Correct speaker cab(s) for Coliseum 300

[bigobassman]

Howdy Sunn worshipers.  I'm new, but not new to Sunn.  I've had this Coliseum 300 head for years and used it with a early 70's Bassman 2-15 cab combined with a 2-15 Acoustic cab for several years.  Loved the combo.  I'm now looking to match the head up with the proper Sunn cab.  I purchased one last year, a 300 watt 2-15 cab that sounds great, but is a newer one from Mexico.  Curious to know what Sunn offered with/for this amp to possibly match up and have proper/correct combination.  Thanks for your input.  Big "O"

[made by hand]

bigobassman..does you coliseum head say 300 on the front next to the name? or is that the output..i was looking in a few of my older catalogs and the coliseum head was coupled with either 2 ...2x15 cabs or 2 single 18 cabs.stacked..2 6x12 cabs..or 2 4x12 cabs...the coliseum 880 head was hooked up with these cabs..it was take your pick..so, what does it really say on the front panel..? smiles...Bob from mass

[bigobassman]

Hey Bob from Mass.  Thanks for your reply.  Here's the info.  Head has Coliseum-300, with 300 Watt Bass Amp on the next line underneath.  It is the silver logo, not red.  Has the following inputs/controls on the front:  Gain/ Compression / 7 band EQ / Bi-Amp/ Master.  Thanks for your input and help.  Big "O" from the Carolinas.

[Isaac]

Howdy Sunn worshipers.  I'm new, but not new to Sunn.  I've had this Coliseum 300 head for years and used it with a early 70's Bassman 2-15 cab combined with a 2-15 Acoustic cab for several years.  Loved the combo.  I'm now looking to match the head up with the proper Sunn cab.  I purchased one last year, a 300 watt 2-15 cab that sounds great, but is a newer one from Mexico.  Curious to know what Sunn offered with/for this amp to possibly match up and have proper/correct combination.  Thanks for your input.  Big "O"

There is no "proper" Sunn cabinet for the Coliseum. Sunn used a mix and match philosophy in those days. The Coliseum Bass amp was advertised with the 118MH, 118VH (same cabinet with a Cerwin Vega 18"), and 118S (or was it 118M?). Usually, two cabinets were used. A guy in my old home town used two 215SH cabinets. I heard the some big names used three 312S cabinets. IIRC, Geddy Lee used 118VH cabinets on one side of the stage, and 215S cabinets on the other, running his Rickenbacker in stereo. John Entwistle used a combination of 118M and 412S cabinets.

[made by hand]

HI ISAAC...your right about the coliseum set up..like i said in my post it was pick the cab set up the way you wanted it...it was your choice and there was a quite a few to chose from..any combination to suit your sadistic sense of musical humor about plowing the first 3 or 4 rows of people out of the way that sat in the front rows.....BOOM !

[made by hand]

BIGOBASSMAN..the newest sunn catalog i have is a 74....your amp was made after that because the cats i have don't show that amp from 74 back ..maybe some one else can fine tune the time line for you...or..it could of been a amp that sold for 5 years or so with out any changes...so for example..it was made is lets say 77  and they carried that amp until 82...hey..who knows.?? there might be another sunn brother on the site with   newer catalogs that can help you out...wait and see.....smiles...Bob

[bigobassman]

   Thanks to all of you for your help and advice.  Additional information will be warmly received.  Keep on thumpin' and may lots of Sunn shine on you. 

[Robbie Nuke]

The Coliseum 300 you have is either one of the last of the original sunn mfg co products or a transition piece of when sunn was bought out by Fender... I lean more towards the former. As you can tell it has the bi-amp/compressor features that started to be "in demand" during the 80's/90's. I've played a lot of older sunn bass gear, and the 300 amp was my least favorite. Too many features which I don't think were designed/engineered to sound as good, just to have it all in one package. Sunn went off the market right after this amp was produced for a few years, then came back as a lighting equipment mfg and then as a spin-off of Fender.