Cerwin-Vega AT-15

The Cerwin-Vega AT-15 is a floor-standing, bass reflex loudspeaker built around a 15-inch woofer — very much in the company's tradition of high-output, bass-forward designs. The driver complement consists of that 15-inch woofer, a 6-inch cone midrange, and a 1-inch dome tweeter, with a crossover set at 1.2 kHz. Sensitivity is rated at a healthy 94 dB, frequency response at 32 Hz–20 kHz, and nominal impedance at 8 ohms. The cabinet is ported and fitted with bi-wireable binding posts.

The AT-15 was part of Cerwin-Vega's AT Series, which the company promoted heavily in the late 1980s. Cerwin-Vega's own advertising in Audio (January 1988, p.35) and High Fidelity (September 1988, p.6) touted the series for "virtually eliminating" audible distortion — break-up, as they called it — and made a point of the woofers' ribbed surrounds and magnets weighing as much as 7 pounds. That marketing leaned hard into the brand's rock-and-roll credentials, promising speakers that would keep "rock groups from breaking up" while also handling jazz trios and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Power handling figures vary by source: one lists 300W RMS / 500W peak, while another gives 250W RMS / 400W peak. Given the conflict, treat those numbers as approximate. The more consistent story from owners is that these are efficient, dynamic speakers with strong bass — one reviewer praised their volume capability and low-end output. The flip side, noted in forum discussions, is that the high frequencies can sound slightly rolled off compared to modern designs, and the foam woofer surrounds are prone to degrading with age. Re-foaming is the most common repair, and recapping the crossovers is a recommended maintenance step.

Exact production years and original retail price aren't documented in the available record. Used pairs in good condition typically sell in the $400–$700 range; a pair recently listed on Reverb at $450.