Paul S wrote:

Romy, what exactly was bad, and how? Honestly, my knowlwedge and objectives were in infancy back then.  Also, it's been so long that my "memory" is probably crowded with parasitic ideas passing themselves off as memories.  But I remember the 808 driver was quite maddening.  My buddy and I wound up making tar-filled "511" horns and crossing them over at 800 Hz (still using basically stock Altec crossovers).  This crossover was obviously too high for the 515/bins, but it worked out considerably better for the tar 511 horn than using the smaller tin can horn at 800 Hz or using Altec's 500 Hz  X/O with the larger horn.  That "metal" 811 is a ratty-assed horn, one of the worst, ever.  It's probably not usable in any way. I don't remember the 802, but if to do it again today, I would try to "make the most of" the 808's aggressive, spitty quality.  This driver responded all over the place to various adjustments, and I cannot say that I was really systematic, with evolved objectives, during the short course of my experiments.  I would definitely re-work the crossover.  And the horn is shite.  It's hard not to think of adding channels.

In our experiments, the more power we threw at the A7s, the better they worked.  I heard some of the original "theater" version Altecs playing with their original "dedicated" Altec amps, and these sounded considerably better; but I never got ahold of any of those to play with.  Sure, the heavy drivers in those bins ate power, obviously, but it seemed weird that the 808s' anyway, started choking up without a lot of power/headroom, too.  I could not say how much the stock x/os had to do with this.  I think I mentioned before that "doping" one's 515s was considered a rite of passage back then.  We all did it, and of course it made the cones even heavier.  The Leak "Point 1" amps I started with (about 20 wpc, pp, I think...) were no match for my A7s, that's for sure.  The better early Japanese Sony SS worked better, at least in terms of dynamics and balance.  Mine was 100 wpc, built like lab equipment.

Maybe the A19s are a job for the renovated B2?

Best regards,
Paul S

el`Ol wrote:

A Fostex wood horn instead of the ugly metal monstrum plus a Fostex supertweeter on top would give a nice look. And you could let a 2" Radian run against a 2" Eighteensound Aluminium driver. I would be very interested in the outcome of this competition.

OK, I have the Altec 19 delivered in my second un-useful living room. I plan to do nothing with them now and will play with them sometime on winter or if somebody will come with pre-payment. Altec 19 has one (ONLY ONE) sonic positive quality (besides look) that I will try to capitalize upon, of course making the speakers to sound very different then what it does but with desire to keep that the only one sonic positive quality unaffected.

Meanwhile it gives me a pleasure to see the audio bottom-eaters from Altec-subordinated forum to get pissed that I touched Altec 19, the speaker that the Midwest white trash esteem as the best invention after compass, gun powder, Gutenberg pres and projectile vomiting…

http://www.hostboard.com/forums/altec-users-board/192825-redesigned-19s-50k.html

I remember 8 years back I was “banned” from that forum when I was trying to teach those idiots about the true sound of the Altec 19. Instead of the learning the Morons begin to ridicule me and to propose that I am deaf and ignorant. Then I banned that primitive community from my participation and the herded Altec’s dirt had nothing else to do then to demonstrate to each other who licks Altec horns with mode diligences… 


A Moron From Ohio Wrote:

“Fact is.....the 19 IS a fantastic loudspeaker system. I know it. You guys know it. He is in the very small minority that thinks otherwise......or does he really? See, I have a theory. I think that maybe the "cat" deep down inside is much impressed by the 19's sonic attributes and capabilities.....yet won't dare admit it. It is fashionable among "audio-intellectuals"......to dis that which is extremely popular and for good reason....and I stress: FOR GOOD REASON.”

No way....can someone like the "cat" admit that such a grand system could at one time be purchased by the masses.....of-the-shelf.....so to speak and they need not be engineers to own such equipment. In his little world, in order for a system to be good....or great even....it must be esoteric. (in other words.....weird).

I mean...."The Cat"...thinks he could even begin to second guess a multitude of Altec engineers? Not to mention the high praise given the system through various audio publications throughout the years?”

brad wrote:

please educate us....thanks

Brad You are correct the model 19 does have the 802-g, but all of the 802 series drivers 802-b,c,d all outperform the 802-g. I have had everyone of them and have done real world tests with them with every type of horn and the plastic phase plug is far from best it is even almost 2db down from 500hz to 20k this means less magnet and or less gause of the magnet or a wider gap. When you A,b them they sound very good but when you have the other early 1's it is like nite and day, it is hard to say what is wrong with them, but if you had a snare drum and was hitting it with your drum sticks, it's like you have a piece of paper on the skin of the snare, the peaks are soft like a 806A driver.  Preaching Horn Religion  MSAUDIO