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Dunlavy SCIVA'S... Mine sound bland

First of all I am no expert and I just want to enjoy my music.  The room in question has been professionally treated by company with diffusers and absorbtion.  So the room is ok, not the best but I have put money into the room.  The preamp is a tube unit called the dude from tube research labs.  The amps are mcshaned citation II's that are bridged and running as monoblocks.  Last week I paid an individual with over 40 years of audio setup experience to come and help me out.  His initial feedback was the speakers were just very drab...  No life and nothing special.  I then hooked a pair of modified lascalas and he was OMG, they blew the dunlavy away in all aspects.  This can not be true??  So I have been reading....  All drivers are good on my dunlavy.  Could I be underpowering them??  Another theory is the crossovers need freshened up....  I'm at a loss...  Any help would be appreciated.  The last thing I need is to start any flaming on here...  I'm located near Chattanooga, TN and would kill to find someone close by to help me with this issue.
robmag
teo_audio
2,197 posts
 
My post was somehow erased. I'll try again.

the dunlavys are designed for high current solid state amps with gobs and gobs of power. 

Their impedance is from 2.5 ohms to 5 ohms across the entire frequency spectrum.

check out the stereophile review, from 1998. see the impedance chart. 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/dunlavy-audio-labs-sc-iva-loudspeaker-measurements
The citations are great with the klipsch, an ideal pairing, they would be. Not even close to the required current and power that the dunlavy's need to come alive.
robmag OP
16 posts
 
Thanks for the info.  I have a pass labs x250 in another room that power my infinity RS 4.5's.  I need to move this amp over and see what the results are. 
What is the ideal amp in the used market for the Dunlavy's??  
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
It's a matter of low-efficiency versus high-efficiency speakers! I prefer the second type! Vintage Altec's, JBL's, Klipsch ... Easy to drive with low-power tube or SS amps! Your SCIV's would sound far better with a high-power SS amp, like my Perreaux 2150B (200wpc/8ohms, 400wpc/4ohms - clipping at 300+ and 500+ watts respectively). I suspect that the SCIV's drop down to 3 ohms or less at mid-bass frequencies. This is a punishing load for any amp, including strapped Citation II's. I bought the Perreaux to use with my restored DQ10's - a speaker that really benefits from a powerful amp! While my Klipsch Heresy's are happy with my SET 2A3 amp (3.5 watts). Horses for courses, as the English would say!
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Your Pass amp should do the trick! How about Jim Bongiorno's last masterpiece: the Ampzilla 2000?
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