I remember the day I heard a system that literally changed my life
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- The speakers were Dahlquist DQ-10s, www.hifiengine...
The amp was an Ampzilla, positive-feedb...
Or maybe Son of Ampzilla.
Bob Katz is still a great guy and one hell of an engineer, www.digido.com/
![If you can't hear this then you're not an audiophile [See description for link to followup video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/48PxwspDvrE/mqdefault.jpg)
Steve's and my relationship started Almost 40 years ago! It's now Many recordings, and systems later! And Steve and I are still altering minds! And each other's minds! With great affection, Bob.
Hi Bob, you should be on gearslutz.
Same kind of experience for me. I first heard the DQ10s in the late 70s just as I was graduating high school. Blew my mind. Saved my money and made payments for six months to purchase them. Roughly 40 years later I just bought another pair on Ebay. So excited to experience them again. Absolutely love your channel.
Steve,
Thanks for sharing that story. I have a somewhat similar story. I grew up in a household with a Dad who is an audiophile. I was about 7 years old when my Dad had a family outing that I vividly remember to pick up a pair of Dahlquist dq-10’s, crown dc 150 amplifiers, Crown IC 150A preamp and Thorens turntable. I think it sticks in my mind because I remember my mom saying over and over to my Dad “Do you really need to spend that much money on a stereo” For years I admired the listening experience I got from that setup. Today that very system operates alongside my new audiophile system. Funny enough my wife said the very same thing to me when I started purchasing my system components.
Yep.... the Ampzilla and Thaedra paired to the DQ-10's was the most incredible sound I ever experienced.
Bought my DQ-10s in 1978. They’re still my main speakers today. I’d love to upgrade them, but I haven’t found anything significantly better that I can afford. Heard some $38,000 speakers at RMAF that are better across the board, but that’s a pretty steep increase from the $1050 I paid for the DQ-10s and much more than I can afford. If anyone can suggest something around $5k... I’m all ears. Note: I have a 18” Velodyne so I don’t need, or want, deep bass.
Mark Eastman Check out Zu Audio a cool American made product.
In ‘79 I auditioned the best models from Dalquist, Allison, ESS, Ohm, ADS, Vandersteen, etc. I bought a set of KEF 105’s Series1 spkrs, they astonished me. Still have them, now 44yrs later!, & sounding great, I’ll never sell them. I did replace them this year with a set of Von Schweikert Endeavor 3 SE’s. With a pair of Martin Logan Dynamo 1100X 12” subs. As well as a total revamp of my system.
Dahlquist 10’s absolutely is an experience NEVER to be forgotten...so pure..thank you! 🎶♥️
I went once into a store and they had Magnepans connected to a receiver. I heard many friends audio systems and they never made me to wow. But Magnepans - wow. That changed everything.
I was attending prep school in Bandon, Oregon in the Fall of 1976 to Spring 77. One day we had a trip to North Bend, Oregon and our bus dropped us off at some point and we were walking through the town center. I heard what sounded like a live band playing and said, wow, gotta go over there. Turns out it was a hifi store playing Boston's More than a Feeling on a system featuring DQ-10s. I was 18 and not well-versed in all stereo systems as I didn't have deep pockets, so I failed to note amplifier and turntable, but those speakers blew my mind. They were too pricey for an Academy cadet, and then I went into the Army and never got the DQ-10s. But that sound back then is still in my mind - honest to God it sounded like a live band!
It all started for me in 1982 with a single Dynakit MkII, which I retrieved from the trash and connected to my FMI 80 speaker. My mouth dropped open, and I’ve never looked back.
I bought my DQ10s within a year or so of when he's talking about. The Son of Ampzilla unfortunately died a few years later, to be replaced by a RAM 510 and then finally a Rotel. But the Dahlquists still sound as good as ever and the Audio Research pre-amp is still there 40 years later. There's very little out there now that I'd trade for.
My audio journey started back in 1971 after hearing a neighbor's system. He had a Crown IC150 preamp and Sony power amp driving a homemade pair of speakers using Altec woofers and JBL 075 super tweeters. The cabinets were as wide as the Klipsch K-horn but not quite as tall. His only signal source was an empire turntable and a Shure V-15 cartridge. It blew me away, as it did others in the area who heard it. The neighbor, then 16 years old, now has a surround system using two Magnepan 1.6s as his main speakers.
The day I saw a shirt that changed my life
LOL'ing. Thanks for the laugh.
Lmao!
Dahlquist DQ-10's, my 1st pair as well...so many fond memories of experiencing music as it was meant to be heard.
I'm calling the cops on Steve. He broke into my grandma's house and stole all her blouses
😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
He's like James May from Top Gear / Grand Tour :D
😂😂😂
"Hey, let go of my blouse."
He stole her wig and glasses too...
My parents bought me for a graduation gift a high powered Realistic sa 2100 reciever with a pair of mach 2 speakers and a realistic lab 500 turntable. I know a lot of people did not care for Realistic components, but the high end stuff was pretty good. At the time I listened to bands like Rush, Led Zeppelin. The doors Beatles and Jimi hendrix. That system for me at the time was great. I added a pair of super tweeters. RadioShack was all we had in the area other than department stores. I was lucky because most of my friends had the all in one stereos. I was also in to open reel tape. I also picked up a 3 head cassette recorder. That was the start for me. I guess it changed my life always trying to achieve the best sound possible on my budget. I really enjoy your videos thank you.
Well, I don’t know who is on this blog. But not only did those speakers changemy life but the company dog quiz changed my life. I work with some of the great guys there, John Dahlquist himself Saul Marantz
was the VP and Karl MarciSoto one of the audio engineers.
John Dahlquist’s father also worked at the factory as a find machinist . I learned so much from those guys I cannot even portray how great the company was and the people inside it.
