I just threw a grand at it. I couldn't tolerate seeing $102 any more.
We'll see........before the J.A. Pan Co. got rich enough to drive prices up you couldn't hardly give this stuff away, especially large utility/prosound cabs/horns and why so few have survived. It's not like they were always rare. Most tube gear also, especially prosound/cinema stuff. What wasn't recycled/sold overseas wound up with HAM radio folks.Originally Posted by Altec Best
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
What do we need to make them to original spec except for recharging magnet and , probably , changing old caps from the network?
Maybe wiring. If the woofers rub or have other problems, then you're screwed. The alum. diaphragms should be quite work hardened by now, so will probably have more limited BW than OEM or modern replacements, so as a collectible, you must keep them, but for everyday playback, store them and use GPA's.
Mostly my comment referred to the front end electronics, pre-amp, etc., which of course could mean anything from using as is if already competently rebuilt or need all new caps, resistors, tubes, etc.; basically everything but the chassis parts and iron.
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
The H808/802Bs are the real value prize here I think.
From my SS, sales, in US$, of H808 with/without driver. Legend is Unit/Pair or Single/Condition/US$ Price/Ignore/Date
H808 P Exc Tar 1535 1840 2009-08
H808 P Good 1455 1550 2010-09
H808 S Exc 1025 1050 2010-12
H808 S Exc 1250 1300 2010-12
H808 S Exc 1175 1190 2011-02
H808 P Good 2025 2025 2011-05
H808 P Good 2410 2410 2011-05
H808 P Exc 2500 2500 2011-07
H808 P Exc Metal 2665 2665 2011-07
H808 P Good 2550 2550 2011-10
H808 P Exc 1225 1225 2012-01
H808 P Exc Metal 2380 2380 2012-05
H808 S Exc 2000 2000 2012-07
H808 P Exc 925 925 2012-07
H808 P Good 1800 1800 2012-10
H808/802B S Fair Tar 1" Throat 1415 1580 2010-05
H808/802B P Exc 4625 5250 2010-05
H808/802B S Exc Tar 1" Throat 1350 1500 2010-07
H808/802B P Exc 3300 3725 2010-07
H808/802B P Exc Tar 1" Throat 3650 4060 2010-07
H808/802B P Exc 3795 3980 2010-10
H808/802B S Good 1495 1495 2012-01
H808/802B S Exc 1130 1130 2012-06
H808/802B S Good 1250 1250 2012-08
H808/802B S Exc 1525 1525 2013-02
H808/802B/803A/825 S Exc 4995 4995 2012-07
H808/802C P Exc 1875 2050 2010-07
H808/802C S Exc 1110 1110 2011-04
Well I think the collect ability and value shot up the moment Altec went out of business.Now that you can no longer purchase these units/speakers new,that will certainly always drive up prices.Plus for their price IMHO Altec is the best, for durability,value, and sound for their price point.Altec has always been my Favorite speaker company ! And I don't see that changing anytime soon,and I grew up after the Baby Boomers...
I'm still trying to figure what extremity I want to give up for those 800's...
Actually Altec is very cheap if we compare them to old Tannoy.Plus for their price IMHO Altec is the best for durability,value and sound for their price point.Altec has always been my Favorite speaker company !
And I think the reason for Altec's comparable low price to old Tannoy is its availability today .
There's a pair of 805B tar-filled going off by me. $1400.I'm still trying to figure what extremity I want to give up for those 800's...
It began long before, shortly after it became obvious that LING was gutting them, so local theaters and especially other countries began 'stockpiling', me included. Altec's closing just when the 'net was 'taking off' kicked it up a notch and the 'easy money' of the dot.com and other 'get rich quick' folks sent it into maximum overdrive.
You're in the minority. Go to DIYaudio or similar and post a poll for the < 30 yr olds as to whether or not they would pay primo $$ for 'old tech' prosound components, speakers that take up a lot of living room real estate, or even current tech for that matter.
A part of me hopes I'm wrong as their over inflated prices once kept me from losing my house, but I'd rather be able to buy it either 'dirt' cheap or free for the asking like I did in the late '60s thru the early '80s as so-called 'recovery' [recycling/landfill] fees kept increasing.
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
Probably.. That's OK with me.. I don't go to the DIY forum too much cause most of the projects there 80/90% are Bookshelf speakers that don't interest me much.And for the 30 year olds,it's probably cause many of them may not have heard a properly set up Altec system.Can they build a great sounding speaker system with todays drivers ? Absolutely ! They are just not for me. If my speakers aren't up to the ceiling they are too small.
FWIW- I already have all the Altec drivers I need,so for me to use todays drivers it would be an added expense.But i don't have H808's that i would love to own..
I'm just an Altec guy through and through.They just sound right to my ears.To each his own, I like to say !
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