Altec 417

[retnev]

Can anyone tell me or direct me to documents highlighting differences between the different Altec Lansing 417 speaker versions ?
I tried finding the info in the Stickies but could not get any info.

Particular questions:

1) What is the difference between
417 16Ohm (no -8X) designation
417-8a
417-8b
417-8c

2) Which years were each made

3) How do I know if a 417 is EV made or Pre EV era ?
I would guess it is the rounded basket shoulders for pre ev and the sharp edged basket shoulders for EV ?
Am I right ?

This link https://greatplainsaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/400-Series_MI_Spkrs_spec_sheet.pdf e.g. only describes the 417-8C

[CONVERGENCE]

All I know it was used in all the Cinemas in Canada from 80' on with a small 32C horn and driver . That small horn is long gone . "Surround speakers ".

You can listen through a phone. This guy is all excited . Sounds great very clear


https://youtu.be/BxFZRi-Mbm4

[RMC]

retnev,

There's not a lot of info about the various 417 versions.

I doubt older Altecs from 70's and 80's would have been made by EV, but from somewhere during the 90's its possible. The connection here is Mark IV Audio which eventually owned many good brands such as Altec, EV, Gauss, DDA mixers, etc.

You might be able to get a little more info at two other places that come to mind. Google the Altec Lansing unofficial web site. Moreover, there's also a table of Altec Thiele/Small parameters to Google which was put together by Todd W. White in 1999, its copyrighted by the author so i don't post it here.

From the TS data one can get an idea of the differences between drivers. I also have the spec sheet for the 417-8H. Many older Altec spec sheets had a date (coded) which normally coincides with a driver's release.

I hope this will help your search.

Richard