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Topic: Comments on Altec Speaker |
Byron Walcher
From:
Ketchum, Idaho, USA
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Posted 7 Feb 2007 10:33 am |
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Having recently aquired a twin reverb with 417b speakers, I am so impressed with the sound of these Altecs that I am going to switch out the JBLs that I have for them. I have aquired a 418b for one amp(Vibrosonic Reverb) and am looking at a 416-8a for my '64 Fender Pro Amp. Does anyone have experience with this model?
Thanks,
Byron |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 7 Feb 2007 10:59 am
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| Hey Byron, Glad you found a 418B. I have 4 of them. I use a '71 twin in a head cab and run a pair of Rick Johnson extension cabs loaded with original 418B's. I'm like you, I prefer them over the JBL's. I play a '70 bud with original bud pickups. Tone heaven! I have not tried any of the other altec models though. |
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Byron Walcher
From:
Ketchum, Idaho, USA
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Posted 7 Feb 2007 3:54 pm
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Lee Jeffriess
From:
Vallejo California
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Posted 8 Feb 2007 7:17 pm
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Bryon, I would research the 416, before hand Im pretty sure its a woofer for 2 way systems.
Thats not to say it wont work, but it may have a lower RMS and, it might stop at the upper mid range.
I dont beleive it was intended for MI use, like the 417/418/421, as I said in the silver face thread these three speakers are the same voice coil in different formats the only difference being the 417 has a 12 inch cone and, the 421 has a ferrite magnet.
I didnt know this before and, I thought they were all different, if you look at the spec sheets on the Lansing heritage site they certainly spec out different, however I later found out these specs are not honest and, I dont mean in a bad way, they basicly had this very good speaker that they wanted to sell to guitar players, pedal steel players,keyboard players, Bass players and, sound reinforcment.
Its marketing, an ex Altec employee told me industry testing standards were looser back then, we could put the 418 in the box we speced the 421 with and, it would act like a woofer and,
visa versa.
Maybe the bean counters figured people wouldnt buy into the concept of a universal driver? read there blurbs, for the demands of the modern rock guitarist, we offer you the 417 with shimmering highs, only are 418 driver delivers the fidelty that todays pedal steel guitar and, keyboard players demand blah blah blah.
Lee |
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Byron Walcher
From:
Ketchum, Idaho, USA
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Posted 8 Feb 2007 9:26 pm
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Thanks a bunch Lee, there is not much info on the various Altec models anywhere that I can find. I'll continue to research or maybe bug the guys at Great Plains audio. The truth is out there right?
Byron |
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Byron Walcher
From:
Ketchum, Idaho, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 11:57 am
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I talked to the folks at Great Plains Audio, this is the answer,
The only altecs that are musical instument speakers are the 417, 418, and 421( right on the money Lee) the second numbers and letters (418b, 418 8h 418z etc) are engineering numbers that indicate differences in construction, some as minor as paint color changes, none of which have any effect on the sound of the speaker. They are working on some new ones that have the alnico magnets but they will have to be pretty expensive-likely over $300.
Thanks again,
Byron |
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Bill Hatcher
From:
Atlanta Ga. USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 12:21 pm
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These are among the best sounding musical instrument speakers ever made. The have a thinner paper cone on them that adds to the sound and is very different than the JBL speakers.
Don't buy one if it does not have the original cone and voice coil as these are the key to the sound of the speaker and recones with sub par parts abound on these.
I know that EV for a time owned the rights to these. Don't know if they made recone kits that are to original specs or not.
Beautiful sounding speakers!!!
edit:
The early Black Widow speakers from Peavey had something to do with the Altec designs if I am not mistaken. Anyone know for sure what they used from Altec when designing the BW speakers. |
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Larry Robinson
From:
Peachtree City, Georgia, USA
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 1:06 pm
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| Altec also sold a musical instrument speaker ER-12S, ER-12L, ER-15L and ER-15S. Info on these speakers located at www.lansingheritage.org/images/altec/catalogs/1989-pro/1989-10.jpg. These were designed for professional high level, high quality musical instrument and sound reinforcement. Z=8 ohms, voice coil is 2 1/2 " edge wound. Freq response is 80-7000 Hz. I have one of these speakers and it sound's good. They were made for Altec by EV. Quite similar to the EVM-12/15 guitar speaker, weighs about 19 lbs. |
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Lee Jeffriess
From:
Vallejo California
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Posted 9 Feb 2007 1:40 pm
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Bill, I have never heard of a working connection between altec and, peavey?.
The only thing that may be what you heard is that the BW was designed by an EV engineer and, EV owned Altec, but the 417/418/421 designs pre date that.
The BW seems more JBL ie shallow basket 4 inch voice coil and, IMHO its stiff and, lumpy compared to the Altec.
I have heard there is good EV kit for them with a composit dome, but I have never seen or heard it?.
Heard a couple of 418s with waldham kits, sounds like a woofer.
Great plains is the real deal, PERFECT replacements.
In fact I have a clean original cone 418 I would trade in a heartbeat for a 418 with a GPA kit in it, there the same thing.
Lee |
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