sunn 1200s Owner`s Manual

1200s

1200s

Bass Amplifier

Bass Amplifier

Reference and Owner’s Manual for

the Sunn 1200s Bass Amplifier

The sunn Legacy...

In early 1963, a band from Oregon called “The Kingsmen” hit the charts
with a catchy little tune called Louie Louie. The Kingsmen quickly became
household names and Louie Louie the rock anthem of the decade.

With a hit single under their belt, The Kingsmen soon found
themselves embarking on a 50 state national tour. One of the first
things bassist Norm Sundholm discovered was that his bass amp,
while fine for hops and school dances, did not have the power
necessary for the larger concert halls to which the band had ascended.
To solve this dilemma, Norm enlisted the help of his brother Conrad
and by 1964 the brothers Sundholm had designed the world’s first high
powered concert bass amplifier.

1965 saw the demand for the Sundholms’ amplifiers increase to the point
that the family garage would no longer serve as a suitable manufacturing
facility. Thus, the SUNN Musical Equipment Company was born.

As the years passed, countless pioneers of rock would rely on SUNN
amplifiers to carry the weight. The Who, Moody Blues, Cream,
Steppenwolf, Kiss, Rush, Queen and a little music festival in up-state New
York all endorsed SUNN equipment.

Today, your new SUNN amplifier embodies this rich tradition and
combines it with a vision for the future ensuring this American institution
known for big sound will continue to be heard.

SUNN

®

STAGE GEAR... Attitude, Power and Performance for Professionals

SUNN 1200s BASS AMPLIFIER

VACUUM TUBE / SOLID STATE HYBRID
DESIGN EMPLOYS THE BEST OF BOTH
TECHNOLOGIES

CONSTRUCTED IN AN ALL STEEL
CHASSIS FOR ENDURING RELIABILITY

1200 WATTS OF POWER @ <.2% T.H.D.
TWO CHANNELS WITH CLEAN AND

DISTORTED MODES
FOOTSWITCH JACK FOR REMOTE ON-

OFF SWITCHING OF THE GRAPHIC
EQUALIZER, COMPRESSOR AND
CHANNEL SELECTION

EFFECTS LOOP FOR SIGNAL
PROCESSING DEVICES

SPLIT BAND COMPRESSOR
REMOVABLE RACK MOUNT EARS

Congratulations on your purchase of a sunn®1200s
Bass Amplifier . Built with car e and special attention to
detail, your new sunn 1200s Bass Amplifier offers
much more than meets the eye. Each 1200s bass
amplifier is crafted from the finest components
available and assembled at the Sunn amplifier
factory in Corona, California, USA.

sunn®1200s Bass Amplifiers include among their
many features: 1200 Watts of power (2Ω load); active
compression circuitry and a 10-band graphic
equalizer and high and low frequency controls for full­bodied tonal shaping. The two channels are voiced
for both clean and distorted outputs offering the
versatility of differing playing styles. The footswitch
circuitry allows for remote selection of the front panel
graphic equalizer, compressor and the channel
selection. Moreover , the r ear panel features an ef fects
loop for the addition of external signal processing
devices or outboard gear, a tuner out jack for
accessing your tuner and both XLR and 1/4 inch line
out jacks and a pass through jack for routing your
bass signal to another amplifier or mixing console.

In order to thoroughly understand the operation,
features and functions of your new sunn®1200s
Bass Amplifier, please read and refer as needed to
this operation manual. By doing so, your amplifier is
sure to provide you with years of trouble-free music
making and maximum playing enjoyment.

Take the time to get to know each other... Tune-up,
Plug-in and ... Play On!

WARNING:

-TO PREVENT DAMAGE, FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RAIN
OR MOISTURE.

-NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE,
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
ONLY.

-ALLOW AT LEAST 3 INCHES (7.6 CM) IN THE
FRONT AND REAR OF THE UNIT FOR PROPER
VENTILATION. DO NOT BLOCK VENTS.

-THIS UNIT MUST BE EARTH GROUNDED.

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SUNN 1200s SETUP PROCEDURES

To ensure optimum performance
from your Sunn 1200s Bass Amplifier,
please follow these setup guidelines
and procedures.

From Effects Processor to

Effects Loop Return

PARALLEL SPKR JACKS

1200W

2 Ω minTOTAL

From Speaker

Jacks to

Speaker Cabinets

From Effects Loop Send
to Effects Processor In

effects

loop

send

return

From Tuner Out to

Tuning Device

tuner

out

footswitch

R

power amp

pass through

line out

From Line Out to External
Power Amp or Mixer

From Power Amp Pass
Through to Effects Loop
Return on another amp

From Footswitch Out Jack to Footswitch

1. Connect your Sunn 410H / Sunn 215 Bass
Loudspeaker Enclosure or equivalent to the parallel
speaker jacks located on the rear of the 1200s
amplifier. Note: For improved performance, DO NOT

daisy chain multiple enclosures off the same jack. As
a rule of thumb, connect only one speaker enclosure
per output jack and remember the total minimum
impedance load for the 1200s is 2Ω. Remember to
connect or disconnect any speaker enclosure to your
1200s with the power off.

2. Next, attach the 3-button footswitch and your
tuner to the TUNER OUT and FOOTSWITCH jacks
located on the rear of the amplifier.

3. Connect any effects processing devices through
the EFFECTS LOOP SEND and RETURN jacks on
the rear of the unit.

4. If sending your 1200s’ signal to an external power
amplifier or main house mixer, connect a cord from
either the 1/4 inch or XLR LINE OUT jack to your
external power amplifier or mixer.

5. Make sure the HIGH and LOW tone controls are
in their center notched positions, the Graphic EQ is
“flat”, the compressors are OFF and the LOW, HIGH
and MID NOTCH buttons are out.

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