Where are the Altec lovers?

[intotubes]

Originally posted by dgwojo:
Many are over on audiokarma - there's quite a few threads on Altecs, others are over on Lansing Heritage, but this is to me the most dedicated site for Altecs and GPA speakers.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Gotta agree with that.
That said, I'm happily listening to my 19's with a pair of Carmel's stored in the basement. Altecs are somewhat of a rare bird around here. But if I find any in my $ range you can bet I will have them. I almost defected to the dark side (JBL) but they turned out to be newer light weight junk so I left 'em.
I do spend a lot of time at 'karma, mostly dealing with tubes and such.

[timp]

I am here. I am an altec love. It's just that I am out of preamp at the moment. As a newbie here, I must say that this is the best altec sight. Many of you are altec encyclopedia.

On the other hand, I enjoy talking about other topics that are related to altec. For example. A guy asked about building an amp that would be a good matching for altec. I enjoyed that thread. As I am building a new preamp, I am dedicating a whole linestage that will be a good matching my 414/806as.

Tim

[valhallax]

most of the pro audio users i know are younger than me...early 40's, and the only assimilate altec with jbl, as in altec lansing. the truely believe that jbl is the cream of the crop. i know one sr guy who gigs for alot of local bands, he uses carvin. he bragged on night to me that carvin is great, every time i blow a woofer they just send me a new one! claims to have piles of blown drivers. i told him about a few drivers i have well over 45 yrs old, still playing like new..he didnt care. its sad that the new generation of sr and engineer folks havent a clue! ive been making a few converts, by showing them what real music should sound like, but for the most part they like small easy to carry boxes. garbage with maybe 85 db/watt eff. guees there's more vintage gear for me then. i do know a guy here with a whole garage full of big grey boxes, why he doesnt hook it up..or better yet..hook me up..ill never know

[Russnohio]

Originally posted by CONVERGENCE:
The japanese consumer praises them greatly.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I've always wondered why the Japanese are so enamored by Altec/JBL. I mean, I know WHY...for the same reason I am...but why the Japanese in particular, and is it a trend only begun in the last several years or so?

Or, maybe they've been fans since day one...and THATS why they developed such remarkable amps/receivers/tuners in the first place!

[LICORNE]

I don't know if it's a craze or a phase. The Japanese love for kareoke is another example and they had HI DEF analogue TV before any one else. Proves that marketing tastes differ from cultures.

The textile industry could be another example.
As we went from wool to polyester in the 60's and 70's Europeans remained all wool and cotton.

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

[LICORNE]

True; Altec speakers are the best HI FI speakers.
The japanese consumer praises them greatly.

As for Hi END JBL the US market is not overwhelmed
by them. The Asians have a lot more on the shelves.

The JBL blue monitors , The K series. True the price is in the 20K range .

The other day I was on main street in a audio shop.
A custommer ran in during the lunch hour and said
to the clerk :" Quick I need some of those small
cube speakers with a sub". I could not believe my ears.

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

[Old Guy]

Japan not only collects Altec.

Young Japanese didn't have a lot of money growing up. They built Nikon cameras, for instance, only to see them go overseas.

I did some work for Honda here in Ohio- had a long talk with some of the executives there. As teenagers they drooled over Altec, McIntosh and stuff like that- only a very rich Japanese man could own such a thing. Those teenagers are in their 50's and 60's now, many earning good bucks. they gobble up any good American hi-fi gear, and their own high quality stuff. Got a couple grand for a 1956 Nikon rangefinder. The almost 60 year old purchaser was like a teenager again, showing his prize off to the others.

[Ronald Lee]

I am an Altec lover, got a 2 414s, 806/811, & EV T350, and built my own cabinet.

In the early 1970s, I knew a guy whose uncle ran a company that exported Mac amps, JBL & Altec speakers etc to Japan. He made a very comfortable living at it. I was at my friend's house, and his uncle let him borrow some JBL factory speakers a D130 and 075, and a set of Mac 250 watt amps. don't know the model mumbers, but those tube powered Mac amps weighed >100lbs each.

[timp]

I am not a Japanese, but an Asian (S. Korea). There are some die hard Altec lovers in Asia. And it's true that they were extremely expensive 60s and 70s. So, let me assure you that they really treasure the Altecs. Hopefully, I will be able to post some pictures in the near future.

Anyways.

Here are some examples.

http://members.myactv.net/~je2a3/friends.htm

Tim

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ February 19, 2008 09:34 PM: Message edited by: timp ]</font>