Dynaco: Panor for Short. History PART TWO Plus ODD Dynaco Speakers.

June 5, 2018
#255

Gentle reader,

I have been busy researching Dynaco history as relates to the Taiwan Company: Pan Orient, shortened to Panor, that bought the rights to the Dynaco name and in the 1990s began an ambitious effort to build and market quality stereo components and speakers bearing the Dynaco brand name. I began the history here:

That article dealt with and illustrated Panor Dynaco electronics for which I could find photos and showed some that I have been fortunate to own. This second and final chapter deals with the many speakers Panor was alleged to have made:

Loud Speakers
Years              Names                        Retail Price
1973-92 (?)    A-10                              150 pair
1971-91 (?)    A-50                              600 pair
1990               A-15 5.25" wf               90 each
1990-91         A-40 10" wf                  250 each 
1992              AW-1 Outdoor              100 pair 
1992              A-10 Ser. II 4" wf         120 pair
1992              A-10 Ser. V 4" wf         130 pair
1992-93        A-15 Ser. II 5.25" wf     180 pair
1992             A-25 Ser. II 9" wf          760 pair
1992             A-35 Ser. II 8" wf          300 pair
1995             HLX-9                            180 each
1995             HLX-18                          260 pair
1996             HLX-18V                       140 each
1998             A-25 Classic                   755 pair

In-Wall Speakers
Years              Names                    Retail Price
1990-91          FL-525 5 1/4"          250 pair
1990               FL-650 6 ½"            300 pair

Subwoofers
Years          Names                          Retail Price
1990           Amazing Bass                  120
1992           Amazing Bass Series II   180

I had written to the new Dynaco when first reading about it and they sent me a number of brochures showing many of their upcoming products with specifications and suggested retail pricing.
Foolishly I sold them without having the forethought to scan them for posterity or in this case to highlight these articles.

The first new Component I purchased and the only one that I could afford was their QD-1 Series II five-channel passive surround sound processor. It was a modernization of 1969's QD-1 which Dynaco called Quadapter.
A center channel was added which can be switched off.
I despise spring speaker terminals, being a die-hard banana plug user. So I carefully drilled these to accept banana plugs.

Later on, I sold that one, regretted it and bought the next version, the Series II L. It has a high gloss black faceplate the previous model lacks:
 I believe the "L" may stand for Luxury.
I converted it to three-way banana-binding posts. Since the center channel was not going to be used, I made do with an unmatched pair of speaker posts. I later sold it off too.

Having come across a genuine Dynaco LP which dealers used to demonstrate the QD-1 Quadapter at a thrift store, and having the pair of Klipsch KG4 speakers AND my A25XLs I decided I needed another QD. To my delight, I found the ONLY QD-2 I have ever seen on eBay and snatched it up!
 Same glossy faceplate, this one discolored.
 Equipped from the factory with banana/binding posts.
That concludes the electronics portion of this article. The specs and pricing of these can be found in PART ONE, linked at the top of the article.

Remember that long list of speakers above? My extensive searching for information and photos of Panor Dynaco speakers yielded me this from Greg Dunn at:
"Starting approximately in 1981, Panor Corporation apparently released a new series of Dynaco equipment through their Hauppauge NY offices. It is not clear how this meshed with the Dynaco brand owned by Stereo Cost Cutters / Sound Values, but a series of Dynaco speakers titled the A-150, A-250, and A-350 were sold in the US during the 1980s. They were manufactured in suburban Boston, near the Advent factory, and seem to have been replaced by a new series including the A15, A38, and "Amazing Bass" subwoofer during the 1990s. If info on the LMS speakers is scarce, info on these units is practically nonexistent save for fragmented ads and review snippets which have been contributed by visitors to the site. An attempt to add to the knowledge base for these speakers will also be made."

My search of EACH named speaker was fruitless except for the A-25 Classic of which I found exactly three photos. On the other hand, I found what I think is a Panor Dynaco design sketch for their new A-10 speaker:
I just searched eBay and found NIB AW-1 speakers for sale. I have had speakers that appear the same under the KLH name, except they were three way and all had chrome center caps. These may be "badge engineered". Here are the photos. 






Below are the three A25 Classic photos.     



I have determine this is another A25 Classic speaker (above).
The vast majority of photos in this series of articles are from Canada's Canuck Audio Mart or US Audio Mart. Mostly the former. Perhaps since New York is right by Canada, they exported more products than sold here in the US.

