Altec Model 19 new owner.

[rob mac]

Folks,been a while since I posted lots of looking around though.
I was lucky to pick up a pair of model 19 in very nice shape with walnut veneer.I listened to them before taking them home and was amazed.
Curious to check all the drivers.One set has the 416-8z lf driver and the other set has the 416-8b driver.The frame/cone and phase plug look the same on both but the magnets are differant.I measured both @ 6.7 ohms.

Both sets have 811-b horns and the drivers look like replacements with the code 27-03-033952.driver.with a small stamp (a3)Both hf drivers measure 6.7ohms as well.

The foam has rotted and missing for the horns.I also have a spare 811-b horn with a 902-16a 160hm driver that measures 8.2ohms?.

While listening I coudn't tell the differance between the two woofers,are they the same specs with diff magnets?,they are both alnico.
Are the hf drivers generic replacments?

Thanks for any help,
Rob.

[John]

[rob mac]

Sorry John no camera now

[John]

Ok I will take a stab at it!!!

The HF units are origanal and someone swapped out the woofer from a 416B to the Z unit which has no magnet cover.

Both woofers are alnico.

[Gary L]

I'll take another stab by saying the two load sets I am aware of in the 19s are either the 416-8B woofer with the 802-8G HF driver attached to the 811B horn. Later models got switched with the 416-8C Woofer and a 902 which to the best of my knowledge both have ferrite magnets.

Original HF diaphragms should be 23744 in the 802-8Gs. Acceptable replacement frams would be GPAs 34647s.

First thing to check is if the tangerines came unglued and are ratteling around inside. Most of the ones I have did and needed to be reglued.

For peace of mind, I send the HF drivers to GPA and have Bill check them and recharge the alnicos. If the frams are fine he won't change them.

If the woofers appear to have been run hard or at extreme power levels then send them too and get the mags recahrged at the very least.

I have never seen a 19 with a Z woofer but if it is the wide flange style then i see no real need to switch it as most of the 416s take the exact same cones and VCs. I would not mix a 416-C with a B or Z. The rear magnet cover has very little to do with what comes out the front.

I have seen allot of 19s that had the HF drivers switched to something other then the 802-8G or 808-8bs with updates. Basically, if they are the taller version of the 800 series drivers and have tangerine phase plugs and the same diaphragms then you should be ok as long as all the other upgrades were adheared to. Shorter screws, remove loading caps ect.

To be sure you have a pair that are matched to one another you have to be sure you have the same components in each and the model 19s are ripe for some finegeling in this regard.

Gary

[louped garouv]

a few years ago i read of a factory original M19 set with the Z woofers...

i forget where i read of it, my guess is that it was an ebay sale...

it was purportedly an original owner set...

[Gary L]

Here we go again!

Every 19 I have ever seen had the woofers mounted from the front and had the wide mounting flange many refer to as the 16".

I have 416 -8As with wide flanges and 416-8Bs with the same flange and I know the 416-8Cs also have the wide flange.
I don't know if the Zs ever came with the wide,front mounting flange.

To the best of my knowledge, every 19 had the woofer mounted from the front because there is no rear opening. If the Z woofers did come with the 16" or wide flange then I guess it is possible and should not make too much difference.

Many times right here I have heard others with the last production 19s claim the 416-8C woofer is not nearly as nice as the A or B 416 16" ones and lacks the low end. I also believe the C 416 is not alnico.

Gary

[rob mac]

Thanks for the replys guys.
The m-19s are hooked up and sounding incredable!.These are best I have heard.
I'm driving them with a Velleman K-4000 EL-34 amp,(100watts rms),I also have a newly serviced Luxman M-6000 300watt amp I may try,but I love the tubes.
From what I gather the woofers are fine and they are both 16" frames.

The code on the hf drivers is 27-03-033952.I hope these are the original drivers.There is no tangerene phase plug on these either.They were buit in 1976 I think,so maybe the early ones had no phase plug.

My wife is so lucky,for mothers day she gets a pair of big ass M-19s.Still pinching myself.

Cheers Rob.

[louped garouv]

found a thread discussing this...

could have been the one I remembered..

http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...=2230&go=older

[Gary L]

I think and hope you are wrong about the tangerine phase plugs!

I had one of the first pairs of 19s to make it to NY in 1976 and they had 033952 stamped on the rear cover and tangerines right under the diaphragms.

If you remove the diaphragms you should find the number 23744 stamped on the underside of the diaphragm Voice coils.

Here:





In my humble opinion, the earliest 19s were the best of the bunch and should have the same component load set.

They should also have 416-8B woofers unless they have been bastardized.

Gary

[DavidF]

"...Both sets have 811-b horns and the drivers look like replacements with the code 27-03-033952.driver.with a small stamp (a3)Both hf drivers measure 6.7ohms as well....Are the hf drivers generic replacments? "

Thanks for any help,
Rob.

No, should be what was shipped with the model. No label on the driver, just the Altec part #. Here is a photo of my 802 8Gs...

[rob mac]

Great thanks David!