Truth in advertising

[gwar]

When I joined this forum, it was because of the reputation that Altec/Lansing has and I was under the assumption that I wasnt the owner of a pair of their speakers. Well, I was mistaken, as I have found a pair of computer speakers in my pump shed that I had forgotten about.
A pair of model #120 desktop speakers, to be exact. And being the jaded skeptic that I am I began to wonder if these little things even had altec speakers in them, knowing how the corporate world is out to make a buck any way possible.
They sat on the shelf for a couple more days, staring back at me while I procrastinated, not wanting my bubble burst, but finally curiosity won out and I grabbed a screw driver.
Now, these are little plastic jobs, and I was all set to be majorly bummed out,,,but,,,,



THANK YOU, Gentlemen at altec/lansing, you have restored a little bit of my faith in mankind.

[gwar]

all those views and not one comment, some loyal fans you are,,,

[Titanium Dome]

all those views and not one comment, some loyal fans you are,,,

Even in a specialized forum like this, people have their preferences. It's not uncommon for something to go uncommented. I don't know of anyone here who focuses on Altec-Lansing computer speakers, though someone might. However, unless there is such a person, I wouldn't expect much in the way of comments.

I once posted a thread on JBL Northridge E Series E50 bookshelf speakers. With the heckling and mockery that came along, I would have been happy if a number of people had avoided posting in it.

[MikeBrewster77]

Don't be disheartened by the lack of response to your post, gwar -

As a heritage site, you'll notice as you spend some time here that there is an emphasis on vintage equipment; the posts regarding newer gear tend to be around the mid-to-hi fi, or at least some loose definition of such, often dictated (at least in my case) by budget . Computer speakers just don't generate a ton of interest, but I assure you it's nothing personal.

FWIW, I have a set of Altec Lansing computer speakers (pic attached) I bought several years ago. I've never taken them apart to see who manufactured the drivers, though I did note they're made in China. To me, at least, they are so bass heavy they're unlistenable, though I'm sure there are some that type of sound would appeal to and I suppose there's something to be said for that level of bass coming from a $100 pair of speakers. They've been supplanted by a small receiver and a pair of Northridge E30's (the merits of which I won't go on at length about based on TD's post preceding mine .)

Best,
- Mike

all those views and not one comment, some loyal fans you are,,,

[hjames]

The Altec Lansing name can be found attached to a lot of gear over the years. The name has been attached to quite a diverse group of gear.
The only Altec gear I have at this point is a kind of round iPod Boom Box thing.
But I'm sure I must have heard movies played through the classic Voice of the Theatre speakers over the years.

The company went through tough times, and shut down, and the name has been sold and resold a few times afterwards,
so the recent Altec gear like my boom box isn't from the same company that made those big theatre speakers.

But as some folks here remind us - its all about the sound.
The bottom line is, if you like the sound of the computer speaker system you have, that really all that matters, isn't it?

When I joined this forum, it was because of the reputation that Altec/Lansing has and I was under the assumption that I wasnt the owner of a pair of their speakers. Well, I was mistaken, as I have found a pair of computer speakers in my pump shed that I had forgotten about.
A pair of model #120 desktop speakers, to be exact. And being the jaded skeptic that I am I began to wonder if these little things even had altec speakers in them, knowing how the corporate world is out to make a buck any way possible.
They sat on the shelf for a couple more days, staring back at me while I procrastinated, not wanting my bubble burst, but finally curiosity won out and I grabbed a screw driver.
Now, these are little plastic jobs, and I was all set to be majorly bummed out,,,but,,,,



THANK YOU, Gentlemen at altec/lansing, you have restored a little bit of my faith in mankind.

[gwar]

It wasnt necesarily about the computer speakers or if I use them, which I dont, it was about the fact that ,,,,bah,,nevermind

[MikeBrewster77]

...Altec Lansing was actually printed on the drivers.

I think we get that, and it's reassuring to know they manufacture the components in their own speakers. Companies, however, evolve - sometimes for the good, sometimes not so much.

So, are they truthful in their advertising in that the Altec name appears on the components they put into their products? Yes. Is that commendable? Yes. Does it mean what it once did? Ehhhh ....

I'm not precisely sure what response you were anticipating from your post, but essentially (and I think this was exactly Heather's point) if you enjoy the product - or even if you don't, and you just like that it represents some form of brand integrity - that's what's important.

