Altec 806-8a

Hi folks,
I have a pair Altec Lansing 806-8a with 511b horns.
Do any of you know anytihng about these, any tecnical data (sensitivity etc) would be apprechiated.

Leif Arild

While Altec did indeed sell the 806-8A for use with the 511B horn and N501 cross-over for a short time, they later changed their recommendation and stated the 806-8A should not be employed for any cutoff lower than 800hz.

This is because the driver is a cutback version of the 802 with a smaller magnet and pot structure. It has lower efficiency and therefore lower output, particularly at the cutoff frequency where it can be easily overdriven. The most common use for the 806-8A was with the 811B horn and N801 cross-over in such systems as the Valencia and A7-800.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of that driver. I think it has a noticably restricted HF output compared to the later 802-8G and 902-8A. There are numerous specs for this and the other Altec drivers in the catalogs on our site here:

http://lansingheritage.org/html/alte.../altec-cat.htm

I am considering building a pair of speakers, and use them from 800Hz and up to perhaps 6-7Khz where a JBL 077 will take over. I have been looking for technical datas on the page you refer to, but not found any infor other than recommended crossover frequence is no less than 800, just as you said.
How high db for 1w do you think they have?

The 806a's are very effecient, but I have no actual data. I have had a 16 ohm pair for over twenty years an never had much luck with them mounted on either the 811B or the 511B.

I did drill an extra hole in my 511B's and mount JBL 175's. A very nice combinatin, big, warm sound - certainly not neutral sounding though. Made me want to keep the 511B's rather than sell them off.

The sensitivity specs for the 806-8A should be identical to the 804 shown here:

http://lansingheritage.org/images/al...804a/page2.jpg