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Power amp Suggestions for Dunlavy SC-IV

I'm picking up a used pair of SC-IV for a mastering room in my home. Admittedly I'm from a Pro Audio and Recording studio background and am largely unaware of many of the obscure and esoteric audiophile brands and topologies. I was planning on powering them with a Bryston 4B initially, but started looking at used amps and was overwhelmed by the selection. Using the 4b as a point of reference what other amps would people recommend <$2k used.

Some that I have considered are the Krell KSA 250, Older Levinson ML3.
I even have an old set of Marantz Model 5 monoblocks in the storage room, though I suspect they are way too under powered for the Dulavy's.

Thanks and forgive my ignorance.

trin
trinculo
violin
120 posts
 
Trinculo, like Pryso, I have a pair of the Duntech Princess speakers that were made by John Dunlavy in Australia and I am driving them also with a pair of JC-1 monos. Years ago I was using a Rowland Model 5 ss amp to drive them. It was some of the best sound that I ever had and sometimes I wish that I had never traded it. You probably can buy one used within your budget. I recommend that it is worth trying to find one.
Carter
rcprince
3,068 posts
 
I'm looking at this thread as an old Duntech Princess owner who seriously considered Dunlavy's and listened to them a lot. My general observation is that Duntechs sounded better with solid state amplification (it controlled the woofers better, and the older Duntechs had a slightly warmer tonal balance than the Dunlavys--Rowland stuff in particular and some of the Krell Class A amps were a beautiful match with them), and Dunlavys sounded better with tubed amplification (I heard them with VTL, ARC and VAC amplification, among others--the slight warmth of the tubes made them a little more listenable). However, you implied in the start of the thread that you wanted to use the Dunlavys for mastering; for that purpose the Bryston or Mac amps might be a better choice, even though, as Shadorne aptly pointed out, they might sound a little unforgiving. For pleasure, I wouldn't necessarily choose them, but they put out a lot of clean, undistorted power that would certainly suit a mastering studio application.
zieman
339 posts
 
Absolutely no need for subwoofer(s) unless you like bass. The SCIVs go down to about 70hz then begin to roll off. Low powered tube amps would be a great match. But YOU WILL NEED A SUB.
rleff
1,065 posts
 
I had a pair of sc3's and ran them successfully with cary slam 100's (90 watts trode) with excellant results.
sonofjim
557 posts
 
I used Dulavys for 10 years with a Krell FPB 600 starting with the IVs and ending up with the Vs. They worked well with the Krell and a BAT VK51se though occasionally this combination got a little bright. My wife could no longer tolerate the size and appearance of the Vs and I have such switched to the Vandersteen 5A which also uses a first order crossover and I love them as well. I do miss the Dunlavys though. Great speakers, great price, great company, and a one of a kind designer who will be sorely missed.
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