Altec Lansing 416-8B Voice of theTheater 15" Speaker | eBay
Another oddball, perhaps a marriage, or perhaps a sneak out of the factory...
Date code appears to be 391146, so 71 or 81, but that is on the 15" basket.
Original cone though....
Possibly a very early B magnet?
I love the oddball Altec stuff that comes along now and then.,..
B's on early baskets are actually common, have owned a few. What is odd is the mag assembly...most I have seen have the old mag...
It's possible some old baskets were discovered and used, Altec's money problems were getting bad. The date code is odd though...for that mag assembly...
Same seller has a similar with new frame. Both have Altec cones, which argues against a repair job.
You could always buy this one and swap mags...:snickerpup:
Vintage Altec 416-8A 15 Inch Speaker 416-8-A Woofer | eBay
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the B was introduced with that stepped magnet type, and that you can have 416-8As with 15 or 16" baskets and the rounded style magnet cover, but only B's have that stepped style magnet.
A quick Google doesn't turn up any pics...I seem to remember the old style B's I owned having the rounded mag. Of course a while back...maybe 20 years.
But pics of B's with old frames have been posted here before...
The cone kits interchange, so no reason the B would absolutely have to have the new mag...
I'm curious, but a cursory search doesn't turn up any pics of old frame B models...they are on eBay periodically...
I don't remember that mag being around in 71...but I'm learning never say never with this stuff...
For instance, it's generally assumed new frames are 70's....but bfish posted a link to a 68 spec sheet showing a 12 with new frame...
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
I'm going all in on the "marriage". The foilcal is not properly indexed with the spokes of the frame. Now i realize the foilcal could have been peeled and replaced improperly, but it doesn't seem to show any evidence of that.
I have always understood that the new "improved" mag assembly IS what makes a B a B, and i've never seen any supporting information to prove otherwise.
But, i ain't no expert, i just like to argue.
Not all vegetables make good leaders.
Bowtie, it's possible you are right, though I understood there was a slight difference in voice coils...the B slightly heavier.
Originally there were different recone kits...I remember having to order A or B kits, which would not make sense if they were the same..they became the same kit later.
Honestly never looked that close when I dissected them for repair, wish I had now...
Bill Eckle seems to support you, though he thinks all were built on 16" frames, which I know there are exceptions to.
"All units built on 16" frame. Has improved Alnico magnet structure. Best of all 803-416 woofers . Brought back in late 1980s for a short period. Black in color."
We won't ever know. Fun to speculate, anyway.
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
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