Altec Lansing

cotdt,

As PC desktop speakers go, they're not bad. For music repro you could do better with a pair of $20 8" dual cone drivers on the ceiling.

The original Altecs were handcrafted by people who enjoyed their work. The current offerings under that name are assembled by robots.

IMO, the people now employed in other places should try for a class action suite, or something, to take control of the logo.

Regards,
Geoff
 
Geoff H said:
Well Zen, try this. My favourite speaker pic. Do you need an ambo for the palpitations?

Had to trim it down to get it to fit.


Here's the other half of that picture.

That place behind the photo is the Cinedome Theater (not to be confused with the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood). It was located in Orange, California - a few blocks from the Crystal Cathedral (which Altec also supplied systems to).

I spent many days of my youth at that theater - and saw some of the best movies there (Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Alien, Jaws). My best friend and I would get there when they opened and leave after 4-5 flicks when it was dark. Theater switching was pretty easy then :)

Just a couple of years ago they tore it down - what a shame. It had 2 huge cinerama-style dome theaters flanked with several smaller traditional style theaters. And of course, VOTT all around. The screen was the biggest one this little kid ever saw :bigeyes:

-Ken
 

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Geoff H said:
IMO, the people now employed in other places should try for a class action suite, or something, to take control of the logo.

Regards,
Geoff


Kinda what happened with Gibson guitars - although I don't think there was class action suite. There stuff was crap in the late 70's-80's until some of the employees decided to change it - which they did and did very well.

I'm proud to own a couple of finely crafted Gibson acoustic geetars (cir. late 90's) :)


-Ken
 
Hi Ken, "I spent many days of my youth at that theater"

Most of us had misspent youths, hanging around picture theatres was part of it, for the same reason I hung around basketball courts on Saturday afternoons. I played Saturday mornings, and observed the girls in the afternoon.

You were getting ready for your stint at Altec.
 
Recently I finished my second Altec 2way lodspeakers. I'm using 414z woofer in 120 lit. bassreflex tuned to 37Hz and 902-8 hf driver (with new GPA diaphargm) with 450Hz tractrix round horn. Xover is 12dB/oct., 1200hz, with hf compensation.
They are in my listening room in direct duel with Tannoy HPD385's in somewhat larger boxes.
After few days of listening : Tannoys are more mellow and go a bit deeper. They are wonderfull easy listening speakers.
Altecs are dry, but extremely clear, faster and go louder. Dinamite dynamics, great allround speakers. Both these systems can be listened for days without fatigue.
Which is better is, I guess, matter of personal preferences. I like them both :cloud9:

I also have larger 2way Altecs which are in the living room that has high RT60 and high WAF. My guess is that those loudspeakers would be better than both - small Altecs and Tannoys, in an acousticly correct room such as is my Tannoy/Altec dedicated listening room. :cool:
 

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Hi,

here is a theory and excel calculator http://ndaviden.club.fr/pavillon/lecleah.htm
I made a cardboard profiles according to lecleach calculator, bent and glued them together, and then reinforced cardboard horns with fiberglass and resine. Mounting plate was made of plywood and glued with resine and fiberglass. Compared to makeing round tractrix horns this was relatively easy job.
There are some nice pictures of lecleach horns here: http://www.musique-concrete.com/
 
Re: 515b in the floor

dlh1948 said:
Hi,

Not to change the subject, but I would like to have someone comment on the following idea; placing two 515b speakers(sans cabinets) in my living room floor into an empty basement. Sort of like a REALLY BIG enclosure.
Thanks

I will gladly fund a pair of 15" Dayton IB drivers in exchange for your 515Bs! Please don't do that to a set of 515B - :bawling:
 
Re: 515b in the floor

dlh1948 said:
.........placing two 515b speakers(sans cabinets) in my living room floor into an empty basement.

Hmm, I notice I haven't received a response to my 6.27.07 email to your PM, so lacking any room, etc., details and how you plan to implement it the answer is a resounding don't do it! For sure, don't mount them face up or down since their mass/compliance ratio (Vas) is so high they will be very non-linear in operation, enough to potentially easily damage the VCs, so a manifold is mandatory IMO, which has the side benefit of ~eliminating any rocking vibration and will average out any driver suspension non-linearities if mounted/wired in bi-pole push-pull.