Quote Originally Posted by edharbur View Post
GPA does make them from scratch. $280 each for 416s and $300 each for 515s. I've read and read, and could find nothing negative written about them here or elsewhere, and so, went for it.

Time will tell!

Ed
Wow! It just never occurred to ask him when I called about the 604-8HIII. I had a pair of 604-8K some years ago but had to sell them because I got poor for awhile. I really love that point source sound. I know I'm not going to get it the direction I'm going but it will be big.

I think $300 for a speaker of that quality is astounding good. Like you I asked Bill what to do and he steered me toward the 808-8B conversion and said he could make my 418s into 416s. Good enough for me. The only thing I'm worried about is that there are some differences between the baskets that will make them not sound right together. The 808-8Bs will become 802-G with the new diaphragms I'm told. If he thinks he can make the woofers sound right that's good enough for me, if not I'll buy some new 416 I imagine.

I wonder if your 418 with the crushed dust cover matches up better with my newer frame? Hmmmmm. Maybe let's make a deal. I'm serious.

Maybe OG can help here. Both my 418s have what appears to be the same white basket as yours. One has the grey bell with the Altec badge and 418B identifier. Two small screws hold that bell on. The other one has a poorly painted, much heavier bell of a rounder shape with no identifier, and one hole in the middle bolting it to the magnet structure. Printed on that magnet is the identifier 422Z. Maybe at some point it was something else and was re-coned as a 418? I suppose wait for Bill H to give the verdict.

It's all exciting isn't it. Are you making A7s?