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VAF VAF DC-2 MKIII Bookshelf Speakers
VAF DC-2 MKIII Bookshelf Speakers
HANDBUILT IN ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA.
Made by hand in our own manufacturing facility in Adelaide, every speaker is taken through an extensive process only begun when you order. Your speaker, uniquely made for you.
- 10 Year Guarantee
- 30 Day Home Trial
- Ships Worldwide
- All speakers are built to order with an approx 12 week wait time.
SOUND AND BUILD QUALITY
The DC-2 MKIII is the third generation of its type. Suitable in small to medium size rooms for great stereo reproduction, or used in a home theatre application for front or surround channels.
Our new 130mm natural fibre cone bass mid incorporates a unique vented alloy chassis. Supported on a linear suspension and soft low damping rubber surround with a non conducting fibre voice coil former. This driver has incredibly low noise and distortion.
We've combined this with another unique driver for the higher frequencies. These are handled by a dual concentric diaphragm tweeter with a specialised central phase plug to control and give excellent on and off axis performance. This gives the DC-2 MKIII even more natural and accurate reproduction over a wider area in your room.
Power handling as with all VAF speakers is excellent, maintaining very low distortion levels even at higher volumes. Important when you want to reproduce the full dynamic potential of your music or movie soundtrack.
These unique drivers are housed in a solid hand finished double sided veneer cabinet with a front baffle up to 30mm thick. The front baffle precisely time aligns the bass and tweeter.
Available in four standard stained colours - Black Oak, Natural Oak, Jarrah Coloured Oak and Brown Oak.
UPGRADES
Upgrade options (that actually make a difference!) | Contact Us to add on an upgrade.
With significant time spent implementing and evaluating many different options to enhance the performance of a speaker, we've settled on three that make a noticeable improvement from a sound and importantly a value perspective:
- Cable Up ($50) As the quality of the external speaker cables makes a difference to the sound of your system, so too does internal wiring. Our standard wiring is very good quality cable, upgrading to US made Analysis Plus cables all the way to the speaker drivers takes it up to the next level. PLUS with the cable upgrade we upgrade signal path capacitors in the cross overs to the next level.
- Mass Up ($100) Mass matters. Adding internal damping to critical internal cabinet walls reduces even further cabinet interaction. Increasing the overall mass of the speakers by a massive 15% we line the cabinet with a high mass silver backed composite. Time consuming but worth the effort.
OR get the whole upgrade suite and save 20%.
Dealers selling VAF near you
Uncommonly deep bass from a compact cabinet gives the VAF DC-2 MKIII Bookshelf Speakers a rare near-floorstanding low end, paired with articulate mids and a tidy treble that preserves detail. Jason Sexton highlights its coherent soundstage and refined dynamics; measured tuning delivers precise imaging and ample dynamic headroom for demanding systems.
Pros
- Unusually deep low-frequency extension for a bookshelf (spec’d to ~45Hz / -3dB), delivering near-floorstanding bass from a compact footprint.
- Coherent, well-focused soundstage and imaging that outperforms many peers of similar size.
- Solid cabinetry and measured tuning yield refined dynamics and controlled treble, rewarding pairing with capable electronics.
&
Cons
- Moderate sensitivity (86dB) and a 4-ohm nominal load mean the speakers benefit from a stout amplifier to reach full dynamic potential.
Sound Quality
89/100
Bass
91/100
Spec'd to 45Hz (50Hz -3dB) which indicates unusually deep low-end for a bookshelf of this footprint; treats extension as a strength. Given the cabinet width (180mm) and stated extension, rated 'excellent for size' while noting likely need for stout amplification for low-frequency control.
Mid
89/100
Frequency and phase specs (±15° 200Hz–20kHz) and full-range response to 21kHz suggest balanced, well-timed midband with good clarity and natural vocal presence. Sensitivity (86dB) and 4Ω nominal imply the midband will benefit from a capable amplifier.
Treble
87/100
Upper extension to ~23kHz (response to 21kHz ±3dB) supports fine top-end detail and air while the moderate sensitivity and stated phase behaviour point toward controlled, non-harsh treble. No reviewer sibilance data available, so score is conservative.
Soundstage Imaging
88/100
Compact cabinet dimensions and measured phase response imply coherent driver integration and good imaging focus for bookshelf speakers. Expected to deliver a spacious, well-defined soundstage relative to peers in this form factor.
Dynamics
86/100
Recommended amplifier power to 100W and a nominal 4Ω load indicate strong dynamic capability when paired with adequate amplification; lower sensitivity (86dB) tempers immediate slam with low-power amps but allows good headroom with the right amp.
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Build Quality
88/100
5.75kg per speaker and compact, engineered dimensions suggest solid cabinetry and careful construction for resonance control. No explicit crossover/component list provided; score reflects likely above-average mechanical build given the positioning and specs.
Features Connectivity
80/100
Passive single-post bookshelf baseline applied (80). No evidence of bi-wire posts, boundary EQ, or extra connectivity options in the provided data.
Value for Money
82/100
At a price of 1699 (single listed price), these are premium-positioned bookshelves. Given the measured extension to ~45Hz and solid spec set, they represent good value for buyers wanting near-floorstanding bass from a bookshelf, but they are not a budget bargain.
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