Altec Model 19 Innards questions

[George Roland]

I write with some questions about my Model 19s, which are sounding fantastic, thank you very much!

The dates on the terminal pads are October, 1977. I am thinking that must be pretty early?

Would these have Alnico or Ferrite drivers? How does one tell?

Lastly, these have what looks like 1/2" thick gray industrial felt damping materails inside the bass bins. Other pairs I have seen used what looks like yellow fiberglass insulation. Were these materials changed over the time 19s were manufactured or have some been monkeyed with?

Just curious.

Many thanks,

George

[Alien_Shore]

I write with some questions about my Model 19s, which are sounding fantastic, thank you very much!

The dates on the terminal pads are October, 1977. I am thinking that must be pretty early?

Would these have Alnico or Ferrite drivers? How does one tell?

Lastly, these have what looks like 1/2" thick gray industrial felt damping materails inside the bass bins. Other pairs I have seen used what looks like yellow fiberglass insulation. Were these materials changed over the time 19s were manufactured or have some been monkeyed with?

Just curious.

Many thanks,

George

Not all that early. The 19's came out in 1976 (http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/altec/catalogs/1976-home.htm).
The 19's went through several driver iterations during their production. Early on, there was the (some say more desirable) 416-8B alnico, later with 416-8C, and also some 416-8Zs thrown in there. The early HF driver was the 802-8G alnico, and later production runs (starting around 1980?) used the 902 (ferrite) series HF drivers (much is written on this forum about the differences between 802 and 902).

You can tell the speakers by their part numbers or visually. Do you have any pictures of the drivers? (yes, they're front mounted in sealed cabs so you have to pull everything out!)

[George Roland]

Not all that early. The 19's came out in 1976 (http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/altec/catalogs/1976-home.htm).
The 19's went through several driver iterations during their production. Early on, there was the (some say more desirable) 416-8B alnico, later with 416-8C, and also some 416-8Zs thrown in there. The early HF driver was the 802-8G alnico, and later production runs (starting around 1980?) used the 902 (ferrite) series HF drivers (much is written on this forum about the differences between 802 and 902).

You can tell the speakers by their part numbers or visually. Do you have any pictures of the drivers? (yes, they're front mounted in sealed cabs so you have to pull everything out!)

Thanks Allen.

Using an inspection mirror and a flashilght through the port on the bass bins, I was able to determine that my 19s have 416-8B bass drivers. I have not pulled the treble horns to look at the backs of them, but if ferrite magnet treble drivers were not used in 1977, it is most likely Alnico drivers in my speakers.

I'll have to check out the comments on these drivers in the postings here.

George