I remember this speaker from the '70s, and was always impressed with its performance. I see a pair on that auction place, and they appear to have a textile dome tweeter.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons I liked it. I can't remember ever seeing this model with the grille removed. Does anyone have spec sheets that can confirm the tweeter is original?

Dunno if it will work, since the pair is in Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Québec, which is a couple of hours past Québec City. Shipping might be a killer, I fear.

Here's a picture:

I remember this speaker from the '70s, and was always impressed with its performance. I see a pair on that auction place, and they appear to have a textile dome tweeter.

Perhaps this is one of the reasons I liked it. I can't remember ever seeing this model with the grille removed. Does anyone have spec sheets that can confirm the tweeter is original?

Dunno if it will work, since the pair is in Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Québec, which is a couple of hours past Québec City. Shipping might be a killer, I fear.

Here's a picture:

Only SP-70 had 1" Dome Tweeter. The other SP-30/50/100/200 had
2" horn tweeter(s)

Only SP-70 had 1" Dome Tweeter. The other SP-30/50/100/200 had 2" horn tweeter(s)

Thanks. So your data shows that it did have a dome? That's why I liked it I guess, have never been a fan of horn mids or tweeters.

Can't be a Sansui speaker. It only has two drivers.:D

- Pete

Can't be a Sansui speaker. It only has two drivers.:D

- Pete

Say, you're right. They should have called it the Sansui SP-Heresy! Only two-way, and with a nice clean dome tweeter?

Oh wait, there's the extry hole, in the front face near the bottom. It breathes like a Sansui.

It's like, the marketing guys got around a table and said, "People laugh when I mention our speakers, and just what the hail does Kabooskey mean, anyhow?"

And somebody suggested that they could get this tweeter cheap that looked a lot like what was in the better AR speakers then, but let's keep the bass reflex design so that folks can play it with their 15 WPC receivers.

Sort of an orphan, isn't it? I mean, in the early-mid '70s, what other made-in-Japan Sansui speaker had a silk dome tweeter? Not even the AS series, IIRC. They had a nice cone tweeter.

Now this is a proper Sansui Speaker.

- Pete

The 'shotgun' approach to speaker design, "We will try one of everything",
or perhaps, two of everything.....Cheers, T.......And, yes, have several of
their 1st cousins lurking around here somewhere,....NOT hooked up to any
thing mind you, JUST decoration...:yes:

The little SP-30 with a small extended-range AlNiCo woofer (with a metal dustcap) and a cute little AlNiCo horn tweeter was a decent-sounding little speaker (more natural and musical than the big, nasty multi-way Sansuis folks have invoked in previous posts, IMNSHO).

Wasn't that the same tweeter as in the SP-50 and even the SP-100?

I dunno, all I can say was that I was very pleasantly surprised when the SP-70 came onto the scene, and while missing a bit of the bass that it's competitors like the Dyna A25 have, it could hold up it's head proudly for mid/HF sound quality.

It certainly has a much better WAF than the Dyna or ARs had, IMHO.

Why does the woofer in that pic look a little too modern to my eyes to be original 70's vintage? I've seen at least two pairs of fretwork-grilled Sansui speakers every week over the past two years --probably at least 200 pairs in total-- and while I can't be sure (because I stopped paying close attention after the first dozen or so), somehow those woofers don't look right to me. Could they be later replacements? Or maybe just racooned with new dustcaps? :headscrat Or maybe just extraordinarily well-preserved...

Well, see, there you go, Arkay.

I was hoping that someone had a brochure that had a clear picture of the SP-70 so that I could confirm that was the correct speaker (tweeter).

Now you're bringing up the woofer, like I said earlier, I don't remember ever seeing them with the grills off.

Did you check here?
http://www.classicsansui.net/

There is a big photo collection, as well as some brochures.

On a similar note, referring to "Sansui Mutts", I have a pair of AS-200's that AK'er Gonzothegreat found on a curb and gave to me. They're quite wonderful, although they did manage to cram a midrange in there also.

I would describe them as "KLH"-ish.

