Altec Flamenco I need your opinions

[bigstereo]

Anyone own a pair of these? Let me know your opinion of their sound/performance.
How much power can these things handle? I know their rated at like 50 watts but how much higher could one safely go? I know that someone will probably say that they are good with tube gear but I have no tubes.
Is there a large jbl model that these come close to as far as the way they sound? Say maybe a 4333 or L200?

Any comments/opinions will be greatly appreciated.:)

RJ
ps Oops. Sorry, I guess I posted this in the wrong section, please move.

[Tom Brennan]

I think Flamencos are very good speakers; excellent dynamics and clarity, low distortion and almost SOTA upper bass and midrange.

I don't know how much power they can handle but with 50 watts steady into them they'd be VERY loud.

Don't worry about the jaspers who say you have to use tubes with Altecs and other horns, they're wierdos and don't signify. With a good sounding amp Flamencos will sound good be the amp SS or tube.

IMO they sound better than most any JBL I know including L-200 and L-300 but then I favor Altecs a little over JBLs.

Mind that most of what I've expressed here is my opinion, not objective fact.

[mbask]

You don't have pump tons of power thru those Flamencos for them to sound good
on the other hand ...50 watts continuous musical power is extremely loud
for those speakers. and excellent sounding as well.
I have a few amps and recievers, but one of my favorite combos is a Lafayette LA-1500 TA reciever thru my Valencias (similar to Flamencos)
I guess my point is.. a decent receiver should be sufficiant
As for JBL v Altec comparison .. hmm ..can't say :dont-know
for me it depends on my mood, I love to listen to my JBLs most of the time (these days). But when I'm in the right mood i'll crank my Altec Vals and be in another realm entirely :)

Altec 846A Valencia
JBL 4410
JBL 4411
JBL 4412
JBL L36 Decade

[bigstereo]

I'm going to look at a set tonight. Ever since I heard a pair of 4333a's, I wanted my next set of vintage speakers to have 15" LF drivers. I only have 12's and 10's currently. I like loud, so these will probably work out for me. I will be juicing these boxes with either a Phase Linear 400 II, Onkyo Integra M504, or my beloved Sansui 9090db.

Thanks for your input guys:)

RJ

[Storm]

Are you going to view the ones that are currently on eBay?

I have a pair of 846U's...best pair of speakers I have had the pleasure of listening...If you enjoy that "big - concert" sound, you should grab them!

:)

:p

[mbask]

[quote=Storm]

"If you enjoy that "big - concert" sound, you should grab them!"

Yea that's it ...nice big - "concert sound".......
and if your into sound track style music the 846s really support the dynamics in a way all their own...IM(Humble.. not being subjective)O:)

[bigstereo]

[quote=Storm]

"If you enjoy that "big - concert" sound, you should grab them!"

Yea that's it ...nice big - "concert sound".......
and if your into sound track style music the 846s really support the dynamics in a way all their own...IM(Humble.. not being subjective)O:)

Yup, I do love that Big concert sound.
Not too sure if my neighbors are gonna be too happy about it though.:dj-party: RJ

[bogator]

I have a pair of 848A's that I bought in 1967 and have been using ever since. They serve as the main speakers for my home theater system. I have had four different receivers in that time, all solid state, and have had no problems. Currently, I am using a Yamaha HTR-5460 which delivers 100 watts per channel into all five channels. Believe me, these speakers will be driving you out of your house if you get even close to 50 watts of power. They contain the same speakers as the A7 VOT, but in a house-broken cabinet. The cabinet is a modified bass reflex enclosure with the port being formed by setting the HF horn back of the front of the cabint, leaving a gap around the edge of the horn. The acoustical phasing of the two speakers is accomplished with the XO.

In 39 years, I have never seen a need to buy anything else other than add-ons such as rear, center, and sub-woofer.

Just be careful about how good they have been cared for.

[bigstereo]

I'm assuming that you bought the 848's new. Do you happen to recall what you paid for them back in 1967?

RJ

[bogator]

I bought a complete system from a mail order house in NYC in 1967. The system included the Flamenco ensemble (including matching equipment cabinet & tape drawer), a Sherwood receiver and an Ampex 2153 tape deck. The Flamenco ensemble listed for $1065 + $32 for the drawer. I received about a 20% discount on the complete system, so I paid around $552 for the two speakers alone. I wonder what that would be in today's dollars. I have attached a 1967 price list just for curiosity. Everything is gone except for the Flamenco ensemble. --Henry

[clmrt]

$3142.78 :D



Or, a pair of these....http://harmanaudio.com/search_browse/product_detail.asp?urlMaterialNumber=TI6KBX-Z&status=

[bigstereo]

:( Flamencos on ebay
Yes, I was trying to get a look at the ones recently on ebay, contacted the seller who, as it turns out, only lives about 5 miles from me. I talked to him on the phone on Sunday, and he was out of town, but would be back by 10 pm. So we agreed that I would call him on Monday afternoon 5:30ish and set up a time for me to see the speakers. Well, lost story short. I called on monday and no answer, left message, no return call. So auction ended at 1:06:02 our time on Wednesday morning. I bid on them anyways and ended up high bidder at 1:06:01 am $510.01, reserve not met. I was thinking maybe he would contact me and make me a deal. I sent him a message through ebay asking if he was going to relist them and no reply. Still have not heard from him and speakers not yet relisted.
Oh well, try again next time I guess. It kind of burns me up because these were close and I could've picked them up myself.

