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Thread: 18" Altec "cinema woofer"

  1. #1
    Senior Member baldrick's Avatar
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    18" Altec "cinema woofer"

    I've been offered an 18" Altec woofer in a HUGE box of aprox 750litres, both the box and woofer is the original Altec and I would guess it's from the early 80s or late 70s.

    At the moment I've no picture or model no, but do anyone know what model this could be and is this something worth buying if it is in OK condition?

  2. #2
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    I thought Altec's biggest woofer was 15" not 18"

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    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Senior Member CONVERGENCE's Avatar
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    It's most likely the 3184 sub THX aproved.The cabinet 8184.

    http://www.altecpro.com/pdfs/vintage...%20Speaker.pdf

    There was also the 3182 .
    Attached Images Attached Images   

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    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    750l or ~24ft3 would be the twice as large 3182/8182.

    No idea on value. Darn big and heavy... makes modern high-power/excursion
    units seem almost practical.

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    Senior Member baldrick's Avatar
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    I still haven't had the chance to look at it. It was said aprox 750l, but of course that could be wrong. I remember it from when it still was in use at the local cinema as it was huge, but that is 10-15 years ago

    It's more or less a give away so if it's in OK condition and it's moveable I hopefully will get it maybe next week, just for the fun of it

  7. #7
    Senior Member baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grumpy View Post
    750l or ~24ft3 would be the twice as large 3182/8182.
    According to the papers the 8182 is in fact 24ft3 http://altecpro.com/pdfs/vintage/Spe...%20Systems.pdf

    So I would guess we have a winner her

  8. #8
    Senior Member baldrick's Avatar
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    I've just visited this woofer, and as I was guessing, it is 3182/8182

    The box are just as huge as I remered, (aprox 3 times bigger than a JBL 4645) and was pretty simple. It's made of not very thick ply and there are not much to stiffen the cabinet, and the finish.... well.... pretty simple This is absolutely nothing to have in the livingroom, but in the back of an dark room, it may have a shot!

    But what concerns me is the foam, it needs to be replaced, I guess it will tear appart when it starts playing after many years of silence.

    Can I use foams meant for i.e. JBL 2245 or do anyone have a clue where to get foams for the 3182 woofer? (It doesn't look the same as JBLs I've had so I would think I can not use the 2245 refoam kit)

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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick View Post
    It's made of not very thick ply and there are not much to stiffen the cabinet......
    Should be 3/4". Many of the Altec cabinets could use extra bracing. That shouldn't be too hard to accomplish.

    .....and the finish.... well.... pretty simple This is absolutely nothing to have in the livingroom, but in the back of an dark room, it may have a shot!
    Nonsense! .......I think it would be perfect for the living room!

    But what concerns me is the foam, it needs to be replaced, I guess it will tear appart when it starts playing after many years of silence.
    I don't know much about the Altec 18" drivers....... I didn't know they had foam surrounds. I wouldn't think it would be too hard to come up with something that would work. I know you're overseas, but you could give Great Plains Audio a call.

  10. #10
    Senior Member baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Goodwill_HiFi View Post
    I don't know much about the Altec 18" drivers....... I didn't know they had foam surrounds. I wouldn't think it would be too hard to come up with something that would work. I know you're overseas, but you could give Great Plains Audio a call.
    As you can see here, it's foam:



    But it doesn't look the same as it normally does on JBL so I'm a bit concerned to use the same, but since I can't find any who seels the correct one, I guess I will need to give it a try with the foam for JBL.

    I talked to the owner yesterday so now it's oficially mine (even though I havne't picked it up yet), and the best thing was the price, I got it for free They were just glad to get rid of it

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick View Post
    I got it for free They were just glad to get rid of it
    I can understand why.

    Have you contacted Great Plains about the foam? They would most likely be your best bet. Definitely not JBL... you can't actually by JBL foam surrounds anyway.


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    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    I'd still try to contact Bouska... the pic of his (above) appears to show a fairly current
    surround job...

  13. #13
    Senior Member baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    I can understand why.

    Have you contacted Great Plains about the foam? They would most likely be your best bet. Definitely not JBL... you can't actually by JBL foam surrounds anyway.
    I know JBL doesn't make the foams that are for sale today, I just meant foams made to fit JBL, i.e. 2245

    Have tried contacting Great Plains asking for both recone and refoam but no answers yet.

    Quote Originally Posted by grumpy View Post
    I'd still try to contact Bouska... the pic of his (above) appears to show a fairly current
    surround job...
    I'll try him and see if I can get an answer cause I agree that they look fairly new! I know Speakerrepair used to have, but not anymore

  14. #14
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Re: using a "2245" surround, ... if my eyeballs are calibrated, the 2245 cone is a
    bit larger in diameter, and the surround roll narrower... I'd hold out for something that
    fits the 3182 measurements (which you'll have prime access to). Material and thickness
    are additional parameters that you may have to guess at, or be limited by what is
    available. I'm not finding anything (in my admittedly limited search).

    Might also ask Edgewound or GordonW.

  15. #15
    Senior Member baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grumpy View Post
    Re: using a "2245" surround, ... if my eyeballs are calibrated, the 2245 cone is a
    bit larger in diameter, and the surround roll narrower...
    Unfortunately I agree with you, that's what I also thought when I took a look at it

    I just found Queensland Speaker Repairs and they do in fact list recone kits to 3182, but I don't understand the price, it seems way to cheap and I've never heard of them... but I've sent them an mail so we'll see what they answer

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