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Thread: Looky, Looky !!

  1. #1
    Webmaster Don McRitchie's Avatar
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    Regards

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  2. #2
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    $8,600 for a pair and a full one year warranty.

  3. #3
    Rex Mills
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    I wish them good luck with them but at that price point contractors will look at more modern, smaller and lighter designs. Too bad. We can all come back in a year and see if they are still in the Altec line. At $8600 a pair and only a year warranty, nostalgia alone won't guarantee it's success.
    Last edited by Rex Mills; 05-24-2003 at 12:03 PM.

  4. #4
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    I am sure that their market is not professional sound contractors. I am not sure who is their market. Collectors want originals, and the audiophiles who like the A-7 sound are a very small number who either already have originals or don't have room for them anyway. I really can't imagine that they sell more than a handful worldwide.

    In 1995 Schwinn reproduced their 1955 Black Phantom bicycle. They did a fantastic job making some of the parts here with the remainder being made to original specifications using original drawings or actual tooling in Asia.

    The retail price was $3000. While it seemed high, it was commensurate with production cost. They sold a few at that price and eventually had to discount the rest.

    I will be shocked if Altec doesn't discover the same thing.

  5. #5
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    hmm

    for $8600 they better get stereophile mag to tout it as the BEST speaker ever made! They wont have many customers, pro or consumer, at this pricepoint!

    Then again, maybe they will. who knows what will sell.
    Last edited by scott fitlin; 05-24-2003 at 02:33 PM.

  6. #6
    Roland
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    I LOVE IT!!!

    Have so much Altec equipment including five A5-7 cabs. It's better than money in the bank.

  7. #7
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    used A-7 cabs

    I guess used cabinets just became a bargain!

    I have two A-7,s in storage.

    I use four 816,s, two 815,s and two 817A,s.

    In theory im sitting on Ft Knox!

  8. #8
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    efficiency

    They are claiming this system to be HIGH efficiency! Its rated at 97db sensitivity.

    I just went through the heritage,s library and the A5X was rated at 104db measured 4` on axis.

    The AX7 was 101db measured 4` on axis!

    The afforementioned systems ALL utilize 515 series woofers.

    Depending on which vintage systems specs you come up with a difference in sensitivity of either 4db or a WHOPPING 7db more than the NEW $8600 A7 from Altec Pro!

    Why? I dont consider 97db to be high efficiency, rather medium efficiency!

    It seems to me a very HUGE difference.

    I would have to hear these first. I dont mean to party poop, but I went through ALL the VOTT and driver literature located right here in AH,s amazing library, and all the drivers and cabinet combinations seem to be rated for considerably higher sensitivity.

    In the 1989 catalog the 515-8G is rated for 103-107db depending on what cabinet they are in. In earlier catalogs 515B, 515E, and 515LFE are rated for 99db sensitivity! So once loaded into a proper horn enclosure this should give even higher acoustic sensitivity. So, how does an A7 with a 515-8G and a 902 driver w/ 511 mid/high top horn only make acoustic sensitivity of ONLY 97db?

    Is everything I ever learned about audio completely incorrect these days? And is the literature provided in OUR library incorrect? I know years ago the beauty of Altec was the fact they were the MOST efficient speakers and driver components on this planet. This NEWER stuff doesnt seem to be as efficient. Just my opinions. Lets hear from the rest of you, I want to hear other peoples point of veiw.

    And, just to say so, they also make mention of being able to use low powered Vacuum tube amps to drive the new A7,s! Well, lets say you ARE using a flea powered SET amp. That 4-7db difference makes all the difference in the world. You tell me.


    I aint sold!
    Last edited by scott fitlin; 05-24-2003 at 09:05 PM.

  9. #9
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    I noticed the rated efficiency difference too. It could be a difference in measurement technique, or perhaps they have lowered the midrange output.

    The A7-500 is rated at 45-20KHz

    This A-7 is 35-22KHz

    The driver compliment is also different than the A7-500 in my mid 70's catalog.

    Good luck to them.

  10. #10
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    See this is what I mean....

    correct me if Im wrong but the 416 woofer was considered to be the medium efficiency woofer in their theatre and pro line, and ITS sensitivity is 97db!

    The 515 went from 99-104 depending on which model 515. But NONE of the 515,s were lower than 99db!

    Now the 421 MI series. Well, these were just the MOST efficient ever. Watt for watt they produced more SPL than everything! It had a distinct, though not accurate sound.

    What Im getting at is that THIS aint NO REAL A7. Looks like it, but aint gonna sound like it! Not at 97db acoustic output 1w at 1m!

    For $8600 I WANT HIGH EFFICIENCY!

    Matter of fact, how about we get high efficiency back because it happens to sound really good.

    I said it before, and Ill say it again. The NEW A7 is nowhere near as efficient as their ancestors were.

    FEH!
    Last edited by scott fitlin; 05-24-2003 at 10:02 PM.

  11. #11
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    so I rechecked their specs.....

    They rate the NEW A7 as 97db 1w ( 2.83v ) @ 1m. 1m is 3.3ft as compared to the old way of measuring at a distance of 4`.

    But 1w @ 1m is the standard these days and Im saying that 97db rating dont get it!

    I dunno, convince me!!!!!!!!!

  12. #12
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    1993 pro catalog

    the ratings for the 828H cabinet loaded with a 515-8G comes in at 103db!

    In the NEW A7 do they have the woofer padded down electrically in the xover? usually they do that with the horn, but not the woofer.

    Anyway the 828 is the same cab as the A7 and both use 515-8G,s! Why is there a 6db difference in acoustic output? This only translates into the 828 putting out 4 times as much spl for a given input as the NEW A7!

    I am not buying into this. I must say that this is beginning to remind me of TODAYS practices of making claims of products performance.

    I DO NOT BUY INTO 97DB 1w@1m being high efficiency!

  13. #13
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Hey Scott, maybe 97dB is a typo! It seems unlikely that the new 515 woofer would be so inefficient that with the gain of the bass horn it would still only be 97dB.

    Just a thought.

  14. #14
    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    could be!

    Lets see what they have to say about it! I will call them Tuesday and get the info Im looking for! they are here in Pa. so Ill call em!

    But what if it isnt a typo?

    I have heard people tell me that 97db IS high efficiency. I will find out for sure though what the deal on the NEW A7 is!

    And that $8600 price tag is way out of line ( IMO ) to really sell many of them!

  15. #15
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    "And that $8600 price tag is way out of line ( IMO ) to really sell many of them!"

    Looking at the photos of the new A-7 I understand why the price is so high. It is expensive to cast those horns and the drivers look well made too. The cabinets are not cheap to construct either. All in all I think they have done what looks like a fantastic job recreating a legend.

    Unfortunately I doubt that there are many who are willing to pay the bill. If one is willing to wait you can find perfectly fine examples of A-7s for under $1000 a pair. That will be hard to compete with.

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