Now for the fun/odd stuff: Speakers alleged to be Dynaco models, some of which ARE. Most appear to have SEAS components. But some are WAY out there in design, ready?
 Above were labeled A30XL speakers.
    Above simply called Dynaco floor speakers.
 Above, the same model, are called "Dynaco Phase 3" speakers.
 

 The two above appear to be the same speaker.
 How about these two oddballs?
Gotta love that hand painted white finish!
 Above are early A25 models before the design was set.
 Above has many drivers and Aperiodic vents.
Above is listed as a Madisound A25 kit speaker. Below as an Annandale Acoustics A25.
Below were shown as an Aural Replica-A25 in cherry wood finish.
Lastly, below, these are A-250 models made in the late 1980's as mentioned in the quote above.
 These are probably the Phase 3 models with grilles.
In closing, I welcome any comments and/or knowledge you may have as to identifying these mystery "Dynaco" speakers.

 Thanks for looking,

 Scott

June 5, 2018
 
at 3 comments:

UPDATE: EVERY Blog Article I Have Ever Written and Illustrated About Stereo Equipment and Speakers Galore!

December 14, 2018
#254

Gentle reader, 

Below is a list of EVERY article that I have written about stereo equipment from multiple decades and the adventures I have had upgrading and experimenting with different components, cables and more.

Below in one of the many iterations my stereo has gone through. This was one of the "too many components" versions of several years ago. Can you identify any of the pieces? If you are viewing any of my blogs on a PC, clicking on a picture will open a window in front of this page. There all the photos will be viewable larger and one can tab or click through them.
The list below flows from oldest at the beginning to the most recent at the bottom. 

 Here is the list: 
 
Details on the remarkable PROTON D540 Integrated amp's huge 530 watt power output.
 
Scored a PROTON 1100 stereo preamplifier at last!
 
32 Year-Old Klipsch KG4 speakers found for $9.99!

 TINY Vintage AIWA Stereo Components: SA-C22U, SA-P22U, ST-R22U & SD-L22U

 Vintage and LARGE Mitsubishi Dual-Mono stereo compents: DA-A15DC, DA-P20, DA-F10 & DA-M10  

 The Transformation from Den to Audio Man Cave. In many crazy steps! 

 Found: Heaven on Earth! HiFi Heaven that is. Vintage Stereo Equipment Galore! 

 Earthquake Proof your speakers! Amazing "Reusable Adhesive" will hold my Klipsch KG4 speakers firm! 

 Reliving the 1976 sound of Dynaco PAT-5 preamplifier and SWTPC power amplifier! 

 PART TWO: Reliving the 1976 sound of Dynaco PAT-5 preamplifier and SWTPC power amplifier!  

 PART THREE: Reliving the 1976 sound of Dynaco PAT-5 preamplifier and SWTPC power amplifier!  

 Size, does it matter when talking about home speaker cables?

 Learn More About Your Music, Your Stereo & Speaker Building. To Make The Best Of Your Listening Experience 

 FINAL CHAPTER: Reliving the 1976 sound of Dynaco PAT-5 preamplifier and SWTPC power amplifier!   

 What can one do with a single speaker? Why not make a monophonic system! Mono? Sure Mono LP records!

 PART TWO: What can one do with a single speaker? Why not make a monophonic system! Mono? Sure, Mono LP records! 

 Trying the minimalist route: PROTON AI-3000 II All-in-one Stereo Reciever and NOTHING ELSE! 

 Complete Redo of the Stereo System! What, again? Yes, again! 

 Compete Redo Phase Two Stereo Components: Divide and Conquer! 

 The Death of a Subwoofer. Cause of Death Remains a Mystery! 

 Vintage PROTON AI-3000 Stereo System All-in-One Take Two! Er, Three! 

 50-year-old Thrift Store Speaker Plays On in a New Form! 

Quadraphonic Adventures: 1990's Dynaco QD-2 Passive Surround Sound Device Tested.  

 How does one determine if their stereo sounds good? Test Records! 

 Restomoding a pair of Vintage Advent Baby Advent II Speakers 

 Dynaco PAT-6 at LAST! Panor-Era Dynaco Equipment Verses PROTON. Same Company!

Dynaco Given a Second Life. Pan Orient Company: Panor for Short. A Photographic History PART ONE.  

Dynaco: Panor for Short. History PART TWO Plus ODD Dynaco Speakers. 

Dynaco: Second Life in 1990's New Speakers Evidence and Photos Found.  

PROTON Audio, NAD and Dynaco are Cousins. Inventor of Dynamic Power on Demand Amplifiers.

Stereo Amplifier or H-T Receiver Running Hot? Here's a Simple Solution.  