Hmm. Maybe B3Nut gave them to me. My memory is failing in my old age...

http://www.sansui.us/SP_3Digits.htm

Did you check here?
http://www.classicsansui.net/

There is a big photo collection, as well as some brochures.

Nope, no SP-70s in there, but thanks for the link.

http://www.sansui.us/SP_3Digits.htm

Yep, right on the nose. Same tweeter and woofer as in the ones in ebaY.

Thanks!

Humph. They didn't sell.

Say, I thought that things posted on AK influenced demand for products around the world. Apparently not! :)

Well, see, there you go, Arkay.

I was hoping that someone had a brochure that had a clear picture of the SP-70 so that I could confirm that was the correct speaker (tweeter).

Now you're bringing up the woofer, like I said earlier, I don't remember ever seeing them with the grills off.

I have this speaker in it's original box(s). I'll see if I can get em out and get a picture for you.

Why does the woofer in that pic look a little too modern to my eyes to be original 70's vintage? I've seen at least two pairs of fretwork-grilled Sansui speakers every week over the past two years --probably at least 200 pairs in total-- and while I can't be sure (because I stopped paying close attention after the first dozen or so), somehow those woofers don't look right to me. Could they be later replacements? Or maybe just racooned with new dustcaps? :headscrat Or maybe just extraordinarily well-preserved...

I have a set of 50's that I got without any drivers, and installed modern drivers into them from Parts Express, the cabs were excellent and free. They sound great. I have the 10, 30, 35, and 50 but no 70.
I bet those are modern drivers, but I can't prove it. Did you look at the back of the magnets on them?
Casey

Not really clear but..........this is SP-70

I had a pair I bought from a local guy shortly after I bought my SP-2000's. I always thought they sounded suprisingly good for as simply as they were. I gave them to my father to use a few years ago and listened to them again over Christmas. They are still very nice sounding and I am glad they stayed in the family. The SP-2000's are gone, however.

Jay

That's why I said "forgotten miracle". They were never very big in sales, I would guess, since one doesn't see them for sale very often.

And yet, they are, in my mind, the best sounding of all their smaller speakers, and by a wide margin. They seem to be an experiment that Sansui tried, but they were never heavily promoted and so they languished on the shelves with the result that a series with dome tweeters was never done again.

Same sort of story as the AS series: great speakers, quite competitive, but never promoted as what they were, better than the others in the line anywhere at or near their respective prices.

That's why I said "forgotten miracle". They were never very big in sales, I would guess, since one doesn't see them for sale very often.

And yet, they are, in my mind, the best sounding of all their smaller speakers, and by a wide margin. They seem to be an experiment that Sansui tried, but they were never heavily promoted and so they languished on the shelves with the result that a series with dome tweeters was never done again.

Same sort of story as the AS series: great speakers, quite competitive, but never promoted as what they were, better than the others in the line anywhere at or near their respective prices.

Yep, try the LM series if you get a chance, they are quite good, but have butt ugly vinyl covered cabs.
Casey

Yep, right on the nose. Same tweeter and woofer as in the ones in ebaY.

Thanks!

I removed the grills and mine are exactly the same as in the pic here. Dome tweeter.

So that's it then, thanks to all who have confirmed that the SP-70 does indeed have a dome tweeter, and a woofer that doesn't appear to have been shared with any other Sansui speakers.

Thanks to all for your help. I'm going to keep an eye peeled for a reasonably local pair.

I Joined To Determine The Value Of 2vintage Sp-70's In Mint Condition With All Stickers/tags (including Serial #) Intact. I Am Guessing, Not Very Much. They Sure Heavy When I Took One Off A Shelf To Look At The Back!

The AS series does sound very nice. I obtained a pair of AS-100s and they sound 'excellent'. As another AK member mentioned they are acoustic suspension speakers in totally sealed cabinets so they do have a different sound without the port. I like them and the way they sound a lot! The 'ported SP series' has more umph (the punch), but the AS series sounds wonderful, great base and excellent highs, and very refined. Since I have gotten these I must admit my SP-2000s have been in standby, for awhile!