Dunlavy Audio Labs Cantata.(Evaluation)

Manufacturer: Dunlavy Audio Labs, Inc., P.O. Box 49399, Colorado Springs, CO 80849-9399 Price: $5000/pr Source: Manufacturer loan

Those of you who have been reading this magazine for a couple of years might remember my review of the Dunlavy SC-II system in issue 70. In that review, I indicated that the two-way SC-II was a terrific performer with most program sources, and that it only needed the assistance of a big subwoofer to move into the genuine, broadbandwidth big leagues. Well, the three-way Dunlavy Cantata may not have a monumental subwoofer, but it does have a pretty solid woofer that essentially turns what at first glance appears to be a somewhat radically altered SC-II into a real killer of a system for use in rooms of moderate, or slightly larger than moderate, size.

The Cantata has the same tweeter as the SC-II (the same Vifa unit is used in all Dunlavy systems, I believe), as well as the same two over/ under-mounted, 6.5-inch (overall diameter), Vifa midrange/bass drivers. However, those drivers now have their outputs augmented by the addition of a potent, 10-inch, Scanspeak woofer mounted down below. The Cantata also has the same elaborate, first-order crossover network covering the transition between the tweeter and the two 6.5-inch drivers.

When I said "somewhat radically altered SC-II" above, I was not implying that earlier system is somehow not aesthetically pleasing to the eye. However, the SC-II is a somewhat tall system (65 inches) that looks even taller by virtue of its slender, 8-inch square design. The Cantata cabinet is shorter (52 inches high) and larger in cross section (12-inches square), and has a partial, oval-shaped grille, rather than the full-length version found on the SC-II, meaning that seen in isolation it looks a bit less imposing, even though it is really a larger system. It also weighs considerably more: 85 pounds vs. 60 pounds.

The cabinet is made of medium-density particle board that varies in thickness from .75 inch to 1.5 inch. Actually, if you do the knuckle-rap test up and down its height you have to be impressed with its solidity. Indeed, the upper section has the resonance quality of a solid block of wood, even though I know that there has to be some space in there to accommodate the requirements of the two mid/bass drivers. The cabinet interior, like that of the SC-II is filled with open-cell foam to control absorption and damping.

Hookups are made on the back, via very elegant gold-plated binding posts that can take bare wires, pins, spade lugs, and banana connectors, both single and double. There are two sets of input jacks: one for the tweeter/midrange section and one for the woofer. They are normally connected together with flat jumpers, but those can be removed if biamping is desired.

The rated sensitivity of the system is 90 dB (1 meter, on axis, with an input of 2.83 volts), and the minimum recommended amplifier power is a modest 40 watts per channel into an 8-ohm load. At frequencies below about 1 kHz, the speaker is more like a 4-ohm load, however, but the impedance deviations are not extreme, and the sensitivity allows for fairly high outputs at modest input levels, and so the system would appear to be an undemanding load for even Circuit City grade receivers.