Altec 416-8b

[voice of the theater]

I ran across a pair of 416-8B's in the classifieds about two hours from my house (four hour round trip). I asked the guy to send me photos of them and he finally sent me one photo of each woofer. I realize this photo isn't the best but it's the only one of this woofer I could get from him (click on it to make it full size). I noticed that it looks different than the woofers in my Model 19's. It seems to have more adhesive (is that what it's called?) around the dust cap compared to mine. It also has a 2-3 inch or so horizontal line coming out from the dust cap at around three o'clock on the woofer. Also, does the black "goop" covering the surround look excessive or melted? Are any of these things signs of a sloppy recone or other problem? I guess my main question is HOW DOES THIS WOOFER LOOK TO THE EXPERTS OUT THERE? I realize of course, that even if it looks ok I'll still have to listen to it and check it for rubs etc. but I figured if it doesn't look good in the photo for whatever reason it would save me a four hour round trip. Thanks in advance for anyone who chimes in on this......

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

It looks like the screen that would normally cover the vent is missing. I'd guess somebody cut the dustcap removed the screen and re-glued it. The line? Maybe stray glue? A fixed accidental cut? You didn't mention the price....... if they're cheap enough it won't matter so much.

[GM]

'Adhesive', 'cement', 'glue' works for me.

Looks like a sloppy re-cone to me with the surround sealer added after the gasket was installed plus it doesn't match any I have or recall during the 8B's run, but it could be a later repair kit. Then again, this late 8B brochure shows what appears to be the same gasket complete with sealer slopped up on the side of the gasket, so...............

Can't tell what the line is unless it's just a 'boo-boo' from installing the DC.

GM

[Altec Best]

The glue around the dust cap looks excessive also as A.B.G. noted if they are cheap enough it doesn't matter because you could always have Bill Recone them properly.But if he is asking alot ???? Your Call

[voice of the theater]

I emailed him to tell him I'm not interested in the speakers (since it seems from all the comments that these were reconed--but not by GPA or by Altec and I don't want to take a chance on a sloppy recone job). He was asking $300 for the pair and I wasn't going to pay that and then have to pay to have them reconed properly as well. If he would have been asking half that I would have bought them and sent them to GPA for a full recone/remagnetization. He emailed me back saying they had sold anyways..... Thanks to everyone for the advice!