Which way should I go Doc? 9844As

[Gary L]

I just came across this set well used and somewhat abused but I do enjoy a project and challenge.

Here is what is in the 9844A cabinets.

4-414-16B woofers. All have some paint over spray on them but good otherwise.

2- 811B horns with 806A drivers, both with blown 391047 diaphragms and white spray paint covering the bug screens. Horns are dirty white but I have nice new ones.

The crossovers have been changed to the N801-8A and cut and mounted in the rear panel. The cabinets are solid but holy from casters and hanging over the years. I am a cabinet maker and can fix these easily. The original grill cloth has been spray painted white with the woofers in place just like when the PO did the horns and driver bug screens.

I have been an avid Altec collector for many years and have lots of good parts sitting around which is why I need some advice on which way to go. I know the original 9844As were quite popular as studio play back monitors but can they be as good or better with different 802-8G drivers and Model 19 XOs? Can I find replacement grill cloth? Is there an actual Altec gray paint I can find for the finished cabinets?

I would appreciate hearing some ideas from the experts regarding these as I have no idea which way to proceed.

Thanks to all

Gary

[Don C]

I think that some nice veneer would enhance their value. I saw some on google image search that look very nice with the horns left exposed on a nicely finished baffle, and the lower part covered with dark cloth.

[gdmoore28]

Hi Gary,

Good to see that you are posting your inquiry here as well as the AK site.

I think Don has an excellent suggestion. The 9844s have a very special presentation to them. They look very professional and business-like. I've seen them in nicely-figured veneered cabinets, as well, and they make a beautiful visual statement in that configuration. Being a cabinet maker, veneering should be a simple project for you.

Look at these, for instance:



Or, these:



I know there is a certain appeal to the industrial gray paint of the originals, but those are quite common. I'm thinking that veneering the cabinets - especially in something highly-figured with a deep gloss - would turn 9844s into something quite special.

GeeDeeEmm

[Gary L]

Hi Gary,

Good to see that you are posting your inquiry here as well as the AK site.

I think Don has an excellent suggestion. The 9844s have a very special presentation to them. They look very professional and business-like. I've seen them in nicely-figured veneered cabinets, as well, and they make a beautiful visual statement in that configuration. Being a cabinet maker, veneering should be a simple project for you.

Look at these, for instance:



Or, these:



I know there is a certain appeal to the industrial gray paint of the originals, but those are quite common. I'm thinking that veneering the cabinets - especially in something highly-figured with a deep gloss - would turn 9844s into something quite special.

GeeDeeEmm

YES, The 9844s sure would look great with a furniture grade dress but I won't do that with these. I am doing this just as a project to keep my busy in retirement and a buddy wants them when I am done but he wants the original gray studio monitor look as close to factory as I can get them. Finding that woven type gold tone grill cloth is going to me my biggest challenge and any driver or XO upgrades are just my own preferences but he wants the stock guts in the end. I just like playing around switching drivers and XOs to see what sounds best to me and how much one or the other does change the sound quality. Thanks to the minds at Altec they made all of this quite easy for switching and swapping and a speaker such as an A7 works great on a stage or large room but they do stink in a living room where I can only get back 10-12 feet. Horns tend to need some room to grow and near field listening can get fatiguing pretty quick. I think the Model 19 was Altecs answer to this by going with the 1200 Khz and the 802-8G drivers that IMO tamed things down a lot.

Gary

[DavidF]

You may want to search sites that supply cloth for guitar amps if you haven't already considered that idea.

[Gary L]

You may want to search sites that supply cloth for guitar amps if you haven't already considered that idea.

Good point Dave and one to work on. Back some years ago while I was much deeper into everything Altec I kept finding crossover networks for the Model 15 and 19s that were always missing the knobs or they were all scratched up. I went on a search and actually found the original company that made them for Altec and they still had the mold. I was OCD and wanting the exact knobs I talked with the company and had to buy 1,000 plus pay the set up fee just to get them to make the knobs. I offered some sets of four knobs here attempting to recoup some of my cash but not many takers.

I was hoping possibly someone here would know what company supplied Altec with the grill cloth.





Gary

[BMWCCA]

Good point Dave and one to work on. Back some years ago while I was much deeper into everything Altec I kept finding crossover networks for the Model 15 and 19s that were always missing the knobs or they were all scratched up. I went on a search and actually found the original company that made them for Altec and they still had the mold. I was OCD and wanting the exact knobs I talked with the company and had to buy 1,000 plus pay the set up fee just to get them to make the knobs. I offered some sets of four knobs here attempting to recoup some of my cash but not many takers.

I think what you did was very cool! I hope you have the ability to recoup at least part of your investment in the future. If I owned anything Altec, I'd get a set from you, for sure!

[gdmoore28]

Gary,

I don't know how long ago you initially posted your original knobs for sale here, but you really should advertise them on ebay. As you probably know, everything Altec has gone crazy there, price-wise, and that has spurred a lot of restoration work. It's quite common to see crossovers for sale missing the knobs. I suspect you could easily dwindle your stock and recoup your investment if you offered them for sale in singles and in pairs there.

Do you already have Model 19 crossovers on hand? I'm still thinking that crossover is going to give your friend the kind of tonal variations he will need with those speakers.

Let us know what you find.

By the way, I could use four of those for my current project. How much are they and how do we obtain them from you?

GeeDeeEmm

[Gary L]

Gary,

I don't know how long ago you initially posted your original knobs for sale here, but you really should advertise them on ebay. As you probably know, everything Altec has gone crazy there, price-wise, and that has spurred a lot of restoration work. It's quite common to see crossovers for sale missing the knobs. I suspect you could easily dwindle your stock and recoup your investment if you offered them for sale in singles and in pairs there.

Do you already have Model 19 crossovers on hand? I'm still thinking that crossover is going to give your friend the kind of tonal variations he will need with those speakers.

Let us know what you find.

By the way, I could use four of those for my current project. How much are they and how do we obtain them from you?

GeeDeeEmm

Thanks GDM. I gave up my Ebay and PP accounts long ago when they could not control the hacks and not sure I care to start that BS again. I don't know if I can offer them here without going afoul of rules. $20 gets you 4 including shipping. PM me if interested.

If anyone has the green plates that go behind the knob on the 9844 and lots of others I would trade 16 nice new knobs for them.

Gary