Dahlquist DQ-20 Crossover Upgrade/Sub replacement

[wizage]

Hey,

I picked up some DQ-20's from a thrift store for $200 and they sound pretty fantastic but noticed that the original subs were replaced with a JBL CS1214 1000w Car Subs. They sound fine but want to slowly upgrade these speakers for long time use.

Also, wanted to know if anyone from the old yahoo forum days kept diagrams of the crossover/have recommendations for cap upgrades for the DQ-20.

Otherwise these things sounds great and finally putting my Kenwood Ka-5700 to work!

 

[Blue Shadow]

dahlquist group is now on the .io forums. Should be some 20 info there. I was there today since I just picked up a pair of 10s with upgrades and crappy homemade stands. Wil be a nice project. Hope yours are, too.

DahlquistSpeakers groups.io Group

A gathering place for fans and owners of all speakers released under the famed Dahlquist brand.

groups.io

 

[wizage]

dahlquist group is now on the .io forums. Should be some 20 info there. I was there today since I just picked up a pair of 10s with upgrades and crappy homemade stands. Wil be a nice project. Hope yours are, too.

DahlquistSpeakers groups.io Group

A gathering place for fans and owners of all speakers released under the famed Dahlquist brand.

groups.io

Oh perfect I found some awesome replacements for my subs: https://www.simplyspeakers.com/advent-replacement-woofer-p001-31858.html

Now time to find some solid caps. Sad thing is most of the people that have recapped them either didn't post what they re-caped with or their photos are from 2009 where the text is illegible.

Attached is the crossover circuit diagram for those that search this forum for dq-20 stuff. If anyone knows any good cap shops or brands. Let me know

 

[bhunter]

Hey,

I picked up some DQ-20's from a thrift store for $200 and they sound pretty fantastic but noticed that the original subs were replaced with a JBL CS1214 1000w Car Subs. They sound fine but want to slowly upgrade these speakers for long time use.

Also, wanted to know if anyone from the old yahoo forum days kept diagrams of the crossover/have recommendations for cap upgrades for the DQ-20.

Otherwise these things sounds great and finally putting my Kenwood Ka-5700 to work!

Congratulations, They are very good speakers. Please post a picture of both the front and back. Regnar is a good place to look for Dahlquist parts. IRC, there were several different tweeters and midranges used in the DQ20s over time. My pair have the masonite Advent woofers, the Magnat midranges, and Scanspeak tweeters. Good luck.

Dahlquist Loudspeakers & Service: OFFICIAL SITE

The Official Site of Dahlquist Speaker Repair & Upgrades

www.regnar.com

 

[StimpyWan]

Oh perfect I found some awesome replacements for my subs: https://www.simplyspeakers.com/advent-replacement-woofer-p001-31858.html

Now time to find some solid caps. Sad thing is most of the people that have recapped them either didn't post what they re-caped with or their photos are from 2009 where the text is illegible.

Attached is the crossover circuit diagram for those that search this forum for dq-20 stuff. If anyone knows any good cap shops or brands. Let me know

There was a recent discussion on AK about those replacement Advent woofers. While new, which is always nice, they weren't felt to match the original Advent specs. From what I recall, the suspension was too stiff, and they didn't have the low end response of the originals. Still, I'd probably go for new too, and play with the stuffing in the cabinet, to tune their bass extension.

As to replacement capacitors, that's the $64,000 Question...! Some say to stick with the same type of caps, as stock. NPE for NPE. Some like to use poly film. Me, I usually like poly film as well, but they can alter the woofer, midrange, tweeter balance of the speaker, since their ESR (resistance) will differ than stock. Still, any new capacitors will be different regardless...! Personally, I like Mundorf EVO Oil film capacitors. Clean and open in nature. Other good brands are Parts Express Dayton 5% and 1% caps, Audyn, Jantzen, ClarityCap, and Solen. Parts Express, Parts Connexion, Madisound, and Sonic Craft carry more brands. The Humble Homemade Capacitor Test is a good read too.

