Has anyone tried the GPA 604?
https://greatplainsaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/604_8H_III.pdf
https://greatplainsaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/604_8H_III.pdf
Moved to multiway
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When you consider that most all GPA stuff nearly doubled in price a few years back it's hard to justify unless you have deep pockets and a loyalty etc. For the same money as a new pair of GPA 604's you have many other options.. They used to be around $900 a unit including crossover a few years back, now it's $1792 for one speaker, yikes!
Altec Lansing GPA 604 604-8H Series III NEW | eBay
Altec Lansing GPA 604 604-8H Series III NEW | eBay
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The GPA is on the same level as the old ones (except maybe the 604E wich is the holy grail for Altec fans), but it's very expensive like said.
I listen to one of the newer GPA's in a Altec 620 cabinet clone regulary. A friend has one and it's still one of the best speakers i've heared. But it's so expensive that many here (including myself) search other alternatives for their speakers. A pair of those 620 cabinets with the 604 speaker, even diy, will easely cost you 5K to build and probally more. It's also a huge speaker that works best in a not too small room with a very low waf factor i'm affraid...
I listen to one of the newer GPA's in a Altec 620 cabinet clone regulary. A friend has one and it's still one of the best speakers i've heared. But it's so expensive that many here (including myself) search other alternatives for their speakers. A pair of those 620 cabinets with the 604 speaker, even diy, will easely cost you 5K to build and probally more. It's also a huge speaker that works best in a not too small room with a very low waf factor i'm affraid...
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The big question regarding alternatives is sensitivity. The 604-8H is claimed 100dB. There aren't many other options if this is a requirement. My interest is for use with low power amplifiers, which have their own appeal and do best with high sensitivity speakers. At low sensitivity the world is your oyster (tweeter + woofer, full range + woofer etc.).
The latest 604-8H is actually a decade old from what I can see and is reported to be the best sounding version ever (I would hope it is if it's the one being sold today). There are few reports of it's sound quality compared with the many and varied reports of sound obtained from older models in different cabinets so that getting any consensus is hard and of course there are many prejudices out there based on DIFFERENT but older versions.
The latest 604-8H is actually a decade old from what I can see and is reported to be the best sounding version ever (I would hope it is if it's the one being sold today). There are few reports of it's sound quality compared with the many and varied reports of sound obtained from older models in different cabinets so that getting any consensus is hard and of course there are many prejudices out there based on DIFFERENT but older versions.
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Yes, the original 604-8H with the Mantaray horn and the last of the AlNiCo's is often cited as the best of the lot. That is why I did this. (they have been cleaned up since this pic).
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They look quite non-traditional for that driver there Cal - a nice clean and simple looking set-up that no doubt has better WAF than most.
I have to count on my house being 'open concept' to claim a large space. But I would only be looking at a single mono speaker. My current speaker is shown in the attached photo. It uses an Audio Nirvana 15" and I have few complaints about this driver. The box is double walled made from 2 x 4 sheets so it's capacity is clearly larger than than the usual recommended box for the 604. I often run the box open backed by the way. I was just thinking, hey, I could probably adapt that box for the 604 - would I gain anything ? such as better dynamics or smoother FR in the treble from that horn, or higher sensitivity for when I wheel out the glass bottle amps.
I have to count on my house being 'open concept' to claim a large space. But I would only be looking at a single mono speaker. My current speaker is shown in the attached photo. It uses an Audio Nirvana 15" and I have few complaints about this driver. The box is double walled made from 2 x 4 sheets so it's capacity is clearly larger than than the usual recommended box for the 604. I often run the box open backed by the way. I was just thinking, hey, I could probably adapt that box for the 604 - would I gain anything ? such as better dynamics or smoother FR in the treble from that horn, or higher sensitivity for when I wheel out the glass bottle amps.
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Then grossly under priced! For instance, in 1954 a 604C w/network was $164 = $1568.95 today, so factor in how technically superior overall the GPA is, it's still a bargain, just not the incredible deal it once was, though 'damned' at the time as too expensive.
Other products I checked over time were right on track with inflation, so now way overpriced in comparison.
GM
Specs calculate 96 dB/W/m..........that 100 dB spec is from the days of ~600 L Vas spec'd 515s like mine, so will need vintage AlNiCo 604s to get it.
Haven't had the pleasure, but technically is superior overall, though with cost no object, the 604B w/true multicell that allows for a proper 1 kHz XO for blending to a 15" is my choice.
Those of us 'in the know' campaigned hard for a return to the bigger, true multicell horn/1 kHz XO, but for whatever reason Bill chose something similar to the Altec/Urei.
It is AKAIK.
Yeah, though much of it boils down to AlNiCo Vs Ferrite and which XO sounds best.
GM
All the cabs I've designed for the various 604 models have all been bigger than GPA's ~9 ft^3 with the largest being nearly 28 ft^3 [MLTL w/Vb = Vas tuned to Fs being the norm] and to date, all have been 'blown away' to a greater or lesser extent, though all have agreed that allowing these to 'breathe' really adds to the experience.
That said, these were all very high Vas, low Fs spec 604s whereas the GPA's 11.65 ft^3 Vas, 33.7 Hz Fs will kind of limit this a bit, i.e. getting back to its original [near field] studio monitor/radio broadcasting roots.
What can I say? 'FR' has its charm as you well know, but two way allows for greater fine tuning, etc., so in some ways will definitely be capable of superior performance overall, though with such a high XO point for a 15", it's got to be spot on for your app/hearing preferences or this 'disconnection' will get on your 'last nerve' sooner or later and why I've no interest without a bigger horn/lower XO.
GM