So many wonderful memories. I personally built speakers for Olivia Newton-John. We took DQ tens and stack them inverted on top of each other. We called him DQ 20s at the time basically for speakers paralleled as 2. Anybody out there who owns it said a DQ 20s if you’re ever servicing your woofer, look inside your enclosure, you may actually see my initials or my signature inside. Erik Solensten
Sorry for my typos below voice to text terrible
I'm a live sound engineer, so my story pertains to a live show that blew my mind. The show was Roger Waters performing The Wall at Amalie Arena in Tampa. The PA wasn't anything special. It was a Claire line array that had been out for quite some time when this show happened a about 5 years ago. It was the way that the channel inputs and master outputs were being driven that made the difference. The Front of House engineer had a literal recording studio worth of tube gear at FOH. Every single input (about 96 of them) was running through some piece of class A gear. And the outputs were being run through Cranesong Mastering gear. The level of resolution, depth of dynamics, and utter clarity absolutely blew my mind. Mind you, we were in an arena with virtually no acoustic treatment. I had been working professionally for about 6 years at the time of this concert, and never thought anything like this was even remotely possible in a live situation. It was one of those dumbfounded moments where I started questioning everything I had done up to that point because my sound was nothing like this! It started me on a whole new path of audio engineering, self critiquing, and always striving for THAT SOUND.
How did it sound and where were you positioned at?
@@pauljojo6855 I was standing at FOH. The sound was unbelievable. To this day, its' the best sounding show i've ever heard, and one of the best shows overall. I think he still does the tour every year. You should definitely check it out if he comes through your town.
I am now in my 70’s but I vividly recall one day in 1965 at the age of 18 an experience in a Liverpool UK dealers demo room. The salesman said “sit here and listen to this”. He played La Bamba by Los Machucambos using a Garrard 401 turntable, SME 3009 tone arm, Ortofon cartridge, Quad amp and quad 57 electrostatics. I could not believe the sound that came from what looked like electric room heaters. Unfortunately, as a youngster, I could only afford to buy the album, which I still have. I now have a pair of full-range floor standing electrostats hand built by ER Audio here in Australia. Audio heaven. I still occasionally play the Los Machucambos album and recall this moment from my youth.
For me it all started when I was growing and living in Central NJ when I visited Personalized Audio in Dunellen NJ, and met George Bishof. I was 14 years old and had listened to a pair of speakers he designed with Dynaudio 8” driver, Strathern mid-ribbon m, and an unusually small tweeter being driven by a Beard Tube power amplifier and a Audible Illusions preamp. I was totally blown away. From that experience in 1979, I was bitten by the proverbial bug of having really great sounding music. Thank you Steve for the reminder on how this all got started for most of us all.
Wow nearly my same experience. I had got an electrician friend of mine in to audio then went off to college while he became an electrician. After 3 years away I came back to St. Louis and went to his house. He drug me down to his semi finished basement and said check out my new stereo system. It was an Ariston TT Ampzilla power amp Thedra preamp and DQ10 loudspeakers. the sound stage imaging and microdetail blew me away. While I raised kids and moved all over the US I put my audio bug away until 10 years ago. Now I enjoy giving others that same wow experience with my systems one of which includes a pair of electromechanically refurbished DQ10 speakers. people look at their beat up wood and the cheesy particle board they are built from and think junky old nostalgia speakers. Then they hear them and 9 out of 10 like them better than my old Theil CS3s a relatively new pair of Maggie1.7i or my Zu Dirty weekends. There is just something so right about the sound of those speakers in spite of their flaws.
2005: first time I heard a pair of vintage (unrestored) Quad ESL57 at a family friend's home in London. Years later, I finally found a beautiful pair of my own (with the copper grills) and gave them a room of their own (to share with a Quad 33, 303 and a Thorens 125m2). Life is good.
I remember helping a friend put together a stereo system. We were listening to Vandersteen 2Cs. We liked them and could have lived with them. But then we heard the DQ 10s, and almost immediately knew we'd found the right ones. I could still be happy with them today.
In 1977, I shared a brownstone apartment with a guy in Brooklyn Heights who owned a pair of DQ-10's that were driven by a classic Marantz integrated amp. Yes, there were a great speaker back in the day and they will always hold a special place in my heart.
I've watched this segment several times since it was posted, and my connection with DQ-10s is similar. I heard them playing in an audio store and I stopped in my tracks. Even though I had a lot of exposure to audio products I never heard anything so captivating. I had sold audio previously and got a job at the Dahlquist dealer, bought DQ-10s and the GAS Ampzilla amp. I have owned other speakers since Vandersteen 2c, Magnepan etc. but never have had anything that could compare to that overall listening experience. I know so many audio friends who consider the DQ-10 a pivotal experience but they are talked about so little these days. They are a mystery, how did they sound so great using relatively ordinary drivers, and with a design approach opposite to todays thinking? I am considering buying a used pair to see if the magic is still there. Thanks, this is one of my favorite videos of yours.
Mine was in 1978, at a shop called Audio Emporium in Milwaukee , Wisconsin. I had been searching for a new set of speakers to replace my stacked original Advents, and heard a pair of Magneplaner Tympani ID's. These were the large three hinged section Maggies, at that time sold through Audio Research Corp dealers. The electronics were Audio Research but I don't recall what the record playing equipment was..maybe Lin Sondek LP-12. Anyway, the owner of the shop took my LP of Joan Baez singing "Diamonds And Rust" , placed it on the turntable, and I was treated to my first experience hearing what a real high end system could sound like. That dealer is still around today, and I still have Magnepan speakers in my home. Oh, and I bought a pair of those Tympani's shortly after first hearing them, and a GAS Ampzilla Power amp and Thaedra IIa preamp to use with them.
Same year, Diamonds and Rust was also my test track! One of a handful anyway. And I also listened to the Tympanis in around that year, and had the same experience. And I also have Magneplanars in my home today! But still... it was the DQ-10s that first set me on this path.
Hey Steve... wonderful topic this one. I gather from the multitude of comments that many feel the same too. Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Keep ‘me coming. :-)
Been in and out of audio for decades. Starting to listen again. I play sax and have lots of commercial equipment. I have noticed most people can't tell between good consumer and true hi-fi. I enjoy your site. Brings back many memories. Guess I need to get the Maggie's refurbished and start shopping for new cartridges for the direct drives. One will go in the office so I can enjoy my NS-10'S. Thanks for the wakeup call. I have about 3000 albums and haven't spun one in 15 years.
