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The Snell Type A is a three-way, acoustic-suspension floorstanding loudspeaker system introduced by Snell Acoustics in the late 1970s and hand-built under Peter Snell's direction. It uses a two-box stacked enclosure: the lower cabinet houses a long-throw 10" mass-loaded paper cone woofer in a sealed enclosure, while the upper cabinet contains the 4" midrange driver, 1" soft-dome tweeter, and the majority of the complex crossover network. The two sections are connected via a jumper cable, and the architecture allows separate amplification of bass and upper ranges (bi-amping) when configured appropriately. In the original Type A and early series, the upper enclosure employs an unconventional curved/biconvex front baffle with carefully shaped padding to reduce edge diffraction and improve stereo imaging and soundstage depth. The speakers are known for a large, stable soundstage with height and depth, highly natural tonal balance, and excellent low-frequency extension for an acoustic-suspension design. Each pair was individually measured and hand-matched, with crossover networks tuned to closely track a laboratory reference, a process overseen by Peter Snell to keep channel differences within a very tight tolerance. Key system specifications for the Type A line include: three-way dynamic acoustic-suspension configuration; nominal impedance of 4 ohms; sensitivity of 86 dB/W/m; and, for the later Type A/III variant, a published frequency response of 24 Hz-26 kHz +/-3 dB with an added rear-firing supertweeter, revised crossover points at approximately 275 Hz and 2.7 kHz, and greater cabinet height and weight compared to earlier versions. Physical dimensions for the original Type A are approximately 46.5" H x 24" W x 13" D, with a weight around 97 lb per cabinet, while the taller Type A/III measures about 50.5" H x 23.5" W x 14" D and is significantly heavier. All Type A models are long out of production, but they remain highly regarded in vintage hi-fi circles for their musicality, imaging, and build quality.
Driver and acoustic performance characteristics
Driver configuration and enclosure design
Size, weight, and appearance
Specifications are community-contributed and may not be accurate or complete. Verify all details with the manufacturer before making purchasing decisions. Terms & Conditions
The closest alternatives on specs, description and the systems they turn up in, with the specs they share set side by side.
The AR 9's sensitivity is 87 dB against the Type A's 86 dB, its high-frequency extension 30 kHz against 26 kHz, and its low-frequency extension 18 Hz against 24 Hz. Both share impedance (4Ω).
The Stratus Gold's sensitivity is 88 dB against the Type A's 86 dB. Both share impedance (4Ω), woofer (10"), and ways (3).
The 7B's impedance is 6Ω against the Type A's 4Ω and its high-frequency extension 22 kHz against 26 kHz. Both share sensitivity (86 dB) and ways (3).
The DM3000's sensitivity is 89 dB against the Type A's 86 dB, its impedance 8Ω against 4Ω, and its low-frequency extension 20 Hz against 24 Hz. Both share ways (3).
Dynaudio Contour 3.3
NHT 2.9
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