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Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-2A Speakers by bostonaudi

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REVIEW: Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-2A Speakers

12.148.251.114


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Model: SC-2A
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $3000
Description: Monitor
Manufacturer URL: Dunlavy Audio Labs
Manufacturer URL: Dunlavy Audio Labs

Review by bostonaudi on April 28, 2003 at 06:53:15
IP Address: 12.148.251.114
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for the SC-2A


I bought a pair of Dunlavy SC-2A's (I believe they were formerly known as SM-1's) from AudioVideoLogic on their closeout deal for $1500 last November, 2002. Many speakers can be had in this price range (AVL claims these were originally $3000 speakers) so it was with some trepidation that I bought a discontinued model when there were clearly many tempting alternatives. My other choices at the time were to go back to Magnepan and get 1.6's (used to own 3A's), Thiel 1.6, and I was looking at ProAc, the little Merlins, and Reference 3A's. My room is smallish at 12x18' so big Maggies weren't my first choice. Monitors w/subwoofer seemed the way to go. Of the other choices above the only ones I was able to directly audition were the Merlin TSM's and Thiels. The Merlins are great little speakers, open, spacious, uncolored and fun to listen to, the only drawback was they were out of my $1500 limit, pretty much same for the Thiels. The 1.6 Thiels have an amazing ability to dissapear, although I thought the high end a little constrained compared to the 2.3 Thiels, but still very nice. Little bass though. I didn't want to get into the mad used search on Audiogon, buy something and sell it again after 2 weeks game with things I couldn't audition, so on strong recommendation from AVL ordered the Dunlavy's (and flying in the face of buying something unauditioned). However, I couldn't find any negative reviews anywhere on Dunlavy and I rather enjoyed reading about Dunlavy's approach to speaker design. I recieved the Dunlavy's well packaged and double boxed. Construction seems good but they are not as sexy as other designs out there, just a plain box with two main drivers and a tweeter in the D'Appolito style. They sounded fairly brittle initially, but after about a month of leaving them on 24x7 with FM, they started to sound good, really good. I now find myself drawn to my listening room quite often, spinning LP after LP and finding new details that I previously didn't. I am also using an ACI Force subwoofer, which seems a good match for the 2A's. You will need a sub with these, there isn't much bass below 60 Hz, but what is there is uncolored and accurate. These speakers are great sounding, completely fatigue free, and remind me of having panels again, which is the highest compliment I can give them. The imaging and sound stage seems to be as good as the electronics behind them, which means these speakers can reveal a lot. I am still in search of my perfect preamp, so I know I will hear even more out of the Dunlavy's when my system is complete. I am driving the speakers with a little Pass Aleph 30 which has no trouble at all even with just 30W/ch as the Dunlavy's are 91dB efficient. The speakers are capable of revealing the air around individual instruments, and are accurate and revealing while never being harsh. Harsh never even comes to mind. Compared to ESL's or Maggies though, the midrange does fall a little short (panels are my favorite speakers). However, if space is a concern and you simply don't have room for panels these speakers should be high on anyone's list. They don't require a lot of room, work great with small high quality amps, and simply sound great. They do work best with good stands, definitely worth putting a few bucks into that. Overall I recommend them highly.


Product Weakness: Bass weak below 60Hz
Product Strengths: Extremely clear imaging, soundstage, accuracy, uncolored


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Pass Labs Aleph 30
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Rotel RB-980BX
Sources (CDP/Turntable): VPI 19-IV
Speakers: Dunlavy SC-2A
Cables/Interconnects: All FMS
Music Used (Genre/Selections): All
Room Size (LxWxH): 18 x 12 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: Sound deadening boards behind sheetrock
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio Power Plant 300
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-2A Speakers - bostonaudi 06:53:15 04/28/03 ( 2)