My dad had those at home, coupled to a Denon receiver. I am not an audiophile, really, but I love music. After almost 40 years I have never ever listened to anything comparable...It did change the way I experienced music. Awesome to see that other people share the same experience.
My Dad had DQ-10s that he bought in 1980 and he ran them with a Kenwood monster receiver (I think it might’ve been a KR-9050 - 200 wpc). The sound of that system kept me from getting into hi end audio for a long time because I knew it would be hard to get anything comparable to that sound. Listening to music through that rig helped fuel my passion for music and eventually a career playing music (for better or worse!)
I inherited my Dad's DQ-10's after I found my mom listening to them with busted woofers. I bought new surrounds and eventually brought the speakers home to repair them (I lent my mom a pair of AR28S's) but a tech had stolen the woofers. Cleaning, new capacitors from Regnar, and two new woofers from Simply Speakers completed the restoration. Then, I found a Harman/Kardon Citation amplifier that I had recapped by a local tech . . . expensive job . . . but I was finally able to give these legendary speakers a good listen. Three tweeters, a small midrange, and 10" woofer, and 86dB rated, so the Citation bridged to 200wpc and a frequency response of 3Hz-200kHz and able to drive 2 ohm loads (the amp designer pushes 1 ohms) brought the 35Hz-27kHz speakers to life. Even though my hearing drops off at 9.7kHz, those tweeters introduced detail in the soundstage from percussion in the background, and tight bass. Vocals were focused. I regularly listen at 80-90 dB at 9 meters . . . the speakers love vinyl.
The epiphany system... 1971, in University dorm.. My friend played his (modest) system. It was a Heathkit 10Wamp, Gerrard Turntable, and a large pair of DIY speakers (30" cube) with 15" 98dB coax drivers. It was weight and clarity. I still had no sense of imaging, but low distortion, high dynamics like nothing I had heard before. I built the Heathkit amp, but it did not rock with Norelco speakers and a Sony cassette deck. Much later I bought a big amp, CD player and Boston Acoustic A100 speakers, but never got sound that engaged. In 2007 I started to tinker with DIY. Soon I knew about imaging, dynamics, Pratt and low level information. It has been a great ride. Better late than never.
My first stereo experience that got me hooked on sound reproduction happened when I was a grammar school student. Growing up with a jukebox in my basement with two older brothers buying 45 rpm records on a weekly basis my love of music started quite early in life.
Every Saturday me and several of my friends would take the bus downtown to make a tour of the electronics stores. The stores at that time not only sold audio equipment but also amateur radio gear, test equipment, vacuum tubes, transistors etc.
One store in particular had a locked high end stereo listening room that was reserved for adults with disposable incomes to check out the various components before buying them. Being kids we weren't allowed into the listening room but could only observe and hear the systems from the hall leading to the room. This practice of hanging out in the hall to the listening room went on for several visits, after one demo the adult buyer left the room while the salesman turned off the equipment. The salesman finished up and came out locking the door behind him. He asked us, why are you kids hanging around the demo room? I said to hear the system enthusiastically, he paused for a few seconds and said OK, you can come in and listen for just a few minutes but don't touch anything!
We agreed and the 4 of us went into the demo room. The system he had wired up at the time consisted of a Thorens turntable, McIntosh preamp and MC275 amplifier. The speakers were Altec Valencis's. The salesman played a Beatles LP, the cut was "Here Comes The Sun". We were all totally blown away by the clarity of the vocals and instruments and impact of the bass notes.
I was never quite the same again after that experience, and several years later returned to this shop to buy a modest system from this same salesman who turned us on to real high fidelity.
Two moments stand out in time. Back in the early 1980's I was at friends house and heard his Ampzilla into a pair of what I think were Boston Acoustics. Nothing special, but that Ampzilla made any speaker sound pretty good. My ears heard some magic...
Some 35 years later and lots of gear through my hands, I wander into a shop that specializes in turntables. The owner of the shop was a Quad speaker fan. I sat and listened to his Quad speakers. 2-3 months later, I owned a pair of Quad ESL 57's. That was in 2017. Every time I sit in front of them, I get that excitement of audio magic come over me. The equipment disappears, only the music is in the room. The thrill just does not go away.
In 1977 I became friends with a guy who just moved into the neighborhood. He was into audio and had built up a system working with Andy Singer. The system that he had showed me music in a way I had never heard before. He had Snell Type One speakers (the ones with the ramp on the front), Audio Research preamp and amp, and an Oracle turntable in a small room. Sitting in the small sweet spot I heard the blues in an entirely new way. Three D depth, width, detail… mind altering, once you hear it you can’t go back. Soon after that my wife got me an NAD 5120 turntable from Andy which I still use regularly.
Owning the DQ10's for me was an ear opening and learning experience of exactly what the term hi-end audio meant! So glad they were part of my audio journey.
I bought my first "hi-fi" system when I was in high school, back in maybe 1975 or so. It was a Yamaha CA-1000 integrated amp, a Yamaha YD-6 turntable with a Grace F9-L "Luminal Trace" cartridge (all of which I still have) and a set of ESS Heil AMT-1 speakers with the Heil Air Motion Transformer, the folded ribbon mid/high component. Not long after that, I wandered back into the store where I bought that system and was stunned by these large, squat speakers, Dahlquist DQ-10's playing Stevie Wonder's new album, "Songs In The Key Of Life". After that, I was bound and determined that, one day, I too, would have these. I HAD to get them. And so around 1976 or '77, I finally made my wish come true and I still have these as my main speakers to this day. You have to find accompanying electronics that work with them best. The CA-1000 was not a good fit nor was the subsequent Onkyo integrated amp. I didn't get a sense of how much I'd been missing until years later when I, short on resources, resorted to eBay to get an old vintage Marantz. That old piece completely outperformed the previous Yamaha and Onkyo putting me on a path to try other vintage gear, finally settling on a Pioneer SX-1050 and after that got too decrepit, a combination of a contemporary Chinese tube pre into a vintage BK-EX442 has been doing the job. A Parasound Halo Integrated works pretty well, too. Different, not better.
