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Thread: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

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    Senior Hostboard Member Panomaniac's Avatar
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    Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    Hey if any of you are in or around Dallas in May, please stop in at LSAF and listen to this big OB rig in my room.
    19
    (image courtesy of Positive Feedback)

    It's a pair of good old Altec 605s with Eminence 18" helper subs. The 605 woofer/horn uses a passive crossover, the 18s are run by a plate amp. They were a big hit at LSAF '08. They belong to and were designed by forum member Manzanita. He will be at Lone Star this year with a new OB rig, so I'll have the 605 rig in my room.

    The cool thing about this rig is how smooth it is and how loud it will play while staying smooth and clean.

    I'll be running a number of different amps for fun, but mostly a very nice 300B SET from Grant Fidelity (they where nice enough to lend it to me) on the Altecs. 10 watts of SET on the mid/high of the Altec plus the grunt of the 18s with Class-D power should be a match made in heaven.

    This is all just for fun, not selling anything. Just trying to let folks at the show hear what a real speaker sounds like.

    Lone Star Audio Fest is May 14, 15, 16 at the Embassy sweets in Dallas, Texas.
    Lone Star Audio Fest
    Y'all come on by!!

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    Altec 605 coax on open baffle


    Altec Best's Avatar
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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    Quote Originally Posted by Panomaniac View Post
    Hey if any of you are in or around Dallas in May, please stop in at LSAF and listen to this big OB rig in my room.
    19
    (image courtesy of Positive Feedback)

    It's a pair of good old Altec 605s with Eminence 18" helper subs. The 605 woofer/horn uses a passive crossover, the 18s are run by a plate amp. They were a big hit at LSAF '08. They belong to and were designed by forum member Manzanita. He will be at Lone Star this year with a new OB rig, so I'll have the 605 rig in my room.

    The cool thing about this rig is how smooth it is and how loud it will play while staying smooth and clean.

    I'll be running a number of different amps for fun, but mostly a very nice 300B SET from Grant Fidelity (they where nice enough to lend it to me) on the Altecs. 10 watts of SET on the mid/high of the Altec plus the grunt of the 18s with Class-D power should be a match made in heaven.

    This is all just for fun, not selling anything. Just trying to let folks at the show hear what a real speaker sounds like.

    Lone Star Audio Fest is May 14, 15, 16 at the Embassy sweets in Dallas, Texas.
    Lone Star Audio Fest
    Y'all come on by!!

    Looks Very Sweet.

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    Senior Hostboard Member Panomaniac's Avatar
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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    Here is a photo of my room and the speakers this year.
    15
    Photo courtesy of Wayne Parham.

    Will post more about them tomorrow. They sounded really nice.

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    Inactive Member MartinG's Avatar
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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    I'll be interested to hear how that went. I really, really wanted to hear those but circumstances conspired against me this year.

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    Altec 605 coax on open baffle


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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    I would have very much liked to hear those. Oh Yah :2thumbsup:


    Hey Pano do you have anymore of those ALTEC LANSING(Voice of the Theatre) plaque/stand thingy's displayed proudly in my living room would like to have one of those too.

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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    Quote Originally Posted by Panomaniac View Post
    Photo courtesy of Wayne Parnam.
    Yes, an excellent system for smaller rooms. I wonder how the 604 and the higher XO point it would dictate would compare overall. Just for the record, it's 'Parham'.

    GM
    Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.

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    Senior Hostboard Member Panomaniac's Avatar
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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    Thanks GM. I found that I'd made the same mis-spelling several times. Fixed, now.

    AB. I gave that sign to John, but I can get more if you want. I had it made. It's etched glass with a piece of black matte board behind it. I think I paid about $28 for it.

    The speakers were well liked, I guess. No one will tell you to your face that your speakers suck, even if you ask them to! But comments were generally good. Lots of ooos and aaahhs over the hammertone green drivers. These are very close to perfect looking. A legend in the flesh.

    They may have been a little too laid back for most folks. The whiz-bang stuff tends to garner more attention at shows. That's the nature of shows. But these are speakers that you could live with for along time, not show biz spectacle. Not the tart at the local disco, but the girl next door who is so pretty she doesn't need makeup.

    Of course I did help the Altecs. My own DAC design with a transformer coupled output. And the Lovely Grant Fidelity A-543B amp (300B SET) sure helped to keep the flow smooth and open.

    Would I trade in my 803 horns and 288 drivers for them? No. But given limitations of space, budget and WAF, they would be a good choice.

    Oh, and the bass was deeper and stronger than my 828 cabs. Got to work on that......

  8. #8
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    Altec 605 coax on open baffle


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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    [QUOTE=Panomaniac;1824755]
    AB. I gave that sign to John, but I can get more if you want. QUOTE]

    Absolutely !! Just let me know where to send the CASH :2thumbsup:

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    Senior Hostboard Member DaveCan's Avatar
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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    Nice design Something like that could be a heck of a lot easier than trying to do a diy M19, if you're like me and not electronically gifted lol. My first thought as to a possible upgrade path??, would be to replace the Eminence driver and keep it all Altec -ish by trying the GPA 18',' or other Altec/ GPA driver etc...

    Would have been cool to have been there and checked it all out, good job!


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    Senior Hostboard Member Panomaniac's Avatar
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    Re: Altec 605 coax on open baffle

    Hi Dan, thanks.
    Well you certainly would have to replace the Emmy 18 - it's no longer made! Too bad, it's a verrrry good driver. The GPA 18" might be a nice choice.

    Building open baffle is nice for those of us who are "carpentry challenged." Way easier. Not to say this is just a plank with 2 holes, it's a beast. Almost 2" thick. And braced on the back.

    Nice thing about a rig like this is that it's easy to drive. I had about 4 big watts (into 16 ohms) of 300B triode power on the 605s and never ran out. The 18s were driven with a little 40WPC Virtue class-d amp. Never strained it.

    On many cuts I could turn off the 18s and you could not tell. But when they were needed, they were there and they were strong.

    So with a little skill and a lot of elbow grease, you too can have a pair of these. Top them with whatever you have, new or vintage, 604 or 605. Then you'll have music!

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