Dahlquist DQ-20 amp recommendations

[jfleck1956]

I'm a former DQM-9 owner who recently acquired two pairs of DQ-20’s (not DQ-20i) and am interested in recommendations for amps (I’d only run one pair). I only had them hooked up briefly and need to do some re-arranging of furnishings to set them up permanently and get to know them. They will be on an Adcom GFA 5400 -- for now. I get the sense that the GFA is “OK” but not great. It provides 125 watts continuous average power per channel into 8 ohms, 200 watts continuous average power per channel into 4 ohms

Any thoughts or recommendations on the Adcom or alternatives?

Thanks for your help with this.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Budget

McCormack, Odyssey maybe some nice tube amps if you take the low end out of the 20s with a sub or two. I have about 200wpc for DQ-10s but get all the volume I need with 50 watts of tube power when using the subs so the amps don’t need to do 60Hz or below.

 

[jfleck1956]

Thanks. I do have a powered subwoofer that I plan to try with them.

 

[bhunter]

I'm a former DQM-9 owner who recently acquired two pairs of DQ-20’s (not DQ-20i) and am interested in recommendations for amps (I’d only run one pair). I only had them hooked up briefly and need to do some re-arranging of furnishings to set them up permanently and get to know them. They will be on an Adcom GFA 5400 -- for now. I get the sense that the GFA is “OK” but not great. It provides 125 watts continuous average power per channel into 8 ohms, 200 watts continuous average power per channel into 4 ohms

Any thoughts or recommendations on the Adcom or alternatives?

Thanks for your help with this.

I drive mine with a 125 wpc McIntosh amplifier. I do have a distributed bass system crossed over at 50Hz. The DQ20s do suck down power, but they aren't particularly hard to drive. Your Adcom should be fine. I've also driven them with Acurus, ATI, Bryston, and Yamaha all at ~200wpc. Even my litlle overachieving Adcom GFA535L did fine at reasonable levels.

 

[mcgjohn]

I'm a former DQM-9 owner who recently acquired two pairs of DQ-20’s (not DQ-20i) and am interested in recommendations for amps (I’d only run one pair). I only had them hooked up briefly and need to do some re-arranging of furnishings to set them up permanently and get to know them. They will be on an Adcom GFA 5400 -- for now. I get the sense that the GFA is “OK” but not great. It provides 125 watts continuous average power per channel into 8 ohms, 200 watts continuous average power per channel into 4 ohms

Any thoughts or recommendations on the Adcom or alternatives?

Thanks for your help with this.

you may want to consider something that has a lot of current output into lower impedances such as one of the larger Parasound, Krell or ML amps.

 

[RVT1K]

Budget is always a consideration, how much you lookin to spend?

My only real experience is with the bigger GFA555 II. I have two and am super happy with them.

 

[sanford12]

When I had my DQ-12's ran them with a NAD 22 watt receiver and they sounded excellent. Don't think I'd try a run of the mill 22 watt receiver. The NAD could do transient highs of 400 watts, lots of headroom. Great female voice reproduction.

 

[jfleck1956]

I drive mine with a 125 wpc McIntosh amplifier. I do have a distributed bass system crossed over at 50Hz. The DQ20s do suck down power, but they aren't particularly hard to drive. Your Adcom should be fine. I've also driven them with Acurus, ATI, Bryston, and Yamaha all at ~200wpc. Even my litlle overachieving Adcom GFA535L did fine at reasonable levels.

Thanks

 

[StimpyWan]

I've only heard DQ-20s on tube amps, and they sounded superb. One setup used a Conrad Johnson PV-5 preamp into an MV-45 amp. The 2nd system was all Audio Research, but I'm not sure which models? Though, I think the amp was an 100 wpc tube amp. Probably a VT100. As I said, both amps acquitted themselves very well through the 20s. I could've lived with either system.

Good luck.

Oh, the Adcom GFA5400 is a MOSFET based amp. A very decent SS amp with tube characteristics. Definitely good enough for now.

 

[jfleck1956]

Budget is always a consideration, how much you lookin to spend?

My only real experience is with the bigger GFA555 II. I have two and am super happy with them.

Maybe up to $500

I've only heard DQ-20s on tube amps, and they sounded superb. One setup used a Conrad Johnson PV-5 preamp into an MV-45 amp. The 2nd system was all Audio Research, but I'm not sure which models? Though, I think the amp was an 100 ARC tube amp. Probably a VT100. As I said, both amps acquitted themselves very well through the 20s. I could've lived with either system.

Good luck.

Oh, the Adcom GFA5400 is a MOSFET based amp. A very decent SS amp with tube characteristics. Definitely good enough for now.

