PDA

View Full Version : Can anyone identify these?



rloggie
08-24-2004, 07:45 PM
Hi to all! I'm a new member here interested primarily in the heritage lines. I've attached a photo of a pr. of Altecs that I woudl like to identify. I'm also interested in a pair of 250ti's that a friend may be delivering this weekend. I have a very understanding wife:D Thanks for all responses.

rloggie
08-24-2004, 08:09 PM
44x30x24

speakerdave
08-24-2004, 08:12 PM
They're the home version of the A-7-500, called the Magnificent.
You can read up on it here (p 17):

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/altec/catalogs/1971-home.htm

Edit: I've deleted the reference and the link to the pair for sale because they are sold and it is a Craig's list URL which will end soon anyway.

David

rloggie
08-24-2004, 08:16 PM
Thanks, do you know the driver complement? Tell me they sound great..Efficient?

rloggie
08-24-2004, 08:29 PM
Thanks for the great info. Would you have an opinion on its strengths or weaknesses?

speakerdave
08-24-2004, 08:44 PM
I think it would be an exciting and dynamic speaker if you have a very large room. I once had a pair very similar in a small room. I also think that if you were willing to give up that much space for a speaker you could get a sound many would consider much better with a large format 4-way JBL type speaker (although not for $600, probably). But these would certainly do in the mean time.

David

rloggie
08-24-2004, 09:05 PM
Dave,
I have a pair of 2a3 mono's with 14 wpc. Would these drive these monsters. I also have a Model 8 marantz to try.
Robin

speakerdave
08-24-2004, 09:18 PM
Either would do. Very efficient speakers. That spec sheet from 1971 says they are 416's and 808's on 511's, although I suppose in other years it might have been different. I had 515's and 802's, but I didn't have the Magnificent cabinet. I had a utility style cabinet with walnut veneer. I never used really small amps.

Here's a website by an apparently well-informed Altec aficianado. Don't follow his advice on crossovers unless you use ONLY the 2A3 amp.

http://members.myactv.net/~je2a3/welcome.htm


I wouldn't think about this for too long. Those speakers won't hang around at that price.

David

rloggie
08-24-2004, 09:27 PM
The deal is done and they are being delivered now.
It's going to be a late night.
Your insight is much appreciated. I'll drop you a pm to tell you how it went.
Robin

speakerdave
08-24-2004, 09:31 PM
Congratulations!

rloggie
08-24-2004, 09:39 PM
This is my first venture into Altec. I got Klipsch Belles, Lascalas, and Cornwalls in house now. Soon to be in garage to try the Magnificents. The one caveat is the owner says hes played them with his reciever full blast but that its not really enought power for them. I see they're rated for 50w and wonder if everything is indeed working well.

speakerdave
08-24-2004, 10:07 PM
The question is, "What receiver?" Those speakers are rated for 50 watts, but they will drive a person out of the room long before they reach capacity. The dangers with those speakers would be to on the one hand try to thrash a lot of deep bass out of them with a big amp and on the other would be overloading an insufficiently powered amp and clipping high frequency grung into the tweeters. If they still work, they're probably ok. Anyway, you'll know soon enough.

And--moving from that forest of Klipsch in the direction of the Lansing heritage is definitely progress.

David

rloggie
08-24-2004, 10:16 PM
What started this is that I heard a pr. of Hartfields, I'm sure thats mispelled, for about 10 mins. and can't get the sound out of my head. That the sound I want a taste of at home. I'm not looking for these to be that, just some similar sounds. Man were they captivating!

rloggie
08-24-2004, 10:20 PM
Any idea what these weigh?

rloggie
08-25-2004, 01:26 AM
Got 'em, wow...

droh
08-25-2004, 06:09 AM
Man did you guys have a late night or what? Well don't leave the rest of us in suspense, how did things turn out?

Maron Horonzakz
08-25-2004, 06:26 AM
Valevcia speaker....Shipping weight , 100 lbs. 416 15" woofer 811b horn. 806a driver. 800hz crossover.

rloggie
08-25-2004, 07:58 AM
A long night indeed. It was after 2 am when I gave up listening. The young gentleman delivered as promised. The attached photos will speak to the condition. I opened one on the tailgate of his pickup and took a couple of snaps. Don't believe they've ever been opened before. He had never opened them in the ten years he had 'em. Almost no dust inside on the drivers. He almost single-handedly brought them into my home and then they were up and running. Very exciiting. My first time to hear this speaker and I'm rather taken with the dynamics and clarity to say the least. The sound reminds me of my old ML CLSII's with dynamics. My wife heard them this am and, without prompting said the same thing! All this with a Marantz 2285 reciever. My tubes are out for a tune up.
Many thanks to Speakerdave for the insights early on in this quest.
Well, I'm having trouble uploading the pics, they're too large and I don't know how to make smaller. (5 meg pix, xp home)

boputnam
08-25-2004, 08:09 AM
Originally posted by rloggie
Well, I'm having trouble uploading the pics, they're too large and I don't know how to make smaller. (5 meg pix, xp home) Open them in Paint (yup, that little ol' workhorse...), then click on...

