Just got a Sunn 200s + Cab

[Korladis]

Definitely get that cord changed.

But damn, nice score.

 

[lowphatbass]

Looks like the cabinet may be older than the head, but I'm no expert by any means.

I did pick-up a similar rig recently and I can attest to the venerability of this 60w set-up, it's incredible!!

 

[chadds]

The grill cloth that’s on your head is newer than the amp; it was used from 1969 forward. The grill cloth on your cab is period correct. Regretfully as John alludes to, it is unavailable. The later style is still available from the OEM, but I don’t know anywhere you can get less than a bulk amount retail, I think 4-5 yards x 72” wide. I’ve got some leftover from doing this rig;

However, I have more rigs that need new grills. There are probably some Sunn-o-philes at the Link Removed who would sell you enough to do the cab if you want a matching rig. I imagine that they would love to drool over your “score” also!

Is one cab not a 2000s? Can't see 140s.
It's a beautiful set. Truly amazing rig. I played them. One cab distorts your vision when you stand in front of it, even outside. Two is incredible.
Without starting a flame war and in my humble opinion capable of more overall clarity and big boom than a slightly later now very popular model.

 

[edbass]

Is one cab not a 2000s? Can't see 140s.
It's a beautiful set. Truly amazing rig. I played them. One cab distorts your vision when you stand in front of it, even outside. Two is incredible.
Without starting a flame war and in my humble opinion capable of more overall clarity and big boom than a slightly later now very popular model.

They are both 2000S cabs, I think the one one the left is a '68 and the one on the right is a '71 or so. Both are loaded with 16 ohm K140's, but the drivers in the '68 were originally used in a theater install so the dust covers are black instead of silver in order that they wouldn't distract from the show. I've got a set of silver covers, but haven't bothered to put them on.

The rig is incredibly loud, particularly when you consider the amp is only rated at 150 watts. In these days when mega watt transistor amps can be bought so cheaply that rating almost seems niggardly, but it will indeed rock your world with SPL.
I get a kick out from those all knowing posters who state that you NEED at least 300, 400, 500 watts minimum to gig with when those types of threads pop up.

That “dinky” 150 watt amp is loud enough for just about any venue I know of; you might have a problem with real estate on smaller stages, but it will have plenty of "thump".

All you have to do is get it to the gig and then tote it home, which pretty much requires a truck or van, and a buddy to help is also nice…

 

[audiomitch]

I got mine for $250... In 1976!

Great amp, I wish mine never caught on fire. Spent many happy years playing through it.

 

[peterpanwashere]

I spent a couple of hours today cleaning up the cab. It's starting to look better. It was truly filthy in the not good way. I also cleaned cobwebs and dead spiders out of the head. That was unpleasant. Also, I couldn't find an inspection date inside the head - the only grease pencil I saw was a bit that said "top". There were stickers labeling the tube types though.

On another unpleasant note, the cab has started to rattle pretty badly when I play a low G. It didn't do this when I tried it out at the store. I'm still trying to diagnose where the rattle is coming from. Current suspects include the wheels that are mounted on the bottom, something in the lower half of the cab, or the lower speaker itself. It's a bit of a strange rattle, as it doesn't rattle on the immediate attack of the note, but on the sustain. I don't have much experience in fixing up cabs either, so this will be new for me.

I'm thinking I might take the back off the cab to take a look and see if anything looks amiss. It looks like it will be a royal pain though, there are a ton of screws holding the back on. Anyone have advice on diagnosing cab rattle issues in old sunn cabs??

 

[johnk_10]

a good drill/driver with a #2 philips bit makes short order of taking the back off of one of those cabs.
it should be very simple to diagnose & repair what's causing the rattle once you're in there.

 

[chadds]

They are both 2000S cabs, I think the one one the left is a '68 and the one on the right is a '71 or so. Both are loaded with 16 ohm K140's, but the drivers in the '68 were originally used in a theater install so the dust covers are black instead of silver in order that they wouldn't distract from the show. I've got a set of silver covers, but haven't bothered to put them on.

