Freds.Bands
Live Music Listener
Mr Ian, the hi-tech designer. Very interesting ideas.
Dahlquist DQ-10's. Your thoughts on an amp for this?
- Thread starter IanMcI
- Start date
Freds.Bands
Live Music Listener
Maybe I'll add some spikes, steel plate and wrap it too. I'd also use some non-skid foamy things under the speaker.
Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
all that engineering of the crossover shot to hell with the desire to improve the build cosmetics of the superstructure.
50 watt tube or 150wpc high quality ss power...double DQ-10s. Damn fine, ask those that come over for the listening days
50 watt tube or 150wpc high quality ss power...double DQ-10s. Damn fine, ask those that come over for the listening days
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Well thanks a lot for that, Ian.
Now OCD me is gonna have to pull my grills apart, measure everything with a micrometer and spend the weekend repositioning speakers back into the sweet spot.
Or I could just jump on board with your plan, and see how this turns out, which sounds like more fun, actually.
So, have you thought about covers for the drivers or are you going to let them be exposed, steam punk style?
Also, I have a set of these speakers for reference and a garage full of woodworking tools. Hit me up if you need any of the wood parts fabricated.
Shine on, you crazy diamond!
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Thanks, dcmfan. I hadn't thought about covers for the mids/tweets. I haven't really taken the concept that far - this is more of a design exercise meant to address the, in my opinion, overly large grill area of the originals. For those of us with smaller spaces (and those spaces doing double and triple duty), along with the aesthetic sensibilities of dear spouses, any chance to better equipment without negatively impacting available space is welcomed.
In the all-black version I posted, I did take small liberties with mid/hi placement. In the other, the "mid-century modern" design, I went back to the offset mid/hi placement - it's that that sparked the more organic, offset look of that design.
My design attempt is to get rid of the demanding grills, reduce visual real estate, and make more palatable the otherwise starkly utilitarian looks of the naked components, while remaining faithful to all that these are supposed to be about.
The "Danish" design suggests a rather substantial baffle, though the lower portion is just a stand, and the upper is simply the original masonite redesigned to complete the visual "oneness" of the overall design. I think that upper baffle is quite in keeping with the sonic design parameters, though I really don't know just how far one can move from that original design and remain faithful to the designer's intent (my guess is not much, and I think I've remained very close to the original requirements). It's just that having gone over the componentry, I see what I believe is room for tweaking without damaging that sonic design.
EDIE: I should mention that I'm assuming the original grills (and, for that matter, the rear cages) are themselves not part of the sonic design, so can be dispensed with without doing harm to that design. I have seen these used without them, and have read comments that their removal might improve the sound.
And, again, this is entirely for fun. These are just drawings. My focus is on procuring woofers and an appropriate amp.
Ian
SF Bay Area
In the all-black version I posted, I did take small liberties with mid/hi placement. In the other, the "mid-century modern" design, I went back to the offset mid/hi placement - it's that that sparked the more organic, offset look of that design.
My design attempt is to get rid of the demanding grills, reduce visual real estate, and make more palatable the otherwise starkly utilitarian looks of the naked components, while remaining faithful to all that these are supposed to be about.
The "Danish" design suggests a rather substantial baffle, though the lower portion is just a stand, and the upper is simply the original masonite redesigned to complete the visual "oneness" of the overall design. I think that upper baffle is quite in keeping with the sonic design parameters, though I really don't know just how far one can move from that original design and remain faithful to the designer's intent (my guess is not much, and I think I've remained very close to the original requirements). It's just that having gone over the componentry, I see what I believe is room for tweaking without damaging that sonic design.
EDIE: I should mention that I'm assuming the original grills (and, for that matter, the rear cages) are themselves not part of the sonic design, so can be dispensed with without doing harm to that design. I have seen these used without them, and have read comments that their removal might improve the sound.
And, again, this is entirely for fun. These are just drawings. My focus is on procuring woofers and an appropriate amp.
Ian
SF Bay Area
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Update: I've installed new woofers.
I bought a pair of New Large Advents for their woofers - removing them and selling the carcasses.
I re-foamed the NLAs a couple of days ago, and installed them today.
