418B value

[airboss]

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?

[Old Guy]

Printed on that magnet is the identifier 422Z.

The 422Z technically is a different speaker, it was used in OEM applications, ie inside cabinets.

It was not available for sale.
So really you don't have two 418's.

The differences you mention may be more to production years, or to the 422Z being cheapened up.


I have never used 422z's. The only way to get them was take apart cabinets.

I bought new ones from Altec an built boxes, so would never have the 422.

I have seen them in passing but never bothered to look.

A call to GPA would tell you if they sound much different.

I would probably want a set of matching frames if I was going to invest in recones.

[Old Guy]

. I believe it was Reece Anderson who told me the Black Widow was an Eminence.
Dan

Peavey builds some of their speakers.

They use eminence stamped frames in many apps.


In the late 70's, I was working with Kustom.

Kustom had a sweetheart deal with EV. I have never been privy to the full story. I think there were mutual investors

Anyway, EV was building a driver for Kustom called the MF-1012. Essentially what was later marketed as the Altec 906-8a, but the Kustom had an aluminum fram, and was actually better sounding.

Hartley Peavey ordered 500 of the MF1012 from EV...and waited and waited...he got the word thru a friend he was being "slow shipped".

He confronted EV, who admitted it. He then went into producing his own speakers.


Peavey can be in house, Eminence, or Brazilian, they have large investments in Selenium speakers.

[airboss]

The 422Z technically is a different speaker, it was used in OEM applications, ie inside cabinets.

It was not available for sale.
So really you don't have two 418's.

The differences you mention may be more to production years, or to the 422Z being cheapened up.


I have never used 422z's. The only way to get them was take apart cabinets.

I bought new ones from Altec an built boxes, so would never have the 422.

I have seen them in passing but never bothered to look.

A call to GPA would tell you if they sound much different.

I would probably want a set of matching frames if I was going to invest in recones.

I think you are right. I don't want to have to do this over, and even if I can't hear a difference I'll think I can hear one.

[edharbur]

Airboss-

I'm certainly open to tryng to make some sort of deal, but I have a verbal deal struck (no cash!) for the 418s. Turns out a pair of 418Bs is worth $150. I'll keep you posted.

There is nothing printed on my magnet but there is a hand written "NW" (?) The back of the magnet was covered with a thin grey foam, which pretty much turned to dust when I removed the cover.

As for building my own, I can't afford me! I figure that it would take 30-40 hours to build a pair, and I just can't afford to essentially go a week without any billable hours. I ended up with a scruffy but solid pair built of 3/4 ply, with the 418's, 501Bs, 808s and 809s for 450.00. I'll have my finisher do a repaint, stiffen the boxes, reinforce the flairs, close down the ports a bit, slide in my new 515s, and rock on.

Ed


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

[Old Guy]

Airboss-

I
As for building my own, I can't afford me! I figure that it would take 30-40 hours to build a pair, and I just can't afford to essentially go a week without any billable hours.

Boy can I relate to that as a business owner...or ex anyway...:2thumbsup:

In the absence of a good wood shop, I always got to a REAL lumber company (not Home Depot) and have everything cut...just knocking them together isn't too bad.

[airboss]

In the absence of a good wood shop

I'll start driving nails tomorrow on my little 140^2 shop but I do so many zany things sometimes I have to laugh at myself to keep from crying.

I was looking all around for a decent Unisaw or model 66 Powermatic when I spys this ad for a Mod 72, pea green born in 1968 powermatic table saw for a grand. Right? Too good to pass up. The table is 38" by 48" without the extension for the router table and I got to lay out this shop with that thing in there. It weighs 1200 pounds minimum and I got it on a mobile base but I can barely push it around. I changed ALL the bearings, repainted it put a modern Biesemeyer style fence on it and now I would trade the darn thing for an older 10" cabinet saw in a heartbeat. Zany.

Well, Ed keep me posted I guess. I'm not going to re-cone the 422 frame. I'm leaning towards the new ones now.