New Altec speaker boxes Part 2

[bigjunglejim]

Place an order for 24 wire cups as shown in a previous posting. I told my brother I'd like to deal with the factory directly. With my brother's busy schedule, sometimes things take a lot longer than they should.

[bigjunglejim]

Got a questions for you folks.

1. What do you think about having the boxes made just like the building plans without the cutout for the original XO?


2. What do you think about not providing grills with the box but, have them as a seperate order item?


3. How about installing the bi-wire-cup without adding wires?


4. How about leaveing the dampening material out and let the buyer use what ever they want?

I need asnwers as I just got the factory contact info from my brother and I'm hot to place an order.

[Sounder]

1. What do you think about having the boxes made just like the building plans without the cutout for the original XO?
Good idea, since most modern XOs dwell inside the box. Anyone who wanted to add vintage could easily cut out the small hole. It's easier to cut a hole than to patch one.

2. What do you think about not providing grills with the box but, have them as a seperate order item?
Yes.


3. How about installing the bi-wire-cup without adding wires?
Yes.


4. How about leaving the dampening material out and let the buyer use what ever they want?
Yes, for me, at least. I have a LOT of densified polyester.

[selmerdave]

I think how the cabinet is damped is going to have a considerable effect on it's performance/sound, so if you're not going to include the insulation, I would at least include recommended installation of it. Otherwise you might have some people that put no insulation or not enough and think that the problem is your cabinet.

I think not including wire is fine as long as you're selling them as bare cabinets and not including drivers. If you were selling them as complete speakers with drivers, I don't think people would want to have to do a bunch of other stuff (add wire, insulation) after they've received them in order to use them.

Dave

[selmerdave]

and same regarding grills (include them with complete speakers, not with bare cabinets).

Dave

[bigjunglejim]

Thank you for your input.

I think offering a bare cabinet would be wise, just as shown in the Altec building plans. Then I can offer all different options. I think I'll even leave out the hole and bi-wire cup.

I think as part of the deal with the factory, I'll have them pack the speakers so I can open and re close the box. That way, I can offer options and keep the price as low as possible for "tweekers". Tweekers can do whatever they choose and not have to pay for things they don't need or want.

I have talked with Bill at GPA. He's interested in this project and said he may want to buy boxes from me to load with his new 604's.

More than anything, I'm trying to provide very high quality boxes at reasonable prices that allow for people's personal preferences. I'd also like to offer finished cabinets loaded and ready to go.... plug and play, just like Altec built them. I can cut any holes needed (not including the hole for the speaker, that will be provided) and install everything else to complete "finished" systems. BTW, Bill's XO is attached inside the box. It has no adjustment knobs like original Altec XO's and doesn't require a hole in the front of the cabinet.

[bigjunglejim]

Hi all....

I've been thinking about material selection for the 620's. It seems to me I've read somewhere that high density fiberboard (HDF) is a better choice for speaker boxes than medium density fiberboard (MDF). What are your thoughts? Anyone have a link to studies that have been done on the subject? If I remember correctly, there's a rating system for fiber board. Anyone have a link that will can be useful? HDF or MDF, whatever is used will be veneered with oak.

The bi-wire cups came in yesterday. They are very nice and will do a great job. I don't think there will be a flexing or rattling problem... these puppies are well designed. The way they are built, they have build in reinforcing with very little flat surface area anywhere. Also a nice feature, to remove the "straps" that tie the binding posts together, all you have to do is loosen the post from the outside (like when you are going to attach a bare wire to the binding post). The straps have side facing "U" shapes that allows the strap to be removed without disassembling the whole post. I'll attach a picture of the cup again so you don't have to search for the pictures I'd posted earlier.

Does anyone have a 620 they are willing to sell? I don't care how bad it is.

[GM]

Greets!

Unless you can find the same veneered MDF rated in lbs/ft^3 as used originally, they may sound tonally different, but with HDF they will definitely sound different due to its greater rigidity, as would using BB ply, so the better question is how close to original do you want them to sound?

Note that the difference may be subtle enough that it's only obvious in a direct comparison with an original.

GM

[LICORNE]

I don't think customers want to apply a veneer on top of that.

I prefer wild Cherry plywood 3/4 " .

.....................................

[bigjunglejim]

GM.... Bill at GPA has made some slight improvements to the 604, I should do the same with the 620 if I can.
I welcome your opinions.

I contacted the factory and it seems they are very busy filling orders for Carls Jr. I will try to have a meeting this coming week. It seems as though they're having some reservations making the boxes. Their last experience making speaker boxes was a bad one. They seemed a little interested that this could lead to much larger orders. Who knows, I'll do what I can.

As for cherry wood, it doesn't look like I'll be able to do custom orders regarding the veneer, unless I come up with another plan.

Anyone out there have an original Altec 620 they would be willing to sell or loan to me?