Sunn Colliseum Bass

Not sure when this amp was made. Sometime in the 1970's, I'd guess. 1 channel. 2 inputs (I'm assuming one is normal, and one is bright, but correct me if I'm wrong.) No channel switching. Preamp (direct) out, two speaker outputs (will take a 4 ohm load). Not sure how loud, but I've heard it's 310 watts RMS. Whatever the case, it's Sunn and it's LOUD. Plenty of power. Almost too much power even. This thing can easily blow speakers if you're not careful. Make sure you run this through some 15's, or at least a 4x10.

I used this amp when I played bass in a metal band. It was definitely able to handle that style. It does so much more though. The EQ is very sensitive, and it can run the whole gamut, from complete thick, dull bass, to bright, Stanley Clarke-ish slap/pop bass sounds. Interacts very closely with the type of speakers and enclosure you use.

I think it sounds great. I used a cheapo 5 string through it, but I've also heard Fender Jazz Basses, and a Peavey T50 bass through it. I played it through an SWR Megoliath 8x10. My friends played it through Ampeg 8x10's. It sounds great. Very loud!! In my old band, I played on 3 and that was loud enough to overpower 4 guitar half stacks and drums!! Seriously! I played it in a crust/metal band, as I said, and it did that style great. I know this could handle jazz, as I played many jazz basslines through this amp. I'm positive it could handle numerous styles if needed.

It can be noisy, but it all depends on what you run through it. I found that if you utilize the polarity switch on the front of the amp, you can cut pretty much all the noise out. For an amp made 30+ years ago, it's plenty quiet.

It's also a pretty clean amp. You can distort it if you play with the EQ, and play it an ungodly volumes, but overall, it runs clean unless you play something dirty through it. Speakers also play an important factor, as obviously, lower wattage speakers will distort easier than higher wattage ones.

I would say this is an amazing bass amp. The EQ is extremely versatile. You can dial in pretty much any sound you need. It also loves effects pedals! :) I give this an 8, because a 10 to me has nary been achieved. The only amp I can think of that might sound better are the $1500 Ampeg tube SVT reissues. These sound damn close, and are easily as loud, if not louder. All around, a great bass amp.

I bought this amp in somewhat cruddy condition. An extra power switch had been installed, as the old one had burned out. I used the amp for a year and a half after that with no problems. Then at a gig about a month ago, I was playing a Rat pedal (cranked) through it, and had it turned out unbelievably loud (around 6 or so). The lights dimmed and it died. I took it to a great tech, who fixed it for $50. Turns out I blew the circuit breaker, but I'm convinced that the shoddy condition of the club I was at had something to do with this. I played the amp tons of times before this without any troubles at all. I'd say it's built great internally.

Externally, I had to replace some screws in the enclosure that had stripped themselves, but after 30+ years this was to be expected. Very minimal problems.

Sunn are no more.

I'm a guitar player who just played bass so I could play in a great band. Well, I had to quit the band, so now I'm just playing guitar and drums. The bass will sit in the closet collecting dust. I'm actually selling this amp. If anyone is by chance reading this, make me an offer. I will ship it gladly! It's a great amp, but I have no use for it any longer. It's far too powerful to use as a guitar amp, and I don't anticipate I will be playing bass again anytime in my life. I love the sound, and the power I get. I was slightly annoyed by the placement of the power cord, but that's just a minor grievance. I didn't really compare it with other products. I did try one bass amp before I bought this, a Behringer. That thing sucked. So then I found this at a shop in St. Louis, and I've been happy since. I wish the power cord was in a more convenient place, and maybe if it was smaller it would be a bit easier to lug around. But oh well, it's still an amazing amplifier.

That pretty much sums it up. I love Sunn amps, this may be one of, if not the best I've ever played!

The amp was made in about 1970 I think in the US. The brite and normal switch is great. And so is the footswitch output for the sustain & distortion. The fan doesn't bother my at all because it is always too loud to hear it. I play punk and also worship music and having some distortion is a great effect for the punk sound. I use it at my house with my friends and rattle my house down with a Marshall JCM 800 that my dad put a killer mod on for guitar. Also the matching cabnets are nice to get that extra thump. Their is nothing more that this amp needs except some ear plugs.

This amp can go from dirty punk to worship at the push of a butten or a turn of a knob so i'm very satisified. plus the noise is very quiet, and doesn't over distort when playing my Jazz bass or my Electra copy of a Rickenbacker.

When we baught it we baught one cabnet then a few months later we baught the head and other cabnet. but when we got home the power switch was broken, but my dad had an old sunn 2000S chasie sitting around so he took that switch out and put the good one in. Also the cabnet that came with it had the speaker wired backwards so it eliminated the bass responce. still this was all easy to fix and didn't take long at all.

Havent delt with company but i know it is owned by fender so it probably won't even have to go that far in the first place.

It is the best sounding, loudest, and most versitial bass amp i'v used and will keep using.

