908 0r 902?

[Sundown]

OK, but why do you think it has great market value over say the 902 ?

I think the market value is higher solely because of the alnico magnet. I also believe more recent 802 8G's high freq is on par w the 902; objectively. I hate to open up an old can of worms but I believe due to different magnets the 802 has clean mids and a soft top end while the 902 has slight muddy mids and sparkle top end.

[bowtie427ss]

OK, but why do you think it has great market value over say the 902 ?

Simple, the Model 19. Not only is the 19 one of Altec's best, it is clearly one of the best loudspeakers ever made. Nearly 30 years after it's production ceased it still stands strong and proud in the modern audio world. The introduction of the model 19 was also the introduction of the 802-8G and the Tangerine phase plug to the consumer audio world. The advertising was heavy and extensive, and IMO the value of the 802G is a direct result of it's success.

Check this thread at AK, the model 19 is mentioned specifically more than any other loudspeaker. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/sho...d.php?t=442520

The 19, and it's components still have a strong demand in the marketplace 30 years later. Talk about a success story. Often folks request the cabinet plans so they can DIY their own. New facsimile/repro cabinets selling on ebay. A milestone on the audio timeline, and an icon in the audio world. Model 19, along with it's value, and the value of it's components is here to stay.

I think the market value is higher solely because of the alnico magnet.

I don't know about "solely", but it is certainly an important piece of the pie.

[Altec Best]

I think the market value is higher solely because of the alnico magnet. I also believe more recent 802 8G's high freq is on par w the 902; objectively. I hate to open up an old can of worms but I believe due to different magnets the 802 has clean mids and a soft top end while the 902 has slight muddy mids and sparkle top end.

I can relate to this !

[Altec Best]

Simple, the Model 19. Not only is the 19 one of Altec's best, it is clearly one of the best loudspeakers ever made. Nearly 30 years after it's production ceased it still stands strong and proud in the modern audio world. The introduction of the model 19 was also the introduction of the 802-8G and the Tangerine phase plug to the consumer audio world. The advertising was heavy and extensive, and IMO the value of the 802G is a direct result of it's success.

Check this thread at AK, the model 19 is mentioned specifically more than any other loudspeaker. Your Speaker Bucket List - AudioKarma.org Home Audio Stereo Discussion Forums

The 19, and it's components still have a strong demand in the marketplace 30 years later. Talk about a success story. Often folks request the cabinet plans so they can DIY their own. New facsimile/repro cabinets selling on ebay. A milestone on the audio timeline, and an icon in the audio world. Model 19, along with it's value, and the value of it's components is here to stay.

I personally find it a little odd that no mention of it's sonic qualities is made of the 802-8G but only of the model 19.

[bowtie427ss]

I personally find it a little odd that no mention of it's sonic qualities is made of the 802-8G but only of the model 19.

Isn't the long standing success and desirability of the model 19, and the high praise it receives for it's excellent sound, in so many words a testament of the 802-8G's excellent sonic qualities?

I mean, it(802G) is the heart of model 19's top half after all, and i am of the strong opinion that a 19 is NOT a 19 without it's 802-8G anymore than it would be without it's 416-8B.

[Altec Best]

Isn't the long standing success and desirability of the model 19, and the high praise it receives for it's excellent sound, in so many words a testament of the 802-8G's excellent sonic qualities?

I mean, it(802G) is the heart of model 19's top half after all, and i am of the strong opinion that a 19 is NOT a 19 without it's 802-8G anymore than it would be without it's 416-8B.

Absolutely !

[Sundown]

802 8G freq graph

[voice of the theater]

It cannot be over emphasized that we're talking about very small differences here..

I also want to emphasize that i do not dislike the 802G or think it is a bad or flawed driver. In the simplest terms it is my opinion that the earlier style 802's with annular steel phase plugs(damped cover, no loading cap) are capable of the smoothest 500hz XO transition(for some listeners the midrange performance at XO is what makes or breaks a loudspeaker)......

What about with a 1200 hz crossover? Do you still prefer the older 802's in that instance or in your opinion does the 802-8G have just as smooth of a crossover transition at 1200 hz with the added advantage of better upper frequency response/tangerine phase plug?

[voice of the theater]

BTW- I personally like the 802G's better with my lite Frams !! But the 902-8A originals sound fabulous too.They are so close it could be a toss up.But in my experiments (blind) i picked the 802G's.. To each his own !

I had a feeling that you'd tried 902's in your Model 19's. I figured with all of your drivers you must have a pair of 902's to "play with". I'm afraid that I'm so used to the sound of my Model 19's that if I do try my 902's in them, it will be hard for me to be objective. There's a strong possibility that any change in their sound will be perceived as "something out of place" to me since I've been listening to the 19's in their stock Alnico configuration for so long and they are pretty much my gold standard at this point. Kind of like what Bowtie said here:

More isn't always better. In this case it may be that the HF extension of the 902 caused an imbalance in the system to your ear that is more accustomed to the signature of the 802G. I've seen people have this experience in other situations.

I'll probably try it anyways after I decide what I'm going to do (if anything) about the loading caps/rear covers on the 902's......

[voice of the theater]

I'll take one apart this evening....watch me be wrong! ha!
Oh, and what does the date code look like?

Ron

Great! Might help to determine when they stopped making the light diaphragms especially if your 902's are from 1979 for example and came with "lites" and mine are 1981 and came with 34647's could narrow it down quite a bit. BTW, pictures would be nice too if convenient. To answer your question, the date code is the six digit sequence on the diaphragm and somewhere on your 902 (location may vary). Vintage Altec date codes start with 391 but it's the three digits after the 391 that give you the date. For example, the date code on my diaphragms (see photo) is 391108. The fourth digit (1) is the last digit of the ear of manufacture (in this case 1981) and the fifth and sixth digits are the week of that year. So 391108 is the 8th week of 1981. My 902's (see photo) have a date code of 391112 which would be the 12th week of 1981. So, it looks like these are the original diaphragms for these 902's although I'm not sure why there's magic marker writing on them. Has anyone ever seen writing like this on Altec diaphragms or was this most likely done by the previous owner?