I'm not really that much of a true audiophile but have been a musician, playing for many years in orchestras, big bands, small rock, funk and jazz groups with some time in recording studios. So I know what I want to hear and so far nothing has been as "true" for me as the Dahlquists. Other speakers have been "fun" and "impressive" like Martin Logans, Dynaudio studio monitors, Tannoy single point source speakers or those goofy Urei studio monitors with the big blue horn sticking out the middle of the bass driver. But there is something about the realism of Dahlquists that I couldn't do without. The combination of the open baffle system with all the drivers time aligned plus the no nonsense punch of the 10" woofer in the sealed cabinet, all emanating from a fairly large spread of space serves to overcome whatever failing some of the individual components may have and present sound that fulfills that need I have to hear something close to the reality I'm familiar with from all the years of playing in live situations in a wide variety of musical settings. I have never heard Magnepans but I'm skeptical of their ability to move a lot of air with muscle. Hope to hear them someday though.
Thanks for that description. I can easily imagine why they sound good. They really were ahead of their time and in some ways still are.
I have built DIY speakers that follow the same principle. OB & time aligned. I have a big open backed box with an 18" woofer. Then a separate 12" baffle on top that can be positioned independently. It has a 10" coax mid/tweeter. So point source/time aligned and open baffle. Sounds very good compared to box speakers.
I purchased DQ-10's used from my neighbor who worked @ Tech Hifi in a Detroit suburb. My Denon turntable, moving coil cartridge, DQ-10's. Phase Linier amp, Yamaha preamp and my mobile fidelity records were the start of all this , here I am almost 60 still digging it all and especially enjoying your awesome channel. Peace from Detroit MI.
I started playing records when I was 11 years old. First with the 45's and then bought my fist LP when I was 12. Back then it was just the music that interested me. I played records all the way til I moved out of the house and a few weeks after that I was in a friend of a friend's living room and heard the Joe Walsh LP, "So What" on a quadraphonic system. The moment I was hooked on the gear is when I heard the song "County Fair" from the So What LP and instantly I fell in love with that sound and the gear. I visited my local high-end audio store and the salesman played "Lucky Man" by ELP, also on a quadraphonic sysgtem and I was smitten with the audio hobby. Soon after, I had a pair of Klipsch LaScalas and a 2 channel Mcintosh amp and then in the very late 70's, built the Hafler DH-101 preamp and eventually replaced the Mcintosh after building the Hafler DH-500 power amp. I have purchased and sold far too many systems over the decades but now I'm just having fun with Schiit Audio gear, among other pieces and I'm back to spinning vinyl again. Audio is fun again, except for those mega-buck systems no one I know can afford.
When I heard a pair of Klipsch La Scala with Realistic receiver at my cousin's apartment was a mind blowing experience for me. I cannot remember which turntable he had but his system to me was amazing.
Steve,
My high end audio roadway also began hearing the DQ-10’s in 1978. I was on my way to work at McDonald’s which was located in the largest mall in New England at the time. There was a little hole in the wall store, and emanating from this small shop was fantastic sounding music. The artist was Pousette-Dart Band which sounded as if the band was somewhere outback playing.
I had a few minutes to spare before my shift, I listened and was amazed. I asked the name of the speakers and was told, Dahlquist DQ-10. After work I stopped back in to ask how much and upon learning the price, I asked “what else do you have?”.
My first system was a Harmon-Kardon Twin 330C, Dual 1245 turntable and Bose 301 speakers. Not bad when I made $2.30/hour at 16 years old.
Since then I went on to build a system that comprised of HALCRO amps, HALCRO preamp, MBL 101’s, Esoteric AND dCS digital components and a Townsend Rock turntable with Graham Phantom II tone arm and Sumiko cartridges. All of that took 58 years to build and 30 minutes to incinerate in the California wildfire named “Camp Fire” in Paradise, CA. Yes, we lost everything but the clothes we were wearing and one car.
I’ve begun rebuilding my new reference system, this time with Spectral SV Preamp/Amps, Wilson Audio Speakers, dCS digital master clock and Network bridge, Esoteric SACD/DAC and MIT LEVEL One cabling throughout sourced by a ROON Nucleus plus.
One day this past summer, now retired, I was trying to come up with a restoration project. It hit me that I’ve never owned what sent me careening down this audio hobby path. I searched out a pair of DQ-10’s on eBay. Of the five drivers, two were Dahlquist, one driver was missing, the woofer was a Polk 12” and tweeters were ribbons held onto the frame by thread, seriously thread.
I sourced out the missing drivers, rebuilt the advent 10” woofers, replaced all the caps and rewired everything. Stripped the wood and refinished. Replaced the grill cloth and mirrored imaged. Powered them up with a McIntosh integrated that also drives the high level input of a vintage REL Stentor sub base system. This vintage system has better sound than most of the systems I’ve heard at trade shows (CES/Alexis Park, RMAF etc.).
This was the sound that has had me chasing the absolute sound.
Best regards,
Tracy
I heard the dq10s and had the same experience. Brought them home and hooked them up to a thorens td 125 mk 2 and marantz power amp and preamp. Had them quite a few years. Hearing jbl l100s was different but similar effect, they could really rock. Love the videos, thanks!
The first "true" hi-end system that grabbed me and left a mark was with components I had never heard of before. Eminent Technology Speakers, Spectral Preamp, and a Well Tempered 'Table. I can't recall the amp unfortunately. But, realistically, it all started with my Dad's system that I wasn't allowed to touch. I was too young anyway; but I would talk my Mom into playing some records on it for me. He built a Heathkit integrated amp and had a pair of 3-way Electro-Voice speakers with a Rek-O-Kut 'Table and ESL arm/Decca cartridge that he cobbled together. I was enchanted and forever hooked on music!
I too was transformed upon hearing the Dahlquist DQ10's and Snell Type 1 Loudspeakers... I can relate exactly to Steve: "Breaking through the reality barrier." I have not heard great improvement over the last 35 years. Yes, today you can listen to speakers costing more than some houses.... I am glad they are all out of reach for me!
