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:

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

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

    

LINKS to other Dynaco Panor articles:

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

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

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

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

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

June 3, 2018

#252

Gentle reader,

As a long-time reader, you have seen MANY articles on my stereo system's multitude of changes over all these years which I have been writing this humble blog.

This article showcases the latest addition to the system in the form of the super-rare Panor-Era Dynaco PAT-6 Preamplifier-Tuner.  I have been wanting one for YEARS! As you may know, I have, from the same company, their ST-200 Power Amplifier which is superb. I also recently secured their final iteration of 1970's Dynaco's QD-1 which they named: "QUADAPTER". That last one which came out in 1996 is called the QD-2. I reported on that here:

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

If you can find a book from ORION RESEARCH CORPORATION called ORION BLUE BOOK AUDIO, do so. You will find them invaluable. Normally, they sell used for quite a bit of money. I got lucky in buying a bulk lot of them which included my 2002 Audio, plus one on cameras. I sold the rest, which did not interest me, individually for much more than I paid for the lot.

These books are full of wonderful information on equipment from most manufacturers with build dates, watts-per-channel, retail prices, used values based upon: retail, wholesale, condition, etc. Plus specs on the items, such as woofer size. Do they have every component from every maker? No, but as far as Dynaco covering both the original company's products, and Panor-era, I think they have everything they both produced. And as far as my Internet searches for photos has shown, some that may never have made it beyond the prototype stage.

There it is, folks, top right, the 1994 Dynaco PAT-6, snuggled up to the QD-2 which is cheek-to-cheek to the ST-200. A matched set at last!

UPDATE: The owner told me this, "I bought it around 1994-95 in Cambridge, MA. at an audio shop near MIT. I purchased, along with it the exact Adcom you have- a 535." He has the Adcom amp for sale on eBay. He is mistaking my two Adcom ACE-515 power conditioners for amplifiers.

According to Orion, the PAT-6 came out in 1993 and retailed for $500.00 which seems low to me. That's about $880.00 today. I had brochures direct from Panor, which I foolishly later sold, that may have had MSRP information in them. Here is the eBay photo of them from my auction:

If only I had the forethought to scan them all! Hindsight sucks sometimes.  The one component photo peeking between the two color sheets is about the PAT-5 Series II. I can find NO photos for that one! Well, anyway, here are up-close-and-personal photos of the new PAT-6:

Obviously, the faceplate is the same material as the ST-200.

I have the manual and remote on the way via eBay from another seller, which will help explain some of the things on the front and the rear, such as MEMO that I do not know their purpose for. I have no use for the tuner portion of the PAT-6. I have that floor radio that I upgraded the speakers which I showed you a while ago, in the listening room. And in this room, the PROTON AI-3000 II all-in-one system. This room has my PC, so if I want to listen FM music, I switch on the PROTON. Which I am listening to right now. Two Cerwin-Vega! LS-12 speakers with a pair of BOSE 301s mounted right below the ceiling make for a WALL of sound!

One concern is the lack of rumble filter for records.

Bubblewrap prints on the knobs, need to clean those.

 I knew it lacked inputs compared to what the PROTON has.

 More dust to clean off. Below, more mystery switches.

 IF serial numbers started at 000001, then this is 5117th.

Proper IEC AC plug socket which the PROTON lacks. I bought a new PANGEA AC-14  power cable and it arrived first. PANGEA products are excellent and superb bargains. Audio Advisor is the sole distributor of their fine products. Although they also sell them via eBay for the same prices.

Now, for a look at the "guts" inside the PAT-6. 

A lot of room inside which is not unusual these days. IC chips have greatly reduced the number of boards and components thereon. IF you are old enough to remember when VCRs came out, how big and heavy they were. More recent models one could lift with one finger in the tape slot. A better descriptor could be DVD players reduction in size and weight.

ST-200 has toroidal transformer, this one is standard style. That small board is for some reason, deliberately angled in it's mount. One side is raised. Odd.

Upper board is the tuner section. Both boards have lots of empty component locations.

This board is the lower one, the preamplifier board, again with empty component locations. My ST-200 has the same situation. I asked my stereo-buddy when showing him my ST-200, he looked at it and said, "Protection circuits." We both think it was the same board used for the ST-400 Series II power amplifier.

THIS should quell any arguments as to whether PROTON and Panor-Dynaco are/were the same company! 

Now for a comparison with the INSIDES of the PROTON 1100 Preamplifier which I have been enjoying for a number of years now:

Again, lots of room inside. This retailed for $230.00 in 1985. Around 550 of today's dollars.

This board is for power switch, bass/treble and other controls.

Shielded transformer, above. Along with AC outlets.

Clever use of long rods that connect front switch knobs to board. Below is the phono section (left side above). MM and MC cartridges are supported as well as different levels of capacitance are switchable on the rear panel.

Same type of sticker on the PROTON, but different company name.

And now, comparison shots of the two, front and rear.

Important INFRASONIC (rumble) filter switch. Not completely shown on the right are two selector switches for listening and recording choices. One can record one source while listening to another.

Complete compliment of inputs/outputs on the PROTON 1100 verses the Dynaco PAT-6. Note both have white stripes aligned with the RCA terminals.

I do not know what the High-Level outputs are for. Note same color Serial Number sticker and serial numbering system.

Finally, three AC outlets on the PROTON 1100, the PAT-6 has none. 
I have only had a short time so far listening to the PAT-6 in the system and it was at low volume to confirm all the inputs work. When my wife is home I keep the volume low. Generally, when she is home, I spend most of the time with her.
So, I have not had a chance to do my usual testing with favorite recordings at louder volumes. I have overcome the input/output shortcomings with a pair of "Y" cables connected to the "Tape Out" terminals for the CD recorder and Cassette tape recorder. I have added a nice SONY audio/video switch for the CD-R and Cassette outputs to choose between them wired into the "Tape In" terminals. As stated all function and now untoward sounds so far.

My next article will be about Panor-era Dynaco products. I have been gathering photos from the Internet of all the components for which owners or sellers had posted on the Internet. However, there are a number of components listed in Orion Blue Book do not seem to exist or at least have never been photographed. Especially the PAT-5 Series II and a number of speakers they have listed for which no photographs could I find.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Scott 

June 3, 2018