Cerwin-Vega S 1
The Cerwin-Vega S 1 is a big three-way bass reflex loudspeaker. It is one of the company's more refined designs, and a rare case of Cerwin-Vega chasing elegance rather than sheer output. The history on this model is thin. No production years, original price, or collector data have survived in the usual sources. What is documented comes from period reviews and equipment databases.
High Fidelity (June 1977, p.30) called the S1 "the most elegant and exotic shelf speaker currently available," noting the rare Yucatan rosewood facade and a sophisticated sixth-order Butterworth vent tuning integrated with an active equalizer filter. The same review praised the precision-aligned die-cast drivers and the low 300 Hz crossover to the 6″ midrange, which kept intermodulation distortion down. That's a notably low crossover point for a three-way of this era, and it tells you the S1 was engineered with care rather than built to a price.
The driver lineup is unusual for Cerwin-Vega: a 15″ woofer, a 5″ horn-driven midrange, and a 1″ horn tweeter. Some sources list the tweeter as a 1″ dome, so the record conflicts on this point. The cabinet is large at 1,000 × 366 × 320 mm, and heavy at 23 kg, with an internal volume of 75 liters. Rated power handling is 120 W (DIN 45500). Frequency range is 28-25,000 Hz, with crossover points at 2,500 Hz and 7,000 Hz. Impedance is 8 Ω.
Known specs:
- 3-way bass reflex, 75 L internal volume
- 15″ woofer, 5″ horn midrange, 1″ horn (or dome) tweeter
- Frequency range: 28–25,000 Hz
- Crossover: 2,500 Hz / 7,000 Hz
- Power handling: 120 W (DIN 45500)
- Impedance: 8 Ω
- Dimensions: 1,000 × 366 × 320 mm; 23 kg
This one aimed higher. The rosewood facade, the active equalizer, and the low crossover all point to a speaker designed for critical listening. Beyond that, little is documented. If you own a pair, the archive would love to hear from you.
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