Thanks, especially for the input on the Adcom. I find reviews of them very mixed, but that may be partly due to them being compared (perhaps unreasonably) to higher end stuff. Again, thanks.

 

[StimpyWan]

Maybe up to $500

Thanks, especially for the input on the Adcom. I find reviews of them very mixed, but that may be partly due to them being compared (perhaps unreasonably) to higher end stuff. Again, thanks.

I use a Schiit Audio Saga tube preamp, which I've modded the caps in, for better sound. For it's price, it is very revealing. I can easily hear the differences in my other gear through it. While the 5400 may not be super extended or bright in the highs, it is smooth and spacious, with very good image placement. More natural than neutral, and easy to listen too for extended periods. I know designer Carl Marchisotto liked tube amps with his designs (Dahlquist, Alon & Nola), so your Adcom should mate well with the 20s, until a tube amp shows up...!

 

[Drum]

I recently acquired some DQ-20i's and also was wondering about amplification. I started them on an Onkyo M504, and they sounded fantastic. Just for grins I tried a McIntosh MC7106 and they sounded even better. Not sure it was the amp or the music I was playing, but the bass just seemed to have an effortlessness to it.

My question is this. Which is the best way to run the 7106? Currently I am just using two of the 6 channels in regular unbridged mode - 100 watts per channel (160 at 4 Ohm)

Other options are bridging two channels for 300 watts at 8 Ohms (but not recommended for 4 Ohm) Using 4 amps

Bi amping with 100 watts to each input (using 4 amps)

Bi amping with 300 watts (8 Ohm) into the two woofers and 100 watts into each of mid/tweets. Using all 6 amps.

I know I can try them all myself, but was curious for some input. Especially driving the DQ-20i's in 8 ohm mode. I know they are listed as 6 Ohm.

 

[RVT1K]

I recently acquired some DQ-20i's and also was wondering about amplification. I started them on an Onkyo M504, and they sounded fantastic. Just for grins I tried a McIntosh MC7106 and they sounded even better. Not sure it was the amp or the music I was playing, but the bass just seemed to have an effortlessness to it.

My question is this. Which is the best way to run the 7106? Currently I am just using two of the 6 channels in regular unbridged mode - 100 watts per channel (160 at 4 Ohm)

Other options are bridging two channels for 300 watts at 8 Ohms (but not recommended for 4 Ohm) Using 4 amps

Bi amping with 100 watts to each input (using 4 amps)

Bi amping with 300 watts (8 Ohm) into the two woofers and 100 watts into each of mid/tweets. Using all 6 amps.

I know I can try them all myself, but was curious for some input. Especially driving the DQ-20i's in 8 ohm mode. I know they are listed as 6 Ohm.

Go ahead and experiment!! None of this is written in stone.

Some will maintain that bi-amping without some form of external crossover is useless. But I disagree. There may be no sonic benefit but there is always the fun-factor and actually hearing for yourself.

I'm currently bi-amping but am also using a DSP-408 as an external crossover. Some will maintain that unless you remove the internal crossover, there is little to be gained but I'm having fun.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Which is the best way to run the 7106?

At 6Ω the 7106 does not want to be bridged to supply 300 a side. Each amp of the 4 would see half the impedance which dips to 4Ω so go with the biamping, a channel on the woofer a channel on the mid-tweet.

 

[Drum]

At 6Ω the 7106 does not want to be bridged to supply 300 a side. Each amp of the 4 would see half the impedance which dips to 4Ω so go with the biamping, a channel on the woofer a channel on the mid-tweet.

Kinda what I figured, however a lot of 6 Ohm speakers do say "compatible with 8 Ohm amps". Also it won't be pushed too hard if 300 watts is just going to the woofer. I haven't really put more than 3 watts into them according to the power meters and they are plenty loud, so I guess the excess power is a kind of a moot point. But nice to have the reserve and keep the amp relaxed and far far from clipping.f

 

[Drum]

Go ahead and experiment!! None of this is written in stone.

Some will maintain that bi-amping without some form of external crossover is useless. But I disagree. There may be no sonic benefit but there is always the fun-factor and actually hearing for yourself.

I'm currently bi-amping but am also using a DSP-408 as an external crossover. Some will maintain that unless you remove the internal crossover, there is little to be gained but I'm having fun.

Thanks - I will play around with them. I don't have or plan to get an external crossover, but I can control the output level on each amp channel. That does give me a little bit to experiment with. Doubt I'll stray much from keeping them the same. After all the speakers sound so good as is.

