I Wonder What He Pulled These Out Of?

**bowtie427ss** · October 3rd, 2011, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by Altec Best

Unerstood but sticker on the driver looks like 806A to me gentleman!

I think i see the apex of a "4" there, and am willing to wager the cold beverage of your choice!

**Altec Best** · October 3rd, 2011, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by bowtie427ss

I think i see the apex of a "4" there, and am willing to wager the cold beverage of your choice!

I guess I should wear those reading glasses I bought

**bowtie427ss** · October 3rd, 2011, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by Altec Best

I guess I should wear those reading glasses I bought

I wouldn't be too critical of your vision, seller's pic is very fuzzy, and although i'd bet a beer on it, i couldn't really "testify" beyond a doubt from that pic. But, he does say 804 in his ad title.

**Altec Best** · October 4th, 2011, 03:49 AM

Originally Posted by bowtie427ss

I wouldn't be too critical of your vision, seller's pic is very fuzzy, and although i'd bet a beer on it, i couldn't really "testify" beyond a doubt from that pic. But, he does say 804 in his ad title.

It would be worth just being able to sit down and have a beer with You Tom.

**Steve Schell** · October 4th, 2011, 12:15 PM

The 804A driver was the result of the same severe cost cutting at Altec that reduced the 604D Duplex to the small magnet 605A. Altec later capitulated and reintroduced the large magnet Duplex as the 604E, and upgraded the 804A to the 806A by increasing the size of the magnet. This difference in magnet size is not represented by the literature of the time, but disassembly of the drivers tells the tale. We discussed this subject a couple of years ago in a thread on Lansing Heritage:

60's Altec info

**Altec Best** · October 4th, 2011, 12:23 PM

Thanks Steve for the link it does indeed look like Carmel's !!

GM · October 4th, 2011, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Schell

.........and upgraded the 804A to the 806A by increasing the size of the magnet.

Hmm, never took them apart to compare, but I do recall they performed the same on 511s to our collective ears at the time [mid '60s] with both being sub par to 802s, so never used/recommended either of them for serious sound reproduction. Don't recall any obvious weight difference either, so have to wonder if any parts changes were nothing but a smoke n' mirrors switch to maintain the 804's bottom line and why Dickinson lumped them together.

GM