Help My friend wants to go with some DQ-10s


which were probably good back in the days of cheesy disco...but these things sound like a wet towel has been placed over them...and the bass...well..it is slower than a broken down bus...and the dealer is asking $500 for the pair! To be fair, they image pretty good...but so does every other decent speaker nowadays...this is his first attempt at entering the world of hifi...and as a friend...think he can do much better...I have tried to enlighten him...but he is mystified my the Dq-10 heritage...and a smooth sales rep...any thoughts on persuading him to a modern design?
128x128phasecorrect
Regardless of the different opinions concerning sound...these are space hogs,power hungry,and will need some
extensive work just to get them up to speed...I dont see tthe benefits in inheriting all these problems...call me cynical...but going this far back used is always a high risk...
Phasecorrect: I won't argue the points that you brought up. They are all true.

As i had already stated though, i don't think that you could find a "conventional" speaker that could compete with the DQ's at the prices mentioned. That is, if you are willing to get your hands dirty. Not everything in life is as simple or convenient as sliced bread. This is especially true if you like something a little higher quality than what one can typically buy off the shelf.

I guess that this is why there are SO many different makes and models out there i.e. something to suite everyone's individual tastes and situations. As such, i would not try to discourage your friend but i would make him fully aware of what he's getting into and try to do so in a "balanced" manner. Sean
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Here is what one can get new or used for same amount of coin as the $500-600 DQs(factoring in upgrades/repair work)...Epos M12s,Spendor 3/5s,PMC tb1,Maggie MMG,Paradigm Studio 20,Triangle TItus,Monitor AUdio Studio 2s,B&W 601/602,Dynaudio 42/52,Meadowlark Vireo,Quad 11L,etc...all vastly superior in one way or another...I find that the mystique of the DQs is overly "romantic"...similiar to the contingency that simply wont let vinyl go...the Dq was a benchmark during its day...honoured as a Sterephile 100 product...and today is more of a novelty and curiousity than an actual competitive performer..
I had some DQ-10's years ago and at the time thought they were some great speakers. I had to buy a new amp after I got them, my 100 watt SAE amp would not push them very well. I don't think they went much below 40hz but as I recall what they did do they did well. The stands were really cheap made.
Your thoughts (Phasecorrect) are fine, but if your friend wants DQ-10's, talking him out is not the right thing to do. You are friends and he might continue to think about these speakers after buying something else. You can give him your thoughts but, let him decide what sounds good to him! I owm a pr of DQ-20, which I upgraded the coils and capacitors and new wire, rebuilt the woofers and midranges and bought new tweeters, the speakers are better than new. They still take a back seat to my Vandersteen 3A Sig w/ 2wq. Associated equipment does make a difference especially here. I've mated the Vandy w/ Classe CA 300 & ARC LS25MII. The DQ-20 w/ Magnum Dynalab MD208. I like classical with the DQ-20's and just about everything else with the Vandy's.
I never consider changing the vandy's, the sound is that good. I would consider changing the DQ-20's maybe for something out of the new JM Labs line next year!
Thanks for the thread and Happy Holidays...