I think the seller is incorrect. The WE 755a was first, then that speaker. Both predate Altec labeled 755A I THINK. Please take all this with a grain of salt as have not thought much about this since 40 years ago.
The early 755A is silver color is it not? Grey is later?
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
Likely A. That is the cabinet number. or B. That is the assembly (cab and speaker).Originally Posted by Altec Best
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
I thought that the WE KS-14703 was first and then the name change to 755A and then when Altec came a long they just continued the 755A.. I don't know enough about these drivers (WE KS-14703) though.. So will defer. You could be right that the cab & speaker maybe the KS-12046
I did call another retiree who worked for an Altec contractor, same one as I did early on. He agrees with me, there were silver 755A, around 1946. Gray ones are newer. He says KS-12046 is the cabinet number. That is essentially a gray 755A renumbered. They were made by Altec and branded WE. Within a year or two after came the Altec branded 755A, 1954-55 or so, he was not sure of the year. But the eBay ones are LATE WE labeled units made by Altec. They are NOT early WE 755A. They are early 1950's units (51-52) made by Altec. I would assume identical to Altec 755A, but neither he or I know this for sure.
I looked all over the pics for an EIA code. WE is 336. No luck. I'm assuming the numbers stamped on the gasket are serials.
EDIT- searching for WE lit ran across this... grain of salt warning- do not know the source personally. The poster seems to have English as a second language.
"WE755A was introduced by Western Electric in 1947. It is an 8 inches full range speaker with frequency range from 70 – 13,000 Hz with maximum capacity of 8 watt at 4 ohm in voice coil impendence. It only has very narrow angle distribution at 70 degrees (I believe this is reason of concentration on tone) and Western Electric suggests user to apply 2 cu ft closed speaker enclosure for this driver.
The Western Electric 755A is designed for PA and monitor purpose. The early version is in zinc plating at silver colour and the later period with gray navy painting. During late 40 – early 50’s, they were usually equipped on train, train station, business building, record studio and radio station as broadcasting monitor. During late 40’s, the major competitors of full range speaker on PA market included Altec 400A and Jensen P8P.
Honestly speaking, WE755A has much better construction than both models included special curve design of paper cone, large size U shaped Alnico magnet and much bigger voice coil construction…! Since the Western Electric sound equipment department was forced to close down by US Goverment in 1949, the production was passed on to Altec in 1950. The early period Western Electric KS-14073 was actually produced by Altec from 1950 – 1953, this version has silver colour painting also with same specs as 755A.
In 1954, Altec first introduced the Altec 755A to the market, the early version with glossy gray navy colour, but late period with brown navy colour. I believe the early period from 1954 – late 50’s should be in 8 Ohm and late period until early 60’s is 4 Ohm.
In very early 60’s, the Altec introduced Western Electric 755B with blue colour painting at 8 Ohm, but this model did not last long than it replaced by the Altec 755C “pancake” speaker in slightly later period of early 60’s with metallic green colour at 8 Ohm. If you look at the front, there is almost no different than 755A version, but if you look at the back than you can see this model no longer using Alnico magnet but replaced by flat ceramic magnet (Indox V) just look like a pancake.
Even Altec claimed 755C has better extension of both end from 40 – 15,000 HZ, but the guess dropped to 9,000 guess if compared to 755A above 10,000 guess. You can easily tell that the mid-range of 755C is not concentrated and transparent as 755A, the tone balance step down to be much thicker and lower bass than 755A but not as clear and open up as 755A…! Believe the angle distribution changed from 90 instead of 70 degree also affect the concentration as well…!
I would say that Altec 755C cannot be claimed as a full range speaker but it is a very good mid/mid-low range speaker in my limited understanding. The final version is Altec 755E introduced in 1968, it is very similar as 755C but the painting changed to white and gray, but also have different construction of wire connector. The sound characteristic of this model is very much the same as 755C, but the bass sound slightly solid and slightly upward than 755C and it still does not have clear and balancing tone as 755A"
Also found this-
http://www.preservationsound.com/?p=2396
And a REAL early 755A...with inspection form to prove it, 1947. Note, as said. early is silver, gray is later.
http://www.hifitown.com/index.php?di...oduct_id=29923
Last edited by Old Guy; November 30th, 2012 at 08:35 PM.
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
While it does nothing to help with specific dating, you can always tell the difference between the WE built and Altec built 755A's by the number of welds on the magnet pot, WE's have 6, Altec built units have 3.
Not all vegetables make good leaders.
Pardon my kicking myself. Thanks Bowtie. I should have remembered. That confirms BTW the eBay units are later, not early, and made by Altec.
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
I am in awe of the depth and breadth of your knowledge sir.
- Mike
You give me too much credit, but thank you. For me it's(Altec) passion driven, and having a photographic memory doesn't hurt.
I owe a great deal of my knowledge to this board, and at least a couple handfuls of folks just like those who make up this little community, some fairly local, some half a world away, and sadly some who are no longer with us.
Not all vegetables make good leaders.
US$10,099 and they could have been yours.....
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