How do I connect these old Altecs? 604-D w/ N-1600-B

[Sonance'84]

Hi all, been a long time since I've posted over here, but I picked up a pair of Altec 604-D w/ N-1600-B, in Acousti-Craft cabs. They've only been tested with a DMM so far and all seems well. I'd like to listen to them, if I can figure out how to hook them up.

My question is about polarity. The N-1600-B has the two screws labeled "IN" with no + or - symbols. I need to run wire from the crossover to the speaker terminals on the back plate of the cab, which also have no + or - symbols.

Is polarity an issue with these crossovers? Or should I just hook them up, without paying attention to that?

Any help would be awesome! I never heard a pair of Altec coaxials, can't wait.

[BMWCCA]

It looks like if the drivers are connected to the network as indicated in the diagram, then your amplifier should be connected to the "IN" terminals. I have no idea what that other set of terminals with the spade connectors is doing there and I can't tell from the photo if it's even connected to anything.

[grumpy]

Looks like the intent is to send an inverted signal to the horn (vs the woofer)... treat 1 as + and 2 as - . Other than that it won’t matter much. The IN terminals can be connected either way. If you like it one way vs the other, and think you can hear a difference, then leave it how you like it.

if I find info to the contrary, I’ll correct it, but you won’t hurt anything if the horn wires are backwards... just may have a suckout at the crossover freq. Why they chose 1 and 2 vs + and - is beyond me, but either convention works as long as the drivers are marked.

[grumpy]

Seems pretty straightforward from the diagram... (?)

[Sonance'84]

It looks like if the drivers are connected to the network as indicated in the diagram, then your amplifier should be connected to the "IN" terminals. I have no idea what that other set of terminals with the spade connectors is doing there and I can't tell from the photo if it's even connected to anything.

I should have explained...the owner had the other end of those grey wires with spades connected to the "IN" terminals on the crossover. The pic of the second set of terminals is the back of the speaker cabinet; you can see where he just pushed the wire through instead of connecting it to the terminals on the inside of the cabinet.

That's what I'm trying to do, put a set of wires from the "IN" on the crossover to the back of that second set of terminals, which would all be inside of the cabinet when buttoned up. I would then connect my amp to the those screw terminals on the back of the cab.

The crossovers are already hooked up to the speakers as shown on the diagrams, I just left them as they were.

Looks like the intent is to send an inverted signal to the horn (vs the woofer)... treat 1 as + and 2 as - . Other than that it won’t matter much. The IN terminals can be connected either way. If you like it one way vs the other, and think you can hear a difference, then leave it how you like it.

if I find info to the contrary, I’ll correct it, but you won’t hurt anything if the horn wires are backwards... just may have a suckout at the crossover freq. Why they chose 1 and 2 vs + and - is beyond me, but either convention works as long as the drivers are marked.

That's what I'm confused about, the "IN" terminals don't even have 1 or 2, it's basically just right or left. The drivers are marked 1 and 2.

So you're saying to just connect the wires coming from my amp either way at the "IN"? I'd assume to connect it the same way on the other speaker as well? i.e., if I connect the + wire coming from my amp to the left side of the "IN", to do the same with the other side?

I hope I'm making sense!

[grumpy]

So you're saying to just connect the wires coming from my amp either way at the "IN"? I'd assume to connect it the same way on the other speaker as well? i.e., if I connect the + wire coming from my amp to the left side of the "IN", to do the same with the other side?

You got it. As I said, if you think you hear a difference, go with what you like. Both speakers must be wired the same way though, as you've described above.