Best,
- Mike

It wasnt necesarily about the computer speakers or if I use them, which I dont, it was about the fact that ,,,,

[Ducatista47]

I have four pair of JBL speakers. 4345's, 18 inch woofer based four way studio monitors; 4333's, three way 15 inch all ALNICO monitors; Control 10's, 12 inch portable monitors. And...

JBL Platinum computer speakers. $25, single 2 inch driver, ported, not vintage, not made in USA. While they are very nice sounding for a speaker that dies below 100hz (I love single driver speakers), I understandably consider them to have nothing to do with the other JBLs I have, heritage included. And they don't.

You will notice that JBL car speakers, a huge segment of the company's output, are not represented here either. (Except for a certain following of one particular car subwoofer driver.) This is a high fidelity and perhaps high end home theater site, so car and computer speakers have never managed to gain a foothold here. As a group we might not even be the least bit knowledgeable about them. So no slight is intended. This is simply not the right kind of website for the knowledge you are seeking. We don't know about it!

I will repeat the sad fact that current Altec branded speakers are not made by the company we know about. At this point it is just a name, like starting a new car company and calling it Hudson. Or Plymouth!

Gwar, you are very, very welcome here and I hope we can be of interest to you concerning matters we might actually know something about.

Clark

[SEAWOLF97]

...Altec Lansing was actually printed on the drivers.

I think we get that, and it's reassuring to know they manufacture the components in their own speakers. Companies, however, evolve - sometimes for the good, sometimes not so much.

So, are they truthful in their advertising in that the Altec name appears on the components they put into their products? Yes. Is that commendable? Yes. Does it mean what it once did? Ehhhh ....
Best,
- Mike

My understanding is that in '90/91 the name Altec-Lansing was purchased by Spark-O-Matic of Korea.....remember all those S-O-M car stereos at K-Mart for $39.95 ?

and yes, I have the AL 3 piece sat/sub system hooked to my TV and sounds pretty good for TV sound.

[Mr. Widget]

all those views and not one comment, some loyal fans you are,,,

I was one of the many who viewed your original post... I had and still have no idea of what you were saying. Were you posting how impressed by the speakers you were or how terrible they were?

As for the name on those plastic boxes? They are no more related to Lansing Heritage than a RCA LCD TV is to the American company that began in 1919 and ended in 1986.


Widget

[MikeBrewster77]

I do remember those car stereos - I had one in my '73 Plymouth Duster . Crap-O-Matic would have been a more accurate moniker, but the folks in the marketing department probably wouldn't have let that one fly...

Looks like the company (or the Altec name, rather) is currently owned by Plantronics (since 2005, from what I can gather) and lo and behold, they now have a legacy product line:

http://www.alteclansing.com/images/s...0S%20SPECS.pdf

I'm kinda intrigued ... has anyone sees these in the marketplace?

P.S., TV sound - brilliant application ... why didn't I think of that?

Best,
- Mike

My understanding is that in '90/91 the name Altec-Lansing was purchased by Spark-O-Matic of Korea.....remember all those S-O-M car stereos at K-Mart for $39.95 ?

and yes, I have the AL 3 piece sat/sub system hooked to my TV and sounds pretty good for TV sound.

[SEAWOLF97]

P.S., TV sound - brilliant application ... why didn't I think of that?

Best,
- Mike

beats the heck out of TV speakers...auto on/off ...I lay the sats on TV top on their sides and hide the sub.

NOW for the PC ...it serves as a jukebox...soundcard goes out to a Technics SA-GX170 which powers the L26's on the floor (I have 2 desks butted together in an "L" with the JBL's in each footwell) and Sonances hung from the ceiling

[Steve Schell]

Gwar, you seem to be copping an attitude here, but I don't know what response you were hoping for considering the cryptic nature of your posts. It is true that the level of interest in Altec computer speakers is fairly low here, seeing as how they are built by a company that used to be called Sparkomatic that purchased the right to use the Altec Lansing name. I have heard some of these computer speakers (my nephew has some) and I thought they sounded quite good.

[louped garouv]

Gwar, you seem to be copping an attitude here

i love(d) GWAR (the band)



his responses seem pretty tame (to me) for someone from this outfit...



at least he hasn't broken out the meat grinder...

[4313B]

hie responses seem pretty tame (to me) for someone from this outfit...

People get old, their teeth fall out and they loose their bite...