I owned Mackie SRM 450 active speakers for a while. These are horn PA speakers with 1000W built in amps. Truly amazing to play these at very low and very high volume. At very low power you still get the full base sensation. At high volume you can give incredible house parties. It's just like you are listening to a live instrument or microphone directly hooked up to them when you play flacs... Currently i have Revel F206 with Unico Secondo amp, which sound very very pure and sweet and the best i ever heard in regular box speakers. But I agree with Steve, horn speakers really sound raw and live. It's probably best to have both types, indeed.
My life changing experience came way back in 1973 when I first visited Basil Gouletas at I/O Systems is Chicago. Basil was a boutique dealer selling state of the art equipment out of a small apartment on Addison Avenue. When I arrived, I was greeted by an amazing sound that filled the entire room, with no apparent source. I was gobsmacked when I realized what I thought were decorative screens were actually loudspeakers! Magnepan Tympani 1D's to be exact, driven by Audio Research electronics and sourced by a Linn LP-12 turntable (I forget the cartridge). It was an epiphany of sound, a peak experience. One that transformed my reality of what sound reproduction could achieve, and the emotional responses it could evoke.
JBL 4350. bi-amp'd with Crown DC300 and D150 in a 48-track recording studio with a Neve console and Studer recorders in Montreal. It was 1976, and the dynamics from live to multitrack to mixdown blew me away. Now I see 4350s in Japanese coffeeshops and audiophile systems but none of them will ever sound as good as what I heard in a properly treated studio nearly 50 years ago.
Friend's brother home from Kent State right after the student murders. Had KLH, Marantz, Gerard that was my very first beginning awakening. A few years later at Gordon Miller Music in Baltimore I used to slide into their listening room to hear the DQ 10's. Had a dream system in mind, but no dough. A little latter found Discerning Ear where Eric had Mags with Lux & Linn. Fell into a bunch of money one day and bought two pair of the DQ's (stacked) w/ a sub, Linn w/ an Ortofon MC & pre-amp, Nakamichi Dragon cassette, DBX 3BX, SAE parametric equalizer, Tandberg Reel, and a time delay signal processor (a fun toy), w/HK Citation 16 amps. Had the speakers re-coned & most of the kit cleaned and adjusted several times over the years, but still sounds awesome to this day. Bought it before I even bought my first car, or a house (such were my priorities as a young man). lol Could've bought a car AND made a down payment on a house for what I spent on it, but that was over 40 years ago and I've never had to upgrade a thing (other than a new cartridge to replace my original Ortofon MC 20 I think it was).
It's been like a great old wine. :)
I remember Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon - Time, and Genesis' Trick of the Tail - Squonk, were my favorite system test songs. The day I bought it (paid cash, all tens and twenties, 'cuz guess what I was doing for a living, I mean, it was the 70's) I took it home in a cab. Totally freaked everybody at the store out, especially when they had to keep emptying the cash register to make another deposit as I kept pulling wads of money out of my old M-65 field jacket.
Ah, to be young and stupid again...
That stereo has outlived two marriages, four house moves, and I don't know how many cars, so probably about the best purchase I've ever made. lol
Thanks for the trip back to the bus. ;)
This video triggers so many things for me! First, I would have to say that the Dahlquists were also my awakening, although I didn't follow the same path. In college, (in the 70s) my roommate had a pair of Fried/IMF transmission line speakers, and in the local audio shops that I would haunt I remember discovering the Celestion Ditton 33, which I also loved. These were great sounding speakers. But when I first heard the DQ-10s (in another college mate's room - it was an expensive school in Colorado, I was a scholarship student but without the same audio budget), well... I was just blown away! I still remember it. I would say that was life-changing as well. I have never pursued it as much as you have, but I have never been far away from it. Speakers just kind of fascinate me, and I always have too many of them in my apartment!
Parenthetically, I also used to be quite involved in the church in Chelsea where Bob Chesky did many recordings. My cohort Sandra, who did the bookings, is sadly now homebound, and neither of us is there any more. But I was always proud of the fact that the amazing acoustics of that sanctuary were a part of so many of his amazing recordings. I wonder if that's still being used? Things have changed so much over there.
Anyway, this was a great remembrance, thanks Steve.
The two pair of speakers that altered my life for autio were the KEF Reference 104/2 bi-wire floor speakers (I still own two pair of them) and a large pair of Martin-Logan ESLs. Been in the home and mobile audio world for about 30 years now.
Thanks Steve for all your videos. I am naturally very interested in the content but wouldn't be subscribed if it wasn't for your very relaxed conversational style with thoughtful well informed observations. You make it look very easy to do this kind of thing but I know it isn't. Keep 'em coming!
Had the same experience with the DQ-10s. The closest to a live experience but for $100,000 and up systems. Magical.
Mine was an Ampzilla Amp with a set of Magneplanar panels with a stool setup between the panels playing Poetry Man by Phoebe Snow. It felt like I could hear her breathe right next to me and you could clearly hear her fingers sliding along the guitar strings. Never had an experience like that since. That was in the early seventies.
Just bought my first pair of speakers - SMGB's .. considering a rebuilt SoA
I remember "Phased Array" being the terminology they used. A sort of time alignment similar to Vandersteens core concept in their speakers.
Post Script: (see below first) Shortly thereafter, I sold my Altec Lansing Voice of the Theater speakers and bought (from Basil) one of the first hundred pairs of Dahlquist DQ-10 speakers, with serial numbers 87 and 103 as I recall. The DQ-10's were also an epiphany, only one I could afford at the time.
1968 Infinity Systems Servo Statik 1. I don’t remember what the preamp was or what amps (two required) or what turntable was used, but these were life changing speakers. They were far better than anything I had ever heard, and they cost as much as a car. I became friends with the Infinity founders, and used to hang out at the factory. I learned a lot, and it started a life long obsession.
Excellent show! Mine was in 78', stacked Large Advents, Pioneer sa- 8500, Pioneer tx-9500, Tandberg 310, Technics SL23a TT/ Stanton 681eee. I bought it!
