JBL Vs Dahlquist

[Ski]

IMHO - They are both very fine speakers that many people would be proud to have. I also consider them to have very different sound. What's good for the goose might not be good for the gander.

 

[62sunbeam]

I thought the DQM series were Magnat speakers imported from Germany and sold under the Dahlquist name. I could be wrong.

Magnat drivers in a Dahlquist designed box and Dahlquist crossover.

I just reread my OP and yes I guess my original question is a little vague.

I have both the DQM-9s and a pair of M-905s and I quite enjoy them. While not really a fair comparison my L19s pale in comparison and this is a rather well regarded speaker so it piqued my interest in the rest of the JBL speakers that my Dahlquist were intended to compete with.

I'm still on the hunt for JBL scores so I can draw my own conclusions but until then I appreciate everyone's expertize and generosity.

Thanks again

Eric

 

[poorman]

Point of clarification -- I meant no disrespect to JBL or JBL owners by offering a comparison to HPM-100s. As I said, that's the closest point of comparison I have to offer.

To the OP: from what I've seen here on AK there aren't that many members who have owned/heard Dahlquists from the DQM line. For myself I had never even heard of that line until I stumbled across a pair of M-907s for sale on consignment at a local audio shop.

 

[Indynryder]

The only jbl I have owned are the horizons L166, decade
L36, not the same category L5. East coast VS. West coast
as with both, they are aquired tastes to the listener.
I'm sure if you own jbl, you would say "jbl", same with
dahlquist. Both are very nice speakers and worth keeping.
A friend of mine really liked jbl, back in HS, & was looking
to buy L series, after much looking & listening, he found
they were to shrill for his tastes. We both shared the same
experience. Dahlquist have a very nice balence, when
placed properly. Curently I have dqm-5 , 7, & 9. In the
DQ line i have 10's and 30's. I have sold the L36 & L166
(2 pair) and the L5's I traded for some altec A7 votts.
If I had another shot at the L5's I'd get them.

 

[barredowl]

L19 is not a fair comparison at all, it's the Pinto of the JBL line a crappy paper cone tweeter, and it's a cheap two way built to compete with Advents in the early 70s. An L96, L112, 4410, 4412, 4425, 4430, built with professorial monitor drivers and pro studio quality crossovers and cabinets OTOH will give just about any bookshelf speaker a good run for it's money

 

[1scienceguy]

I would agree with barredowl. The original comparison is not apples to apples. I own many JBL speakers and a pair of DQ-8's. In my set-up, the JBL 4430's image well with great dynamics. They work with rock, jazz, blues, etc. What the Dahlquist have on the JBL's is sound stage depth. If I was ever going to set up a system for classical or jazz only, the Dahlquist would be the speakers of choice. The airy upper and mid range is creamy and dreamy. IMHO, something that makes classical and jazz very life-like. With that being said, if the house was on fire, I'd (try) grab the 4430 and let the rest go up in flames. Just my 2 cents based on my system.

 

[hjames]

I have a number of JBLs in 2 major systems, plus an L19 system in the exercise room.

Downstairs in in the TV room, a 7.1 surround system : L20T smaller 2 ways with Titanium dome tweeters (used for rear surrounds); L100T with the crossovers upgraded to the smoother L100T3 design ... (use them for side surrounds); plus a pair of 4341 4-way studio monitors in bi-amped config for mains in stereo mode, or as fronts in surround mode for multichannel audio/movies/TV.

Upstairs with a cathedral ceiling: a pair of L-200 speakers I've rebuilt into L300-caliber speakers (added slot tweeter, custom crossover and walnut mid-horn w/2441 driver);
Plus a pair of Magnepan MG-IIBs ... and just got a pair of perfectly working DQ-10s ...

The DQ-10s are quite interesting - much different than the big JBL 3 and 4 ways.
I like them all for different reasons. The Dahlquist is great for putting music on and listening or walking around the house and just having the rooms fill with music - frankly, they are the best sound speakers to listen to from another room - and not bad for a lot of music in that room.

The big JBLs with walnut horns can be a bit fussy - a bad recording (some of those fast-cheap 70s album conversions to CD) can be almost unlistenable.
But other music is quite nice, and there is nothing like some nice jazz playing on them while reading the sunday paper ...

At some point I will need to get rid of some of these speakers - hopefully, not today.
In my mind the older Magnapans go first ... but which of the 2 big pairs go next will be a hard choice ...

 

[kbott]

I bought a pair of L-100Ts back in the mid 80's and currently have a pair of DQM=7's which near as I can tell are pretty identical to the 9's aside from veneer vs ugly nextel and trim ring (round on yours vs square on mine)

the dahlquists on stands will occupy about as much space as the L-100T's Lookwise I think the 100T's with all veneer look better. Soundwise the 100T's definitely a more pronouced bass response. No getting around a 12"woofer in a bigger enclosure the only other speaker i've had that has pumped it out more than the JBL's is a pair of CV D-9's with a 15" woofer. Not to say that the bass on the DQ's is inferior. They do go low and in some respects its a more natural flow of sound from bass to treble than the jbl's

I happen to really like the 035Ti tweeter in the JBL's my ear doesn't find it hot like some others do. the dome tweeter in the dqm's is equally nice in my opinion and to me they're pretty much a wash

so if you like the dqm then I think you'll like the L100t's I just don't think one is really superior to the other

having said all that i sold the 100T's a few years ago and the dqm's have been pulled out of the rotation right now I have RDL F-1 (newer versions of the Allison CD-7) and MB Quart 390 MCS The titanium tweeter in the quarts to me beats both the dome in the dqm's and the 035Ti

The allisons are well allisons - hard to describe but once you have them not too many speakers can beat them out for overall sound quality

 

[70salesguy]

JBL model info.

