Calling all SonicS Speaker owners!

[Hondo115]

Hi all,
I've got a set of SonicS (with an 'S') AS-331's and while they aren't the Top of the Speaker pyramid, they certainly aren't at the bottom or "junk". The reason for this post is to try to consolidate what the AK community 'really' knows about this brand. I've seen a few posts about the "Sonic" and the "Sonics" brands and opinions range from "junk" to pretty good sounding speakers. I think the disparate opinions result from different brands with the same/similar name and/or changes in the company over time. To deem all Sonics "junk" would be the same as calling all Pioneer "junk" because they started making Black Plastic Crap in the '80's/90's.

One of the things I admire about the AK community is the "No attitude" stance and the realization that there are varying degrees of audiophiles out there... from the guy getting started or who can't afford expensive equipment but is still chasing GOOD sound to the guy with all the toys who enjoys talking about the music and helping others. That being said... What I would like to do is to post the info on my speakers and maybe others will do likewise and maybe we can determine what is going on with this brand... What we don't need is to recommend that someone go "poke holes in the dustcaps" so they get thrown in the dumpster. Hell, they might be some of the 'Good' ones, let's figure it out.

I'll start it out:
AS-331's, S/N's 224224 and 224237, Plywood sides with MDF front and back, "Kabuki" style cover, 70 watts 8 ohms, 12" woofer, 6" mid, 2 X 2 1/2" tweets and a small horn tweet. I think they date to 1968 based on inspection sticker inside but cannot be certain.

Thanks all and maybe we can figure this out

 

[Hondo115]

Looks original to me... Marked "Sonics" and looks from the rear like all of the rest... Thanks!

 

[kfa888]

The majority of the Sonic brand speakers i have seen are junk. I think things got a little crazy in that post, people just trying to be funny, but i do think the intent was to let the original poster know that those particular ones were crap and save him the time of dragging them home and then having to deal with it. Nothing wrong with that.

Now in reference to your particular speakers those look much older (anlinco driver) than any I have seen. Sonic is a weird brand because that looks all the world like a Sansui. But I have always thought the Sonic brand was the entry level Pioneers from the drivers I have seen. AND, you pair has the same super tweeter as a no label Pioneer speaker set I have. I'll dig up some pix of that and post when I get a chance.

this should be an interesting thread.

Please post the numbers off the backs of your drivers so we can figure out who built them.

Edit:

Here are some Johnzer speakers, built in Seattle Washington but use several Pioneer drivers, it looks to be the same bullet tweeter. Is it? BTW the tweeter and mid are also Pioneer. Seems as though Pioneer sold lower end drivers to a lot of companies.

 

[kfa888]

I just posted on that other thread. The speakers int hat thread were "Sonic" (no s) the ones you are showing and at the end of the post with the nice looking drivers are "Sonics" I'm guessing this is 2 different companies.

 

[gearhound]

Sonic/Sansui/Coral all look virtually the same.
I've found the older alnico horn tweeters sound VERY good.
Most of the (NO bass) woofers have stiffer surrounds than a John Holmes movie.
The cabinets are usually built fairly well.
The crossovers look (and sound) like they were designed in an Opium den!?
All-in-all....keep the cabs & horns.
As for the rest?
Like they said in the late 60's.....Burn, Baby Burn!!

Steve

 

[2DualsNotEnough]

The speakers Hondo posted look similar in drivers and cabs to a pair of Corals I had a few years back.Very well made,with a sound similar to Sansuis of that vintage.I think those earlier Japanese brands kinda used each others drivers it looks like.I bet if ever owned pulled their drivers,youd have a nice little history of Japanese drivers.
Jimmy

 

[Hondo115]

Finally got the back off of the speaker again (16 screws... &^%%$ cordless screwdriver's dead...) All of the speakers are marked "SONICS", V.C. IMP 8 ohm, and Made in Japan.... so if they were manufactured by somebody else the company went to the trouble to remark them. The 12" is marked with "02-136", the 6" is marked "02-111", the 2 1/2's " are marked "29-142", and the bullet tweet is marked "Parts No. 141" and "8-6b". While the front of the horn tweet looks like the Pioneer pic KFA posted, the back looks different. The woofer surrounds on mine are pretty stiff, but I still get pretty good bass from 'em... I'm sure there better out there, but they sound pretty damned good playing Harry Connick Jr. and for $26.00 the pair I'm pretty Happy. Maybe we can get some more Sonics owners to give up their specs so we can figure out if these are two different companies or a company that went downhill over time...

 

[Nat]

You may have a point in distinguishing Sonics from Sonic. The older models, I believe, are Sonics, and are either identical to Corals, or are very close. The bigger Sonics I've seen, both at the dump or at tag sales tend to have push button boost/cut rather than a pot.
I have had (at the same time) both Sonics and Coral version of a tall narrow speaker with a full range 5x7 driver (AS 57 in the Sonics version), and every aspect is exactly the same, with perhaps the exception of the parts number on the driver. Its not a bad speaker, though the cabinet is rather flimsy.

 

[Greyhawk17]

Sonics.........

