DEAR FRIEND I THINK I KNOW WHAT YOUR PROBLEM WITH ALTEC 19'S.
I COULDN'T NEVER OWN ONE BUT I USED THEM BACK IN 80'S WHEN I WAS CLUB A CLUB DJ. I ALSO USED VOICE OF THE THEATRE AND ALSO MANY OTHER HIGH POWER JBL'S.
ME AND MY PRO. COLLEAGUES HAD THE SORT OF PROBLEM WITH
ALTEC 19'S. BUT IT'S NOT A REALLY PROBLEM JUST A MATTER OF
HAVING RIGHT EQUIPMENT WITH IT. ALTEC 19'S HAS MUCH MORE
CAPACITY THEN WHAT IT SEEMS TO.
FIRST OF ALL YOU NEED POWERFULL AMPLIFIER, SECOND YOU NEED TO HAVE A VERY GOOD EQUALIZER ( SUCH AS SOUNDSCRAFTSMAN - SAE, etc), AFTER ALL PLAY WITH THE BASS AND MID BASS CURVES. SEE HOW YOU LIKE IT. AFTER WORKING AROUND WE WERE ABLE TO GET SUCH A INCREDIBLE SOUND AND BASS FROM ALTECS WHICH IS YOU COULDN'T GET FROM ANY OTHER SPEAKER.
WE NEVER USED EQUALIZER IN THE RECORDING ROOMS, BECAUSE
THIS ROOMS DESIGN FOR THE PURPOSE ALLREADY.
YOU SEE WHEN THE TIME WAS ALTEC 19'S DESIGNED, THERE WAS EQUALIZERS IN. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO BE USED IN VARIOUS APPLICATIONS THAT TIME. YOU ARE LUCK TO HAVE ONE.