846A Altec Valencia Questions

[sourceoneaudio]

I just picked up a set of 846A Valencia's that I'm working on for a friend.
I have a couple of Questions.
Did the horn have any external x-over parts used from the factory just stuck in the terminal post? They both had a 4.7uf cap tied in on the negative side. Does not look factory??? Also these speakers are inop at the moment, so the cap was just attached via the - post. no wires attached.
I also have one bad horn driver 806A anyone have one for sale?
Is the x-over network tied in with the L-pad in the L-Pad box on the rear panel?
I also need the L-pad tweeter adjustment plaque and one knob. These were both missing off of one speaker enclosure.
Thank you for any help with these oldies

J/S-S1A

[hmolwitz]

You should probably get a pair of diaphragms from Great plains audio.
I think they run around $100, better to go with a set, you could send them in and have them remagged as well.
H

[Storm]

Source -

Does your friend want to sell them?

I am definately interested!

....and only about 5 miles away ---

-Storm.

:p

[sourceoneaudio]

Storm,
I sent him a message. I will keep you posted. He bought them new when he was 18, so the odds of him letting go are slim.
As far as the drivers go, one horn driver is out both woofers work, the cabinets are rough. They need some veneer replaced and a complete re-finish.


Jeff

J/S-S1A :blink:

[Storm]

Did he drive them hard?

Why are they in such rough condition?

Shouldn't these speakers last anyone forever, just as long as you dont drive them rough?

Thanks.

-Storm.

[Gary L]

I just picked up a set of 846A Valencia's that I'm working on for a friend.
I have a couple of Questions.
Did the horn have any external x-over parts used from the factory just stuck in the terminal post? They both had a 4.7uf cap tied in on the negative side. Does not look factory??? Also these speakers are inop at the moment, so the cap was just attached via the - post. no wires attached.
I also have one bad horn driver 806A anyone have one for sale?
Is the x-over network tied in with the L-pad in the L-Pad box on the rear panel?
I also need the L-pad tweeter adjustment plaque and one knob. These were both missing off of one speaker enclosure.
Thank you for any help with these oldies



Hi Jeff, In answer to some of your questions;

The resistor is an add on for what ever reason:dont-know .

806As are on ebay all the time but you probably just need to send both to GPA for remagging and new diaphragms to get them working fine.

Yes the L pad is tied into the XO but others here could expound on this much better then I.

The plate you need sometimes comes up on ebay but normally they are offered with the complete pair of XOs. There are two sets there now at auction with the plates and all the other stuff.

Great Plains Audio can probably direct you best with these nice speakers and what might need repairs. Bill can be reached at 405-789-0221 and he takes very good care of us Altec fans.

Gary

[sourceoneaudio]

Gary thank you for the info. The cap on the negative side is a non polarized 4.7uf cap, not a resistor. The reason I asked if it was stock is because it was just stuck there on the negative post and it does not look used. (no solder or wire wrapping done) It looks to me to be a after thought put on the wrong post, and trying to raise the x-over point after the one horn stopped working??????? I don't know. The owner has no answer to the puzzle for it happened a long time ago in a galaxy far far away. I will keep a look out for parts on the bay, or I might just go after market???? The repair is up in the air at the moment.

J/S-S1A :blink::blink::blink:

[Gary L]

Cap/resistor, makes no difference, it does not belong there and I have no idea what it's intent was. You don't need if the drivers are working right and have good diaphragms.

You are welcome to try aftermarket parts at your own risk. Some here make out fine with them while others do not. For the slight difference in price I always just go to the source, GPA.

I suppose "Parts is Parts" but with minor stuff like this you may well be buying a "PIG in a POKE" on ebay.

If your customer is balking at spending a few bucks to get his speakers sounding good then it may be time to send them home and stop wasting yours!

Gary

[Zilch]

That cap hanging on there would be appropriate for testing the driver, or perhaps, in biamping, as protection....

