Did Altec inspire Radio Shack???

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · November 3rd, 2009, 02:25 AM

The Altec automotive stuff was all Sparkomatic, I believe.

**Altec Best** · November 3rd, 2009, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Audio_by_Goodwill

The Altec automotive stuff was all Sparkomatic, I believe.

No it was NOT I have already talked to Bill at GPA and he remembers them making these at the factory when he first started working there.1980-82

**Old Guy** · November 3rd, 2009, 01:21 PM

I don't believe the car stuff to be Barkomatic but then, my opinion on that subject isn't worth a lot....

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · November 3rd, 2009, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Altec Best

No it was NOT I have already talked to Bill at GPA and he remembers them making these at the factory when he first started working there.1980-82

Well the date alone would indicate Altec, and not Sparkomatic........ the magic date for Sparkomatic was 83, right?

I didn't know the Voice of the Highway stuff was that early. Did it go to Sparkomatic when they got the home audio business, or did the automotive stuff just not stay in production very long?

Does the automotive stuff have the 391 EIA code?

**bfish** · November 3rd, 2009, 08:24 PM

Cliff Henrickson (of MantaRay and Tangerine fame) coined the Voice of the Highway name in 1980. The Model AL1 auto stereo system won Design and Engineering Excellence Award from EIA.

**Altec Best** · November 4th, 2009, 03:32 AM

The Al-1 system was hard to find at the time nice subwoofer system with 2 mids & 2 tweets.The early stuff I thought was better it was in production for about 4-5 years then they changed the drivers and cones to carbon fiber and were called ALS something or other and they were in production till 89-90 i think.The date on the brochure is 1982 I had bought 2 pair of the 4A's only able to find 1 pair of the 4B's and I have a pair of SK2's here are the scans.They were some of the best sounding speakers you would want to hear the clarity of even their automotive stuff was awesome the 4B's were capable of 114 db but very clean dbs.

**Panomaniac** · November 4th, 2009, 10:54 AM

The RS ad is a hoot! They suggest listening to the soundtracks from Tommy and 2001. =)
I know i sure did, but not on those speakers. It was Lafayette stuff for me.

Somewhere here I have a 1963 Lafayette catalog. Great stuff in there. Sort of the Parts Express of time. I once took the catalog to a little Lafayette Radio store Florida. The old guy there was impressed, but actually has a copy there in the store. Then he pulled out the "prize." A 1938 (IIRC) Lafayette catalog! That was cool. Even had a kit TV in it - late 30s.. I think you could pick up stuff only in New York, off the Empire State building. Sure wish I had a copy of that.

**Altec Best** · November 4th, 2009, 11:52 AM

Speaking of New York that's where I eventually found them.Back in the day if you wanted to find hard to find gear that's where you went NYC.

**Old Guy** · November 4th, 2009, 12:20 PM

Originally Posted by Panomaniac

The RS ad is a hoot! They suggest listening to the soundtracks from Tommy and 2001. =)
I know i sure did, but not on those speakers. It was Lafayette stuff for me.

Somewhere here I have a 1963 Lafayette catalog. Great stuff in there.

Phantom Productions, Inc.'s vintage tape recorder radio catalogs and ads

http://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/laf...amed_1936.html