X
X
Back to the top
X
X

Jeff Markwart’s Corner

, / /

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....

Read more

, / /

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......

Read more

, /

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......

Read more

GPA 604-8H-III-Rev-02
, / /

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......

Read more

,

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......

Read more

Altec 604-8K
, / /

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......

Read more

, / / /

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 –......

Read more

, / /

Altec-Lansing 604-8H Crossover Revelations

Enter the H Model... In early 2004 I acquired a pair of 604-8Hs, the last ALNICO magnet duplex model Altec produced before they switched to ferrite magnets. It was also the first Altec duplex model that combined the Tangerine phase plug with a constant directivity high frequency horn and a crossover that utilized dual equalization of the compression driver output. I swapped out my 604Bs for these Hs using the same cabinets, and was immediately impressed  by the differences in output - well controlled upper mids, significantly more high frequency extension, improved imaging detail and more apparent bass & mid bass. What was in......

Read more

Altec-Lansing 604B
, /

Phase Shift Between Drivers

I acquired a pair of 604Bs in the early 1990s, and had them refurbished with new 604E low frequency (LF) cones and new 16 ohm high frequency (HF) diaphragms at the Altec factory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I subsequently used them with Altec N1500A crossovers for years in a secondary audio-visual system. (Follow the Vintage Altec Lansing N1500A schematic link for a look at that vintage series type crossover) My main system had horn loaded Altec 515-8Gs and 909-8As with custom phase corrected passive crossovers, and the 604Bs seemed to lag behind them in a number of sonic areas. In......

Read more

About Us

Great Plains Audio was born out of the Altec Lansing corporation in 1998. It carries forward the loudspeaker design and manufacturing tradition that began with Western Electric in the early 20th century. Great Plains Audio is the only place where the legendary Western Electric/Altec Lansing sound reproduction technologies live on.

Customer Service

Community
Order Tracking
Contact

Find Us

7127 Northwest Third St. Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma, USA, 73127
405-789-0221

Privacy