[sourceoneaudio]

Yes I was thinking that as a possible, but all wires are cut from both x-over inputs and wire removed from driver inputs, and no second input was cut into the rear panel.

I think when the issue occured he freaked and tried to fix, thinking the x-over was bad and tried a 6db per octave high pass on it, then gave up when it still did not function. ( The Horn )

It's like trying to solve a crime, were doing the CSI investigation on the 846A's attempting to put the past together.

Jeff

J/S-S1A :blink:

[SMKSoundPro]

Here's a pic of the pair I have in my shop.

[SMKSoundPro]

pic 2

[Storm]

Thanks for the pics SMK!

Wow, what a life those have had!

Good luck on restoring them.

What are your thoughts about them?

Adding a tweeter I see...

;)

-Storm.

[SMKSoundPro]

pic 3

[SMKSoundPro]

These belong to one of my DJ's here at the nightclub. He gave $100 for the pair with the crappy veneer job.

He wants to use them for post-mixing pro-tools edits and commercials in his home studio. I think he's a fool, and these are NOT the right tool for that job.

Scott.

[Gary L]

Those will cost more to bring back then they will ever be worth!

For his intentions I think I would make them sing pretty by repairing the innards but let them remain ugly ducklings.

The funny thing about speakers is they can look like junk and still sound great.

Gary

[JBLRaiser]

I just picked up a set of 846A Valencia's that I'm working on for a friend.
I have a couple of Questions.
Did the horn have any external x-over parts used from the factory just stuck in the terminal post? They both had a 4.7uf cap tied in on the negative side. Does not look factory??? Also these speakers are inop at the moment, so the cap was just attached via the - post. no wires attached.
I also have one bad horn driver 806A anyone have one for sale?
Is the x-over network tied in with the L-pad in the L-Pad box on the rear panel?
I also need the L-pad tweeter adjustment plaque and one knob. These were both missing off of one speaker enclosure.
Thank you for any help with these oldies

J/S-S1A

the leads to the diaphragm could be broken. If they are, soldering them back is an option. When i bought my 19's, neither horn put out sound. When I opened the drivers, the leads were broken. My tech soldered them back and that was months ago and they still sound great. I even bought replacements from GPA and haven't needed them yet. It's worth a try.

[sourceoneaudio]

Thank you for the tip. I'll give it a l@@k see.


Jeff
J/S-S1A :D

[sourceoneaudio]

JBLRaiser (http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/member.php?u=3316)
Thank you for the look see tip. I pulled the driver apart and found a broken lead like you said could be the problem. Got it all fixed up and she works great. Now off to sell them to Storm since he is buying all the Altec stock in the world has left to offer.


Thank you again, J/S-S1A

[SEAWOLF97]

Now off to sell them to Storm since he is buying all the Altec stock in the world has left to offer

I'm going to rebadge my Bose speakers with ALTEC badges and cash in on this phenom...:barf:

[JBLRaiser]

JBLRaiser (http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/member.php?u=3316)
Thank you for the look see tip. I pulled the driver apart and found a broken lead like you said could be the problem. Got it all fixed up and she works great. Now off to sell them to Storm since he is buying all the Altec stock in the world has left to offer.


Thank you again, J/S-S1A

My tech is invaluable for things like that. He's my computer guy, TV, radio,amp,preamp,speaker,guitar amp, game player,camcorder and camera guy. If he has seen it before or can get a schematic he will fix it.

[sourceoneaudio]

Thank you again. Have you seen these Radian diaphragms for an upgrade, this will keep the Altec array 8ohm across the board? If I do not sell these as is I'm going to do something interesting with them.
I will re-configure the x-over, use dual L-pads and add a RF-7, K-67-KV tweet to the system. Use the Altec horns as a mid horn and put the Klipsch on top, center. Do a 12db network from top to bottom, x-over points being 800, and 3k. I think that it will turn out rather interesting sounding, and defined???

Something Mr. Storm should come listen tooooooooooooo.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=294-724&CFID=5426915&CFTOKEN=10721370


J/S-S1A :D