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
