Help! Altec Model 19 Horn/Driver doesn't work

[CauYem]

I just got a pair of model 19 from a friend. They are in good condition, physically.

One speaker works wonderful; and the horn of the other doesn't work. I can hear only the low freq (bass) from the woofer; there was nothing from the horn.

Where should I start to troubleshoot the problem?

Thanks

[Robh3606]

Could be a wire or a diaphram. Have you checked the wiring to the horn??

Rob:)

[Mr. Widget]

Could be a wire or a diaphram. You should also remove the back cap and closely inspect the diaphragm... the leads from the terminal screws to the voice coils tend to fail over the years and they can be soldered back if you have a very steady hand.


Widget

[CauYem]

Thanks for your quick replies!
No, I haven't touched the inside yet!
I will remove the horn & inspect the wire.
Also the bass sounds different from the working one.

Both of them are so beautiful to look at. This is my first time to get a real pair of Altec speakers in my house.

[CauYem]

Hi Mr. Widget,

I just removed the horn assembly from the speaker. The wires (Black & Red), which come out of the X-over and connect to the black cap, are OK!

I opened the black cap and saw 2 fine wires sticking straight out of the diapharm, which are not connected to anything. Meanwhile, there are 2 small wires, which are shorter and have one connected to the wires on the black caps; the other end is also sticking out at perpendicular to the above wires from the diapharm.

So, I guess that I have to solder these 2 wires together in order to make it sings.

[CauYem]

I tried to solder the wire (it's actually a flat ribbon), but it didn't take solder. While trying to bend the longer ribbon to make contact with the short one, the ribbon broke off right at the bend area. Now, at that join, the two ends just barely touch each other.

I don't know what kind of metal is that ribbon. I don't think It's copper or copper alloy since it very springy & brittle. What should I do now to joint them?

I saw on eBay the diapharm replacement for $42.99. Is it good to replace it? and which is the right one to use: 8 or 16 Ohms? I'd like to fix the old one since it's original.

Thanks for all your help!

[Tom Brennan]

I think you'd be better off to get any replacement diaphragms from Great Plains Audio in Tulsa. They are the successor company to the real Altec and make Altec replacement parts exactly like the originals, on the same machines and with some of the same people even. GPA diaphrams are $90 each, you would need 8 ohms.

The Nineteens are special speakers and worth the extra effort.

[louped garouv]

might as well mail them to GPA,

then they get the "extra love" for the same low price....

[CauYem]

I'll order a pair of diapharms to replace both of them since one failed, the other one won't last long.
Thanks all for your help!

[CauYem]

Here is the picture of one of the 19

[Paul C.]

What he is talking about, ship your drivers to Great Plains and let them install the diaphragms.

The Alnico magnets in the drivers lose magnatic force after so many years. Bill at GPA will rezap the magnets, bringing them back up to spec, at no extra cost.

The only additional costs you will encounter is cost of shipping the two drivers.

[spwal]

and of course send your xovers to paul, as i mentioned to you on the first day of your post :)

[JBLRaiser]

I tried to solder the wire (it's actually a flat ribbon), but it didn't take solder. While trying to bend the longer ribbon to make contact with the short one, the ribbon broke off right at the bend area. Now, at that join, the two ends just barely touch each other.

I don't know what kind of metal is that ribbon. I don't think It's copper or copper alloy since it very springy & brittle. What should I do now to joint them?

I saw on eBay the diapharm replacement for $42.99. Is it good to replace it? and which is the right one to use: 8 or 16 Ohms? I'd like to fix the old one since it's original.

Thanks for all your help!

there was a coating on them that my tech scraped off first. He had a pair of snips that had a sharp edge. After removing the coating, he was able to make a connection. If you can't bridge the two pieces, previous suggestions should be followed for replacements. Also, the woofers will sound like 'sheet' without the horns.

[John]

I think you'd be better off to get any replacement diaphragms from Great Plains Audio in Tulsa. They are the successor company to the real Altec and make Altec replacement parts exactly like the originals, on the same machines and with some of the same people even. GPA diaphrams are $90 each, you would need 8 ohms.

The Nineteens are special speakers and worth the extra effort.

Actually they are in Oklahoma City OK. I do not think they are the Successor company to Altec?
It is owned and run by a nice fellow who used to work for Altec in the engineering department and now runs GPA which it totally independent. They do try to source materials from the original suppliers Altec used but I am sure by now they have made a few changes as need be when suppliers just as Altec fall down on their face. The H.F. Dia. are made with the original tooling that was auctioned off after Altec was shut down in the late 90.s. As far as I know the material used for dome's and voice coils are exactly the same. Trust me when I say after your drivers are wearing new Dia.'s they will sound better than you ever expected.:bouncy:

[Tom Brennan]

I do not think they are the Successor company to Altec?



I use the term successor in the same sense as the Successor kingdoms of Ptolemy, Antigonus and Seleucus.

[John]

Wow Tom Your really reaching back? :applaud:

[hmolwitz]

That one looks familiar, I think I had one of those, once upon a time, without the rear cover though, I remember it being a nice amp
Harry

[CauYem]

I have two 128A amplifiers, one on top of each 19.