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Calling all SonicS Speaker owners!

Ehhhh Gringo... Put some funk on yer Sonics an turn eet up REAL loud ... eets cooool... (Sly and The Family Stone... Thank You For let'n Me be Myself Again... )

I think we are still in the data collection phase of figurin' out what is goin' on with this brand... I hypthesize that the brand started turning bad sometime in the '70's (possibly with that CL listing you discovered) and started turning out crap... eventually changing the name to SONIC (no S) and acquiring the bad rap. I emailed the CL listing you posted for info... Hopefully they'll provide some data. Meanwhile I'm jammin' and enjoyin' the best $26 bucks I ever spent... MORE BEER!!!!!!!
Cheers!
 
I'll take pics and list the model # of my customers Sonics (I think a low/mid level model). He's probably the original owner and will know when bought and what he expected when he did.
Might fill in a blank or two..

*Edit
Oops, I emailed the same CL lister for the same info. Should he reply I will make clear my interest is strictly academic..
*End Edit

fcc
 
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on my sonicS!

Led Zep - these sonicS were manufactured for Robert Plant's singin'! Ozzie sounds cool too! Not to mention Eddie Van H's guitar. Even CSN&Y! [that's a spread!]. I'm trying each button in sequence, for different effects! :D

Try scrolling right-down to my posts on this thread without smiling [it's 'only' music!] :banana:.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=139947&page=2

Oh Hondo - have a cold one for me! :yes: :thmbsp:
 
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oldgringo said:
if it opens, scroll-down to the bottom - different model but same brand! [Interesting site anyway!]

http://members.myactv.net/~je2a3/vintagejapanesedrivers.htm
Click to expand...

I've had a pair of the 304A's for a couple of years and whilst I don't have them hooked up to any system ATM, I found them to be quite reasonable.
I really do believe that comments about them from some members are in fact referring to the Sonic or Sonic "something or other" brand. They are not "bad".

They are solid, weighty and pretty well built and the Xover is fairly minimalist......caps 3.5 mfd to the mid and 6 mfd to the tweeters and nothing to the woofer.

Bottom line is I would have been quite happy to use them on a daily basis if I hadn't joined AK and.... yeah...you know the rest.:yes: :D
 
thilaseen said:
I've had a pair of the 304A's for a couple of years and whilst I don't have them hooked up to any system ATM, I found them to be quite reasonable.
I really do believe that comments about them from some members are in fact referring to the Sonic or Sonic "something or other" brand. They are not "bad".

They are solid, weighty and pretty well built and the Xover is fairly minimalist......caps 3.5 mfd to the mid and 6 mfd to the tweeters and nothing to the woofer.

Bottom line is I would have been quite happy to use them on a daily basis if I hadn't joined AK and.... yeah...you know the rest.:yes: :D
Click to expand...

Thank you, thilaseen - I think that hondo115 will be well-pleased with your experience/ thoughts (when the beer wears off :D ) :thmbsp:. Commiserations on your (our) disease! :) :)
 
Hangover wore off... just in time to to start drinking for the Super Bowl!!!! Thanks for the info Thilaseen, The more data we can gather the better job we can do of framing a 'history' of these things. Pull up a seat on the Group W bench... Hey Gringo... Three people means a MOVEMENT!!!!
Go Giants !!!!
Later,
Hondo
 
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Hondo115 said:
Hangover wore off... just in time to to start drinking for the Super Bowl!!!! Thanks for the info Thilaseen, The more data we can gather the better job we can do of framing a 'history' of these things. Pull up a seat on the Group W bench... Hey Gringo... Three people means a MOVEMENT!!!!
Go Giants !!!!
Later,
Hondo
Click to expand...

. . . we have a tradition of chilly and beer up here, for the SB - does that apply everywhere? We even have chilly-recipe competitions on some radio stations; so, I hope nobody strikes a match up here, during this evening - it could redefine the 'Northern Lights'! :banana:

My most recent search for sonicS brought me to a thread posted on here six-months or so ago - by several guys, including a few of the current contingent! :) Are all avenues from there, covered to our satisfaction?

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=120344
 
My inquiry to the Craig's lister:

>> I'm curious about your Sonics, can you fill me in on the provenance of
>> these (year acquired, original owner?, anything else you know about
>> them).

The reply:

"I am selling these speakers for a consigner of mine. I have no information about them other than what is listed. If you'd like, you can provide me with your number, and I can have the owner, Bob, give you a call. Thanks for your interest!"

And my response:

"Thank you for your gracious reply.
I'll admit my questions might be academic rather than due to an interest
in purchase (or maybe not ;)), but I have access to a pair of Sonics Model
AS304-A's, and your listing generated some discussion with others
interested in vintage audio equipment about the Sonic(s) brand and it's
history.
I certainly don't wish to waste (the consigner's) time, but if he would be so kind to assist us in filling in some blanks regarding this brand I would be very
grateful. I've included my telephone number below.
With salutations from fcc, etc


The model my customer has: AS304-A (Discussed elsewhere in this thread)
Bass: 12" (must have all of 2mm xmax judging by a gentle nudge on the cone)
Mid: 6.5 mount dia., 6" cone
Upper Mid: 3"
Tweet: 1" dome into 3" horn
All cones are black
Made in Japan

I'll take a pic tomorrow, if he'll let me I'll take them home and fire them up.

fcc
 
Hondo115 said:
Hangover wore off... just in time to to start drinking for the Super Bowl!!!! Thanks for the info Thilaseen, The more data we can gather the better job we can do of framing a 'history' of these things. Pull up a seat on the Group W bench... Hey Gringo... Three people means a MOVEMENT!!!!
Go Giants !!!!
Later,
Hondo
Click to expand...
They certainly went :thmbsp:
I tried to remove the woofer to weigh it but I got the feeling that it will damage the thread so it stays.
The woofer no. in 02-136
Mid M-6535
Tweeter 02-108
The supertweet is orig. but has no I.D. that I can see.
Rated at 60 Watts.
My pair are serial no. 293306 and 293308 and I see the other numbers quoted are matching as well so could this mean a degree of quality?
They claim to be 4 way but since the tweets are wired together I assume (?)
that they are really 3 way. Someone may correct me on this!