The photo shows what I've ended up with, and I'm including it to highlight the use of Foamies - thin sheets of foam bought in a 12-pack from a local Joanne Fabric store - for the driver seal. I used these on a pair of KLH Model 20 speakers and still had a few sheets left, so a no-brainer. The one shown is blue, because I mis-cut the first one in black, and they come 2 per color. I could trim right to the basket's edge, but I'm not worried about it.
I hope to try these out later today.
Ian
SF Bay Area
I bought a pair of New Large Advents for their woofers - removing them and selling the carcasses.
I re-foamed the NLAs a couple of days ago, and installed them today.
The photo shows what I've ended up with, and I'm including it to highlight the use of Foamies - thin sheets of foam bought in a 12-pack from a local Joanne Fabric store - for the driver seal. I used these on a pair of KLH Model 20 speakers and still had a few sheets left, so a no-brainer. The one shown is blue, because I mis-cut the first one in black, and they come 2 per color. I could trim right to the basket's edge, but I'm not worried about it.
I hope to try these out later today.
Ian
SF Bay Area
Attachments
Goosebumps (well... it was Joe Satriani's Always With Me, Always With You).
I was, at first, alarmed. I hooked them up using Monster Cables XP and... NOTHING! Of corse, I was scratching my head, wondering what I might have done wrong. I tried the other speaker (I wired just one speaker up at a time, as I'm working in a small hobby room with no room to set these up in any way proper. And this was a test run, just to make sure they worked at all) and same thing - zilch. I then went with another speaker wire, and that did the trick.
EDIT: turns out there is an inner sheath on the wire that I couldn't see (it's clear and, well... my eyesight sucks). I haven't retried it - I think I'll save that for a living room setup and test.
Ian
SF Bay Area
I was, at first, alarmed. I hooked them up using Monster Cables XP and... NOTHING! Of corse, I was scratching my head, wondering what I might have done wrong. I tried the other speaker (I wired just one speaker up at a time, as I'm working in a small hobby room with no room to set these up in any way proper. And this was a test run, just to make sure they worked at all) and same thing - zilch. I then went with another speaker wire, and that did the trick.
EDIT: turns out there is an inner sheath on the wire that I couldn't see (it's clear and, well... my eyesight sucks). I haven't retried it - I think I'll save that for a living room setup and test.
Ian
SF Bay Area
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Blue Shadow
Waiting for Vintage Gear from this century
Clipping meters? What is that? Does the 250 have clipping indicators?
Yes, you will run out of power with the 250 if you listen at higher volumes.
Thanks for that rendition, Borus! I had thought of that as worthy of consideration, but, as elcoholic, and others, have been pointing out, a lot of work went into this speaker design, and I'm coming around to the point of view that these are better off as they were originally meant to be. They are what they are, and that should be honored.
I may save my penchant for design for a set of open baffle speakers I have in mind.
Ian
SF Bay Area
I may save my penchant for design for a set of open baffle speakers I have in mind.
Ian
SF Bay Area
I haven't set up the DQ-10s just yet.
I got rid of the Kenwood AV home theater receiver, in favor of a Kenwood Basic M1 @ 105 wpc. I'm still looking for something with more power, but until I do, this will serve as a pretty nice system (power amp, pre-amp and tuner).
Ian
SF Bay Area
I got rid of the Kenwood AV home theater receiver, in favor of a Kenwood Basic M1 @ 105 wpc. I'm still looking for something with more power, but until I do, this will serve as a pretty nice system (power amp, pre-amp and tuner).
Ian
SF Bay Area
theebadone
Super Member
The DQ-10s run out of steam at 130 w.p.c, so I would look for at least a 130 w.p.c. high current amp. There are plenty to choose from, but I especially like the Yamaha M series amps. Very nice speakers, choose an amp that does them justice and you will enjoy for a long long time. Good luck.
Valveglow
Super Member
The more WPC, the merrier, with certain exceptions. I had a couple of friends with DQ-10s, and certain results would not have been obvious to some.
I heard them with a high current 100 WPC amp that was said to be rated very conservatively. At the time, the owner switched back and forth using that amp and an Adcom 555 driving an inefficient subwoofer. The amps seemed virtually indistinguishable for that duty.
