Sunn 215s speaker identification

[Coughdrops]

Looking at possibly buying what I think is a Sunn 215s. Can anyone tell me if you think the speakers look original based on the below pick? Sorry, I have very little info on this. Any help GREATLY appreciated!

[BruceWane]

They look like the originals that were in a 215b that I had at one time. The small domes covering equally small voice coils were the same.

Not that the original speakers were very good, though. I think they were rated at 100 watts each, and that was rather optimistic. I blew them pretty quickly and replaced them with EVM 15b's. Completely lined the cab with carpet padding also. Sounded pretty good, VERY LOUD.

The cab itself was very solidly built, though, and served well for many years after the EVM upgrade.

[Coughdrops]

Thanks! If that's the case I think his asking price of $400 is too high.

I guess the 215-letter designation referred to the speakers the cab came with. I think I remember the "s" was CTS speakers.

Maybe it's worth getting for the box only if I can get the price down...

[craig.p]

They also look like what was in my 215BH.

The old Sunn cabs have an aura about them that has kept their prices up. I would say that on the whole and based on field performance it's deserved.

I agree they were very tough and well built. And probably responsible for as many hernia surgeries as the SVT.

$400 is steep but not absurd, considering what looks to be the condition of the cab. You put in a couple of fifteens that one of the experts here tells you will work, and you'll have a cab that will make you happy.

[Coughdrops]

Yeah, trying to decide if its worth it. I don't really have room for two big cabs, but sometimes I think I'd prefer a great old school 215 over my 610. If I can get it for a little less than 400, I'll go for it... and then try to explain to my wife why vintage amps make for great house decor.

[Baron Von Vik]

They do look OEM (which doesn't always mean "great") I'd get it, though.

[B-string]

They MAY be Jensens that some Fender guitar combo players would pay well for? Just a thought.

[ryco]

Sunn cabs are very well constructed, but WARNING! Are very heavy and bulky! No fun on stairs.
Sound like a million bucks though. My '72 had Cerwin Vega speakers.

I sold mine and bought a Plush 2x15 which was way lighter and I thought sounded better. Still have it.

[KramerBassFan]

If they are OEM wouldn't they be CTS's?

[edbass]

The S in 215S meant the cab was loaded with "Sunn Bass Transducers", which were actually made by Sunn in their early 70's Hartzell heyday; as were the 215M’s upgrade “Sunn Magna” drivers.
The other 215 option was the 215V which had Cerwin Vegas.

However, those smooth cones and small dust covers don't look like Sunn bass driver cones. You are probably going to need a peek at the magnets and frames to tell what they actually are.

The cabs are nice, very flexible using a variety of drivers. I use a 215S loaded with EV15L’s as my “go to” cab, works well with the L’s, I think more balanced and more articulate than with loaded with the EVM15B’s. Works well a big thumpin’ tube amp.



I wouldn’t personally pay $400 for one unless it for sure had some nice drivers in it though.

[will33]

Originally Posted by edbass

The S in 215S meant the cab was loaded with "Sunn Bass Transducers", which were actually made by Sunn in their early 70's Hartzell heyday; as were the 215M’s upgrade “Sunn Magna” drivers.
The other 215 option was the 215V which had Cerwin Vegas.

However, those smooth cones and small dust covers don't look like Sunn bass driver cones. You are probably going to need a peek at the magnets and frames to tell what they actually are.

The cabs are nice, very flexible using a variety of drivers. I use a 215S loaded with EV15L’s as my “go to” cab, works well with the L’s, I think more balanced and more articulate than with loaded with the EVM15B’s. Works well a big thumpin’ tube amp.



I wouldn’t personally pay $400 for one unless it for sure had some nice drivers in it though.

That's a sweet looking rig. I can't figure out if that thing at the bottom is a balding head or a hairy knee.

[Coughdrops]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! I also think $400 is high unless it has some nice drivers. I'm gonna see if he can look at the magnets.