I was a music lover with no real exposure at all to hi fi audio. I knew you needed a decent turntable to not ruin your records and my friends two little speakers and a tiny amp sounded better than my parents big Motorola console. I was in the USAF and training at a base in Biloxi MS. I was driving around with a friend, heading somewhere that I can't recall. I needed an electrical component for something else I can't recall. We drove by a small shop that said something related to sound or electronics on the door. Stopped and went inside. It was an electronic supply store in which the owner also sold audio gear, mostly professional. Not a lot of it but stuff like I hadn't seen before. I wandered back to look around. Since this was 1976, the owner liked his hi fi equipment and loved to demonstrate it, even to poor airmen with no hope of buying anything. He asked if I wanted to hear something. I said yes. He put a record on a Thorens TT connected to a Crown amp and preamp, driving a pair of Yamaha NS1000 speakers. I wasn't informed enough to even look at what the cartridge was. I remember the record was "Diamonds and Rust" by Joan Baez. When that opening guitar line came out of those speakers I was stunned. I never new audio could sound remotely that good. That moment is why collecting recordings and listening to them on the best sound system my budget will allow is a thread that has run through every stage of my life through the next 40+ years. I wish I could go back in time and thank that guy. I still own a copy of that LP. Worn a bit.
I loved my DQ10's. Quite a step up from my EPI's.
Had biamped Dahlquist DQ10’s with double DQ1 subwoofers driven by two Ampzillas (one built from kit) in grad school in 1980. Kept them until 2003 when I downsized to a pair of ATC SCM35’s.
As a 14 year old teenager, at a friends house in the mid 70`s. My friends dad`s hi fi system was playing, and my attention was drawn to how natural and (real) the guitar and other instruments sounded on their stereo system. I don`t recall what the names of the system components were, but the experience sparked my interest in hi-fi. I`ll never forget it!
36 years ago, Linn Sondek LP12 with Valhalla/Ittok LVII/LInn Asak, Naim NAC32.5/Naim NAP250/Linn Kan and Rolling Stones "Satisfaction". I was stunned. Ordered LP12, Naim NAIT and Linn Kans and that upgrading itch disappered.
In the 70's I fell head over heels in love at first hearing Tympani 1C and then Infinity Servo-stats. I just had to have them! They became my 2nd and 3rd speakers. My first were Cerwin-Vega Sensarounds that I acquired from a factory Rep. I have never seen another pair; twin 18" subs and top boxes, looked a little like 901's. Now, after 50 years, I'm mostly a Kef guy. I like pinpoint imaging of Uni-que drivers R3 and LS50 M.)
Early on in my hifi life I had Dahlquist DQ-10 speakers. Drove them with a Phase Linear 400 and Crown preamp. Great equipment. The Phase 400 died and I had it repaired, but it never worked quite right again. So I moved on.
Steve, I was inspired by a small pair of JBL L20's. It was the first pair of speakers which sounded perfect with classical guitar recordings. I later took at job at Circuit City and was thankful to work the audio department for several years. During my time at Circuit City I became friends with the sales rep and five years later JBL sponsored a Classical Guitar event in DC. I was invited to play. I retain the L20's and now powered by an Onkyo M504 amp and Sony Preamp. This coming spring my first classical recording will be released. I appreciate your channel. A friend of mine who lives in Blacksburg, VA owns Dahlquist DQ-10s and they are amazing. I believe the Dq-10's are the best speakers I've heard. His is powered by a McIntosh the L20's are perhaps the best small speakers I've heard and I've heard many speakers. My live performance at a JBL event nearly 15 years ago open the doors to a record producer from NY and during this time I've played many events at his request.
Pink Floyd 'Meddle'. Quad ESL-57 in 1972, probably Quad amplification, at school, Midlands UK, with buddies I am still in touch with today.
AC/DC 'Back in Black' . Linn LP12 Full spec, Akubariks. Mesmerizing vinyl experience.
The Music is of course, the most critical component.
Stevo
I remember listening to Vandersteen 2Cs, and liking them. Then I heard those DQ10s, and was instantly blown away. The Vandersteens were "fine," but the DQ10s excited me with their realism.
Same story here walked into a little shop Reno Nevada had to have the dahlq.10 most enjoyable was 32 before 20s enjoyed every pair. Spacious
It was the Wilson Watt/Puppy w/ krell's at the audio show. Still not over it... have never heard anything better to this day. Was considering the Dahlquist DQ 10's. Heard Vandersteen's & that was it! Had Audionics of Oregon Amp & preamp. Was very happy!
I felt the same way when I first heard the newly released dq10’s at Paris Audio in Los Angeles...Over the years I’d think back to those speakers and a certain car I always loved..6 years ago I bought a pair of DQ10’s and a 1995 Acura NSX..
I heard a Martin Logan set up and fell in love with the open soundstage. I am still enjoying my ML setup and evolving my system. At the core is the enjoyment of the music, but it is fun to tweak the system components! I am enjoying every step of the never-ending quest for the next bit of improvement.
Wonderful video, Steve! Ampzilla and Dalquist - wow! It's like your first girl, you never forget.
YES!... I still remember the moment clearly... 1984, 18 yrs old, first year of college in Phoenix, at Buzz Jensen's Sound Advice. A wonderful salesman saw this wide eyed kid, and set me down in front of a pair of the original B&W 801's, and put on Early A.M Attitude by Ritenour/Grusin. OMG.... my life was changed forever. I sat there and listened to the following 5 tracks of the Harlequin CD, most likely drooling a bit. I'd never heard sound like that, nor had I heard Jazz Fusion before! It was a double whammy. I quickly went to find all the music I could by Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, and others. To this day... one of my main speakers is a pair of 801 Matrix Series 2's.... I've tried to replace them several times, but just can't get rid of them. They still do it for me.
Yes! I bought a pair of Klipsch LaScalas from Buzz Jensen's. Many repeats of Harlequin.