The 100 WPC amp did moderately well powering the DQ10s and yet, a pair of 60 WPC Dynaco Mk III mono tube amps seemed to do better. The speakers produced plenty of volume, and in fact the bone stock KT88 Dynacos smoothed out the Dalquists.
62sunbeam
Raconteur
Ian
I don't mean to rain on your parade but the woofers you refoamed are not the correct ones.
The correct ones are from the Original Large Advents. The ones with the Masonite ring around the woofer. There was a picture of one earlier in the thread.
I'm not saying the ones you have won't sound ok but the DQ-10s won't perform as they should without the correct ones.
If you still have the cabinets you can probably sell the refoamed NLAs for enough to cover your investment and buy a pair of the right woofers in Barter Town.
Also when you refoam them the surrounds go on reversed. The surround sits with the concave face out. Outer rim behind the Masonite rim, inner rim on the face of the paper cone.
You need to make sure the woofers are sealed to the cabinet too. I use foam weather strip material.
These speakers are well worth the effort. Be patient.
Good luck
Eric
P.S. Pick up a hafler P3000 amp for these for some inexpensive MOSFET Magic
I don't mean to rain on your parade but the woofers you refoamed are not the correct ones.
The correct ones are from the Original Large Advents. The ones with the Masonite ring around the woofer. There was a picture of one earlier in the thread.
I'm not saying the ones you have won't sound ok but the DQ-10s won't perform as they should without the correct ones.
If you still have the cabinets you can probably sell the refoamed NLAs for enough to cover your investment and buy a pair of the right woofers in Barter Town.
Also when you refoam them the surrounds go on reversed. The surround sits with the concave face out. Outer rim behind the Masonite rim, inner rim on the face of the paper cone.
You need to make sure the woofers are sealed to the cabinet too. I use foam weather strip material.
These speakers are well worth the effort. Be patient.
Good luck
Eric
P.S. Pick up a hafler P3000 amp for these for some inexpensive MOSFET Magic
I believe these are manufactured today by Advent (Jensen) for Large Advents and as Dahlquist replacements for when the originals are not available (as they were not on mine). My replacements are NLA from before Jensen's purchase of Advent. Regnar uses the NLA style as replacements for when the originals are not available.
Yes, concave foam for original drivers with masonite rings, and convex for NLAs.
I used Foamies from Joanne Fabrics to make seals for these and for a pair of KLH Model 20s. It works very well, and has the benefit of being easily reused.
Ian
SF Bay Area
Yes, concave foam for original drivers with masonite rings, and convex for NLAs.
I used Foamies from Joanne Fabrics to make seals for these and for a pair of KLH Model 20s. It works very well, and has the benefit of being easily reused.
Ian
SF Bay Area
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Dahlquist DQ10
Nice to see this thread. I am currently refurbishing my pair which I purchased in the late 70's.
Have driven them with anything from a Eico HF81 (14 Watts per channel) to currently a Nakamichi PA7 at 200 watts a side, with variously a Dyanco PAS3 (highly Modified) / Onkyo P303/ Moscode Minuet preamplifiers
I have lived with them for over 30 years, they need power. In fact they were my first and last high end speakers, wife wont let me spend 4k's to better them.
Jim Fabio at Fab Audio in Toronto is doing the refurbishing, changing capacitors in the crossover, adding braces to the box to tighten the bass, adding heavy duty binding posts, refurbishing the cabinet.
Not touching the piezo's , getting them back this weekend and can hardly wait to hear them
Nice to see this thread. I am currently refurbishing my pair which I purchased in the late 70's.
Have driven them with anything from a Eico HF81 (14 Watts per channel) to currently a Nakamichi PA7 at 200 watts a side, with variously a Dyanco PAS3 (highly Modified) / Onkyo P303/ Moscode Minuet preamplifiers
I have lived with them for over 30 years, they need power. In fact they were my first and last high end speakers, wife wont let me spend 4k's to better them.
Jim Fabio at Fab Audio in Toronto is doing the refurbishing, changing capacitors in the crossover, adding braces to the box to tighten the bass, adding heavy duty binding posts, refurbishing the cabinet.
Not touching the piezo's , getting them back this weekend and can hardly wait to hear them
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