Altec 421 woofer

**Ronald Lee** · August 11th, 2010, 11:43 PM

Is this low-freq driver a rigidized versio of the 515 or 416. I see that it won't reach down too as low as the 515 or 416, but 421 can play very loud.

**Audio_by_Goodwill** · August 11th, 2010, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by Ronald Lee

Is this low-freq driver a rigidized versio of the 515 or 416. I see that it won't reach down too as low as the 515 or 416, but 421 can play very loud.

It's a musical instrument speaker. I don't know what you mean by rigidized.

**Altec Best** · August 12th, 2010, 12:24 AM

If you are talking about a cast aluminium 16" frame as rigidized then yes.But a 416 or 515 not sure what you mean.

**Ronald Lee** · August 12th, 2010, 06:46 AM

Ruggedized = higher temp glues and for the voice coil, and stiffer cone to take the more violent excursion of musical instrument speakers. I was wondering is the speaker based on a 515 or 416 magnet structure/frame. I've heard that some musical instrument speakers are based on the company's hi-fi speakers.

**Old Guy** · August 12th, 2010, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Ronald Lee

Ruggedized = higher temp glues and for the voice coil, and stiffer cone to take the more violent excursion of musical instrument speakers. I was wondering is the speaker based on a 515 or 416 magnet structure/frame. I've heard that some musical instrument speakers are based on the company's hi-fi speakers.

All you have to do is either look up the specs or look at the speaker.

The 421 has a large back vented ceramic magnet.

Since the 515 and 416 are both Alnico, the answer is pretty easy. No.

The 418 can be converted to a 416 by reconing.

There is no MI speaker close to a 515.

The 420 Biflex can also become a 416.

**Panomaniac** · August 12th, 2010, 09:44 AM

Good info, thanks!

**Ronald Lee** · August 12th, 2010, 01:21 PM

Old Guy: Thanks for the info. I was just wondering if there was any equivalent to other woofers. Sometimes the frames and magnet structures are the same except that they use a different cone and voice coil that can withstand the more punishing musical instrument sound.

I had a friend who used his hi-fi speaker as a guitar speaker, and that was a "no go," the voice coil overheated and there was literally smoke & flames where his voice coil used to be.

**voice of the theater** · August 12th, 2010, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Ronald Lee

I had a friend who used his hi-fi speaker as a guitar speaker, and that was a "no go," the voice coil overheated and there was literally smoke & flames where his voice coil used to be.

Smoke AND Flames! I hope that happened on stage--would have made for one hell of a pyrotechnics display! Talk about a "smokin" guitar solo....

**Panomaniac** · August 12th, 2010, 03:45 PM

I've set car speakers on fire with too much power.
Would hate to do that with a pair of Altec drivers!

**Cal Weldon** · August 12th, 2010, 06:41 PM

The 421-8LF is a bass driver and it has been used in place of the 416 or 515 for professional use. I am thinking of the 828 cabinet. There is the A7 and there is 1236.