Manufacture date, 1970. The amp itself is very versatile--but the stock 18" Vega spkrs in the stock 30 X 30 X 15" front loaded cabs liked larger rooms. I've played hard rock, folk, country, big band, top-40, blues, and fusion w/several different basses. Single channel, mono. Preamp in/out. One pair of 1/4" speaker outs. 2 hi impedence 1/4" inputs in the front. Controls/switches are on/off and polarity rocker switches, 5 rotary knobs for volume, lo bass, hi bass, mid, and treble. Small Brite/Norm switch I usually keep in Norm, and small Hi/Lo switch for the treble knob I usually keep in Hi. Now I would like it to have a low impedence XLR out w/pre or post selectivity for use through a board. When it was new it had all the features I needed. I have used this amp in every venue imaginable from outdoor arenas to the studio. It has more than enough power. All solid state--Sunn's first non-tube effort, as I recall. Rated at 220 rms w/one 8 ohm cabinet, and 310 into 2 8 ohm cabs for a 4 ohm load.
Qualify the 10 rating by putting "for it's day" after it.

Basses used: Hagstrom 8 String, Fender Jazz, Fender Precision, Hoffner , Peavey T-40 fretless, Rickenbacker 4001, Ibanez, Zon 6 String. It suits all my styles. It got noisier w/age. W/all the knobs turned off, it's still silent. The cooling fan is a very faint whirr noticable only in a silent room if you're w/in about 10 or 12 feet of the amp. There is a fair amount of white-pink noise depending on which tone controls you have turned up and how far. Still, not enough to be a factor any where but the studio. Cheap, poorly shielded/grounded light faders irritate the noise, but again, not as much as thru the guitar amps or PA I'm usually with. The amp is capable of a very wide range of sounds on it's own, w/no onboard effects or compression. It has earth-crushing bottom end w/the 2 18 cabs, and glass breaking hi-end if I plug in a cab w/a horn. My favorite is the Chris Squier-type Rickenbacker w/round wounds sound, bright/crunchy attack w/a huge, full bass follow up that slaps you in the face, then tickles your toes! But if I crank up the Hi-bass, and finger pick back on the bridge, it will get that real burpy, middy modern jazz sound. It will distort, but at such hi volumes that our sound guy is throwing things at me. A comfortable level is where the attack has just a touch of "crunch", usually achieved by running the volume around 3, and opening the bass up. Great rock sound!

This was my only amp since I bought it new in Jan '71, until I picked up a used Hartke 7000 in late '94. I like the features and versatility of the Hartke, but I've considered selling it 'cause I just don't NEED it! My Sunn does it all. For all but the biggest outdoor gigs, I always grab my Coliseum head, and tailor my speaker cab setup to fit the venue. (in addition to the twin Sunn 18 cabs, I have a custom built 2-10 cab w/a piezo that's a great, light stage monitor, and will also fill small to medium rooms). This amp has never, EVER failed me! We've played in places where I turned out the lights when I went hard for a low note, and the thing has been bullet proof! Now, after 30 years, I should replace the fan as it is taking longer and longer for it to spool up to speed..........but that's it! On this scale of 1-10, this amp rates an easy 15!

About a year after I bought the amp, the soft rubber feet split and fell apart. Sunn was still Sunn then, made in Tualatin, OR, and I drove to the factory one afternoon w/the amp, and showed them the prob. It was funny.....they treated my like a pal. This long-haired guy said "Oh! OK. Wait here a minute." He disappeared through a door, and came back a minute later holding his hand out to me. He dropped 4 brand new, hard neoprene feet in my hand and said "There ya go!" I wasn't afraid of using a screwdriver, but I was concerned about voiding the warranty if I opened up the unit....they kinda chuckled at me, like, "Don't worry about it!"
The warranty is "Lifetime".....I still have the original card! So I wonder what kind of support I'd get from Fender if something went wrong now?!?

I've been playing since 1966. If stolen, I would be heartbroken, and would do everything in my power to replace it w/a similar unit. If there is a drawback, it might be the odd shape....approx, 6" hi x 10" deep x 30" long. 45lbs. It doesn't stack well on contemporary, narrower cabinets. When I bought it I compared it to the Acoustic 360, Ampeg, biggest things Fender and Peavey had. The Sunn won, hands down, better tone, power, reliability, all around. It cost a bundle in 1971 dollars, but it's been worth it!

Manufacture verified by inspection sticker inside the amp - it rolled off the assembly line in November 1974. This is a very powerful head - wide, low & heavy. Has a volume low-bass mid-bass low-treble & hi-treble controls, the two treble controls have center freq switches & it has an overall 'brite-norm' switch. An interesting feature/quirk is that if all the tone controls are at zero, there's no output. I've never seen this on any other head.
I use this on all gigs, never push it past 3 - tons of power rated at 400W RMS into 8 ohms, not 4, not 2 but 8 (eight)! 8->

This amp apparently can not create distortion on it's own. CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN! The fan is a little noisy, but not through the speaker, just when standing close to the amp.

I bought this amp in 1978 & have never put it in the shop. It's been dropped, left in freezing & boiling hot vehicles for days/weeks on end. 'Nuff said.

Out of business, but it never breaks anyway. The design looks like anyone with good electronic skills should be able to repair it - IF it ever needs it.

I've been playing bass 32 years & have owned this head for most of them. I've never found a reason to replace it. IF it died, or was stolen etc, I'd probably try something different. Ampeg/SWR etc