GPA’s Vintage Altec E-Zine

July 26, 2017November 3, 2022

By GPA Altec-Lansing / Santiago / Valencia

Altec Lansing Valencia: Improving a Classic

The Altec-Lansing Valencia 846B is an American audio classic that inspired the development of the legendary Model 19. It shares many similarities with the newer and larger Model 19. There were two versions of the Valencia: the 846A and 846B. For our testing purposes we chose the 846B due to its impedance, and that it was a tuned port enclosure. We had two goals with our Valencias: 1. Make them perform like a Model 19 and 2. Make them outperform a Model 19. Many Altec Model 19 fans will immediately point-out the differences between these two loudspeaker system, and claim......

July 26, 2017November 4, 2022

By GPA

The Altec Lansing Model 19-MR3: The Loudspeaker That Never Was

The Altec-Lansing M500 Maestro is a largely lost and forgotten loudspeaker, but it is, perhaps, the best the company ever built. It arrived in the final days of Altec-Lansing, Inc., and production was cut short due to the sale of the company. Why is the M500 Maestro important to us today? It provides the framework for what would have been the replacement for the highly acclaimed Model 19. It has been suggested that the new model would have been called the Model 19MR or Model 19-MR3. So the M500 is of great importance to Altec-Lansing fans around the globe. The......

July 25, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart Altec-Lansing / Cabinet / Model 19

Altec Lansing Model 19 Cabinet Plans

Follow the links below to download and print sections of the Vintage Altec Lansing Model 19 Cabinet Plans for use in your wood shop. Refer to the Model 19 Cabinet Plans page for NOTES that accompany the plans. Altec Lansing Model 19 Front View Altec Lansing Model 19 Side View Altec Lansing Model 19 Top Down View Altec Lansing Model 19 Bottom Up View Model 19 Material & Finish Data The Model 19 was available in three materials & finishes as indicated below: Materials and finishes were applied per the chart below: Thanks to Art J. for his Photo-Shop efforts in producing these jpg images....

July 25, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart Altec-Lansing / Voice of the Theatre / VOTT

Altec Lansing VOTT from Sound Practices Magazine

Here are two articles I contributed to from Sound Practices magazine. They are reprinted here with permission from Sound Practices. Sound Practices, Vol. 1, #4, Altec "Voice of the Theatre" Speakers for Hi-Fi Sound Practices, Vol. 1, #9, Horns Revisited - The Exemplar Project...

July 25, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart Altec-Lansing / Compression Driver / Rear Loading Cap

Altec Lansing Compression Driver Rear Loading Caps

In the spring of 2008 I was loaned a pair of Altec Lansing Super Duplex 604E for testing and research about possible crossover improvements. Unfortunately, one of the drivers had sustained damage to a compression driver binding post during shipment, and as I removed its rear cap for an inspection of the damage I discovered that the 604E had been equipped by Altec with compression driver rear loading caps. I remember the first time I removed the rear cover of an Altec Lansing small format compression driver (1” dia. throat) and saw a black plastic factory loading cap mounted over......

July 25, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart 604E Super Duplex / Altec-Lansing

Altec-Lansing 604E Super Duplex

I received an unexpected opportunity to perform electro-acoustic measurements on a pair of 604E Super Duplex speakers in early 2008 thanks to a long-time owner seeking improvement in their sound. He had been using the original Altec Lansing N-1500A series type crossovers, and wondered if an improved crossover implementation might make them sound better. I had wondered that too. The drivers had original factory cones and voice coils, as well as identical production date codes of 391611, signifying the 11th week of 1966. My initial measurements suggested weakened magnets, so the drivers were sent to Great Plains Audio in Oklahoma......

July 25, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart 604-8H III / Great Plains Audio / Review

Great Plains Audio 604-8H-III

The Great Plains Audio 604-8H-III is a much improved version of the vintage ferrite magnet Altec 604 family, and is currently in production. Compared to the early production ferrite Altec 604-16X discussed elsewhere in these pages, the GPA 604 exhibits very smooth and extended response. I was given the opportunity to measure these drivers some time ago, and came to the conclusion that a Butterworth 2nd order filter centered at 1500Hz with the crossover points spread 30% would both accomplish the necessary phase correction and also yield reasonably flat SPL magnitude throughout the crossover region. The drivers’ owner, and subsequent......

July 24, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart Crossover

Recommended Parts – Substitutions – Construction Hints

The parts and bi-wiring layout I have specified here for building my various 604 and 605 phase correct crossovers are ones I have used successfully with vintage Altec Lansing drivers in the past. The parts are not inexpensive, nor the layout quick to implement, and for good reason - they sound better! I've received a number of questions from prospective builders about part substitutions and construction techniques, so I thought it would be a good idea to present a few thoughts on the subject for your consideration. Capacitors My circuits specify Hovland Musicaps. Hovlands are truly premium items, and are available......

July 24, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart 604-8K / Altec-Lansing / DUPLEX

Altec Lansing 604-8K Duplex Studio Monitor

In early 2008 I had the opportunity to evaluate a loaned Altec Lansing 604-8K utilizing the CLIO system. The driver was an early unit (serial # 3403, date stamped DEC 1982) and was equipped with the original factory low frequency cone and high frequency diaphragm. This model was manufactured by Altec from the early 1980s thru the company’s demise in the late 1990s and was marketed for use as a studio monitor, musician’s stage monitor and a premium ceiling speaker. The 8K had 8 ohm impedance voice coils and was supplied with a dual EQ passive crossover that had first been introduced for use......

July 24, 2017November 3, 2022

By Jeff Markwart 604 / Altec-Lansing / DUPLEX / Phase Correction

Phase Correction for Altec Ferrite Duplexes

Ferrite Magnet 604s As I mentioned on the Home Page, horizontal separation between voice coil gaps for ferrite magnet Altec Lansing 604 & 904 duplexes is 2.8125”. This distance produces 112 degrees of phase shift between the driver’s acoustic centers at 1500Hz. The Altec supplied passive crossovers for most of these units were essentially the same as for the ALNICO 604-8H, namely third order high pass and second order low pass sections at 1500Hz with MF and HF EQ circuitry. Might there be a better circuit to phase correct ferrite motor Altec Duplexes than the 8H filter? A good question –......

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