 Forty-Plus-Year Adventures with Vintage Dynaco Stereo Equipment and More! PART ONE.

Forty-Plus-Year Adventures with Vintage Dynaco Stereo Equipment and More! PART TWO.  

Forty-Plus-Year Adventures with Vintage Dynaco Stereo Equipment and More! PART THREE.  

Forty-Plus-Year Adventures with Vintage Dynaco Stereo Equipment and More! PART FOUR 

Final Chapter. Forty-Plus-Year Adventures with Vintage Dynaco Stereo Equipment and More! 

Stereo Amplifier or H-T Receiver Running Hot? Here's a Simple Solution.  

 Minimus 7W Restomod Speaker's Sound and RCA Interconnects and A Look Into Where All The Magic Happens.

Stereo and Surround Sound Receivers, I Have Known Many of Them. 
 
When Choosing Audio Equipment, Remember Your Goal. Sometimes Simpler is Better.

Who Knew Fisher Made a 100 WPC Integrated Amp, Tuner and Cassette Deck Combo? 

Audio Interconnect Cables, Does Size Really Matter? 

Renovating a Classic Fisher Studio Standard RS-1035 Stereo Receiver and Updating. 

One Simple Change to the Stereo System Makes the Klipsch Speakers Sing! 

Wooden Speaker Stands and Risers too Expensive? Try Bamboo Stools. How-To Guide. 

Replacing Analog 2.1 Amplifier with Digital TPA3116 Class D 2.1 Amplifier in a Gaming Chair and a Subwoofer!

Build-it-yourself: Stereo Speaker Volume Controller. Great for Testing Two Pairs of Speakers. 

Legendary Optimus Pro LX4 Speakers. Trying New Twisted Pair Speaker Cables. And More. 

PART ONE: Forty Plus Years Buying and Trying Home Stereo Speakers. Dynaco Spendor B&W 

PART TWO: Forty Plus Years Buying and Trying Home Stereo Speakers. Dynaco Spendor B&W 

PART THREE: Forty Plus Years Buying and Trying Home Stereo Speakers. Dynaco Spendor B&W 

PART FOUR: Forty Plus Years Buying and Trying Home Stereo Speakers. Dynaco Spendor B&W 

Stereo VU Meters dB Meters Audio Power Meters Watt Meters See Your Music! 

How To Use a Stereo Audio Power Meter on More Than One Pair of Speakers. 

I Found Some New-Old-Stock Forty-Year-Old Utah Speakers. Unbelievable! 

Improving Ultra-Rare Legend LE414 Speaker Control Selector Switch Assembly 

Quadraphonic Music The 1970's Fad or Viable Music? Dynaco Dynaquad QD-1 QD-2 

Complete Re-Do Of The Listening Room Dynaco Klipsch 

Review of Ghent Audio Canare L-4E6S Star Quad RCA Audio Interconnect Cables 

Wrangling 15 Foot Cables. Completion of the Listening Room Complete Re-Do. Audio Nirvana! 

FM Radio, A Thing of The Past? Choosing and Installing External FM Antennas. 
 
I was browsing through photos of my stereo set up prior to doing this posting and could not believe how MANY amplifiers, receivers, speakers, turntables, equalizers, accessories and yes, different kinds/brands of speaker and interconnect cables I have tried. No wonder my wife doesn't even think about trying to play some music!

Thanks for looking!

Scott

Updated: 12-24-2018

at No comments:

Dynaco Given a Second Life. Pan Orient Company: Panor for Short. A Photographic History PART ONE.

June 4, 2018 Updated July 12, 2019
#253 

Gentle reader,

Today is the second day of my stewardship of a very rare 1994 Dynaco PAT-6 preamplifier. I wrote about it yesterday and it can be seen here:
Very clean setup seen here in one of the Panor Dynaco vacuum tube components.
I chose classic rock and jazz CDs first and sat sampling some from each disc. I am VERY pleased with the sound. An odd thing is there is a slight echo that I have never noticed before. Like ambiance from the recording studio, perhaps? It does not bother me, but it does surprise me. I have noted it in the past in some recordings, but the PAT-6 really brings them out.

Once I finished painting the trim on the stairway that heads down from our split-foyer, I picked The Doobie Brothers Takin' it to the Streets LP to test the phono section. I switched from my restomoded Baby Advent II speakers to the large Klipsch KG-4 units and used the Dynaco QD-2 to include the A25XL speakers. I removed the grilles from them all and watched the woofers for any sign of rumble. If you are not aware of this phenomenon, sub-sonic frequencies can cause woofers to visibly vibrate even though there is no audible sound. This can be destructive to woofers if it goes unchecked. A25XL speakers are not in this shot as the are to each side of my listening chair.

