Spectrum II cab

[Newtosunn]

Crusty jack sounds like a definite problem area. Before that, though, I'd plug in a speaker cord to it, then take the 9V to the other end of the cord. Put one terminal of the battery on the tip, then touch the other to the sleeve. Again, you should get a pop. If so, then the problem is in the amp. If not, then it's between the plug where you touched the battery and the drivers. Crusty jack is, I think, the most likely place in that case.

Hi Isaac. Thanks for the speaker cord suggestion.   The existing wiring is good.  Both speakers had a nice loud pop and cones moved at the same time on sleeve contact. 

My knowledge of using a cabinet with a head is minimal to say the least.  I?ve always used combos.  Next question is where do I go from here?  I?m no professional but I like new gadgets and toys.  I?ve enjoyed learning about Sunn?s history and I?d really love to see what this cab and drivers can do (assuming and hoping that these speakers are in good shape). 

Loudthud mentioned measuring the resistance with a meter.  Is resistance important in determining what amp will work? Do I slowly work the drivers back into use?   Thanks again to all who have offered their knowledge

[D.M.N.]

The drivers have also been replaced. AFAIK, Sunn never used Altec drivers. But the Altec 418B is a superb driver, every bit as good as the JBLs of the era.

As far as I'm aware, while JBLs were the standard premium standard drivers in the early period, a customer could spec just about anything into a cabinet. I've read a few times before that Noel Redding had Altecs mounted in his cabinets from the factory, and have seen a handful of examples.

Did Ampeg ever use Altec drivers for their larger cabinets? Reason I ask is a friend had an Ampeg cabinet and amp that were stolen maybe 7 years ago locally and they were both re-covered with white tolex of some sort. It isn't a common color to see on amps or speakers since it gets dirty so easily. I wonder if that might be an Ampeg cabinet and someone put a Sunn logo on it to hide the identity and sell it?

Greg

Yes they did, I used to own a B-25 cabinet with 418s in it stock. Can't say it held much of a candle to any of my Sunn cabs, but I put that up to a shallow cabinet design more than the 418s.

To Newtosunn, yes, that appears to be an original cab, likely '67, as Conrad said, either a Spectrum or I believe the PA systems (studio PA) also used the offset cabinets like these.

[Isaac]

The drivers have also been replaced. AFAIK, Sunn never used Altec drivers. But the Altec 418B is a superb driver, every bit as good as the JBLs of the era.

As far as I'm aware, while JBLs were the standard premium standard drivers in the early period, a customer could spec just about anything into a cabinet. I've read a few times before that Noel Redding had Altecs mounted in his cabinets from the factory, and have seen a handful of examples.

Yes, it appears that I may be mistaken on that point. Oh, well, I've been wrong before!

[Newtosunn]

The drivers have also been replaced. AFAIK, Sunn never used Altec drivers. But the Altec 418B is a superb driver, every bit as good as the JBLs of the era.

As far as I'm aware, while JBLs were the standard premium standard drivers in the early period, a customer could spec just about anything into a cabinet. I've read a few times before that Noel Redding had Altecs mounted in his cabinets from the factory, and have seen a handful of examples.

Yes, it appears that I may be mistaken on that point. Oh, well, I've been wrong before!

Either way the tolex was removed, the front of the cab was upside down (maybe put on upside down after the gill or speakers were replaced) then the Sunn logo was turned right side up in the bottom right corner.  The speakers were not upside down though.  I figured all this out from this forum and a few pics showing me the logo and port were backwards.  Tons of info on this forum and it?s been great to have help with trying to get this cab working.