New forum member / new Sonaro stack owner

[Gus]

Hi,

I've been lurking here for a while, and today I finally took posession of my first Sunn amp, a Sonaro EL34 head with a 1x15 cab. If I'm not mistaken, the fact that it's a head and it uses EL34 dates it as 1969-1971, correct? They are both in very good cosmetic condition, though two of the three knobs are a bit chewed up. Is there a source for replacement knobs?
I think the stack looks fantastic! Can't comment on the sound yet as I did not have a chance to plug it in tonight and the in-store conditions were less than ideal.

The tube lineup is as follows
7025: Canadian GE made in Japan
7199: Sylvania
GZ34: an unlabeled 5AR4, it looks in rough shape as if something was spilled on its exterior
EL34: Canadian GE made in Japan

Do you lot recommend trying other brands? Do these amps need quality Western European or USA tubes to shine?

Out of curiosity, can you also take a look at the 2nd picture and tell me if the speaker is original? Who was it made by?

Interestingly the pawnshop acquired the cab a year after the head, from a different person!

http://catalysis.ca/aw/sonaro2.jpg">
http://catalysis.ca/aw/sonaro3.jpg">

[Anonymous]

Just judging by the square magnet, the speaker looks to me to be a CTS.  I didn't think Sunn used CTS speakers... at least not around this timeframe, but I am not an expert.

[Gus]

for what it's worth, the speaker "spokes" do look similar to the 10" CTS speakers that ampeg used in their 4x10 VT-40 combo from around the same period.

[Don T.]

Hello:
 On the other hand, that speaker looks exactly like an 81-0145 Sunn. Truth is most speaker manufacturers, other than JBL, used the same (Alpha Products) metal baskets and magnets assy's. They also used a lot of the same components (Waldom, Hawley). It is really hard to tell when there is no label. There will be numbers written or stamped on the back of the cone and on an inside surface of the basket that may shed some light on who made them.
Don T.

[Gus]

Don,
The inscription on the speaker is 81-xxxx. I believe the four digits were something like 0210. I don't feel like unscrewing the rob halford worthy back panel (feat. 30 screws) to check again

[MickP]

I have a matching cabinet with a square magnet speaker that is
labeled SUNN guitar transducer.

[Don T.]

Hello:
 There were 81-0110 81-0111 81-0112 81-0114. Looking at my voice coil spec sheet there is no 81-0210 listed (circa 1980).