The rig is incredibly loud, particularly when you consider the amp is only rated at 150 watts. In these days when mega watt transistor amps can be bought so cheaply that rating almost seems niggardly, but it will indeed rock your world with SPL.
I get a kick out from those all knowing posters who state that you NEED at least 300, 400, 500 watts minimum to gig with when those types of threads pop up.
:
That “dinky” 150 watt amp is loud enough for just about any venue I know of; you might have a problem with real estate on smaller stages, but it will have plenty of "thump"…

I love Sunns. In your enthusiasm you're leaving out the great cab design and the efficiency of the JBLs work in concert to give great volume out of those watts. I owned and played these when they were new. Todays rigs with all those watts have way more headroom and can deliver at greater volumes the clear articulate boom Sunns give. We all know when driven the 200s and 2000s can give that Mountain distortion bass tone that is not pristine. Excellent true grit, drive, raunch but not clean.

 

[edbass]

I love Sunns. In your enthusiasm you're leaving out the great cab design and the efficiency of the JBLs work in concert to give great volume out of those watts. I owned and played these when they were new.

Obviously, the monstrous cabs and the AlNiCo JBL's play a huge part in the big sound, I assumed that that was a "given". That's why I referenced the size, weight and cartage issues attendant to gigging these behemoths as a caveat when enthusiastically describing their SPL potential.

Todays rigs with all those watts have way more headroom and can deliver at greater volumes the clear articulate boom Sunns give. We all know when driven the 200s and 2000s can give that Mountain distortion bass tone that is not pristine. Excellent true grit, drive, raunch but not clean.

I think you missed my point. I wasn’t inferring that the old Sunn could out perform a modern mega watt transistor rig, my point was directed towards those who profess that a 300, 400, 500 watt rig is the minimum power requirement for live gigging.

I get a kick out from those all knowing posters who state that you NEED at least 300, 400, 500 watts minimum to gig with when those types of threads pop up.

That “dinky” 150 watt amp is loud enough for just about any venue I know of; you might have a problem with real estate on smaller stages, but it will have plenty of "thump".

While the Pappalardi saturation is something the old Sunns can obviously do, a healthy 2000S rig, or for that matter a 200S rig is capable of producing very clean and hi-fi tones at a fairly high SPL, even down real deep.
That’s not just “enthusiastic” fan-boy stuff; that pictured 2000S rig was at a TB GTG, and at that same GTG it was put through some pretty aggressive paces, including a 5 string Clevinger EUB.
I was curious as to the real low response of the cabs; I knew from scoping the amp itself that it was strong and clean down to 20-25hz., but wasn’t sure how well the old cabs/JBL’s would hold up to low B before begging for mercy. From 10-12 feet we measured in excess of 120dB (I believe 126, but I’m not sure; someone there took a pic of the meter) real hi-fi clean, real low; surprisingly all the way down the Clevinger’s “fat string”.
Measured SPL aside, it was freekin’ huge, omnipresent; those big cabs move an incredible amount of air.

To bring this back to my original point; certainly more than adequate for any stage monitor requirements, and even well beyond prudent FOH level for the majority of venues discussed by TB posters.

Of course, we also cranked the volume knob up to the point of making the K140’s beg for their lives, saturated all the glass bottles in the old girl. Interestingly enough the actual SPL didn’t get all that much higher, it got a little louder but mostly from 7.5-8 on up it pretty much just got more “PappalardI’ rather than louder. The last 20% or so of the volume knob is almost like a distortion effect rather than a volume knob, that old Dynaco hangs pretty tough in the “loud but Hi-Fi” role.

As I’ve pointed out though, you have to deal with the “baggage” to experience it. An 800 watt class D and a couple of neo cabs will also provide more than adequate gigging presence and fit in your Aveo.

Very convenient, but regretfully will sound like an 800 watt class D through a couple of neo cabs rather than an old school tube amp through AlNiCos.

 

[chadds]

 

[chadds]

Well reviewed, reported and said!