to hear the rest of my life. This is how I heard the name Dahlquist. Over the years, many people have walked away from my listening room saying that they had never heard or saw a speaker like those. Many had also never heard a 5 way speaker. After 23 years, they still make me proud.
The DQ10a's have been the focal point of the sound system upgrades every since. They cost $850 for the pair in 1978. My home entertainment system still has that same pair of the DQ10a's, a pair of the DQ-1W's and the DQ-LP1 crossover, oak speaker stands that I built and look better than the factory, even a slightly higher & slight tilt backward for the angle. I have a CD player, but the Denon DP1800 that sits on my shelf is still a show piece. Originally I had bought a 120W JVC receiver but now have a Denon AV3000 receiver and I power the subs with a Hafler XL280 amp. I currently use Polk speakers for the center and rear speakers. I soon will be upgrading the center to the new Dahlquist and wish they had rear speakers. I do plan to buy Definitive Technology BP 2X next week for the rear channels. Some people say that these old Dahlquist will not sound good with current technology. They change their mind after watching a movie or listening to their favorite music. These speakers were built with the future in mind. There is an interesting point with this speaker system. I cannot go to a movie theater and hear a sound system that sounds better. There is one in my area that sounds as good. Many movie theaters usually sound worse that what I hear at home.
I have read of some people not being happy with them because of various reasons. In almost every case, I would guess that the DQ-10's were not with compatible components. The speakers will play only as good as the weakest link in the sound system. Positioning is important, a good quality wire without any splices is a must, I use Powerline II's, which made a difference in themselves. I heard a 160W Sansui amp that made the speakers sound like muddy water. I heard an 80W Pioneer that put the Sansui to shame. The JVC receiver that I originally had sounded the best. But, now the Denon and the Hafler blows that right off the shelf. These speakers are extremely critical of their sound depending on what is tied into the system. So, if they don't sound good, don't blame the speaker, buy a good amp that is capable of what the Dahlquist requirements. For the average person, Denon will perform well, but there are higher end amps that will improve the sound more.
As for the woofers, they were repaired around 10 years with the butyl rubber edges. They sound just as good as the foam did and will last much longer. There are times when the volume will reach concert levels when Shania or Britney wants to perform at my house. I think these speakers sound great with all types of movies or music, although jazz is perfection for this.
I have thought about replacing them over the years, but I'm not willing to spend $4000 to replace the Dahlquist with something that sounds only as good as they do. If this were to happen, then Definitive Technology or Theil have been the only thing with comparable sound quality. I do wish the speakers weren't as wide as they are, but if that's what it takes for the sound, then so be it. My speakers have been well taken care of, look and sound new, and of course I still have those pesky boxes.
If any one would care to write to me about hints, tips, or suggestions, please write. Music and computers are my hobbies.