Altec Sickness

[ClassicComics]

Okay.... apparently I have some kind of disease.... Altecitus or something.... in case you haven't read my other threads on here... I have a pair of VOTT A7's that I have had for about 10+ years and I have a stack of Altec amps. I was looking for a 3rd A7 for a center channel to match my other ones. After months of searching, I finally found a cabinet I liked and bought it, although it had an Electro Voice Triaxial speaker in it, not altec. I figured I'd buy the parts off ebay and build it that way. Anyway, I still had my post on Craigslist that I was seeking A7's (which is how the 1st guy found me with the one I bought), and then about a week later another guy contacted me who had four A7's!! They were his Dad's speakers from when he was in a band that played hotel lounges. So I went and looked at them today and just had to buy a pair of them.... I took the horns from the one and the cabs and woofers from the other set. See pictures below (he also had this cool Altec mixer amp, in the picture, that he wanted $50 for, but I couldn't think of anything I could use it for:




If I had a bigger vehicle I would have probably taken all 4.... this has to be some kind of sickness... Of course you forget how big they are until you have 5 of them in your garage.... I think I may have to sell 1 of them anyway....

I have a couple of questions about my new purchase if anyone can help... see my next few posts below for pics and questions...

Thanks for all the info and shared obsession from everyone on here.

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ September 13, 2008 03:29 AM: Message edited by: ClassicComics ]</font>

[ClassicComics]

So I have this addiction, but I know just enough to be dangerous... which means I don't really know anything.... so my 1st question has to do with the HF drivers. I got the 511 horns and they supposedly have 808-8a drivers on them. One has the sticker on it and the other has a different cover on it and no sticker... I opened them up and took some pics... if you can tell me what I have for sure and what diaphrams etc... that would be appreciated....

1st one:

label side (notice one of the screws that holds the cover on is missing - it's actually broken off inside the hole... depending how important this screw is, I guess I can drill it out if I need to):


Back side (gasket side - notice this one has two bolts/screws that are screwed from the horn side into back of driver):



Opened up (wasn't sure if I needed to open it up more for ID or not... let me know):



Driver #2:

"label side" (this one is missing a cover screw too, but it's not broken, just missing):



Back side (gasket side - notice this has two build in bolts that are attached to driver and then nuts are screwed on from horn side):



Opened up:



<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ September 13, 2008 03:44 AM: Message edited by: ClassicComics ]</font>

[speakerdave]

Are those cell phone photos? Can you see that they are blurred?

[ClassicComics]

Woofer questions:

1st, both woofers appear to be in great shape, no cracks, no obvious repairs, no tape, good movement etc...

They are supposed to both be 421a's. If you look from the front, one has a "silver" dome in the middle and the other doesn't (see pictures below) - what is this, a re-cone?





Then strangely enough, the one without the silver in the middle has the label across the back of the speaker that says it's a 421a, but the one that has the silver dome does not, (see pic below) is there anyway to verify this is a 421a? It certainly looks like the other one:

[ClassicComics]

Last couple of questions, promise - for now anyway

The dividing network on both is n809-8a, but one has the flush fit look (which is how my original 2 look) and the other has a weird rectangle cut out and board patch dealy, any idea why? Pictures belowe:





Finally they both have small round holes in the backs of the cabinets in the middle part of the picture below - I assume wire ran through these at some point, or they were mounting points for flying these, not sure? But my question is should I plug these holes, will that effect the sound?



Thanks in Advance!!!

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ September 13, 2008 04:01 AM: Message edited by: ClassicComics ]</font>

[ClassicComics]

Speaker Dave: sorry I didn't see your post as I was still putting up questions... no they are camera pictures, but it's 4am here and I am beat, so I may have not held still enough. I thought they looked good enough for ID, but since I don't really know what I am looking for I could obviously be wrong... If they can't be ID'd from these pics, I will retake tomorrow and re-post.... I need to crash right now....

THANKS !!

Actually here is another one I took earlier, but didn't figure it was much better because of the flash.... it does say 808-8a on the label though....



<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ September 13, 2008 03:59 AM: Message edited by: ClassicComics ]</font>

[boltupright]

Those are very cool old A7 PA speakers! very efficient & loud, the diaphragms in each horn driver are symbiotic so they should match up good.
The mid bass thump from those 421's are impressive with 100watts or more for headroom.
Garnet used to make "BTO" 120 watt tube power slaves to run old A7's like the ones you have, & boy they sounded quite impressive indeed.
The New PA stuff need at least 500-1000watts+ to compare.
The tube power complimented the horns a bit better than SS & dampening the horns helped them to stop ringing.

[oface1]

You lucky sicko...

I saw thos ein the ATL C-list, and emailed the guy for pics.

I was planning on picking up a set.

Oh well, glad to see them land in a member's hands.

On your theater set-up I think you should still consider hanging them from chains....

Good luck and your determined searching paid off....

-chris

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ September 13, 2008 07:53 PM: Message edited by: oface1 ]</font>

[bfish]

Doctor, Doctor, give them the news,
They've got a bad case of the Altec blues.

The no-label "421" started life as a 423-8Z, which was a very near 421 OEM equal made for the MI version A7s like those. They will sound a little different with the different dust domes though.

IMO, you may have several candidate drivers for GPA restoration. Road-weary MI setups are likely to be just that... road weary. Listen first, and let your budget decide.

The "mixer" is either a 1212 or 1214 mixer/100W amp w/reverb. Well worth $50 if functional and you had the need.

The large XO cutout was for a built-in biamp like a 771 or 1224, pretty common for those setups, as you could add a powered cab to your existing rig easily that way.

[ClassicComics]

Oface1: I only bought the one pair - I couldn't fit both pairs in my friends mini-van

He said someone was driving down from South Carolina to buy the other pair on Saturday -was that you? Or someone else? He was a super nice guy.

I think he e-mailed me about them in response to my Craigslist ad before or right as he was putting his ad up, and I answered him in like two seconds, so I guess I got 1st crack at them. And your right if you are patient and put the time in they will come....

I have an extra single now with a really nice Electro Voice Triaxle speaker in it if anyone is interested.....

Also if anyone has an extra second to go through my post above I had some other questions I was hoping someone could answer....

THANKS!!