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I am interested in building a pair of Altec 830a's. I want to replace the horn with a port for improved bass.
What are the thoughts?
Thanks,
Marvin

I have to agree with Theebadone. I also have a pair of A7's. You have to remember though, the A7's were theater speakers and therefore lack the bass needed for HiFi home use. This is not a problem...

Try Great Planes Audio for Altec drivers.
http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/contact.html

I would suggest rubber washers (found at Lowes) as you will not get any rattling from the metal grills. Just use as many as needed to get the required distance. I also used them on the metal horn...

Exactly!
I once spent 7 hours trying to get across the border from Guatemala into Honduras. The paperwork is ridiculous. And don't forget the bribes. Bribes WILL speed things up a bit. Maybe you...

Hey, if you think thats a hassle, try shipping them to Mexico. Or worst yet, Central America.

One of the good points of the A7 is the port size can be adjustable. This is a consideration dependent on the woofer used and the desired bass response of the listener. I contacted Great Planes...

There are many variations on the Altec A7. So, if someone says they suck then maybe it was that particular variation that did not appeal to them.

For instance, they came with different woofers,...

Sorry, but I don't have the equipment to measure response curves. So, I can't comment on that. I do know the bass is much better now than with the original theater port size. I also have a 902T mated...

These speakers (A7's) were really designed for vocal reproduction. To properly listen to HiFi music the 825/828 boxes need to have the port size reduced.

I have just restored a pair of 825 500's...

Check out this site for all Altec and A7 information.
http://www.hostboard.com/forums/altec-users-board/

Tell them Marvin sent you, HA...

HJames,
It appears you are into the new Mark knopfler "Get Lucky". Have you heard his "All the Road Running" with Emmy Lou Harris? They are a great combo.

The HVAC guy involved in the construction of my new house suggested BIB or blown in bats. This is a celulose product and he say it will provide the much needed acoustic sound damping qualities I am...

Earl,
You may be right. Considering all the debris in his garage, I wonder if he was really serious. It might be easier to just move. Ha, just kidding...

Anyway, I am VERY interested as I am...

I used Roxul for the sound absorbing qualities in my A7's. After further examination, it would seem Roxul is the brand name for what we used to call Rock Wool. Both are mineral based products. Both...

I got out my old Revox A77 last night and hooked up my newly restored A7's all through a little 9 watt tube amp. It all sounds great to me. Just like when I recorded the music. I have a ton of old...

Thanks for the info guys. It always helps to hear from experienced users.
I'll continue my research...

Thanks Earl,
Great advice as usual. I have an older Tecknics SL1300 turntable. I read in my research that the Grado Gold 1 is NOT recommended for Tecknics turntables due to hum from the unshielded...

Speaking of turntables, I don't know of anyone who still uses one. I have recovered my Tecknics SL 1300 out of the mothballs and plan to visit my youth once again listening to some of my old vinyl....

I thought I would add a quick response here after listening to my repaired 846B Valencias. GPA repaired and recharged them (the HF 802's). A little over $200. They sound as good as new, or as close...

I have my drivers back and installed. Speakers sound pretty good, but I understand they could sound better. After talking to Ron though I might just leave them as is (original) and build another set...

Grumpy,
Thanks for your response. I must admit I am pretty ignorant when it comes to audio theory, as I'm sure you can tell, Ha. I don't know if I have a problem with the crossovers or not. I do...

Addressing the Altec type base drivers, I talked to the good folks at Great Planes Audio. They informed me that the sticky substance on the base driver surrounds is an acetone base substance. Use an...

So what you are telling me is my original Capacitors are probably OK assuming they are physically in tact? And what I understood about Leaking capacitors is incorrect. I'm just curious.

Also, I...

A little help please.
I have always heard that the capacitors in crossovers will leak over time. Leak meaning the dielectric material that makes a capacitor do what it does breaks down. This causes...