I had no real system but heard Martin-Logan Quests at my first audio show. I was hooked hard, and hooked on planar speakers. Accordingly, first real system featured Apogee hybrid ribbon speakers which were great but lacked sufficient bass. Traded in on Martin-Logan SL3s which blew me away and which I still own and enjoy. Audioengine 2 turned me on to the virtues of nearfield desktop hifi, and have since upgraded to JBL pro monitors that I listen to almost every day through a vacuum tube DAC. It was Martin-Logan that turned me on to what hifi could and should be.
I recall going to ATC in Stroud to listen to the SCM100 speakers when they first came to market. I heard those and it changed my perspective on loudspeakers forever. The clarity, smoothness and the space in between instruments in the mid ranges was simply stunning. As I was listening to them, the phone rang and then at the end of the listening session the guy asked me if I noticed anything strange and then pointed out that if I'd been listening to any other loudspeakers at that volume level, i wouldn't have been able to hear a phone ring - that's how much separation and definition there is in the mid ranges. At that time I was using Linn Isobariks and Spendor BC1s which then sounded pathetic after hearing the SCM100s! After that I stopped listening to high end equipment as it was clear that it was a domain that only the very wealthy could occupy. Since then I've used a pair of Quad II amplifiers, a Leak preamp and an old pair of Tannoy Berkeley speakers which, although don't come close to the ATCs, sound OK when you select the music that suits them. I still dream about that ATC visit from time to time as it made a huge impression.
Mine was around 1973 or so. A high end store was doing a quad demonstration at a high school auditorium. The auditorium was new and had very good acoustics. They had 4 Bozak Symphonies for the fronts, and a bunch of smaller Bozaks for the rears. They were using a Thorens 125 with an SME arm, and a Shure V15 III, a Revox A77 Reel to reel, and Audio Research electronics. Hearing that system in that large space sounded so good. Being able to fully develop bass wavelengths really sounded impressive. I have never forgotten that experience.
DQ10, GAS and Denon made up a system that I heard when I was about 11 that would probably qualify as the first High end I'd ever heard. It was a hifi store in a small down a few miles west of where I live. Never forgot it. I was amazed by it. Up to that point it had been pioneer, jvc, jbl, etc
My ear changing experience occurred in around 1978 when the Fulton J loudspeakers and the HQD (Hartley, Quad,Decca) system put together by Mark Levinson at sound advice in Coral Gables Florida. At the time I had McIntosh loudspeakers which were blown away by the aforemented which had far superior resolution. As a result of that experience I purchased a pair of Quads and Sequara ribbon tweeters which I mounted above the Quads myself. I also bought a Mark Levinson ML-1 preamp and Naim amplifier. Here I sit listening some $25,000 later:))
I just looked at your name and thought...wow that is familiar. It then flashed that you were a reviewer in the Absolute Sound, etc. BTW - another medium that changed my life too. Thanks for the great moments!
My life changing moment was hearing a Linn LP12 through Linn Isobarics, tri-amped with Naim. I actually sold lower end hifi at that point and had no idea that dynamic swings could physically scare you. It was jaw dropping. I was forever changed. I am still an audiophile twenty five years on from that day. Though now on system # 6......
It was a personal cassette player Panasonic. At that time I was into bass sound. Of course one of those have a bass boost function. Also I was reading Hifi magazines and dreaming of hi-end stuffs. One day I turn off the bass boost and just turn up the volume, I began to understand what are terminology of hifi means. It even inspired me to study electronics.
What I can't help but here in this is that, yes, the speakers gave you a Eureka moment. But your connection with Katz and crew was probably a huge part of that life-changing, as well.
I grew up with great audio I'm 44 born in 74, my dad's friends had all their stuff from the 70's I grew up hearing his friends full quad Big Pioneer receiver with 901's...another friend had JBL Jubals with a Big JVC, our down stairs in our duplex Had a Marantz with big Utah's. But even as a youngsta the 2 systems I really enjoyed was his friend that had a old Big Huge Sansui Receiver played on some AR1's, then he went to Boston's and then in the late 80's he bought some Pinnacle AC-800 I loved that set up. His other friend was all Britished out he had the original Wharfedale Diamonds with a old Creek Intergrated amp...and your toes was always tapping. Then in 82 we got hit broadside in my Dad's 79 Mazda Rx-7 and we got payed for the accident so my decided he was stepping his audio game up from his old All realistic quad setup. Once we made the trip to Carlin Audio in Dayton, Ohio I was hooked as a super youngster, hearing the Ohm Walsh 2's set-up with a Nad preamp and 2 Carver M-200 cubes ran in mono, with a Nakimichi tape deck....I had never heard Pianos and full synths like that before. Fast forward to when it's time for me to really get started, and they were none other than North American Budget darling the Paradigm Atom v2, Onkyo TX-DS 575 theater receiver that weighed 30 pounds heavier than all these modern receiver except for the flagships, Onkyo CD player, eventually the Atoms bass hump and limited topend annoyed me, years of listening to the original Diamonds taught me that. Once IAG set up shop in the states it was on I had What Hi, HiFi Choice, HiFi News, and HiFi+ magazines up to the ears and the Diamond 8.1 was finally here right on time with the rest of the world of course with a budget Nad stack, and I credit them as being my 1st true Audiophile speakers and the Nads being my 1st real stack. Many years later I'm back in to budget Monitors....you can never go wrong going with British gear especially British Bookshelves they put just as much care into their budget speakers as American HiFi puts into their Wilson Audio British gear makes music, all these years later since 2000 I still have my 8.1's and they have put many new speakers out of the house my next big change came from my Totem Arros they are simply the Masters of Soundstage and imaging, now their is a shiny new Q Acoustics 3020i in the house, but a new Wharfedale is calling me back home now will the Q's survive time will tell...lol
I had never heard of Hi End Audio when in the early or mid eighties I wandered into a store that was playing solo tuba, in mono, through a Quicksilver amp into one Quad US Monitor. It stunned me, and I've been an obsessed audiofiend ever since.
