Which came first?

[JoeArthur]

Anybody remember if the Coliseum series appeared before the Concert series?

[JoeArthur]

Well, I'm thinking the Coliseum. I remember the Sunn catalog from either 1969 or 1970 - talking about the way the individual "tone channel" controls could emulate different amps.

But I also remember a "Distort" control being mentioned, which I don't think was on the Coliseum... and I can't place it in time...

Did the first Coliseum leads ever have a distort control? I think while they did have two channels, the second channel only had reverb and tremolo. No distort control.

Maybe the Concert and Coliseum series were introduced at the same time? Possible...

This is what happens when you get old. Be forewarned!! 

[stanner]

innerestin conversation yer having there...
is there a special reason you are asking?
inquiring minds...
s

[JoeArthur]

innerestin conversation yer having there...
is there a special reason you are asking?
inquiring minds...
s

You should hear some of the other conversations I have with myself.

The only special reason is because I was asked... and I can't remember and it is really bothering me.

I completely remember the Orion brochures.

I completely remember the catalog with the Coliseums.

I can not remember when the Concerts appeared in relation with the above.

[EdBass]

I have a hole in my catalog collection; I don't have a 1970 or 1971. But... the '69 catalog doesn't show either one as an instrument amp. There is a 90 watt SS Concert P.A., and a 4 X 6550 Coliseum Sound System. The Coliseum head is in the small 24” X 10” X 9.5” box. With 3 X 12AX7’s, a 6AN8, 2 X GZ34’s and 4 X 6550’s in that little box, you could not only amplify your band, but probably also fry hamburgers for the road crew on top of it.
In ’72 there is a 150 watt single channel Concert Bass and a 150 watt two channel Concert Lead. Also in ’72, a 320 watt single channel Coliseum Bass and a 320 watt two channel Coliseum Lead.
Not a definitive answer to your question Joe, but maybe it will narrow it down some.

[JoeArthur]

I remember the 1969 catalog. That must have been the one the Orion didn't make it into - it came as a separate flyer. I just vaguely remember that SS PA, although I couldn't have told you it was named "Concert". Sunn must have liked reusing the Coliseum and Concert names.

From a little further research, the earliest Coliseum Lead schematic is the two channel version and that is 1970. And the earliest Concert Lead schematic, also two channel, is dated 1972. Both were changed to single channel schematics in 1975.

So the Coliseum must have predated the Concert. I have no clue how the schematic dates align with catalog or model introduction dates.

Hey Ed... would you mind giving me the exact quote from the 1972 catalog? It deals with the use of FETs and the distort control... I can't remember it exactly - it's something like:

"The use of FETs... allows... achieve the sound of an overdriven (or overloaded) tube amplifier".

Thanks!

[EdBass]

The Orion is in the '69 book along with it's SS sibling the Aquarius, complete with their funky Kasino-esque striped grill cloths. I should be home later this evening and send you the quote, I might even scan the catalog into a PDF if I get ambitious, AND can pull it off without destroying it.

[JoeArthur]

The Orion is in the '69 book along with it's SS sibling the Aquarius, complete with their funky Kasino-esque striped grill cloths. I should be home later this evening and send you the quote, I might even scan the catalog into a PDF if I get ambitious, AND can pull it off without destroying it.

Are you sure? (Of course I know you are going to say yes).

The 1969 catalog I received didn't have the Orion or Aquarius "in" the catalog.

Maybe they did a reprint later in the year? I don't know, just the only explanation I can come up with. Really weird because that SS PA was actually "in" the catalog.  I did get extra flyer sheets stuffed into the catalog telling me all about the Orion and Aquarius... along with an extra price sheet covering only them.

I do keep forgetting about the Aquarius - as I don't think any were actually sold, or even field tested like the Orion. Maybe just mockups and prototypes. Like get one working before the other. A full size reverb tank will easily fit in the back of the Orion head and there is plenty of room left on the chassis for a reverb/tremolo circuit board.

[EdBass]

The Orion is in the '69 book along with it's SS sibling the Aquarius, complete with their funky Kasino-esque striped grill cloths. I should be home later this evening and send you the quote, I might even scan the catalog into a PDF if I get ambitious, AND can pull it off without destroying it.

Are you sure? (Of course I know you are going to say yes).

The 1969 catalog I received didn't have the Orion or Aquarius "in" the catalog.

Maybe they did a reprint later in the year? I don't know, just the only explanation I can come up with. Really weird because that SS PA was actually "in" the catalog.  I did get extra flyer sheets stuffed into the catalog telling me all about the Orion and Aquarius... along with an extra price sheet covering only them.

I do keep forgetting about the Aquarius - as I don't think any were actually sold, or even field tested like the Orion. Maybe just mockups and prototypes. Like get one working before the other. A full size reverb tank will easily fit in the back of the Orion head and there is plenty of room left on the chassis for a reverb/tremolo circuit board.

Yes, I'm sure! The price sheet is a suppliment however. I'll send the PDF's to your email address, they are too large to post. Sorry for the crappy scans, I was hurrying. I didn't realize that the Aquarius and Orion were modular amps, ala the Acoustic 371's, as you have probably surmised, I'm not the biggest SS Sunn fan.
I also forgot about the Dymos, which rounded out the SS offerings for '69.

[JoeArthur]

Got them Ed - Thanks Bunches!!