Shocked One

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.50 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $15000.00 from Used from private se

Summary:
Glen was obviously just trying to skew the reviews. That anyone can rate these speakers a one out of five is absolutely rediculous!

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

My point is you'd have to be a complete moron to rate these a one!!! I'm not saying that everyone has to rate them a perfect five, but TWICE you gave them a one! You obviously have some sort of hidden agenda there, my friend!

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!

Now, I am not claiming (as you have) to be an audio engineer, but damn! These speakers would have to be submerged in a pool of salt-water for me to rate them a one! Are you deaf or something?

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:
Very narrow sweet spot. Steven Stone of Stereophile magazine once said (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...

View Comments (2)

Would you like to Comment?
Join audioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

mistermosquito

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.33 of 5, 6.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Dunlavy Audio

Summary:
Given that Dunlavy Audio is out of business, these comments are just a bit academic (and very late but I just ran across these comments). I believe I am the dealer to whom Glenn is referring as I did have someone who sounds like this individual come to my home and listen to the speakers and did not like them. Were they properly set up? Better than that. The room was properly designed, with tube traps, and other assorted sound control devices. Furthermore, the system had a measurable room response of plus or minus 1.5 db from 20Hz to 20KHz due to the use of a SigTech room correction device. In a word, they sound spectacular. Glenn said he did not like the top end or the mid bass. I can prove to anyone that at the listening position, the speakers were ruler flat and in perfect phase at the top end, so the fact that he didn't like the top end only means that he doesn't like perfectly neutral speakers (ACTUALLY, MOST PEOPLE DON'T). He commented that he thought they wer dull on top (I have heard that more than once). As to the mid bass issue he had, I have no answer. Dunlavy's (all of the models from the IV, V and VI) are well known for their accuracy in that area...and since there is no artificial bump in that area, he believed they were deficient. It is not a sin to not like a speaker. There are some out there that cost $40,000 to $80,000 a pair that are truly awful. While I would have liked to have made the sale, I was not offended that he didn't like the speakers...to each his own One more item I would add to my previous comments that may have impacted what was heard in the top end. My room was very, very, very damped and because of that, it may have been perceived that the tweeters lacked air. Other than that, to each his own.

Weaknesses:
Too big and too heavy!!

Price Paid:  $15000.00 from second hand from fri

Summary:
very beautiful sound. styling to be desired. loud as hell.

Strengths:
strong sound.

Weaknesses:
poor looks.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I am writing this primarily in response to Glenn, who snubbed these speakers twice in a row (!). In truth, I have not lived with these speakers but have owned a pair of their younger brothers, the SC-IV since 1994. They are some of the best speakers money can buy, and are certainly hard to beat value-wise. I have auditioned at length the SC-VI. And no, Glenn, we are not merely defending the “Holy Grail" of audiophilia nervosa, we just think you’re sophomoric. For those audiophiles out there, allow me to qualify myself. I run my SC-IVs off of Pass O amps, P preamp, Meridian 508.24 CD player and balance interconnects. I listen almost exclusively to classical music. For large orchestral music, there is simply no substitute for large, sealed cabinet enclosures. Acoustic orchestral music always reveal the flaws of vented cabinets, especially in the bass regions. Dunleavy knows this which is why they make such huge (and unsightly) speakers that can double as confines for us audiophiles.

Strengths:
Value, neutral sound, reproduction of large orchestral music, natural bass, palpable sound stage.

Weaknesses:
Size of speaker

Similar Products Used:
You name it, I've heard it sometime in the past 10 years (no kidding).

Summary:
The Dunlavy SC-V and IV are world class speakers.Both can reproduce the live even with impressive accuracy and realism.You forget the speakers are there(and they are BIG,even the SC-V).

Driven by Audio Research tube monoblocks and a Wadia digital source the sound was breathtaking.Never did I hear any agressive(electronic signature),the dynamics were realistic.Instruments had a physical presence.The sound was beyond description(well real could describe it best).

The other great speakers I did listen to that are close,equal and maybe a tiny bit superior are the Dynaudio Evidence,both WILSONs and the JM LABS Utopia.All more compact designs,the Wilson WATT/PUPPY being my fave "small"
speakers in this group.

As far as large speakers go the SC-VI has only few other designs to challenge it,and very few that can,match its accuracy.

At 25 grand its not a budget speaker but it still represents a good value.When you consider how much more you have to spend to get this level of performance from other makers.Great job John Dunlavy.

Strengths:
Full range speakers,full deep bass,uncolored midrange with body and a fluid top end.Very well built,Bird eye maple is gorgeous.Can fill a BIG room with sound and vanish to reveal the fabric of music.Just awesome,bests some much more expensive cost no object speakers from well known companies!

Weaknesses:
Huge speakers,need a very large room to really breathe.Clowns who dont have a clue about accurate sound reproduction and post lies like the bozo who posted twice a score of 1/5! This person did not even listen to these with proper matching gear.Or he is deaf!

Similar Products Used:
All heard in audioshops(I only have the Dynaudio Contour 3.3 at home),Wilson WATT/PUPPY,Wilson Grand SLAMM,Dynaudio Confidence 3,Dynaudio EVIDENCE,JM LABS Utopia