I am pleased to report that there is no sign of rumble! That was the final qualifier as to whether I keep the PAT-6. I do! I contacted the seller, Rob, about the PAT-6 and linked him to the previous article. He told me he bought it new at a stereo store near MIT in 1994 along with an Adcom power amplifier. Nice to know that I am only the second owner of this wonderful and rare piece of Dynaco equipment. 

 Here are some links to sites about the history of Dynaco:
Dynaco - History and Dyna Company History and
Unofficial Dynaco Home Page The last is home page to the middle one.
The middle one is more concise and is the one most Dynaco fans turn to for answers. Here is what he wrote about PANOR:

"In the early 1990s, the Dynaco brand was picked up by Pan Orient Corporation (now Panor Corporation), which started selling original design equipment under the Dynaco brand; they offered the PAS-3 series II, PAS-4, CD player, and Stereo 80 tube power amp. Panor still owns the Dynaco brand name, but any direct connection with the company founded by David Hafler has apparently ended for good. On the other hand, I have recently received information from Panor, indicating that they have re-opened their web site at www.dynaco.com, and that the Singapore web site is in no way affiliated with the company known as Panor Corporation or with the Dynaco brand. Apparently the Dynaco brand will still be around for some time, and hopefully still be associated with high-quality low-cost stereo equipment (more products are promised in the near future). I haven't had time to check out any of the new Panor equipment yet, though. More news here as it is available."

I have spent some time going through my 2002 edition of ORION BLUE BOOK AUDIO and culled the following information:

Panor-Era Dynaco Components 
Notes: Blk = Black Chassis. Chr = Chrome Chassis. Panor continued the Dynaco tradition of naming power amps by adding the per-channel output. Thus a ST-200 is 100 watts-per-channel output. Also note that blogger.com does not offer tabbing while blogging. So, if my ever-so-neat-in-Word-Perfect columns appear crooked vertically, that is why.

CD Players
Years       Names                        Retail Price
1995        CDV-1 TUBE                    700
1998        CDV-2                                780
1998        CDV PRO                        1100

Integrated Amplifiers Transistor
Years       Names                        Retail Price
1998        SCA-120                             450

Preamplifiers    TUBE
Years        Names                       Retail Price
1991-93    PAS-3 Series II Blk          650
1992-93    PAS-3 Series II Chr         800
1993         PAS-4 Chrome                1100
1996         PAS-4 Black                    1100
1998         MVP-100 TUBE               445

Preamplifiers    Transistor
Years      Names                       Retail Price
1993        PAT-5 Series II*              750        
1993        PAT-6 + Tuner                 500

Power Amplifiers TUBE
Years      Names                       Retail Price
1990-93  Stereo 70 Series II Blk     995
1991-93  Stereo 70 Series II Chr  1095
1995       Stereo 80 TUBE              1800
1996       Stereo 160 TUBE            2300
1998       MPA-160 TUBE               555

Power Amplifiers  Transistor
Years       Names                    Retail Price
1992        Stereo 400 Ser. II Blk    1000
1992        Stereo 400 Ser. II Chr   1095
1993        Stereo 140*                      395    
1993        Stereo 200                        595
1995        Stereo 100                        425

Processors    Surround Sound
Years       Names                   Retail Price
1990        QD-1                                75
1990-93   QD-1 Series II                80
1995        QD-1 Series IIL             75
1997        QD-2                             140

Loud Speakers
Years       Names                     Retail Price
1973-92   A-10                              150 pair
1971-91   A-50                              600 pair
1990        A-15 5 1/4" woofer        90 each
1990-91   A-40 10" woofer*        250 each 
1992        AW-1 4" woofer            100 pair (Outdoor speakers)
1992        A-10 Ser. II 4" wf.        120 pair
1992        A-10 Ser. V 4" wf .       130 pair
1992-93   A-15 Ser. II 5 1/4" wf. 180 pair
1992        A-25 Ser. II 9" wf.        760 pair
1992        A-35 Ser. II 8" wf.        300 pair
1995        HLX-9                           180 each
1995        HLX-18                         260 pair
1996        HLX-18V                      140 each
1998        A-25 Classic*                755 pair

In-Wall Speakers
Years       Names                          Retail Price
1990-91   FL-525 5 1/4"                250 pair
1990        FL-650 6 ½"                  300 pair

Subwoofers
Years       Names                         Retail Price
1990        Amazing Bass                  120
1992        Amazing Bass Series II   180 

*These denote components for which I could find NO photos whatsoever. Many of the speakers also do not have photos that I could locate. Below are photos of which I could find. Most are from items for sale on the Internet in the USA or Canada. Most or all have probably sold.