RJ

[nodim2]

I have a pair of 846As purchased new in 1968 for $333.00, mail order from New York City (don't recall the store).

[bigstereo]

:( Flamencos on ebay
Yes, I was trying to get a look at the ones recently on ebay, contacted the seller who, as it turns out, only lives about 5 miles from me. I talked to him on the phone on Sunday, and he was out of town, but would be back by 10 pm. So we agreed that I would call him on Monday afternoon 5:30ish and set up a time for me to see the speakers. Well, lost story short. I called on monday and no answer, left message, no return call. So auction ended at 1:06:02 our time on Wednesday morning. I bid on them anyways and ended up high bidder at 1:06:01 am $510.01, reserve not met. I was thinking maybe he would contact me and make me a deal. I sent him a message through ebay asking if he was going to relist them and no reply. Still have not heard from him and speakers not yet relisted.
Oh well, try again next time I guess. It kind of burns me up because these were close and I could've picked them up myself.

RJ

Two and a half years later...
I bought these speakers today from the very same guy that had them on ebay in 06.

[Doc Mark]

Hey, Bigstereo,

Way to go, Lad!! It's pays to have patience, I guess, eh?! ;):applaud: When you have had a chance to enjoy them, I'd love to know how you like your new "Biggun's"! Congrats, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

[Zilch]

Since you never asked for advice or opinions on AK, I could not post without getting banned for gratuitous "Thread-crapping."

I could have PM'd you, I suppose, but....

In the period since you originally posted this thread, a group of us have pretty thoroughly sussed out 846A/B Valencias, essentially the same speakers, the major thread being here on LHF, but plenty of supplemental info also on AK. Advanced Search under my ID both places will turn up the threads and posts, if you're interested. The bottom line is shown here:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=211450#post211450

And the saga here:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=14690

If you like 'em, fine; there's plenty who do, but the info is available if/when you care to pursue it.... :yes:

[bigstereo]

Since you never asked for advice or opinions on AK, I could not post without getting banned for gratuitous "Thread-crapping."

I could have PM'd you, I suppose, but....

In the period since you originally posted this thread, a group of us have pretty thoroughly sussed out 846A/B Valencias, essentially the same speakers, the major thread being here on LHF, but plenty of supplemental info also on AK. Advanced Search under my ID both places will turn up the threads and posts, if you're interested. The bottom line is shown here:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=211450#post211450

And the saga here:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=14690

If you like 'em, fine; there's plenty who do, but the info is available if/when you care to pursue it.... :yes:

Thanks Zilch. I never asked for opinions over there for couple of reasons. One being that I did'nt want to alert the locals of the sale before I had the deal done and risk losing them to someone else. I did'nt even speak about it over there untill I had already arranged a viewing with the seller and he told me that I was first in line. Even then I kept it on the down-low.

I've read bits and pieces of the storm thread as it was unfolding.

Don't take this the wrong way because I have a lot of respect for your knowledge of speakers and sound but I don't pay a lot of attention to a lot of the more technical stuff beyond maybe some refurbing or repairing to bring a speaker back to life. While I do find it interesting, the technical stuff that you do is way out of my league my friend. So I'll just kick back here, listen to my music on these old speakers and leave all the measuring sound waves and such to those that are qualified:)

RJ

PS, I'm halfway deaf anyhow from 8 years in the military and a lifetime of loud music in small spaces and not wearing my earplugs at work. I can make just about any speaker sound good to me by using the volume and tone controls.:D

[bigstereo]

Hey, Bigstereo,

Way to go, Lad!! It's pays to have patience, I guess, eh?! ;):applaud: When you have had a chance to enjoy them, I'd love to know how you like your new "Biggun's"! Congrats, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

Thanks. Yes it's kind of trippy the way that this happened.

Carried them upstairs by myself and listened to them a little bit last night. So far I like them a lot. Wow! These baby's can get loud. First pair of horns for me. Wow!

RJ

[Doc Mark]

Thanks. Yes it's kind of trippy the way that this happened.

Carried them upstairs by myself and listened to them a little bit last night. So far I like them a lot. Wow! These baby's can get loud. First pair of horns for me. Wow!

RJ

Hey, RJ,

I can see you doing that, now! I did much the same thing with our L300's, back when we bought them, and carried them up our long stairs by myself! Even though I'd removed the woofers and compression drivers/horns, those Big Boys just about killed me getting them up here!! :blink: But, it was well worth it! Same thing when I carried the 4645 cabinet, that Grumpy sold me, up those same stairs! MAN, is that stuff heavy!! I haven't had a chance to finish hooking that one up, yet, but love just looking at it.

To me, a good horn-loaded system has a "live" sound to it that I've never experienced with cone-only systems. I've felt that way since the very first good horn-loaded system I ever hear, and now, MANY years later, I still feel the same way. Of course, a poorly done horn system can sound horrible. But, properly done, it's "music to my ears"! Have fun with you new Altecs, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc (Happily and blissfully satisfied with his L300's!):bouncy::applaud::D

[michigannick]

For what it is worth to answer the question how much is that today

Your $552.00 in 1967 turns into this
http://www.dollartimes.com/inflation/inflation.php?amount=552&year=1967



Value: $3,939.70

Annual Inflation: 4.18%
Total Inflation: 613.71%



the HT systems of today rarely even come close in dollar values then again the technology has become a bit cheaper to build ;-)