L19 is not a fair comparison at all, it's the Pinto of the JBL line a crappy paper cone tweeter, and it's a cheap two way built to compete with Advents in the early 70s.

Actually, the L26 was the JBL model that was produced to compete with the Advent loudspeaker, which it did quite well. It was known as the "Advent Killer" because it provided JBL performance at the Advent price. Later, the L36 was introduced to bridge the price gap between the L26 and the L100.

The L16 came a little later in an effort to hold the price point around $130 each.

The L19 wasn't introduced until around 1977, and effectively replaced the L26 as the smaller 2-way JBL speaker system in the product lineup.

 

[Isotonic]

I have a pair of Jubals and a Pair of DQ-10's. I love my Jubals. They sound great and they work well for my lower powered tube amps. Efficiency aside, the DQ-10's blow them away. I also have a pair of L60T's and they have a liveliness to them in the mids that is fun to listen to, but again, no match for the DQ-10's.

 

[hjames]

Actually, the L26 was the JBL model that was produced to compete with the Advent loudspeaker, which it did quite well. It was known as the "Advent Killer" because it provided JBL performance at the Advent price. Later, the L36 was introduced to bridge the price gap between the L26 and the L100.

The L16 came a little later in an effort to hold the price point around $130 each.

The L19 wasn't introduced until around 1977, and effectively replaced the L26 as the smaller 2-way JBL speaker system in the product lineup.

Pintos is right!

My original L-36 speakers (bought new in the mid-70s)were $200/each, and if memory serves, the old school L-100 (not the 80s L100T series) went for around $325 each.

Since the Dahlquist DQ-10s went for around $500 or so each, plus $100 more for the (needed) pedestal ...
you'd have to compare them to a $1000 or more pair of JBLs from that era, at the least.

 

[BMWCCA]

Call me crazy, but there's something comforting in knowing the care and craftsmanship that went into the design and production of the JBL drivers and cabinets. I know a Corvette will whip my BMW's ass in straight-line acceleration, but fails miserably in all-around driving, feedback from the suspension and steering, and nimbleness. Then after 40-years of BMW ownership I've come to appreciate that anything I touch on a BMW even with 200,000-miles on it is still solid and quality-made years later. My JBL ownership goes back even more to the mid-'50s. Quality just makes me feel good. Like how much better my car drives after I've waxed it . . .

The only speaker I ever respected that looks even uglier than the DQs would be those Crown monsters from the '70s.

Doesn't mean I can't appreciate other speakers (or other cars), and I do own other brands of both. A deal's a deal, for sure. Great find. Just put those damn grilles back on, quickly!

 

[hjames]

Its an audio experience - you really have to hear the two speakers and make up your own mind which one you really like.

Plus ... JBL has cranked out some unrepentent garbage under that name - lots of that Best Buy Big box junk -

Contrary to what some may say, not all JBLs are sweet.

 

[Uncle Paul]

The difference here is that the Dahlquist wasn't an el cheapo Best Buy speaker - it was $1000 per pair aimed at the high end. That's 1970's dollars, folks! Looks a bit like Red Green designed and built them, too.

I build L300 clones in the late '70's for a lot less than that...

Ugliness aside, I've never heard a pair so I can't judge them that way. Heather, you mentioned that your horn based systems were fussy when it came to bad recordings. That's the main drawback to a great system - the better it gets the more it exposes the flaws.

Maybe the Dahlquist sits in a sweet spot where they are better than most low end speakers, while not accurate enough to expose bad recordings so they are all around more enjoyable for casual listening?

 

[pabs911]

The difference here is that the Dahlquist wasn't an el cheapo Best Buy speaker - it was $1000 per pair aimed at the high end. That's 1970's dollars, folks! Looks a bit like Red Green designed and built them, too.

I build L300 clones in the late '70's for a lot less than that...

Ugliness aside, I've never heard a pair so I can't judge them that way. Heather, you mentioned that your horn based systems were fussy when it came to bad recordings. That's the main drawback to a great system - the better it gets the more it exposes the flaws.

Maybe the Dahlquist sits in a sweet spot where they are better than most low end speakers, while not accurate enough to expose bad recordings so they are all around more enjoyable for casual listening?

I agree with your suggestion about the DQ-10's. I have a nice mirrored pair and they are one of my favorite speakers because they basically have no faults (except their odd shape and size). You can listen to them all day long without fatigue... they are smooth and very musical... they cast a huge wonderful soundstage... and they are very forgiving.

I recently got my first ever pair of JBL's... a pair of L44 Lancer's with their original surrounds that are somewhat stiff, but I can now easily see why there are so many vintage JBL fanatics! These speakers are OUTSTANDING in ways the DQ-10's would never dream of... the Lancers are far more dynamic with greater impact on transients. They are more live/real sounding as well. Piano has real bite as do all percussion instruments. They also have wonderful midrange tone that is warm, but not overly so. Human voice is grainless and smooth with wonderful weight. Diana Krall is simply heavenly. I mainly listen to classical/jazz and these old JBL's really deliver. I'd really like to get a pair of L77 or L99's Lancers to add to the stable. Amazing speakers!