After years of pining over out-of-reach audio equipment in the 60's-70's, in the early 80's I was finally in a position to audition a pair of audiophile speakers to reproduce my growing pipe organ vinyl collection. I spent months listening to all sorts of systems dragging my reference vinyl with me to showroom after showroom. when I got to the DQ 10's I knew that I had found what I was looking for; the stage presence was as close to real as I had ever heard. I bought the DQ-10's and I still have them. The only change has been the re-foamed woofers. Later I added a pair of HSU HRSW 10 subs to to get that truly deep bass that my collection demands. Powering them is a pair of Hafler DH-200s bridged to mono plus an Adcom 555 for the subs. To this day, they still have the sound and stage presence that I enjoy the most. Sometimes being stuck in time is not a bad thing.
A very thought provoking segment, this morning. You are onto something deeply resonant.
About 1961, as a 14 year old, I was mowing my cousin’s yard. I knocked on his door when I was finished for his wife to drive me home. She said to go into the living room and listen to music until she was ready. In there was a pair of bookshelves speaker powered by a Scott-kit tuner and amp. I was completely amazed at the sound. I began my musical odyssey the Next Xmas when I received a Heathkit amp.
Given I am a headphone listener primarily, my experience is a little different. I was attending CanJam 2018 in Los Angeles, I was able to hear ZMF's for the first time. Hearing the Eikon for the first time was simply world-changing for me. I cannot express how grateful I was to listen and eventually own those headphones. I may not have the gear I would like to play them, but I hope to have the future in front of me to attempt. And in life, it is all in the attempt.
I first heard real hifi in my local Lang Audio back in the early 80s. My dad was buying a new TV and left me to wander the store. I heard the Sirens song from the sound room. I ended up listening to a Rotel Turntable, Kenwood/Trio amp and Heybrook HB1s. Sounded magical and i deffo left the store with some sort of sonic witchcraft at play. 2018 and i have 2 listening rooms in my house and audio obsession still going strong. Till death do us part, lol.
Yes. When I knocked up crude full range OBs and connected them to my Sony V3. Piano was right in the room with me.
FN: I remember listening to the DQ 10 as well as the new Magnepan speakers around 1978. I really liked the DQ 10s and would buy them today if they were still being made. Both speakers needed more bass to give more body and warmth to the sound, especially the Magnepans. This was before CDs and it was annoying to hear the tape hiss and record pops combined with the dry sound of the Magnepans. The salesman then ran the music
through a DBX sound processor, transforming the sound. All that was annoying seemed to disappear and the music seemed to blossom out from the speakers. Very impressive sounding speakers even by today's standards.
Infinity WTLC (Walsh tweeter), Phase Linear 400. I don't remember the preamp or turntable, I didn't know enough at the time to even pay attention. It belonged to my cousin (he still has the speakers), he taught me about imaging, and that has been my primary focus ever since. That was 1978. Twenty years later, an equally important change came when I built a single ended triode amp, designed by Eric Barbour, from a schematic in Glass Audio. It taught me that everything I thought I knew about hi-fi was a lie. Finally, this year, a pair of speakers, I also built, based on the Fikus Electric P-17. It gave me a true full range speaker I can drive with my S.E.Ts, now numbering three, finally realizing the full glory of the single ended triode amplifier. Great audio does not have to be commercially made.
I was working as a House painter in Utah in the 70s and walked past the "Listening room" of a customer with a set of Altec Lansing VOTT and a stack of McIntosh components. I was a budding DJ at the time with a set of huge home-made speakers, subs and a pile of Marantz amps. I politely asked for a listen. After two full hours of listening to a selection of the owners favorites...I was never the same. What a nice guy!
The Martin Logan Neolith at RMAF in 2017. I didn't want to leave my chair. It was stunning!
At age 22 in 1969 l had my first stereo system consisted of a Fisher 250T am/fm receiver and a pair of Realistic Minimus loudspeakers (from Radio Shack). I used the tone controls heavily.
Fast forward 2years. Acquired a Dynaco PAT4 and ST-120, an AR2ax, a Lenco L75 and a Teac 4010SL. I still used tone controls.
And yes I felt I had one of the better stereo systems in the neighborhood.
1979: A neighbor saw my interest in high end equipment and invited me to his home.
Equipment: Audio Research SP5, D110B, KEF105, Technics SP10 and Nakamichi 1000. Played some Telarc LPs and my jaw dropped. The sound was simply perfect to my ears. I told myself he must have the loudness and tone controls engaged. To my surprise there were no tone controls and no loudness button!!! I never knew they could do away with tone controls! I also learned a few things about proper speaker placement, use of audiophile cables, imaging etc. I didn't just learn about imaging. I heard it and was amazed at the deep soundstage
Presently now that I'm retired my system is as simple as can be. Needless to say it images very well and reminds me of the very first high-end system I listened to.
PS Audio Sprout, Elac Uni-Fi F5s and a homegrown music server. Kimber speaker cables and audioquest USB connector.
I'm planning on upgrading to Sprout 100 soon.
McIntosh 275, Mac preamp,AR turntable, AR 3A speakers. Wow... couldn't believe what I was hearing....just blown away
My 1st so-called high end system was the dq10s a Harman Kardon citation 16 amp, an Apt Holman preamp a nice Kenwood turntable with a Ortofon mc 20 cartridge and step up transformer. I compared them to some Magnepan speakers , both sounded great but thought the dq10s were a little better.This was 1978, I was 24 , everyone who heard them were blown away.
When I was about 18yrs old (~1990) my brother took me to The Music Mill in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was looking to upgrade his system and he'd already paid quite a few visits. They just happened to have set up a new (v expensive) valve amp in the front of shop and were putting Bjork's "Debut" album thru it. I can't remember the specific components but it sounded absolutely glorious out-of-this-world-good, real fizz-your-core stuff. I'll always remember it.
Is that why you decided to join Pearl Jam?
My first time hearing a real system was SAE amp,pre amp , parametric eq , jbl 100,s . Lucky man ,ELP.
THAT DID IT FOR ME.
I now have Emotiva gear, Old,OhmLs. Just nice!!!
I’ve had a pair of DQ 20 I for several years now and I just got a pair of DQ tens. I’m still restoring them, but the speakers are pretty amazing. My main speakers were always B&W matrix 802. But those 20s just blew me away.
Thanks for sharing Jay!