A1, A1-X

[RacerXtreme]

What is a pair of A1 or A1-X speakers worth ? With the quad manifold set-up on top and eight 288's ?

(Assuming all original woofers and comp. drivers in good working condition, .....and including the optional wings.)

Approximately.

[GM]

Well, using this inflation calculator and the theater pricing here gets you a baseline for a NOS system today and add however much its rarity is worth to you, then double the total for a pair.

GM

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ December 13, 2008 02:33 PM: Message edited by: GM ]</font>

[RacerXtreme]

Hey GM,

Ah..... an A1-X system cost $1970 in 1947 (including 70 for setup). By using an inflationi calculator at that site it says that's about $18,100 in 2007 dollars. (doesn't go up to the year 2008)

That's for one side ? So a pair would be double that ?? Or over 36 grand accounting for inflation in today's dollars. Does that seem right ?

If you had to pick a number, ........What's your gut feeling as to what a pair of A1-X's would bring in today's market ?

[bfish]

There are way too many variables to consider for an accurate prediction, lacking any recent comparables.

Using that same inflation calculator, milk would be $7.85/gallon last January, minimum wage would be $3.92, and a postage stamp $.29.

From a mass production standpoint, worth or value could be expressed as what the masses wil pay. Conversely, for a one-of-a-kind antique, it's what just one incedibly wealthy eccentric would pay. In a year that has seen more than 200% fluctuation in many markets, well, you get my drift...

If there was even a hint of a market for new A1X pairs at $36K each, you can bet your teeth that Bill would be cranking them out night and day.

[RacerXtreme]

I agree bfish,

there are too many variables and I don't think searching "completed items" on Ebay will be any help either.

But, seeing as this is "THE" place to be when you're talking about Altec gear..... I was hoping to get some rough guesses from you guys.

What do you think ?

[bfish]

I think there's still enough Richie Richs in the world that if a couple went toe to toe over an exceptional piece, we'd be left with our mouths hanging open in disbelief...

The key word being exceptional...

That said, if you're looking for support to purchase some rare multi-multi-cells to combine with your 210s as a money-making investment scheme, I won't be pushing you to jump...

[GM]

Originally posted by RacerXtreme:


calculator....(doesn't go up to the year 2008)

Or over 36 grand accounting for inflation in today's dollars. Does that seem right ?

If you had to pick a number, ........What's your gut feeling as to what a pair of A1-X's would bring in today's market ?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Greets!

Goes up to Oct. 2008 for me, so from Oct. 1945 it's 1096.54%: $1970 = $21,601.84*2 = ~$43,204.

As to whether it seems right, the ~$15 k Klipsch 'flagship' KPT-MCM-4-T Grand is about the closest that comes to mind WRT basic performance, so factor in that the A1X has four more woofers, an extra HF driver, more labor intensive mids/HF horn and bass cab construction and weighs considerably more to boot, making total installed cost higher, it seems reasonable to me. It would also price itself out of the market from the get-go.

I have no idea beyond its ~$43,204 inflated price, though obviously if I wanted a pair bad enough and none were available and cost was no object it might cost $200 k or more to tool up to make every component from scratch, then add a few thousand for misc. bits, materials and labor to build them, so I guess this total would be the upper limit for a museum quality pair.

GM

[RacerXtreme]

Hey bfish,

"if you're looking for support to purchase some rare multi-multi-cells to combine with your 210s as a money-making investment scheme, I won't be pushing you to jump..."

nah, that wasn't my intent at all. I was just wondering what something like that would be worth if it was all together as a complete package. Especially w/ that quad manifold setup on top. Of course, the sheer size of everything becomes an issue when it comes time for shipping. You know as well as I do that you can find 210 cabinets fairly cheap. Maybe 1 or 2 hundred bucks apiece - depending on condition (empty). It's the components that bring the $$. I don't have room for more 210's, but if I did, I'd love to have another pair.

My wife would give me static tho....

[bfish]

Originally posted by RacerXtreme:
...My wife would give me static tho....

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hah! Exactly why I figured you might be looking for some argumentative support. Being in the middle of my divorce was bad enough, I sure don't wanna get mixed up in someone else's...

Jus' jerkin' your chain, man, it's been pretty dull around here lately.