Would you like to know about Dunlavy mods?

Actually the following mods would work to improve any speaker. Remove all the ferrous metals in and around the crossover these include all the steel hardware, screws mounting brackets etc. Replace these with brass.Replace the steel screws holding the drivers in place again with non-magnectic type such as brass. The 10 cent resistors in any crossover should be thrown away. They should be replaced with non inductive types such as Ohmite. Better yet would be resistor bridges made up of many Vishay bulk metal film resistors, these are very expensive but the improvement will bring tears of joy to your eyes. These improvements only enhance the already great attributes of Dunlavy speakers. Speed, soundstage width and height,inner detail focus and a much lower noise floor. I know these are all passive improvements. However they make the speakers more reactive to the music. I have also settled on the Sistrum speaker platforms from Star Sound. These effectivly again add a wealth of extra detail and speed. Dan if you are much more adventurous you can seal the inside of the cabinet with a latex based product that drys like concrete. This is available from Cascade Audio Engineering. When I first did this I only did the mid-range tweeter compartment of one speaker. Again the soundstage got wider and and more detailed. Of course it took many hours to complete this procedure. The increase in performance I felt made the pain in my back go away. You do not want to use to much of the Cascade product and measure it out the same for both speakers. Many of the caps I settled on as well as the 8 and 10 gauge inductors are can be bought thru North Creek Music Systems. I am at this time having an outboard crossover and new wiring harness being assembled. Some of these ideas are out of my realm of construction ability. If you like I can talk to you about this new wire technique as well as the construction and mounting of all the components in this outboard box. Oh I forgot the solid copper binding posts from Cardas also help. I know some of these changes are scary to do or to try. Most manufacturers use only the quality of parts needed to make there products sell for a certain price point. The parts and techniques I have selected would add thousands at retail.Oh ,the madness of HI-FI. Talk to you,Tom

Have you implemented zobel circuits on the drivers? I know of 5 Dunlavy owners who have done this with great success. Also, the tweeter needs to be replaced. A Morel MDT-33 makes a great drop in replacement that is much better than the stock tweeter.

No, I did neither of those mods.I feel that if you did those type of changes you would change the time alignment.I do not have the means to measure time offset.Actually the crossover upgrades and the removal of all the steel from the around the components really show how good the Vifa drivers can be.I have been told by a designer of amps and speakers that a .47mic film and foil cap across the output of the x-over to the 2- 10inwoofers will enhance the blend from bass to mids.

Dan, please excuse my ignorance....why does the non ferrous hardware make a difference to the sound? Where can I get the brass screws and other hardware?

Secondly, I tried to open the back of the speaker but the panel was stuck firmly even though the screws were taken out. Does Dunlavy use a glue to stick the panel to the box? Please advise.

Thanks in advance.

genesis168

Genesis,

You should be able to get brass hardware at most hardware stores. Home Depot and Sears P&H in my area have them. The crossover panel has a thin foam seal around the perimeter. You may need to pry a little bit to get it started. The botttom crossover board is in wood alignment slots, so it will need to be slid out straight (not angular). The crossovers in the SC-Vs are surprisingly heavy, this may also contribute to your seemingly "stuck firmly" crossover.
Once you have the crossover out of the enclosure, I would also suggest changing the way the the lug panel is mounted. It will allow you to use any lugs on the back of the Dunlavys. This may be difficult to describe, I'll do my best.-- When SC-Xs are delivered from factory, it is nearly impossible to put large, inflexible cables (ex.Syn Res Des Refs) on them. If the ring (spacer) that is sandwiched between the lug panel and the exterior crossover panel is moved to behind the lug panel, there is then no well that is caused by that ring (spacer). If the above description is insufficient, I believe I have some digital photos around here if anyone would like them emailed to them.
Lastly, I would also enjoy a description of how non-ferrous fastening materials effected the original sound.

Thank you, Aaron