images/
stretch/skew

...and start with 40% and 40% for each Horizontal and Vertical (keep 'em identical to merely stretch (shrink) and not skew. Save File As something different (maybe add a "2" or something...) and repeat until the Forum can take them. You can also crop to omit ancillary nonsense from the image.

rloggie
08-25-2004, 08:22 AM
Here goes.

rloggie
08-25-2004, 08:25 AM
again

rloggie
08-25-2004, 08:26 AM
and again

rloggie
08-25-2004, 08:28 AM
I got a good photo of the 416 8a, but the image of the horn driver was blurred and I don't know the number. Anyone recognize it from the above photo?

speakerdave
08-25-2004, 08:43 AM
The label would be on the side, and I don't know them well enough to go by shape, etc.

David

rloggie
08-25-2004, 08:57 AM
On the off chance this meaning anything to you. It's not important enought to move them again.:D

speakerdave
08-25-2004, 09:57 AM
It's a job for NASA!

I think what you have there, because of the presence of the 416 woofer, is almost certainly one of the smaller magnet 1" drivers. You can read up on them in the Library at the main Lansing Heritage site. I believe the 808 has the Symbiotek diaphragm, but you can check that information.

There is also a website--great plains audio--with information on the Altec Lansing legacy audio gear. You will probably find that helpful.

But you are listening to it. You already know more about the speaker than most of the people in the world. I would suggest you get it hooked up to that Marantz model 8. I hope you have a clean preamp, some vinyl. some SACD's, some good wine.

David

boputnam
08-25-2004, 10:13 AM
Those are beauties. Nice job on the photo editing! :thmbsup:

Minimalist batting, eh? :confused:

scott fitlin
08-25-2004, 10:37 AM
cabinets are in great condition! My opinion is that Altec has a sound, especially in the low mids, that NOTHING else has! Gives the music a very dynamic, and very realistic presentation!

This is what Altec was known for, making music sound real!

speakerdave
08-26-2004, 09:02 PM
Your treble drivers, because they are green, cannot be 808's as I suggested earlier they might be. I don't have complete information about what drivers were made in that green finish, so I will not conjecture again. The simplest thing might be to take the back off again and use a mirror to read the label.

David

Edit: I think they would be either the 802 (larger) or the 806A (smaller).

rloggie
08-26-2004, 09:12 PM
Dave, you've got a couple of PM's

jkc
08-27-2004, 07:00 AM
Hi

I would suggest that you try some 802 diaphragms in the 808’s, I think they sound better.
It is also likely that the magnets in the drivers need remagnetising, if there seems to be no top end it is a sure sign.
This is an age thing the magnetic field slowly fades away.
If you have the drivers remagnetised check the phasing as they sometimes come back with the magnetic field reversed and each driver may be different.
Damp those horns to stop them ringing. You may be suppressed at the results of going thru all this.

speakerdave
08-27-2004, 05:41 PM
I don't think they're 808's. That came up because that was the driver spec'd in the 1971 brochure we have describing the Magnificent, but his are earlier, as it turns out. His photos show green drivers. I think the Altec green 1" drivers are the 802 and the 806A. They might have the same diaphragms.

David

Wardsweb
08-27-2004, 05:53 PM
I have the A7 pro version of your A7-500W Magnificents. Although I did veneer mine in walnut and make grills for them. I know your loving your's as they are something you have to hear to understand. The music is "live" very forward and airy. The horns just bring music to life. Congratulations.

Wardsweb
08-27-2004, 05:56 PM
Just in case, you wanted to see what's inside: 416-8C woofer, 802-8G driving a 511B horn.

rloggie
08-27-2004, 07:53 PM
Thanks for the photos. You're right on the money, I love 'em. I'm going to pull them out and look at the driver on the horn to know what it is, maybe tonight. Is there a way to date these puppies?

rloggie
08-27-2004, 08:23 PM
The horn driver is a 802d.

speakerdave
08-27-2004, 08:32 PM
That's the larger 1" driver--that's good, that's good!

David

audiobarn
08-28-2004, 11:32 PM
I am a little surprised they are 802's in a Valencia 846a cabinet. I believe the cabinet has to be modified on the Acab for it to take an 802. Normally it would have come stock with a 806 driver. If they do need to be re-magnitized Bill at Great Plains Audio is the guy.

Don C
08-28-2004, 11:36 PM
Who said that they were Valencias, I thought that they were A7-500w Magnificents

audiobarn
08-29-2004, 07:26 AM
Originally posted by Don C
Who said that they were Valencias, I thought that they were A7-500w Magnificents

audiobarn
08-29-2004, 07:27 AM
I thought it said in an earlier thread they were Valencia's, but now I see a measurement of 40" tall- my mistake.

icefox
09-12-2004, 10:33 AM
Robin. have a PM for you.

icefox
09-12-2004, 10:35 AM
Dave got a PM for you.