Looky, Looky !!

[Don McRitchie]

http://www.altecmm.com/legacy/

[Mr. Widget]

$8,600 for a pair and a full one year warranty.

[frank23]

$8,600 for a pair and a full one year warranty.

On the site I see they are $5.800 and when I compare that to the other altec floorstanding speakers [$1.600 anyone for a pair], I know which ones would satisfy me more!

Would you rather have a mediocre surround set, or a pair of VOT?

frank

[tomt]

i'd go for vott,however, not from the 'kra-co-o-matic'

(kracotec?) crowd

Now, has anyone been able to buy these from this version

of altec?

[Rex Mills]

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.

[Mr. Widget]

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.

[louped garouv]

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.

I guess they are going for the 'elite' pricing model before the discounts come...

[tomt]

i was wondering, had anyone been able to buy one or two of these

[scott fitlin]

i was wondering, had anyone been able to buy one or two of these

I called Altec lansing several times about these! They never seemed to know about those A7,s! I aksked the lady on the phone how a company can have something advertised on their website that know one at the company seems to know about!

I geuss ill call em again!

[scott fitlin]

OK, this time she gave me the number to Altec Pro in Oklahoma City!


1-405-848-3108.

Lets find out what the lead time on these are!

[scott fitlin]

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.

[Roland]

I LOVE IT!!!

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

[scott fitlin]

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!

[scott fitlin]

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!

[Mr. Widget]

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.