trying to find a pair of old sylvania speakers:scratch2:..27"x17"x14" sealed cabs ..rated 150 watts...15" woof 6" mid two celluloid dome tweets ...two toggle select crossover on rear...real walnut veneer cabs, vertical wood grill (similar to kenwoods of that era)...think they may have been mfg by seas for sylvania...have had a set these for 34 years and want to find another:yes:...anyone out there ever seen these? or know where to look...thanks in advance for any help,:thmbsp: fred
vintage sylvania speakers @ 1973
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kfa888
Addicted Member
You will want to see this post. I have AS125's
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=92336&highlight=AS125
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=92336&highlight=AS125
vintage sylvanias
hey piggy..it sure is great to know there are others out there
...i just crawled around mine and i think they are as225a model with three toggles on rear ..hard to read tag its so old but i love the sound when i crank em up on my old sansui 9090db or au11000 
they sound as good (to me) as my jbl century L100,s but then some say i'm deef ! :yes:hee hee!
hey piggy..it sure is great to know there are others out there
...i just crawled around mine and i think they are as225a model with three toggles on rear ..hard to read tag its so old but i love the sound when i crank em up on my old sansui 9090db or au11000 they sound as good (to me) as my jbl century L100,s but then some say i'm deef ! :yes:hee hee!MarkAnderson
Addicted Member
...i think they are as225a model with three toggles on rear ..hard to read tag its so old but i love the sound when i crank em up on my old sansui 9090db or au11000
So where the hell you been hidin'? Seems to me you belong here.
where i been hiding
hi mark...i just joined AK..recently decided to start listening to my old vinyl again..been so busy with a small business...but now have been making time to enjoy listening that i've missed last 20 yrs:yes:...dug out all the old audio equipment that i almost threw out many times...but glad i kept...it all still works great...took to a vintage audio guy to clean them and he said they're good for another 30 years...new equipment i went to hear just isn't the same...guess i'm from that time and an old ear likes old sound eq...thanks for the welcome aboard:thmbsp:...hope to get to know more of you ...fred
hi mark...i just joined AK..recently decided to start listening to my old vinyl again
..been so busy with a small business...but now have been making time to enjoy listening that i've missed last 20 yrs:yes:...dug out all the old audio equipment that i almost threw out many times...but glad i kept...it all still works great...took to a vintage audio guy to clean them and he said they're good for another 30 years...new equipment i went to hear just isn't the same...guess i'm from that time and an old ear likes old sound eq...thanks for the welcome aboard:thmbsp:...hope to get to know more of you ...fred
Kernel86
Sylvania Nut
Gimme! 
:
If they are indeed the AS-225A's those are probably the best speakers to carry the Sylvania name on them. They weren't built buy any third party either, they designed and built their own equipment. To the best of my knowledge these would actually be from sometime in 1974, if you could provide the serial number I'd might be able to narrow it down a bit. The only comparatively build speakers from Sylvania are the GTE 412's which are also 4-Way and are the top of their line, although speakers like the AS-125 models won't disappoint either.
However from your description they don't sound like AS-225A's or any other Sylvania speaker that I'm aware of. The AS-225A had a 12 inch woofer, 4 inch open back mid-range in a sealed sub-chamber, 1.5 inch and 1 inch domes. The dimensions sound right however. The only 15 inch system is to be found in a couple early '70s Maestro console systems.
Anyways if you're looking for another pair there probably isn't a great chance of finding one. Most Sylvania gear is very scarce and especially the speakers let alone the higher end models.
:If they are indeed the AS-225A's those are probably the best speakers to carry the Sylvania name on them. They weren't built buy any third party either, they designed and built their own equipment. To the best of my knowledge these would actually be from sometime in 1974, if you could provide the serial number I'd might be able to narrow it down a bit. The only comparatively build speakers from Sylvania are the GTE 412's which are also 4-Way and are the top of their line, although speakers like the AS-125 models won't disappoint either.
However from your description they don't sound like AS-225A's or any other Sylvania speaker that I'm aware of. The AS-225A had a 12 inch woofer, 4 inch open back mid-range in a sealed sub-chamber, 1.5 inch and 1 inch domes. The dimensions sound right however. The only 15 inch system is to be found in a couple early '70s Maestro console systems.