Finally got the back off of the speaker again (16 screws... &^%%$ cordless screwdriver's dead...) All of the speakers are marked "SONICS", V.C. IMP 8 ohm, and Made in Japan.... so if they were manufactured by somebody else the company went to the trouble to remark them. The 12" is marked with "02-136", the 6" is marked "02-111", the 2 1/2's " are marked "29-142", and the bullet tweet is marked "Parts No. 141" and "8-6b". While the front of the horn tweet looks like the Pioneer pic KFA posted, the back looks different. The woofer surrounds on mine are pretty stiff, but I still get pretty good bass from 'em... I'm sure there better out there, but they sound pretty damned good playing Harry Connick Jr. and for $26.00 the pair I'm pretty Happy. Maybe we can get some more Sonics owners to give up their specs so we can figure out if these are two different companies or a company that went downhill over time...

Hi Hondo115,
I posted the pics/info on the other post, think posting the parts numbers
a good idea for this 'small' data base.....If you read the other post you
know I do not have the cabinets, they were shot, however I had my bud
measure them, before they went to the dumpster, and they were almost
exactly the same as the Pioneer CS-99.....within 1" all dimensions......
Mine 'were' Sonics, AS-447,
Woofers, 16", No, 133, VC IMP. 5 ohm
Midrange, 6" No, 02-112 VC IMP. 8 ohm
metallic dome tweeter, No, 101, V.C. IMP. 8 ohm
bullet tweeter, No. 141, V.C. IMP. 8 ohm
cone tweers, No. 29-142, 8 ohm
All parts marked made in Japan, Sonics Corp..........Regards,T

 

[kfa888]

Just for reference I thought I would post this. This is the 12" woofer from my Sonic (not sonics) speaker. Says made in Taiwan and has probably the lightest gauge stamped steel frame I have ever seen on a 12" driver...

 

[gearhound]

Sonics is a different company than Sonic....and came FAR earlier.

Steve

 

[kfa888]

Sonics is a different company than Sonic....and came FAR earlier.

Steve

that's part of what we were trying to determine here.

 

[oldgringo]

More Photos To Peruse

that's part of what we were trying to determine here.

First and foremost, Hondo115 has to fully take the blame for me being able to post this!

I saw a pair of SONICS AS-331’s, on the side-walk outside a junk shop, went home then did the obvious, like, Googled, then ‘AK’d’ them; and found this thread. A couple of PM’s to/ from Hondo115 later and ‘I’d got me orders’!

They cost me $25.00 on Jan. 30th. To me they sound great! Not quite as bright as some of my speakers. Not as ‘deep’ as others - but respectably ‘tight’. Since the ‘grey’ started to set in, I’m becoming more appreciative of ‘listen-ability’ rather than accuracy. I listened to these all day yesterday, throughout a nice ‘work-at-home’ snow storm; and am now a ‘fan’ – jazz, better than classical rock, for me, on these – killer double-base, trumpets, clarinets and pianos; which, to me, means ‘quite-accurate’ [this stuff has to be pretty subjective doesn’t it].

So my (non-technical) contribution attempts to provide people ‘in-the-know’ with further data-input, to help with the exploration, already started.

Serial numbers: 286260 & 286274.

Seven pictures for review/ analysis - if of use.

Observations:

I noticed that the ‘buttons-on the-back’ still all make a difference to the ‘tone’ – brighter to softer [ . . . “do your buttons still work ok after 40 years, madam”?].

Someone has put a lot of attention to detail in the design of these speakers [ and somebody-else paid him/ them!]. These are not simple ‘two-ways’ with minimum crossovers. What were they trying to achieve, with three-way/ five speaker/ little horn design? [Nahh, don’t go there!].

I noticed ‘holes’, right through the center/ frontal sections of those big woofers and midrange drivers (see above posts for dimensions), with mesh-type covers. I also noticed bright shiny metallic ‘parts’ (me ‘newb’) through the mesh; and tried to ‘reflect’ those with light and ‘angle’. To those that know, this is perhaps typical of some design-concept or other. What I do know is that these were probably designed by some of those ‘Dead-guys with ears’ that we owe so much to. These speakers will do me very well for part of my listening-time!

Pictures:

 

[kfa888]

Although those look far from high end they look far from crap also. Seems obvious SonicS are good speakers SoniC are mostly crap and of a different manufacture.

BTW, your bass response might improve if you plug the 1/4 inch hole where the phono plug goes.

 

[oldgringo]

Thanks kfa888, I did that (phono-hole plug thing), with a pair of Optimus T100's and completely forgot all about that, till you mentioned it :thmbsp:.

I am (just) now getting a very weired sound effect from in there (temp. listening room)! Certain vocals and instrument sounds seem to be coming at me from the wall opposite to the (AS-331) speakers, as well as from the speakers themselves - I've not experienced that before. Maybe the speakers are haunted!

 

[kfa888]

Reflections for the back wall. Toe your speakers in more and try different placements.

 

[oldgringo]

Reflections for the back wall. Toe your speakers in more and try different placements.

will do - thanks!

 

[Hondo115]

Welcome to the SonicS club Gringo... I'm glad you like the sound... I was afraid I was the only one. I know they don't sound as good as their high end cousins... but I think they are a helluva value for around $25 bucks. I like the sound of jazz with mine too... In fact I'm listening to Spyro Gyra right now and lovin' it . Have seat on the Group 'W' bench Gringo... Cheers

 

[oldgringo]

Cheers mon!

 

[Hondo115]

Hey FCC,
Those look different from the other AS-331's (Those are 331a's)... In fact, they look to have some of the design elements of the older and some of the newer (Sonic no S) elements (e.g. tan drivers)... These could the 'Missing Link' between the two brands... It'd be nice to know a little more about them... Thanks Dude