NOTE: If any of these photos were made by you, please contact me so that I may add credit for them to this article.

First up is the CDV-1 Tube CD Player. 



 Note a lot of space inside. See CDV-2 to compare.



                        Next is the CDV-2 Tube CD Player. 



 Completely different electronics from the CDV-1.
                         Finally, photos of the CDV-PRO.
The addition of HDCD decoding is the only change seen in these three photos that I could find.

Below is an interior shot of the CDV-PRO provided to me by reader Jeff Noonan. Thanks, Jeff!
Next up are the MVP-100 and MVP-160 compact Tube preamplifier and power amplifier. 


Aren't they dandy? I'd love a pair of these!

There is NO doubt that the Panor-Dynaco engineers were very busy in designing and building so many components. I think the prices, especially for the tube pieces limited sales. That and perhaps the snobbish view by some folks of these being interlopers trying to sponge off a vaunted name in the world of high fidelity and stereo. But I do not agree.

An aside: Here are photos of the very first piece of Panor Dynaco equipment that I found in a thrift store. I later found an identical, but black, PROTON model with a different number while researching whether PROTON and Panor were connected somehow. 

 Completely unlike any other Dynaco equipment. EVER.




All that is shiny is not golden, aside, back to the basic-black Panor Dynaco equipment. Starting with an add someone had posted with their PAS-4 preamplifier for sale on eBay.
                Next is the PAS-3 Series II Tube preamplifier.
I suspect these were popular units based upon so many photos.











 Super-neat circuit boards!
Continuing with the PAS line, I present the PAS-4.








Next, although you may have already seen it are my new PAT-6 preamplifier-tuner.  







Below, LOTS of empty space inside, but they are far from alone as far as that goes. Many a components I have opened up is that way. They were trying to make all their components have the same footprint and faceplates.
Next, we have the only Integrated amplifier Panor-Dynaco made, the SCA-120.
These photos are from an eBay auction. I watched but did not bid.


 Disappointing use of cheap speaker terminals.


       Back to Tube equipment with the ST-80 power amplifier.
 Photos are from two different sources.




Next up numerically is the ST-100 Transistor power amplifier, the lesser-powered brother of my ST-200.
Visually identical to the ST-200. These too are from an eBay auction. This amp looks brand new and included the manual.






Built the same month as my PAT-6, here is the specifications sheet for it and the ST-200. The 200 weighs more and uses twice as much energy. Note: "PROTON ELECTRONIC....." on the sticker. Removing any doubt that PROTON made the Panor components.
And with that segue let me show you the only photos I had on hand of my ST-200. They are from:
A "Modern" Dynaco Amp, Onkyo cassette and Amplifiers I have known  
That article, like this one is very long as it shows EVERY amplifier I have owned in forty+ years for which I have photographs. I compared the ST-200 to the Kenwood KM-X1000 power amplifier that I had been using.
Above is my first PROTON component a D540 integrated amplifier that I was using as a preamplifier. The ST-200 runs warm on the left channel, so a whisper fan keeps it cool.

 Dynaco is quite a bit larger than the Kenwood.

Interior shots show the toroidal transformer and clean layout typical of Panor-Dynaco equipment.


I am enjoying a SACD via the PAT-6 and ST-200 as I write this.

Next and final for this first part of the two-part article are the photos which I could find of the ST-400 Series II transistor power amplifier at this time. This is odd as I have seen several over the years on eBay.






Sadly, no interior shots. As you can see, significant external heatsinks on each side of the chassis. Based upon where the speaker and RCA input terminal are located, I suspect it is a Dual-Mono design. 

The only amp like that which I have owned were on a 150 WPC Mitsubishi power amplifier part of the vaunted DA Series:
The only other dual-mono power amp I have owned was this one-of-a-kind 1970's ST-120 of which some skilled individual combined two sets of power transformers, capacitors and associated components to make a very heavy and crowded ST-120 Dual-Mono amplifier:
Next time, in Part TWO, I will showcase photos of the QD series from Panor-Dynaco as well as all the photographs that I can find of speakers that they produced.

Thanks for looking,

Scott

June 4, 2018
    
at 5 comments:
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Review of AIYIMA T2 6K4 Tube Preamplifier Can this Solid Little Asian Beauty Sing?

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