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Thread: Help Identifying Altec Speakers I purchased....

  1. #1
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    Help Identifying Altec Speakers I purchased....

    Hello All, hopefully this is the correct forum for this....
    I purchased two pairs of Altec speakers this week at a yard sale for $200, and I am having no luck identifying them.

    Both Pairs have walnut cabinets, one pair looks similar to the A7 Voice of the Theater... The drivers in it were 806-8A's with h-811b horns, and some white framed 15" Altec woofers....

    The second pair look "kind of like" Valencias except they have a bigger cabinet that has a slanted front baffle, and Grille Clothes inlayed into the sides of the cabinet. These cabinets had 802D's with 511b's and Some JBL D130 woofers.
    Here are some pictures...







  2. #2
    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    The first set look like some sort of conference room or church-install A7's
    with a musical-instrument driver...perhaps custom built (or at least modified,
    per the slanted-down 811). The second set appear to be hacked up JBL L200's
    with all the wrong components...

    Parts value-wise, you did well... and they came with free firewood.

  3. #3
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    The rear vented silver framed woofers look like 411s from mid 1980s to me. The first set of cabs look like A7s to me also. I assume the second pair of cabs is not factory.

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    Senior Member grumpy's Avatar
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    Well, the 411 did not have a pleated cloth surround, but the owner should be
    able to read the model number from the backside of the driver.

    ... could be a reconed 421 or some other beasty.

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    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grumpy View Post
    Well, the 411 did not have a pleated cloth surround, but the owner should be
    able to read the model number from the backside of the driver.

    ... could be a reconed 421 or some other beasty.
    421-8H Series II, with a paper dustcap instead of the aluminum that was used on the 421 drivers.
    scottyj

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    I agree with Grumpy - The cabinets with the side openings are JBL L200s - cut up to mount the Altec horn.
    Attached Images Attached Images  

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    Quote Originally Posted by tomee View Post
    I agree with Grumpy - The cabinets with the side openings are JBL L200s - cut up to mount the Altec horn.
    Ackk - some poor L-200s gave up their SOUL for that project ...
    2ch: WiiM Pro; Topping E30 II DAC; Oppo, Acurus RL-11, Acurus A200, JBL Dynamics Project - Offline: L212-TwinStack, VonSchweikert VR-4
    7: TIVO, Oppo BDP103D, B&K, 2pr UREI 809A, TF600, JBL B460

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    I am not sure but these seem
    quite a larger than L200 cabinets...

    Also yes they are 421-8H is the model number for sure... Figured they weren't from the same time period as everything else so they wouldn't help identify my new "firewood"

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    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by grumpy View Post
    Parts value-wise, you did well... and they came with free firewood.
    Pretty much my feeling... L200s might be salvaged, the A-7s look like home made oak plywood jobs to me.

    I suppose with a fair amount of work both could be redeemed.


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    After studying Some pictures... There is no way they are L200's. The cabinets are considerably deeper cabinets than the L200's... But definitely very very similar and that's what I thought they were too before I got them!

  11. #11
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gabewg View Post
    After studying Some pictures... There is no way they are L200's. The cabinets are considerably deeper cabinets than the L200's... But definitely very very similar and that's what I thought they were too before I got them!
    I assumed it was a photo/lens issue... if they are as deep as they appear, I would agree with you. Even though the dust and focus makes it hard to tell for sure, but it would seem a very competent individual or shop made those L200 inspired cabs.

    Hopefully they are built well enough that they can be cleaned up and not burned. Unfortunately, being DIYs they have almost no cash value, but I have always liked that design... if you do too, you might turn them into a pair of keepers.


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    RIP 2010 scott fitlin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gabewg View Post
    I am not sure but these seem
    quite a larger than L200 cabinets...

    Also yes they are 421-8H is the model number for sure... Figured they weren't from the same time period as everything else so they wouldn't help identify my new "firewood"
    The 421 series of woofers was Altec's musical instrument line of drivers. Series II, and the 16in frame is a mid to late 70,s creation, and these were manufactured then, and all through the 80,s.
    scottyj

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