 

[hopeless]

I'm a former DQM-9 owner who recently acquired two pairs of DQ-20’s (not DQ-20i) and am interested in recommendations for amps (I’d only run one pair). I only had them hooked up briefly and need to do some re-arranging of furnishings to set them up permanently and get to know them. They will be on an Adcom GFA 5400 -- for now. I get the sense that the GFA is “OK” but not great. It provides 125 watts continuous average power per channel into 8 ohms, 200 watts continuous average power per channel into 4 ohms

Any thoughts or recommendations on the Adcom or alternatives?

Thanks for your help with this.

You are going at this the wrong way. Numbers aren't going to tell you squat. It's all about how an amplifier addresses the speaker load. Dalquist loved the numerically "lowly" Citation 12. 60 watts of goodness. One of my favorites, just has a certain magic.

 

[safebet]

I have DQ-20i in my main system. I have not heard the DQM-9, but I do own a set of Magnat 8P which are of similar manufacture.

Initially I drove the DQ-20i with more powerful amplifiers in my collection. Sure, we all want unlimited headroom but the reality is that dynamic drivers have physical limitations. If one is paying attention it's not difficult to hear distortions caused caused by pushing any given speaker system to its limits. Given the quite excellent characteristics of the speaker system I focused instead on placement and amplification suitable for my listening goals.

Currently I'm using a pair of LM3886 chip amps running in parallel for each channel. In terms of power that's 50-60 watts into 8 Ohm and a bit over 100 into 4 Ohms. The combination provides exceptional clarity and does not fatigue with extended listening. A pair of PSB Stratus Goldi flank the DQ-20 and they are driven via a 75 Hz low-pass crossover via a powerful Class D amplifier. Initially I used the high-pass on the Dahlquist but found I prefer full range operation even though, on paper, there could be benefit by restricting lowest frequencies.

I have Simply Speakers P001-31858 replacement woofers in my DQ-20i system. I have read that the resonant frequency may be a bit higher than OEM which in theory reduces bass extension. If so, this is not an issue when paried with dual capable subwoofers. I could be wrong, but it seems to me the newer version of the woofer produces a better quality midrange to the 400 Hz crossover point of the smaller cone midrange. The driver in your non-i version is also excellent.

My point is to maximize the inherent strengths of the system, the quality factor, over the inclincation to maximize the outright quantity of sound, I hope to configure a switch to allow selection between LM3886 and Dynaco Mark IV amplification. Those each certainly would produce markedely different sound signatures. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[twiiii]

Well the speakers sensitivity measure with 2.83 volts was a rather low 86 db and the impedance varied from 4 ohms to 22 ohms but the average seemed to be 8 ohms. So most folks are going to want an amp that can put out a solid 200 watts a 4 ohms with out getting hot and shutting down. Now if you listen at 10 feet you will loose about 10 db from the 1 meter reading using pink noise as a source of sound. So as most people listen some where around 85 db and below and some with 10 db peaks that means the speaker will have to put out about 105 db peaks. Which would mean an amp capable 100 watts 8 ohms or 200 watts 4 ohms with no issues. The speaker also has a limited frequency response dropping off quite rapidly at 50 HZ unless placed in a corner to boost the lower frequencies and pulled away from the corner a bit so as not to over emphasize the bass between 100 and 200 hz. We all fight these issues as to speaker placement. No corners then you will e shopping for subwoofers, especially if you are in for music emphasizing low bass frequencies. These speakers are not known for their dynamic qualities either, but more for their accuracy if set up properly giving the illusion of space and depth that some speakers don't reproduce very well.

 

[jfleck1956]

I'm a former DQM-9 owner who recently acquired two pairs of DQ-20’s (not DQ-20i) and am interested in recommendations for amps (I’d only run one pair). I only had them hooked up briefly and need to do some re-arranging of furnishings to set them up permanently and get to know them. They will be on an Adcom GFA 5400 -- for now. I get the sense that the GFA is “OK” but not great. It provides 125 watts continuous average power per channel into 8 ohms, 200 watts continuous average power per channel into 4 ohms

Any thoughts or recommendations on the Adcom or alternatives?

Thanks for your help with this.

Jumping on my own thread. I've set up the DQ-20s I acquired and am unimpressed at the lack of brightness. I believe I saw another post somewhere about a lack of the upper frequencies but can't recall where that was. All of the drivers are working but that top end is just not there -- they don't even compare well against two other sets of lower-end speakers I have. Might that indicate a need for work on the electronics, crossovers, capacitors, etc.? As you can probably tell by that vague question, this is not my area of expertise, so please be patient with me (!). But I am not getting what I thought I would get and what I heard from a pair of 20s I listened to several years ago. Thanks for your advice.