Anyways if you're looking for another pair there probably isn't a great chance of finding one. Most Sylvania gear is very scarce and especially the speakers let alone the higher end models.
these are as225's
hi kernel...got out my tape and they are 12"woofers and 4" mids...my mistake...will get ser# and let you know...just got to move them to see #...thanks for the info..did they make many of these? :scratch2:would really like to find another set....i like them better than my century L-100's...thanks again for info:thmbsp:, fred
hi kernel...got out my tape and they are 12"woofers and 4" mids...my mistake...will get ser# and let you know...just got to move them to see #...thanks for the info..did they make many of these? :scratch2:would really like to find another set
....i like them better than my century L-100's...thanks again for info:thmbsp:, fred
Kernel86
Sylvania Nut
I figured you were just remembering wrong since the dimensions sounded right. That and a 15 inch woofer and a 1 inch MDF cabinet would be a tight fit at 17 inches wide. :
As for if there were a lot made I can't really say for sure. However I'd expect there were a good number built and still out there but certainly nothing like more popular models for more popular brands like say Pioneer's HPM-100's. Obviously that's one of the reasons they are somewhat obscure.
I do wish you luck in finding another pair but I also hope I find them first!
:As for if there were a lot made I can't really say for sure. However I'd expect there were a good number built and still out there but certainly nothing like more popular models for more popular brands like say Pioneer's HPM-100's. Obviously that's one of the reasons they are somewhat obscure.
I do wish you luck in finding another pair but I also hope I find them first!
tchuck
Super Member
Just picked up a set of these from a garage sale... Sorry for the blurry cell phone picture, I'll post some real pics in the Sylvania thread in a bit.
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tchuck
Super Member
Here are a few pics:
1. The condition of both speakers. The grill cloth is a sort of red/black/tan tweed pattern that's tough to make out in the pic.
2. Speaker "A". Rotten foam surround on woofer. Everything else looks good. Dirty, but good.
3. Speaker "A" tag.
4. Speaker "B". Same general condition as speaker "A".
5. Speaker "B" tag.
Note the differing mid-range drivers. Anyone know which is the original? Considering how far apart the serial numbers are, is it possible that both are originals?
1. The condition of both speakers. The grill cloth is a sort of red/black/tan tweed pattern that's tough to make out in the pic.
2. Speaker "A". Rotten foam surround on woofer. Everything else looks good. Dirty, but good.
3. Speaker "A" tag.
4. Speaker "B". Same general condition as speaker "A".
5. Speaker "B" tag.
Note the differing mid-range drivers. Anyone know which is the original? Considering how far apart the serial numbers are, is it possible that both are originals?
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Phototone
Super Member
I have a set of these. The cabinets are VERY heavy and robust. The crossovers which you can see when you remove the woofer, look very heavy and industrial. The drivers of mine look exactly like the photos above. I had to refoam my woofers, and they do play very well, but they are inefficient...you need at least 50 watts/channel to make them sing.
Phototone
Super Member
I think the different color of the dome on one of the tweeters is just a product variation of the tweeter, and is probably original.
I just picked up a pair of these AS225A speakers. They sound terrific! I’m driving them with a 135 watt Sony receiver. Sounds great, but any suggestions on a more “adequate” receiver to match them with? I’d love to match them up with a period (1973) Sylvania GTE receiver. What wattage am I looking for here? Seems like I would need something a little more beefy to push those 150 watt beauties.
I'm not sure that you would be fortunate if you found a 1973 Sylvania receiver. There was a kerfuffle between Sylvania and High Fidelity/Hirsch Houk Labs, where Sylvania claimed their receivers were better than the competition, and cited specs, but in a misleading way. Hirsch, in his review, acknowledged that the CR 2743A was quite good, but demonstrated that it missed many of the most important marks in significant ways. He described it as a 'near miss' by component, but not a miss as close as that of a Magnavox receiver they reviewed earlier in 1973.
I suspect that if you were to use the Sylvania, it would sound fine, but no finer than many other similar receivers, and some might sound better. If you find one cheap, go for it. But don't set your heart on it - there were better receivers then, and there are better receivers now. For all I know, your current Sony may be just fine.
I suspect that if you were to use the Sylvania, it would sound fine, but no finer than many other similar receivers, and some might sound better. If you find one cheap, go for it. But don't set your heart on it - there were better receivers then, and there are better receivers now. For all I know, your current Sony may be just fine.