Looking for info on Sunn Concert Lead

[mdrmusic]

I just picked up a Sunn Concert Lead from a friend and I am looking for some detailed info, such as manufacter date and specs on wattage and ohm load. I want to get a cab for it, but I want to match it up with something that will work. Anyone have any suggestions on cab types, or know of any way I can track the info by serial#? I really am curious when this thing was put together, it's awesome. 

[EdBass]

I'm not aware of any way to get dating info from the serial number. Most Sunn amps have a date handwritten on the chassis, or a sticker on the chassis with a test date on it.

[mdrmusic]

Thanks for the reply. I don't see any handwritten dates or a sticker anywhere, and I really don't want to open it up...is it possible to tell approximately what it is by the way it looks? I just don't know anything about it, I've read it could be tube or solid state; 100 watts or 200 watts. It's an all black case with a silver front, with 2 channels and 2 inputs on each channel. One channel has a distortion knob, the other does not, and all the switches are red in color. It sounds great which is all that matters, but I just would like to know more about it. Thanks in advance if anyone has any info for me.

[EdBass]

Thanks for the reply. I don't see any handwritten dates or a sticker anywhere, and I really don't want to open it up...is it possible to tell approximately what it is by the way it looks? I just don't know anything about it, I've read it could be tube or solid state; 100 watts or 200 watts. It's an all black case with a silver front, with 2 channels and 2 inputs on each channel. One channel has a distortion knob, the other does not, and all the switches are red in color. It sounds great which is all that matters, but I just would like to know more about it. Thanks in advance if anyone has any info for me.

The handwritten or label will indeed be on the inside of the case. From your description it sounds like a later model Concert Lead, and it's definitely transistor. I'm a tube kinda dude, I'm not the sharpest crayon in the box when it comes to Sunn's solid state gear.
If you post a picture I'm certain that one of the transistor afficiando's on this forum can ID it for you. Be patient, this isn't a real high volume forum (as is evident by the stats) and it may take a while for someone "in the know" to stumble across your question.

[mdrmusic]

OK, I looked inside and it says it was inspected on 1/72, and it is indeed solid state, as I didn't see any tubes...here are some pics as you suggested, front and back, so hopefully someone can help me get some info so I can match up a cab to this. If anyone has suggestions as to what type of cab would sound good, please let me know. And thanks again Ed, you've been a great help.

[EdBass]

Here's a little more info;
The '72 catalog says its 150 watts RMS, 350 watts peak.
They suggest a myriad of speaker combinations;
One or two 6X10 cabinets, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers.
One or two 3X12 cabinets, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers.
One or two 4X10 cabinets, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers.
One 4X12 cabinet, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers.
Two 2X12 cabinets, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers.
All 10" loaded cabinets were available with upgraded Sunn "Magna" drivers. (got me!)
All 12" loaded cabinets were available with upgraded (Cerwin) Vega drivers.

Member loudthud has painstakingly put together a helpful catalog guide by year.
http://sunn.ampage.org/sdp/index.php/topic,4178.0.html
 
Here's my speculation*. The Concert series is a very revered solid state amp with sought after built in distortion. It produces a solid 150 watts into a 4 ohm minimum load (the later Concert models are rated to 200 watts into a 2 ohm load, but there is some questions about the amps longevity at 2 ohms).







*Uhmm... You transistor guys can jump in any time now… 

[Isaac]

Uhmm... You transistor guys can jump in any time now… 

I'd say you pretty much nailed it.

[cromag]

anyone know if the earlier version (like the one shown above) has the same circuitry as the later version (all red knobs and such)?   and yes, the concert lead (at least the later models) are wicked with the distortion.  i am very much a sunn solid state enthusiast.

[loudthud]

The one shown here has two channels. One channel has distortion and the other has reverb. That's the version with the bridge output stage. Another version with schematic dated Aug 1975 has only one channel with both reverb and distortion. It has the totem pole output stage. The later one also has some kind of odd 6 pin footswitch connector. The earlier version had phono jacks. At first glance the preamps look the same except for the reverb feature is just added on to the distortion channel in the second version and second channel removed. The one difference I noticed is the second version has a tone control on the reverb.

[EdBass]

You can see the phono jacks on the back in the pics, and with the 1/72 inspection date I guess this would be the older version then?

[Isaac]

Yes, definitely the older version.

[djc]

same one I got, mines just a month newer!  it is my primary guitar amp.  I like tubes for bass(200s).  surprisingly tube like response and loves the 70's CCR type sound.  my only complaint with this amp is that the reverb is on one channel and the distortion on the other.  is there a simple way to connect the two?

[loudthud]

It would be fairly easy to disconnect the reverb from the Clean channel and connect it to the Distort channel. Having reverb on both channels would take some experimentation because the two channels would tend to cancel eachother out at the reverb drive circuit. The mod would involve disconnecting one capacitor on the Clean channel PCB and running a wire to the Distort channel PCB.

[travis morgan]

The '72 catalog says its 150 watts RMS, 350 watts peak.
They suggest a myriad of speaker combinations;
One or two 6X10 cabinets, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers.
One or two 3X12 cabinets, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers.
One or two 4X10 cabinets, Sunn Transducer (CTS?) drivers


i don't understand this one or two cabinet suggestion
wouldn't two 6x10's or two 3x12's or any combination of these really
be to much of an ohm load on these heads