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Great Plains Audio

The Vintage Altec Experience by Jeff Day

The Vintage Altec Experience by Jeff Day

Let’s start with a short Altec history lesson 

Original text published: https://jeffsplace.positive-feedback.com/the-vintage-altec-experience/

I’ve been wanting to write an article about the “musicality magic” of vintage Altec loudspeakers for a while now, so consider this a mini-installment towards that goal, with – I hope – much more to come.

Let’s start with a short Altec history lesson.

Altec’s origins are inextricably linked to the Western Electric movie theater loudspeaker systems of the mid-1920’s.

The movie theater industry was a new and rapidly growing market in the mid-1920’s and Western Electric was busy providing loudspeakers to movie theaters across the USA.

Keep reading:

https://jeffsplace.positive-feedback.com/the-vintage-altec-experience/

GPA 212-8A

Great Plains Audio Model 212-8A

Great Plains Audio designs and manufactures some of the finest loudspeakers in the world. We continue this tradition of excellence with the release of our newest loudspeaker, the Great Plains Audio Model 212-8A. The extension of usable lower frequency limits and the expansion of available dynamic range have placed greater demands on audio monitoring systems. As audio-video facilities are constructed or upgraded to accommodate HDTV, equal attention should be placed on providing a superior acoustic setting. Th e 212-8A will deliver the high definition audio reproduction required for this environment. Recording studios, mastering facilities, and home theater rooms are also......

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GPA 604-8H-III-Rev-02

Great Plains Audio 604-8H III Rev. 2 Duplex

The Great Plains Audio 604-8H III Rev. 2 is more than just an evolution in the classic series of 604 Duplexes, it's an AUDIO REVELATION! For more than fifty years, there has been one studio monitor loudspeaker that has been the defacto standard by which all others have been measured. Though it has been through various generations, it is still known by the simple model number which graced the very first unit manufactured – 604. The popularity of this outstanding loudspeaker grew until, by the 1970's, 604-based systems were used in more recording studios than all other types combined. It’s......

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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......

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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......

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