[craig.p]

Careful. Even if the drivers are what you're looking for (or can tolerate), there's no way of knowing whether the surrounds have deteriorated after 3 decades. So you might want to go into this with the assumption that at the very least you'll have to get two recone jobs OR swap the drivers altogether. There are "utility class" brand-name drivers that can be had cheap that will probably do a better job in that cab than those originals ever could even when they were new.

If you plan on using the cab only at low volumes, then of course none of this matters. Even a driver with a clapped-out surround may do fine as long as it's not pushed hard.

[Coughdrops]

Yeah, I'm assuming I would replace drivers with the above mentioned EVs or maybe some JBLs, which would increase cost a bit so I need him to bring down the price.

[ryco]

Originally Posted by edbass

The cabs are nice, very flexible using a variety of drivers. I use a 215S loaded with EV15L’s as my “go to” cab, works well with the L’s, I think more balanced and more articulate than with loaded with the EVM15B’s. Works well a big thumpin’ tube amp.

I wouldn’t personally pay $400 for one unless it for sure had some nice drivers in it though.

I have this Sunn Coliseum 8028 12+18 cab that is loaded with EVs. Paid $100 for it in '88. GREAT cab, very bulky, very versatile; can be run to an internal passive x-over (700w prog 375w rms 4Ω) or can run biamp in (mid: 300w prog ,150w 8Ω; bass: 400w prog 225w rms 8Ω). Right now running the Sunn 200s into the 12" daisy chained with a Sunn Concert to the 18". Just for fun.



I love Sunn stuff! Been using it since '72. Now use GK, which I also love. Different animal, tho!

[johnk_10]

i run two JBL K140's in my vintage Sunn 2x15 (the earlier version) and for me, the sound of that cab is as good as it gets.

[morebass!]

I had the 215b with the original drivers and it sounded good but was rated at only 140 watts. When one of the drivers blew I put JBLs in there and it sounded great. Try to talk him down to $250 -300 for the cab and swap out those old drivers. They'll blow if you push them to what is expected of a cab that size these days.

[GlennW]

They might be made by Eminence for Sunn. See if there's a number like 67-xxxx on the magnets.

[edbass]

Originally Posted by johnk_10

i run two JBL K140's in my vintage Sunn 2x15 (the earlier version) and for me, the sound of that cab is as good as it gets.

+1
IMO it's hard to beat a tube amp into an AlNiCo JBL loaded Sunn 200S or its big brother the 2000S. It’s sort of like the thing with an old Portaflex; they just sound good.
I think the older 200S cab has a little more low end than the later 215S/M/V cab, but they are very similar and both sound great. The 200S cab can limit your speaker choices though, a combination of the rear mounting combined with limited space internally because of port ducting. It’s not real unusual to find old 200S cabs with the ducting carved out for big magnets or just removed entirely.

Another side note about the Sunn 215 cabs; anomalies abound, Sunn wasn't afraid to customize gear for high profile customers.
The cab I pictured earlier is a '72 215S, but came factory loaded with D140F's. Sunn didn't even offer a factory JBL option in '72; their non-Sunn OEM upgrade speakers were Cerwin Vega then, but that particular cab was part of an endorsement deal and the endorser wanted the JBLs.
I know of 2000S rigs being loaded with Altec 421s for the same reason, and even a custom built AlNiCo JBL 15" driver with a 3" motor for a specific customer, but that's a story in and of itself...

So you never know what those old cabs might have in them, above and beyond any replacement drivers that may have been put in one over the last 40 years.
I would at least check and see what the cab has in there, Coughdrops!

Originally Posted by GlennW

They might be made by Eminence for Sunn. See if there's a number like 67-xxxx on the magnets.

Sunn (Hartzell) manufactured their own speakers in the era that cab is from. It might have Eminence drivers in it, but if it does they were probably as replacements for the originals.

[Coughdrops]

Here is a shot of back of speakers. They certainly look original and as previously mentioned have very low rating. They also have the 67-**** number sequence. This really just confirms I would want to replace.