Dynaco 25XL (circa 1974–1976)
The Dynaco 25XL - more properly the A-25XL - was a mid-1970s refinement of the company's popular A-25 loudspeaker. It was a full-range two-way system in a walnut enclosure, priced at $110. High Fidelity (June 1975, p.43) introduced it plainly: Dynaco upgrading the A-25.
The big change was a smaller dome tweeter. Dynaco's own advertising, which ran in High Fidelity (September 1974, p.53) and elsewhere, claimed it put "extended-range big sound" everywhere and that the 25XL's efficiency was "like having twice the amplifier power driving an A-25." On the DIN standard, power handling went up from 35 to 50 watts, with suitability for amplifiers from 15 watts up. The cabinet also gained a three-position tweeter level control, a removable grille, concealed wall-hanging brackets, and genuine oiled walnut.
The independent review in High Fidelity (June 1975, p.44) was a bit more measured: efficiency was moderately low, yet still surprisingly high for so small an enclosure. The speaker could produce more than 10 dB of additional output — sounding roughly twice as loud — before distorting significantly, even on steady tones. The reviewer also found the 25XL offered a little more detail at the frequency extremes than the A-25, while sounding similar enough that the two would make excellent companions in a mixed stereo system.
By the time Audio ran its own report (November 1976, p.86), the price had settled at $109 and the specs were listed as:
- Enclosure: aperiodic suspension (highly damped vent), oiled walnut
- Woofer: 10 in (25.4 cm); tweeter: 1 in (2.54 cm) dome
- Impedance: 8 ohms nominal; power handling: 50 watts
- Size: 20 × 11.5 × 10 in (50.8 × 29.2 × 25.4 cm); weight: 25 lb (11.34 kg)
- Price: $110 at introduction, $109 by late 1976
Beyond those period reviews and advertisements, the archive's record on the 25XL is thin. No production totals or service documentation have surfaced.
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