The SB was televised here but as it was between 10am and 2pm and I have to drive the kids out later, I manfully resisted the urge to dive into the homebrew. :yes:
Bit of a pity 'cos US football gives heaps of time for travel to and from the fridge. :thumbsdn: :thmbsp:
 
lol, well no sense in me starting a new thread. Here's some pics of the Sonics I picked up today at GW ($14.99). :)
I haven't had time to listen to them yet......they're in line behind the Advents I just got. :D
 
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A few years ago I had one single 10" Triaxial Sonics Speaker. It sounded awesome...but I sold it off on Ebay ...because I only had the one! It seem to look alot like a Coral 3 way... The frame was painted a grey hammertone color. Has anyone owned any of these?? I currently own a pair of Pioneer 12" PAX mounted in 1960' Danish Modern style furniture 4 legged boxes...Allied use to sell these in their mid 60's catalog. Total in vestment about$35.00 Swap meet finds! I don't remember if they are 2way or 3way?? It's been a while...also they are in storage too!
 
highping said:
lol, well no sense in me starting a new thread. Here's some pics of the Sonics I picked up today at GW ($14.99). :)
I haven't had time to listen to them yet......they're in line behind the Advents I just got. :D
Click to expand...

Hi Highping! Welcome to the club!!!!... I've haven't been able to access AK much... I'm on the tail end of a 12 month deployment to Baghdad and my "listening space" isn't all that great... I'd be interested in your thoughts and how they compare to your Advents....
Later,
Joe
 
Sonics Speakers

Sorry late coming to this one and in all likelyhood a dead thread now.

There seems to be confusion over the derivation of Sonics speakers. I believe the Sonics Tokyo company were independent of Pioneer. Subsequently the company dissapeared late seventies, either bought out or went bust?

On a note the design of the later models e.g As447a and as337a in particular are of a very high buid quality. Both of which to my knowledge are internally lined and insulated, with Birch Plywood possibly and finished in Mahogony veneer.

As for the drivers all are stamped by the Sonics own brand, they do however share similarities to Coral drivers (likely as a lot of manufacturers source from a central manufacturer)

Acoustically, the sound quality is certainly High fidelity with very clean low frequency response due to the enclosed design. This can be easily demostrated by playing ride across the river- Dire Straits or Steely Dan- Babylon Sisters for example. Both songs have tight bass lines or percussion that will show up phasing or inaccurate transient response on poor systems (becomes messy).

These are my thoughts anyway....
 
I have a set of beat-up A477's (3 way, five driver setup) that I recently recapped with some military surplus mylar caps and stuffed full of insulation. They sound pretty decent now compared to before. The cabs are a nice wood veneer that desperately needs a TLC refinish, but they are ultimately destined to go to a kid for his first stereo rig. The dual mids and tweets are very brittle paper cone drivers, not bullets.
 
Hmm, I have an old '78 Japanese hi fi catalog, lemme dig it out.

Welcome to AK, btw~

audiomotif said:
Sorry late coming to this one and in all likelyhood a dead thread now.

There seems to be confusion over the derivation of Sonics speakers. I believe the Sonics Tokyo company were independent of Pioneer. Subsequently the company dissapeared late seventies, either bought out or went bust?

On a note the design of the later models e.g As447a and as337a in particular are of a very high buid quality. Both of which to my knowledge are internally lined and insulated, with Birch Plywood possibly and finished in Mahogony veneer.

As for the drivers all are stamped by the Sonics own brand, they do however share similarities to Coral drivers (likely as a lot of manufacturers source from a central manufacturer)

Acoustically, the sound quality is certainly High fidelity with very clean low frequency response due to the enclosed design. This can be easily demostrated by playing ride across the river- Dire Straits or Steely Dan- Babylon Sisters for example. Both songs have tight bass lines or percussion that will show up phasing or inaccurate transient response on poor systems (becomes messy).

These are my thoughts anyway....
Click to expand...
 
Sonics '78 lineup

Here's a scan from an OLD Japanese catalog.
 

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Might not be helpful to your research Hondo but I had a set of AS450's (I think) w/16" woofs back in the day that I bought along with some other components while on a round robin TDY (temporary Duty) through Japan around 1972. I liked them very much and they had beautiful cabs and speaker grills. From what I remember of the sound it was good to me then but that was no doubt listening through a fog and haze :D. Kept them for quite awhile until our Boxer puppy juvenile chewed through the speaker grill, tore out the woofer and two tweets.

I was devastated at the time and he looked very guilty and sorry. What could I do other than shake my head in sorrow. I would still have them today if it wasn't for his boredom incident. :yes:
 
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