Price Paid:  $15000.00 from Ordered from Austral

Summary:
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)

I just wrote a review on the VI's in their appropriate section, but since my comments are almost identical, I will cut and paste that review here, changing the specific parts that apply here.

It seems to me that Ted probably had a hidden agenda when he wrote his review. That anyone can rate these speakers a one out of five is absolutely rediculous!

Ted, did you hear them in a busy stairwell or maybe even a noisy bus terminal? I know; maybe you were on a subway ride during rush hour and they were being powered by a boom box?

My point is a rating of one on a speaker of this caliber is just incredibly off the mark! I'm not saying that everyone has to rate them a perfect five, but you gave them a one! These speakers would have to be submerged in a pool of salt-water for most sane person to rate them a one! Were you having a bad day or something?

I have been fortunate enough to have owned seven different pairs of speakers in the over $10,000 (when new) category and one of those even made it into the over $50,000 category. I have also critically listened to many high-end, ultra-high-end and even super-duper-ultra-high-end speakers over the past 25 to 30 years. Some of them were in carefully set up rooms and some had not passed the WIF (Wife Acceptance Factor), so they were in less than ideal settings!

To anyone considering Dunlavy or Duntech speakers, they are truly amazing products at every one of their respective price points. You should definitely give them an audition if you ever get the chance.

Unfortunately, the Dunlavy factory has since closed it's doors and Mr. Dunlavy has passed away.

Strengths:
Incredible sound, and isn't that what speakers are supposed to be about?

For the money (when new), these were an great deal.

Now on the even cheaper used market, I'd tell my best friend to mortgage their house if they had to; they're that good!

Weaknesses:
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)

Their size bothers some people; I always tell people I want to be burried in them...

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...

Price Paid:  $13000.00 from -

Summary:
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).

Strengths:
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.

Weaknesses:
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.

Price Paid:  $16995.00 from The Sound Broker

Summary:
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.

Strengths:
Absolute transparency, phase coherence, dynamics, and frequency response. A true window into the music when set up correctly.

Weaknesses:
Absolute transparency. Unforgiving of poor rooms, poor equipment and poor setup. Get them right and they will floor you.

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.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
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.

Strengths:
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.

Weaknesses:
Size, cost, and lack of forgiveness of components up stream.

Similar Products Used:
Multiple Magneplanars, Martin Logans Monoliths, Klipsch Horns, Genesis II, B&W Matrix 801 & Nautilus 802.

Price Paid:  $11000.00

Summary:
Previous reviewers complaining about mechanical sound
and lack of low bass are suffering from the fact
that the SC-V are extremely revealing of the source
and electronics.

I have experimented a lot with cables and electronics
and have found major differences.

For example, in my case, ultra low bass was elusive
until I changed interconnects and DACs.
The Dunlavy's are quite capable, but they don't "warm up"
the sound or add "punch".

All tests I've done with the Nautilus line have failed
to produce the same openness and effortless sound
that the Dunlavy's have.

Its not black magic, it makes sense, but you have to try different combinations.

Its hard to give $10k + speakers 5 stars for value, but when you realize there are $75k+ monsters out there,
the SC-V is a Giant, Giant killer.

Strengths:
True full range speaker.
Revealing of the source and electronics

Weaknesses:
Size

Similar Products Used:
N801/2, Quad ESL, Martin Logan