Altec Lansing GPA 416 416-8B Alnico NEW

[Barossi]

Hi,

i could not find data for this woofer listed @ ebay:

Altec Lansing GPA 416 416-8B Alnico NEW - eBay (item 230489858222 end time Aug-18-10 15:17:57 PDT)

could you please help me :-)

KR Barossi

[Altec Best]

Todd is working on it they should be available soon.In the meantime this info is the same.GPA is producing the classic series all Alnico drivers.Original specs on the drivers will be the same on the new ones.

Cheers !!!

http://www.altecpro.com/pdfs/vintage...%20Speaker.pdf

[Earl K]

Todd is working on it they should be available soon.

In the meantime this info is the same.

GPA is producing the classic series all Alnico drivers.

Original specs on the drivers will be the same on the new ones.

Those statements don't agree with a "tentative" conclusion which I formed based on GPAs' final resolution to Panos' predicament ( having 2 "bad" 416s with "low" alnico magnets and wondering what to do about it ) .

Yes, GPA did fully restore the gauss levels in Panos magnets after much effort / / but those "fixed" woofers still have quite different TS parameters when compared to the originals .

Panos ( 416s ) still measure out with lowered efficiency ratings ( mid-90s vs 97 db ) as well as having quite low BL levels ( which explain the lowered sensitivety ) .

The best explanation for this ( when we know that the gauss levels match the original 416s ) is that GPA has changed the recone kit parameters compared to the original 416-8B ( ie; using a coil with fewer windings within the gap ) .

Until GPA publishes meaningful stats that indicate their 416-8B reissues match the originals specs dead-on , I'd be really wary of assuming they are identical .

<> cheers EarlK

ps; The anecdotal evidence ( at this point in time ) indicates that GPA has also dramatically altered the TS parameters for their 411 recone kits ( ask RonSSS or even JimD about this ) .

[Panomaniac]

The cones also seem heavier than the vintage models.
I do like the lower Fs, for sure.

[Altec Best]

Those statements don't agree with a "tentative" conclusion which I formed based on GPAs' final resolution to Panos' predicament ( having 2 "bad" 416s with "low" alnico magnets and wondering what to do about it ) .

Yes, GPA did fully restore the gauss levels in Panos magnets after much effort / / but those "fixed" woofers still have quite different TS parameters when compared to the originals .

Panos ( 416s ) still measure out with lowered efficiency ratings ( mid-90s vs 97 db ) as well as having quite low BL levels ( which explain the lowered sensitivety ) .

The best explanation for this ( when we know that the gauss levels match the original 416s ) is that GPA has changed the recone kit parameters compared to the original 416-8B ( ie; using a coil with fewer windings within the gap ) .

Until GPA publishes meaningful stats that indicate their 416-8B reissues match the originals specs dead-on , I'd be really wary of assuming they are identical .

<> cheers EarlK

ps; The anecdotal evidence ( at this point in time ) indicates that GPA has also dramatically altered the TS parameters for their 411 recone kits ( ask RonSSS or even JimD about this ) .

When we are talking about Pano's drivers we were talking about drivers that have been out in the field 40+ years. GPA's will be Brand New I don't think Bill would start advertising classic series drivers if they weren't damn near the same as the originals.I'm sure he knows that some people can't wait to get their testing equipment on it.And would be bad for business if they weren't as advertised.I don't know but sure beats having JBL equipment you can't get parts for anymore.

It just seems to me that all the brow beating of GPA is alittle overkill.Nobody's perfect everyone makes mistakes.I mean there is just 3 guys that work there it is not a huge company.To me the important thing is what you do after you make a mistake.If you go out of your way to correct that mistake that is what I think is important.GPA rectified their mistake with Pano's drivers, they re-conned and recharged free of charge.As it turned out there was something wrong with the Alnico slug.GPA sent out for testing to find out why it wouldn't take a charge and Bill installed a new Slug(No Charge).No pun intended. Let's face it Altec Lansing is a thing of the past we have to make do with what we got.And Like it.

[bowtie427ss]

Let's face it Altec Lansing is a thing of the past we have to make do with what we got.And Like it.

At the end of the day, this is probably the reality, and it saddens me.

I do fully appreciate, as well as agree with EK's position. Many folks who engage in the pursuit of building their own speaker system based on Altec components are striving to get that last degree of precision and excellence that doesn't come from a production line. Accuracy of specification is paramount, and at this level should come 2nd to nothing.

I'm getting "itchy" for another project and am tempted to try the AE Lambda woofers.

Don't get me wrong, i still love 3 out of 4 pair of my original Altec monitors, and someday hope to get at least one pair of 604-8G loaded with the correct parts and working properly.

FWIW, and this is pure speculation on my part, but it may be that it's too costly to make and stock as many different cones as would be necessary to have exact replacements on hand for every model. Is it possible/likely that a "one size fits many" practice has been adopted?

[bfish]

...FWIW, and this is pure speculation on my part, but it may be that it's too costly to make and stock as many different cones as would be necessary to have exact replacements on hand for every model. Is it possible/likely that a "one size fits many" practice has been adopted?

That's exactly my take. Do I like it? Nope. Do I understand the reasoning behind it? Yep.

The same can be said for HF diaphragms. Dozens of historical variations were lumped into a couple of "what's the best option/compromise now" versions. Again, this is what Altec did, and GPA merely continued. That has perhaps worked out a little better than the same policy with LF drivers, though I can imagine the controversy if there were TS data floating about for all the HF diaphragm variants.

[bfish]

...Many folks who engage in the pursuit of building their own speaker system based on Altec components are striving to get that last degree of precision and excellence that doesn't come from a production line. Accuracy of specification is paramount, and at this level should come 2nd to nothing...

Also agreed. With the readily available means of measuring those specs, there's no reason a competent DIYer can't build a high performance system with what he has on hand, even if it's a 416C kit in a 416A frame.

The problem arises when the DIY wannabe who is either too lazy/incapable of/can't afford to accurately measure his (unknown specification) components asks for design help. It has to be extremely frustrating for one of the commendably-helpful gurus (like Earl and GM) to offer the correct advice given all the potentially unknown variables, and therein I believe, lies the crux of the controversy.

[bfish]

AB;

Earl can correct me if wrong, but I think his point in referencing your comment

...Original specs on the drivers will be the same on the new ones...

is that you're making an assumption that does have some reason to be questioned until adequate proof has been offered.

However, his explanation...

...The best explanation for this ( when we know that the gauss levels match the original 416s ) is that GPA has changed the recone kit parameters compared to the original 416-8B ( ie; using a coil with fewer windings within the gap ) ...

...is also an assumption unless he's actually counted the turns on the VCs in question.

While we're all throwing assumptions about, here's mine;

For the 20-some years Altec produced the 416-8C, there was only one kit available for (8 ohm) 416s, and I assume it was the same thing they used in 416-8C production. I further assume that GPA picked up where Altec left off, as it would be the easiest and safest course of action. Perhaps these kits, when put in older Alnico 416s yield different perfomance. If so, that's something Altec did long ago.