Serial numbers on OA2212 Speakers - how many made?

[rylandes]

Lennartj

You must remember that Lövånger Elektronik (or LEAB) was (is) an contract manufacturer. So when they had a production run for OD11 they could probably have made a thousand pairs. Then it might have been weeks or months to the next run.

The OD11 was used in many shops as the speaker in a HiFi setup for 2500-4000 SEK. They were sold in the thousands.

Concerning your other serial number, one possibillty is that they were manufactured in another factory if LEAB was pressed and demand high. I simply don't know. Or the numbering changed in the end when Olle Mirsch took over.

ColesKing

I think we sold the OA2212 normally for 7000-8000 SEK a pair. A small car would have been something like 35-50000 SEK (??).
I can't remember if it was spring -78 or -79 we sold the last batch. Production would have stopped a month or two before that.

Sten R

[lennartj]

Thank you Sten,
I was unaware that LEAB is a contract manufacurer making a lot of different stuff, probably in batches, different weeks. We have seen serial numbers of OA2212 up to over 140, and OD11 over 600 which makes sense, building a pair of OAS2212 might well be at least 4 times more labour intensive as building a pair of OD11.

As a comparison I was puzzled when the english company Alvis, which I recognized as a small manufacturer of sporty luxury cars bought Hägglunds in Sweden, that I knew was making bandwagons. I later learned that Alvis is a big manufacturer of military vehicles, that during the 1960's each year during two weeks only, built a batch of cars, enough for one year's demand.

If I understand you right it is impossible to make any assumptions of how many loudspakers of a certain model were built from the serial number.
What do we know of LEAB's production planning and logistics?
During one specific week, did they build one model only or did they change during the week or did they have parallel producton lines?
Assuming they were running the production line flat out for one or more weeks building one model at a time, then changing to another model, did they build OA2212 two weeks per year, OA116 four weeks, OA14 eight weeks and so on?

Then we have the OA116 pair numbered 10061 and OD11 with number 10346, very early species or not built by LEAB?

[rylandes]

Well, the people I used to know at LEAB isn't there anymore.

So guessing production runs and such is beyond my reach.

Then concerning the other numbering system. My guess is that it's from the time Olle Mirsch was selling Sonab Audio products.Which would be 1977-78 ( I think). Just before Sonab's closedown. Or they were produced at the same factory as the OM speakers down in Skillingaryd Småland. But that is just a guess. I have no memory of that.

My guess is that Sonab during 1970-1978 sold between 20.000-40.000 speakers a year globally. With 60-80% in Sweden. The bulk of that (80-90%) must have been OD11-OA12-OA14 or their predecessors. Nevertheless 2-8000 speakers a year should have been OA116 or OA2212. Although they came late.

Sten R

[ColesKing]

Rylandes,

If I think what the cost of a pair of OA2212 was then - then somehow I feel comfortable with a total production figure of around 2000 - 2500 over the roughly 3 years that they were produced.

I guess this from here in Switzerland and it is just that - a "guesstimate", but tempered with the likely productions rates and ability to sell etc. How many people worked at Sonab itself in this time - even roughly?

No one seems to know exactly - maybe Olle Mirsch would - is he still alive?

ColesKing

[phon]

No one seems to know exactly - maybe Olle Mirsch would - is he still alive?

ColesKing

Oh yes, he's alive 'n kickin'

He has recently written down some speaker manufacturing memories on another speaker web site, http://www.faktiskt.se and with some inside info about Sonab as well.

Det var på den tiden ... part 1-6, more to follow maybe. Sorry it's all in swedish

[phon]

Part 6 of the Mirsch story tells Sonab sold loudspeakers for 12 milj swedish the first 10 months after takeover.

Finally, when everything crashed a large number of OA2212 was sold at a bargain to empty the factory.

[Grantroll]

I´m planning to make a visit to LEAB during this spring or summer trying to find out weather they have any documentation left regarding their SONAB years.
I´m also going to make a search in the company files (företagsarkivet) here in västerbotten, it´s possible that some of LEABs yearly rapports, (årsberättelser) finns sparade där.

[lennartj]

I think I have the answer, if the 5 digit serial numbers were used early or late in Sonab's production.
In a test of OD-11 in Radio&Television Sonab loaned them a pair with serial number 10288 between may and september 1974.
This numbering must have been used early. My guess is that the leading 1 simply means production batch 1 until someone comes up with a better explanation, so I believe my pair with serial number 10346 were built in 1974 too.

[HolgerB]

hi from sunny South Africa.

I am the most fortunate owner of a pair of OA2212's (SN 7200184) and am curious to know how many of these would there be in South Africa. (I would like to purchase an additional pair).

These boxes are amazing - the sound is so enjoyable. Every time I play them, I am impressed how they fill my lounge with sound and detail.

I would appreciate it if anyone can provide some info of Sonab speakers in South Africa.

Regards
Holger

[ColesKing]

Just thought I would reply to my own thread.

I saw a pair sell on Ebay in the States today and the serial number was : 6120079