New Altec speaker boxes Part 2

[bigjunglejim]

I'm going to have a furniture factory build some Altec boxes that I plan to offer for sale. Should I stay with clones or make improvements such as materials, bracing, joints, ports (tuned for the speakers now offered by GPA).
The boxes I plan on having built are the 620 and Model 19 and perhaps the 825. If you have the money and are interested in buying either new 620's or Model 19's, I'd like to hear from you. I'm also interested in others views and recommendations as to what improvements should be made (if any). You can contact me directly at jamminjunglejim@gmailcom
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[gamalot]

You already have my opinions privately but lets put it out for debate.
Original 19 cabinets have no interior seam supports and no bracing at all. The base was made of junk particle board that disintegrates from moisture contact. The separator between top and bottom boxes should be made more solid and sealed and the grill attachment method needs updating.

I think Baltic Birch or MDF will be a much better material then a standard particle board but the Birch will crank the prices sky high.
Bases should be real wood and not vinyl covered particle board.
How much interior volume will be lost by adding bracing and what the results will be is unknown by me but certainly a necessity IMHO.

Gary

[bigjunglejim]

Gary.
I for one agree with you but, I want input from others. Are the people out the willing to pay the price for NEW? I'm sure there will be some but, enough to warrant the task of having them made?
JJJ

[MikeInNH]

I don't know how many of these boxes you expect to sell. Altec only sold about 900 Model 19's TOTAL.

Good idea if you get the volume you want.

[selmerdave]

Jim,

Roughly speaking, are we guessing less than, greater than, or about a grand for a pair of cabinets?

Personally I'd be interested in a MLTL design, as per Stephaen's story on 6moons.com. Shouldn't be any more complicated manufacture than a 620 I don't think. Price is unfortunately a factor for me.

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/altec/dream.html

Dave

[gamalot]

I don't believe for one minute that Altec only ever sold 900 19s or 450 pairs.
When I bought 2 pairs and two friends bought 2 more pairs in 1976, Middletown, NY the truck that delivered them was wall to wall with nothing but 19s headed for NYC. 18 wheeler no less!

Gary

[bfish]

Sounds like a decent idea, but I suspect you'll see the same issue that sellers of original factory cabs face, no one wants to pay freight. Best wishes if you follow through with the plan.

[bigjunglejim]

My thoughts are to start with 620 cabs. If they sell OK, I'll have more built. Next, Model 19's.

I need your feedback. Do I make boxes exactly as Altec did or should I make improvements? Should I re-tune for the new GPA speakers or stay with OEM designs?

There are a number of changes that can be made to the OEM Model 19 to make them better boxes. For example: I never liked the way the grills are held on. The grills themselves are made poorly. The bases are junk and are easily destroyed. The top and bottom with the spacer should be sealed. The boxes can use some internal bracing (the volume can be made up by cutting larger holes where the tops and bottoms vent into each other to keep the volume the same. BTW, I was thinking about using "L" or "U" iron cross bracing so there would be little volume changed). Instead of simple 45 degree cuts to join the panels, I'm thinking of using an interlocking bevel joint. We can also use none wood veneers that look and feel like real wood but, would be tough as nails and practically indestructible. We have many options to consider.

Remember, I'm going to use a professional shop. This isn?t a new start up business. It?s a leader among the hospitality furnishing manufacturers. Their new factory is equipped with the most modern, cutting edge equipment available. They manufacture using metal, wood, fiberglass, plastics etc. They start with a building that?s an empty box and fill it from floor to ceiling with products they make. They make wood, plastic, fiberglass and metal furniture. They make dividers, booths, cabinets, counters, murals etc. Take a look at following link http://www.hospitality-designers.com/ They made almost EVERYTHING in the pictures. The only things in the pictures they didn?t build (excluding people *LOL) were the two copper water falls and the bar top at Mojito?s. Those were contracted out for specific reasons. They could have made the bar top but, there was a specific reason why it was brought in from Mexico (I don?t know the details of the story but, there is one). The skylight in Mojito?s isn?t a skylight, it?s an illuminated painting (in person, it looks as real as it does in the picture). They will custom build one of a kind or thousands. When I have finalized plans to submit, they will determine the most efficient use of materials and will be able to give me prices and break points. My brother isn?t an interior decorator, he is a designer. He designs it, they make it. You want seating that looks like you?re sitting on Santa?s lap? My brother will design it (and make it work), along with a total environment to support the theme. Then the factory will build it.

At first, my thoughts were to make exact clones of old Altec boxes. My thinking now is leaning more towards making improvements that would make these new boxes better than OEM. The way I see it, if Altec didn?t have troubles and eventually go out of business, they would have made improvements as new materials and techniques became available. You are the people who love Altec. Now is your chance to put in your two cents and perhaps have new boxes built the way you think they should have been built. As GPA takes the best and puts it together to make products better than originals, I?m beginning to think this should be done with speaker boxes too.

There's a lot of brain power reading this forum, PLEASE, give me your feed back.

[bigjunglejim]

Freight has always been a problem. Anyone not wanting to pay shipping can always pick them up themselves in the Los Angeles area.

[Sounder]

If you're going to make some new boxes then, by all means, make IMPROVED versions based on the earlier recommendations in this thread. Work with GPA so that your boxes are in tune with their 604's, for example.

In my own situation, I just completed construction of two Iconic V-sized boxes (9+ cu ft) housing two new GPA 604's. However, I am also interested in acquiring EITHER two more 604's housed in a 620 enclosure or an updated Model 19 setup containing modern drivers. I know that shipping for the Iconic boxes and drivers is about $350, so I would consider paying $3K for a complete 604/620 system.

I am a diehard Altec enthusiast and the size of the boxes is not a problem with me. Many of my friends (who have seen my speakers) comment that they are MUCH too large to fit in their homes. They like the sound, however, in this case size definitely does matter.

I hope you get a good response. Keep us informed, Jim.