SUNN 215S Speaker Cabinet

[2000s a space odyssey]

I just picked one up the other day and in the process of cleaning it up.  One of those you know setting in someones garage for 20 years cabinets.  Its a little musty and rusty.  It has the original square back magnet speakers in it.  No label just some numbers on the frame.  They sound ok.  I have 2 SUNN Sonic 1-40's that I will be using with it.  One is the 40 watts and the other is the 60 watts.  I might also use my Aguilar AG500 with it also.  Any speaker recommendations?  I have other single 15 cabinets that have JBL d-140's and Altec 418B's in them that I'm familar with the sound.  Anybody use the Altec 421A's in their cabinets?  I like the sound of alnico but I guess I want the option of using my Aguilar which is rated at 500 watts into 4 OHMs.  JBL D's-K's-E's;Altec 418B's-421A's;EVM15B's;Eminence;Jensen???  The cabinet had no speaker damping in the back.  Should I line in with some? 

[Jeff Troy]

Hi, My Sunn rig in the 60s was a pair of 2000S heads and four cabinets. The cabinets had Altec 421A speakers and they sounded really good.

The down side is that they distorted heavily -- not just that cool, crunchy distortion but the kind that says that your speakers can't handle the power. Moot point now; the whole rig was stolen at the Electric Factory in NYC during a two-day weekend gig in the late 60s or early 70s.

I have a newly restored 2000S now, and am building two cabinets to complement it. So far, I'm leaning toward the Eminence Legend series, but I'm still undecided.

Like you, I wouldn't mind getting a little input from my buds on the board. I'm sure that the D-140 thing is fine, but I'm not so sure about 40-year-old speakers and technology. The new stuff is  far less costly and can be more easily replaced if and when it's required.

Warmest regards,

[2000s a space odyssey]

Ok after moving this cabinet around I remember why I sold my 2-15" cabinets and 8-10" cabinets years before...cumbersome!!  I will probably end up just letting this were I practice with the band.  I might use it out once and awhile.  I'm thinking now that I won't use it with my Aguilar amp.  Still undecided about the speakers.  I don't think I want the extra weight of ceramic magnets.  Whats anybody think about the neodymium magnet speakers?  I have never heard or used them. 

[D.M.N.]

Personally, I'm using K140s in my 2000s clone cab on advice from several other Sunn users, and they're excellent. Not worried about them getting destroyed, as long as you're smart about it. I use a Bassman 300 through the cab, and can get plenty loud with zero speaker distortion. As far as new speakers that would work well, I'm not too sure, maybe others could chime in

[Greg_M]

If you want 140s just find some baskets (cheap) and have them re-coned.
In fact, I like it better that way as you know exactly what condition they are in. If you spend $20-30 for the basket, and $145 on the re-cone you will have a nice (essentially) new speaker.

I had 2 cabs with two 421s ea and a custom (pre-production) TAPCO amp and never played through anything better. The one time I really liked transistors.
It was all stolen in 72 along with my Jazz. 

[2000s a space odyssey]

Does this cabinet design need speaker damping material?  It doesn't have any and I don't think it ever did.  Thanks everybody about your input on speakers.

[EdBass]

Does this cabinet design need speaker damping material?  It doesn't have any and I don't think it ever did.  Thanks everybody about your input on speakers.

Both of mine, and every other 215S I've seen have damping. As a rule of thumb, pretty much EVERY cab; particularly a bass reflex cab, will benefit sonically from damping material.

As far as I can ascertain, there are no more factory D or K series JBL recone kits anymore, and E's are getting really expensive.
IMO the OEM factory cones are extremely important to the "AlNiCo JBL sound"; after all, the only difference between a D130, D130F, D140F, K130, and K140 is the cone assembly. The motors are the same, however anyone who has experience with comparing those models know that there is unquestionably a difference between the drivers in response characteristics and tonally.
And... that difference is all in the cones. I would say that replacing the cone in a D or K series with a generic recone kit is a crap shoot; it may sound great, may sound like ass, but what it probably won't sound like is a factory D or K series.
I have some D's with factory E recone kits. To my ear they don't sound like D's or E's, however luckily (to me) they do sound like K's which are my overall favorite, so I got lucky. 

I've gigged D140's, K140's, Altec 421's, EVM15L's, EVM15B's, EV SRO's and Reeves proprietary designed speakers in my 215S's.
None of them sound bad; in fact they all sound pretty good in the versatile 215S cab, but each have their differences and are best suited to certain specific applications. I keep EVM15L's loaded in one because I think they sound the best with the Reeves C225 that I usually use it with. The C225 has insanely huge bottom end and the higher voiced L's seem to match up well with that big bottom to produce a very articulate mid-high response, combined with a real defined tight bottom end, less sloppy and boomy than the B's, and better at handling the power than the JBL's or the Altecs. I keep my "pseudo K's"; D's with E cones, in the other one because I generally use it with a 2000S and to my ears a 2000S through K's is pretty much tonal nirvana.

[Greg_M]

Ed
Here's the number for Around The Sound in Seattle 
(206) 782 7975
If you want to ask him about the 140 re-cones.

He's been around a very long time and is a wealth of information on all topics speaker.

[2000s a space odyssey]

I decided to go with JBL D-140F's.  I won them off ebay and they are reconed.  The person stated that they were reconed in 1981 with NOS factory recone kits.  I hope thats true.  I also picked up some black foam and fabric batting at Surplus City.  Gotta love that place for finding odd stuff.  So I'm gonna try that out for the speaker damping.  I think I'll use staples instead of glueing it on.