George Roland
06-25-2009, 04:08 AM
My wife bought me a pair of replacement foam surrounds for the top section of my Model 19s for Father's Day, from Paul and Debbie Darst in Shelby, NC, with whom I have no affiliation.
Debbie mentioned that some people feel these foam inserts make a difference in the sound of their Model 19s, others not.
I wanted to try them out because my 19s had none--I guess they dry-rotted and fell apart long ago--and I thought that if the Altec engineers thought they were needed, maybe I should try them out. Frankly, I wasn't sure it would make much of a difference.
I was startled at the improvement these things made in the sound of my Model 19s. For me, the sound was more taut and better focused with these foams than without them, and I did not find the change to be marginal or subtle. I don't know if this is due to absorption of reflections, dampening of ringing in the horns or for some other reason.
I thought that they proved a very worthwhile and reasonably priced addition to restoring the venerable Model 19s.
George Roland
Debbie mentioned that some people feel these foam inserts make a difference in the sound of their Model 19s, others not.
I wanted to try them out because my 19s had none--I guess they dry-rotted and fell apart long ago--and I thought that if the Altec engineers thought they were needed, maybe I should try them out. Frankly, I wasn't sure it would make much of a difference.
I was startled at the improvement these things made in the sound of my Model 19s. For me, the sound was more taut and better focused with these foams than without them, and I did not find the change to be marginal or subtle. I don't know if this is due to absorption of reflections, dampening of ringing in the horns or for some other reason.
I thought that they proved a very worthwhile and reasonably priced addition to restoring the venerable Model 19s.
George Roland