Could you tell me if my Altec model 19 has the correct drivers?

[mar2mar]

Hi guys, my very first post here.

i just got a pair of altec model 19 last week, and i have a few questions. the HF driver and the woofer has no label. could you tell from the pictures the model number of my HF driver and woofer, and if they are the correct drivers for model 19.

is it normal for model 19 drivers not to have labels? it seems like it never had one, since there's no glue residue...or maybe the previous owner cleaned it well.

also, what was the last year altec built model 19?.....i noticed the date jan 1983 stamped on both drivers. i thought model 19's were built late 70's

thanks
mar

[Gary L]

I am not all that familiar with the later model 19s!

I do know the last ones to come off the production line contained the 416-8C and the 902-8B HF drivers.

My guess is your drivers appear to be correct for the end of the run models.

I would also toss a guess that 1983 is very near the end of the production run on 19s.

Earlier models I am familiar with had 416-8B woofers and 802-8G HF drivers.

A friend has a set of the late models and although the high end sounds great I can't say the same for the low end, seems to lack some of the original punch of 19s. I am sure the 416-8C woofers are Ferrite magnets instead of the Alnicos and believe this is the only difference from the B&C models.

Your HF drivers also have ferrite magnets but many who own the 902-8Bs love them and swear they outperform the 802-8Gs.

Some of the altec drivers might not have an ID plate but most I have seen do have a number stamped to ID them.

Gary

[Tom Brennan]

Like Gary said.

The 802-Gs of my 1976 M-19s have no labels though the 416Bs do. In any event Altec often used unlabeled drivers in their turnkey hi-fi speakers.

I don't hear a difference between 802-Gs and 902s, I have both original Altec 902s and GPA 902s.