Dynaco
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dynaco is an American hi-fi manufacturer, founded by David Hafler and Ed Laurent in 1955, that earned enduring fame for its wide range of affordable component kits. Dynaco is best known for its highly regarded Stereo 70 vacuum tube amplifier. Introduced in 1959, the 35 watt per channel Stereo 70 (or "ST-70") was sold until mid-1990. With more than 300,000 ST-70s produced, it is the most popular tube power amp ever made. Dynaco electronics were available either factory assembled or in do-it-yourself kits, Dynakits. These kits were different from the popular Heathkit products because of their preassembled circuit boards. These boards were wired at the factory, tested and packaged with the unassembled chassis. The builder was left, largely, to attach the switches and controls to the chassis pieces, assemble the chassis and power supply and solder connecting wires to the circuit boards. This saved considerable time and reduced errors on the part of the builder. Because of their excellent sound quality and reasonable prices, Dynaco is sometimes referred to as "the poor man's McIntosh."
Dynaco is also well known for its line of transistor components. Beginning in 1966 with the introduction of the Stereo 120 model power amplifier (60 watts/channel) and the PAT-4 preamplifier in 1967, the company affirmed its ability to design reliable solid state equipment at an affordable price. In the 1970s, the Stereo 400 was developed and marketed. This was a high power amplifier at 200 watts per channel that offered automatic protection circuitry to prevent electrical destruction of the loudspeaker. The FM-5 tuner was offered as was the SCA-80 integrated amplifier in the early 1970s time line. There was also the Dynaquad system which allowed the user to simulate a quadrophonic sound by using out of phase signals at the speaker terminals. It apparently was a success and offered good four-channel sound at budget price.
Dynaco marketed the SEAS line of loudspeakers that were manufactured in Denmark. They were sold between 1970 and Dynaco's demise in the 1980s. The Dynaco A-25 model proved to be extremely successful; selling over 600,000 units. A modified bass reflex design, it combined quality sound reproduction with a budget price (under $100) and this made it highly competitive with much more expensive loudspeakers. Over time, Dynaco marketed a wide range of loudspeakers, ranging from the small A-10 bookshelf model to the floor standing A-50 model. After some 30 years, these loudspeakers still command good prices in markets such as eBay. A testimonial to their quality of design.
The Pan Orient Corporation (later Panor Corporation) acquired the Dynaco trademark in the early 1990s and began marketing electronic components with the Dynaco brand. Panor even reintroduced some of the older Dynaco designs. The Panor/Dynaco ST-70 is generally considered inferior to vintage ST-70s of the 1960s (the earliest ST-70s with cloth covered leads are the most desirable among audiophiles and collectors).
[edit] Dynaco tube equipment
Dynaco introduced the following tube audio amplifiers, tuners, and preamplifiers between 1955 and 1976.
| Model | Type | Channels (Power) |
Year Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynaco Mark II | Power Amp | Mono (50 watts) |
1955 |
| Dynaco PAM-1 | Preamp | Mono | 1957 |
| Dynaco Mark III | Power Amp | Mono (60 watts) |
1957 |
| Dynaco Stereo 70 | Power Amp | Stereo (35 wpc) |
1959 |
| Dynaco PAS-2 | Preamp | Stereo | 1960 |
| Dynaco Mark IV | Power Amp | Mono (40 watts) |
1960 |
| Dynaco FM-1 | FM tuner | Mono | 1961 |
| Dynaco Stereo 35 | Power Amp | Stereo (17.5 wpc) |
1963 |
| Dynaco SCA-35 | Integrated Amp | Stereo (17.5 wpc) |
1964 |
| Dynaco FM-3 | FM tuner | Stereo | 1964 |
| Dynaco PAS-3 | Preamp | Stereo | 1966 |
| Dynaco Mark VI | Power Amp | Mono (120 watts) |
1976 |
[edit] References
- Tube Dreams. Dynaco. Retrieved June 9, 2006.
- Dynaco advertising and equipment reviews can be found in the magazines of the time such as Stereo Review and High Fidelity
[edit] External links
- Dynaco website
- Dynaco History "Unofficial" Web site (Greg's Dynaco Page) with comprehensive information on historic Dynaco products and the company as a whole.