Good luck.

 

[wizage]

Attached the photos of the speaker including the current crossover circuits.

Thanks @StimpyWan I didn't realize that people had opinions on those replacements. I might just go with Regnars site then for replacement subs. To be fair anything will sound better then the JBL car woofer.

Thanks for some cap suggestions. I feel like I want to do some more research. First time I have recapped anything for speakers, so def want to do some research. If anyone else has re-capped some DQ-20s are knows what Regnars does in there kits it would be cool to hear what people think.

 

[Blue Shadow]

The Regnar site will sell you woofers to replace the car subs in your speaker. We usually don‘t call the woofer in a speaker a sub as that is usually referring to a separate box, powered or not. Dahlquist made a sub, the DQ-1W to complement their DQ-10 which had a woofer, mid bass, midrange, tweeter and super tweeter, a 5-way speaker that gets even better when one adds their sub to the system using either their passive crossover or the electronic crossover, DQ-MX and DQ-LP1, respectively.

check to see if the cutout is still as original and get a pair of the Advent Masonite woofers to replace the car speaker. Maybe could find a pair refoamed and ready asking in barter town the buy, sell and ask market that is a $25/year subscriber benefit. Or check the bay as those woofers float by in varying conditions and prices fairly regularly.

those speakers don’t need to be recapped except maybe the red cap. All film caps which just work compared to red electrolytic which wears out over time. If the crossover matches what the .io group says is correct, I’d just get the correct woofers change the one cap and enjoy.

 

[StimpyWan]

Attached the photos of the speaker including the current crossover circuits.

Thanks @StimpyWan I didn't realize that people had opinions on those replacements. I might just go with Regnars site then for replacement subs. To be fair anything will sound better then the JBL car woofer.

Thanks for some cap suggestions. I feel like I want to do some more research. First time I have recapped anything for speakers, so def want to do some research. If anyone else has re-capped some DQ-20s are knows what Regnars does in there kits it would be cool to hear what people think.

After seeing the stock caps in your speakers, you already have Solen poly caps, and what looks to be a Mylar, and those should be fine. So, I agree with @Blue Shadow, with the bass electrolytic cap being the only capacitor that would truly needed replacing. Can the stock caps be bettered, yes. If your intentions are to upgrade the speakers, you can replace the caps. Maybe just replace the series capacitors (you'd need an accurate crossover schematic for reference ), and leave the Solen's on the shunts. But, those changes are not a necessity at this point; just the bass cap should be changed.

 

[bhunter]

Attached the photos of the speaker including the current crossover circuits.

Thanks @StimpyWan I didn't realize that people had opinions on those replacements. I might just go with Regnars site then for replacement subs. To be fair anything will sound better then the JBL car woofer.

Thanks for some cap suggestions. I feel like I want to do some more research. First time I have recapped anything for speakers, so def want to do some research. If anyone else has re-capped some DQ-20s are knows what Regnars does in there kits it would be cool to hear what people think.

I was going to say there were no electrolytics in the DQ20 series IIRC. I bought mine from a fellow enthusiast. They are definitely worth getting back to original. They remain one of my favorite cone and dome speakers. BTW, I think they are better than the earlier DQ10s.

 

[Blue Shadow]

BTW, I think they are better than the earlier DQ10s.

Folks are on both sides of this fence, but they came out costing 2k and replacing the 10s which were 1200, they should be better. The 10 still holds that chit of being a special speaker mentioned on many lists like the Audio Research SP-3 and variations, a classic still viable today. Rebuilding my third pair started today and I'd bring in 20s or 30s at the right price.

 

[bhunter]

Folks are on both sides of this fence, but they came out costing 2k and replacing the 10s which were 1200, they should be better. The 10 still holds that chit of being a special speaker mentioned on many lists like the Audio Research SP-3 and variations, a classic still viable today. Rebuilding my third pair started today and I'd bring in 20s or 30s at the right price.

Hey, I'm a big fan of the DQ10s. That said, I also feel the DQ20s are a better speaker.