Old Altec 2 Way Bookshelf Sprs

[chuckk1]

Can anyone tell me anything about these...model number...name, etc. I had a pair in a band studio about 35 years ago. They had an 8 or 10 inch woofer and a compression/horn tweeter and were 2 way. The cabinets were wood, finished in a medium dark natural stain. They were the best sounding speakers I'd ever heard. I'd kill for a pair of these now, but I never saw any others like these anywhere.

[hjames]

Can anyone tell me anything about these...model number...name, etc. I had a pair in a band studio about 35 years ago. They had an 8 or 10 inch woofer and a compression/horn tweeter and were 2 way. The cabinets were wood, finished in a medium dark natural stain. They were the best sounding speakers I'd ever heard. I'd kill for a pair of these now, but I never saw any others like these anywhere.

Have you browsed the old Altec catalogs they have posted here?
See - http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/.../altec-cat.htm

Some pretty neat looking bookshelves in a couple of them ...

[chuckk1]

Had to be the Madera 892.......

[Gary L]

Hi Chuck and welcome to LH.

The Madera's were my very first inrto to Altec back in the late '60s.

My uncle had them and I loved them. He later went to this model while I was away in Nam.



I never did get to compare both side X side but when I got home the 9849-8Ds sure did seem to beat the pants off the old Medera's. I still have them today and they are a bit larger then the Madera's with a 14 inch 414-8C woofer and metal 32A bent horn but I still think the Madera's would play second fiddle to these.

I have seen a few pairs of Madera's on ebay and a few pairs of the 9849-8As in utility grey cabinets but these 9849-8D models in Rift Oak are the only ones I have seen in many years.

Altec had a bunch of great speakers back then and it seems like every newer model got a bunch better from the previous offerings for a while and they offered them in a home version with nice veneer and a stage or utility cabinet in grey.

As long as they were 2 way with compression horns I think you will be very happy.

Just MHO here but when they got off track with 3 and 4 way tweetered models looks like it was their demise. Models 1-9 don't seem to command much interest while the 2 ways will always be on the top in the altec lines.

Model 14s or 15s like these might also float your boat if you have the room for slightly larger cabinets.



Here is for size comparison.



Another thing to keep in mind with Altec is where the cutoff is between what is repairable and what is not. Great Plains Audio is the premier place for Altec repairs but they draw a line on what they will or will not work on. I am not sure about the Madera components but the ones pictured above are still in the loop and can be rebuilt to as good or better then new.

You will add an entirely new hurdle if what you want has one of those irrepairable drivers down the line. Stick with the ones that GPA will continue to service.

Gary