altec university sound equalizer concept eq 5

[dat521gatherer]

there is absolutely no info on this at all online except one quick byte on a mclintosh site. im wondering when it was produced and for how long. that site said early 70;s but it looks 60's. the serial number is low at 1433 im thinking they didn't make that many or for that long. didn't this come with an available speaker set? were they called university concept eq 5 speakers? im also wondering what it's worth but that part doesnt matter considering ill be keeping it. how rare is this thing? pic is coming soon. thanks

[moldyoldy]

I remember seeing the setup at a store, and considering where it was, would have been about '72-73. The serial# is meaningless unless one knew where the series began, but I don't think many were made or sold. It was very like the Mac EQ system with an active switchable boost EQ box to go along with a particular speaker system. It was a 10 or 12 inch 3-way setup, and had mid and high controls in addition to LF, with center frequencies of (approximately) 25, 1200, and 17K, and +3 and 6dB each.

The eq unit should also work in the intended manner with other speaker systems, providing they're overdamped acoustic suspension models and can handle a 6dB boost at 25Hz. Back then though, most amps were clipping with that boost at even modest SPL. I've used the similar Mac EQs on sealed DIY projects, it has the same effect as on the ML-1Cs. Just don't try it on a ported or high-Vb system unless you were planning on reconing soon anyway.

Today's market would be limited to either owners of the system needing parts, or DIY experimenters, so on the right day could bring decent $, but otherwise not. With the right speakers and amp, the EQ unit will satisfy all but the most masochistic bass needs.

[dat521gatherer]

2 years later. better late than never. a pic is worth a thousand words.
there couldn't have been too many of these made.

[JBL 4645]

Optimus if I’m not too mistaken that looks like makeover of the Realistic EQ that I have, well it’s at friends still pending fixing not that it matters my friend is lazy bugger otherwise he would have fixed it 3 years ago.

The design of that EQ first came around I think mid 1980’s.
It was replaced with the Genexxa which I have and was also featured in science fiction flick Contact 1997.
I like the led layout of the display easy to see with green amble red lights. The Genexxa is pale looking display green which I don’t like.