Dunlavy Audio Labs SC-IV

Seadweller, taking facts that they're not in business anymore, you'll still get stellar deal and save much more even after possible neccessity to replace drivers which are not pricey at all.
Already almost decade ago, once Dunlavy line decommissioned, they drop down the price drastically and your model could've been purchased for $4000. Now it's at or near half-way down i.e. @~$2k and worth worth worth every penny.

Yes, changing out a driver with a new replacement is a task most should be up to. Just pay attention to the wiring (taking a photo of the original may help) so you don't reverse phase.

As mentioned earlier, I'm not as familiar with DAL as Duntech models but I believe John not only tested individual drivers, he then tailored crossovers to match desired response for each speaker. I'm told Duntech keeps records of manufacturer so that a similar driver (spec-wise) can be supplied for replacement. I don't know if that practice was continued with DAL or not.

A few comments regarding set up if you do buy a pair. I believe use of spikes is room dependent and that relates to suspension VS solid floor, construction material, and floor coverings. Next, my Princess manual specified a 3 meter distance for listening to allow the five drivers to converge properly. A 10' equilateral triangle set up can work nicely. However, distance from sidewalls in important and should be a minimum of 3', more is better. Lastly I understand the DAL models may have been a bit easier to drive than similar Duntechs. My Princesses were rated at 90 dB but John suggested a minimum of 200 wpc "for musical enjoyment". ;^)

Good luck. I too believe all of Dunlavy's designs (Duntech and DAL) hold up very well and can offer great bargains in today's market.

I picked up a pair of the SC-IVs a couple of years ago for $2,500.00 which were not only functionally perfect but also without any visual flaws. I passed on a couple of lower priced sets that were around $2K. I've always felt that if gear looks like it's been cared for there's a better chance that it's in good shape sonically as well.

As a side note, I use the SC-IVs as the main channels in our high-end Home Theater room and use the SC-Vs as the choice for our reference 2 channel set-up. With the SC-Vs I have also incorporated the larger Dunlavy Sub (very rare) that incorporates four 10" drivers into an SC-IV size enclosure. Needless to say, the system is capable of moving some serious air in that room.

Here's the place Madisound recommends for Dunlavy repair, Meniscus Audio in Grand Rapids MI. They replaced rubber surrounds on two 10" woofers for me, fast turn around time and reasonably priced.

As far as I can tell the rubber surrounds don't deteriorate noticeably over time. My surrounds were damaged by "die Katzen". Both speakers are now covered when I'm not listening. 8^)

PS: I've mentioned this on several Dunlavy threads, the IVA is superior to the IV. I've owned both. So, if you're serious, definitely look for the IVA.

I've owned the SC-IV Signatures since the early 90's and they still look and operate as they did when new. No signs of deterioration at all. They are the most balanced sounding speaker I've ever heard. Love them, love them, love them!

They are very easy to drive with their very even and stable impedance. Even though they are very large speakers, with the right source material and when properly placed, they are very capable of disappearing like a truly great monitor speaker.

Oh, did I tell you that I absolutely love them? :)