New Member - New to me 604B's

[Duffinator]

Hi everyone, first let me introduce myself. I'm on several other forums as Duffinator and spend most of my time on AudioKarma pursuing my interest in vintage audio gear. I'm mostly into Sansui and ADS Speakers. Here's a link to a site with a bunch of ADS speaker info that I have contributed to. I also have lots of home theater equipment and enjoy my new toys as much as my vintage toys. I've been fascinated with the big Altec speakers for sometime now and really dig the big A7 VOT speakers. They are way too big for my home so I've been looking for some Model 14's. Like many of you I'm cruising eBay and craigslist for that killer deal. Yesterday afternoon an ad pops up on my local craigslist for some Altec 604B speakers. I look at the picture and know just enough that they are worth more than the asking price. I contacted a member on AudioKarma who knows a lot about Altec's and he tells me to grab them. Luckily, since it's now a few hours since they were posted, I call the seller and they were still available so I rush out the door to pick them up. When I arrive the seller tells me that he has had four calls since I called. As you can see from one of the photos they still have the original Altec tags on them and they were made in September 1950.

I haven't connected them to an amp yet to see if they work but they appear to be all original. One of the cones has come unglued from the surround but other than that the cones and everything else appear to be original and in great shape. I originally thought the cabinets were DIY but after further research they appear to be Altec's as well. These speakers came from a movie theater in Woodland CA. and have been in storage for sometime.

My original thought was to flip them and use the proceeds for some nice 14's but after spending a few hours last night reading about them I may refurbish them and use them. I'll have lots of questions that I'm sure you Altec experts can help me with but in the meantime here's the pictures from the CL ad. Please share any thoughts on what I should do with them like where I should start. I don't want to ruin these before I get a chance to listen to them.

Thanks

[CONVERGENCE]

Hi,

Good find ,congratulations. These seem to have the paper cones.
Here is a pdf file on 604 specs.If you need parts for repair.

Great Plains Audio is the place.

http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/

.........................................

[Duffinator]

Hi,

Good find ,congratulations. These seem to have the paper cones.
Here is a pdf file on 604 specs.If you need parts for repair.

Great Plains Audio is the place.

http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/

.........................................

Thanks. Yes they are paper cones and have an Altec part number stamped on the back. These weren't exactly what I had in mind for my first Altec speakers but I'll have fun with these.

[CONVERGENCE]

That part number wouldn't be 20275 by any chance.

Here is the site for diaphragm parts.

http://alteclansingunofficial.nlenet.net/Diavc.html

Here is a useful chart a sort of benchmark.

[Duffinator]

That part number wouldn't be 20275 by any chance.

I'll check on that and get back to you. Does anybody know if the headphone type connector for the speakers is original?

After discussing with some members on AK I've come up with the following plan. First I'm going to connect them to my Sansui and see if they work. Regardless of that outcome I'll have the speakers and xover networks gone through so I can listen to them with their full potential in the original cabinets. If I like what I hear I'll refinish the cabinets to original specs and use them. Or maybe new larger cabinets if my wife will let me. Stay tuned.

[Duffinator]

That part number wouldn't be 20275 by any chance.

The cones are part number 20159. The original tags are present with the serial numbers, born on date, model number, and stamp by the final inspector. I was surprised to see that there were no stickers on them and no place that looks like they fell off. Maybe on these early woofers they didn't use stickers? Each box also has paper tags with hand written instructions on how to connect the wires. All the tags, while dirty, are legible and in great shape. There are stickers on the xover boxes though.

[glen]

Great find Duffinator

Welcome to the Lansing Heritage Forum

It seems rare that these early speakers exist as a pair, the close dates and similarly styled and painted cabinets would indicate they've been together a long time. In 1950, when they were made, stereo would still have been experimental. But the quarter inch phone plugs (headphone jacks) sound like standard connectors used in portable units like public address systems. Maybe they were used in some kind of professional audio or film production that required portable, high quality playback that require more than one speaker for adequate volume or coverage?

Hope you enjoy them!

[Duffinator]

Great find Duffinator

Welcome to the Lansing Heritage Forum

It seems rare that these early speakers exist as a pair, the close dates and similarly styled and painted cabinets would indicate they've been together a long time. In 1950, when they were made, stereo would still have been experimental. But the quarter inch phone plugs (headphone jacks) sound like standard connectors used in portable units like public address systems. Maybe they were used in some kind of professional audio or film production that required portable, high quality playback that require more than one speaker for adequate volume or coverage?

Hope you enjoy them!

Thanks Glen. They were from a movie theater in Woodland CA and have markings on the back where the wall bracket was on the cabinets when they were painted black. They have been in storage for a long time. I have had others tell me that it's very rare to have a pair of speakers from the same time period. I have no doubt from their born on dates and condition that these speakers are twins that have never spent a single day apart. In fact one of the speakers looks like it's never been removed from it's cabinet. There are literally no marks on the paint and no marks on the screw heads. And the cone is in near perfect condition. I can't wait to listen to them.