Clarification on 803, 804, 805 & 806

[bowtie427ss]

Does or doesn't that little squabble mean that there was a labelled 806-8B, or that there never was?

Apologies for making it appear to be a squabble, not my intent, hopefully AB KNOWS this.

I know of 3 sources for data on 806-8B.

The 1975 Altec home products catalog.

Speculative threads and posts on this forum.

Clueless ebay sellers.

I've been an Altec enthusiast since the mid 1970's.

I have NEVER seen an 806-8B, an 806-8B foilcal, an 806-8B data sheet, an 806-8B reference in a tech letter/note, nor have i seen any official reference to it's use in any factory system.

I have seen 23746(non-tangerine) OEM'd in late 846U Valencia, i owned one in a pair i bought from the original owner. The other 846U had a labeled 806-8A.

FWIW, i totally agree with AB that there is everything similar about this family of drivers, and that likely the differences come down to the numbering, and decals beyond the difference between the actual body structure.

For clarity, the 23746 driver is built in a one piece cast steel(a la 802G) structure whereas ALL other 806 drivers are built from steel pipe and plate welded together. It would stand to reason that after the introduction of this driver body style, any "806" type driver would have been built in this body, while perhaps never getting decals. Consider that the rough outer surface of the new type body was not suitable for the old style foilcals that stuck well to the smooth pipe bodies. AFAIK, 802G only ever got one type of foilcal, the one that fits inside the back of the new style rear cover, and i don't think there's any argument that 802G's came with both new and old style rear covers.

[Altec Best]

Apologies for making it appear to be a squabble, not my intent, hopefully AB KNOWS this.

I know of 3 sources for data on 806-8B.

The 1975 Altec home products catalog.

Speculative threads and posts on this forum.

Clueless ebay sellers.

I've been an Altec enthusiast since the mid 1970's.

I have NEVER seen an 806-8B, an 806-8B foilcal, an 806-8B data sheet, an 806-8B reference in a tech letter/note, nor have i seen any official reference to it's use in any factory system.

I have seen 23746(non-tangerine) OEM'd in late 846U Valencia, i owned one in a pair i bought from the original owner. The other 846U had a labeled 806-8A.

FWIW, i totally agree with AB that there is everything similar about this family of drivers, and that likely the differences come down to the numbering, and decals beyond the difference between the actual body structure.

For clarity, the 23746 driver is built in a one piece cast steel(a la 802G) structure whereas ALL other 806 drivers are built from steel pipe and plate welded together. It would stand to reason that after the introduction of this driver body style, any "806" type driver would have been built in this body, while perhaps never getting decals. Consider that the rough outer surface of the new type body was not suitable for the old style foilcals that stuck well to the smooth pipe bodies. AFAIK, 802G only ever got one type of foilcal, the one that fits inside the back of the new style rear cover, and i don't think there's any argument that 802G's came with both new and old style rear covers.

Of course Not ! I want folk's to tell me if I'm wrong if they don't then we will never get the facts/info right... Want to correct you on one thing though.The 23746 was also done with pipe steel like the 806.The 23746 drivers I had were pipe steel..Sorry for the one blurry pic.

[GM]

You guys are way ahead of me, I've never seen/heard of a 23746 driver. I thought such a numbering system was strictly for diaphragms.

GM

[Altec Best]

Look close enough to see that the lower pics are of a 288/291, you don't need to see the label. Look at the size of the damn thing and the FOUR screws holding the rear cover on.

That is a very misleading series of pics.

The more i study that link in AB's post #38, the more i think it's an out and out money grabbing scam. I think those pics are all taken from elsewhere on the net. With love, from Russia!

DOH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we're all losing our minds!

those first 2 pics in the link AB posted(post #38) should have looked familiar to him

they're stolen from this ebay auction that AB linked to earlier in this thread. Altec 806 8B Drivers RARE Version | eBay

amazing things happen in my mind once the coffee kicks in!

Your right Bowtie ! It was 5 Am I had just woke up my coffee was brewing so I was still half asleep... Those pics are from that recent auction on eBay..

However every time I think one thing about Altec along comes something to disapprove it..So at this point I still believe there are some just in very small numbers.Like OG said probably when the alnico skyrocketed they went to the ferrite models... I'm going to ask Bill..If he says he has seen them then I will believe (No Doubt) that they were made.

- - - Updated - - -

Should I delete that link ? I don't want it to be misleading for future purposes.For anyone looking for info on an 806-8B..

[bowtie427ss]

So at this point I still believe there are some just in very small numbers.

It may be that production never ramped up enough to justify the production of the labels.

Looking at this objectively, did not the 033952 appear before we ever saw an 802-8G decal? Hard to apply the only known 802-8G style foilcal to an old style driver cover, and we've never seen that done.

It may also have been discovered to be more cost effective to just drop the smaller 806 type motor altogether, savings in overhead and inventory, and probably a small reduction in the cost of outsourced parts too as those vendors would enjoy a similar reduction in overhead if they only have to cast one size driver body and scinter one size magnet slug. Circa late '77 to early '79 you only had 802G/808B to chose from for small format drivers.

If the Cobalt crunch were the only factor, it would seem there would have been more "push" for the 806 as it took less to produce it's slug. That's just my own take on it tho.

- - - Updated - - -

Should I delete that link ? I don't want it to be misleading for future purposes.For anyone looking for info on an 806-8B..

IMO, no.

It's a scam/fraud sale, just listed the 18th. The seller should be "outted", and this reference available to potential buyers willing to do their homework. Again, just my .02.

Maybe we should post screen shots of each as the fraud ad is likely to disappear in the future.

[Altec Best]

It's a scam/fraud sale, just listed the 18th. The seller should be "outted", and this reference available to potential buyers willing to do their homework. Again, just my .02.

Maybe we should post screen shots of each as the fraud ad is likely to disappear in the future.

Here you go FAKE LISTING FROM RUSSIA !

[Old Guy]

It may be that production never ramped up enough to justify the production of the labels.


If the Cobalt crunch were the only factor, it would seem there would have been more "push" for the 806 as it took less to produce it's slug. That's just my own take on it tho.

Either that or somebody found a big box of old labels in the back room so more were not ordered.

As for the other point, the small slug driver's low sales were NOT from lack of Altec trying. People didn't buy them.

[Altec Best]

OK will leave it.. But I just got off the phone with Bill and he is 100% positive that the 806-8B is real he has worked on them..He is not sure about the 802-8E however.Told me to call him back later this afternoon and will have an answer on the 802-8E..

[Alien_Shore]

OK will leave it.. But I just got off the phone with Bill and he is 100% positive that the 806-8B is real he has worked on them.

This is not surprising to me. My rationale is that the 806-8B was specified in catalogs during both 75 and 76. I realize that marketing is marketing, but given that this model number shows up for a least an entire year lends credibility to its existence

[bowtie427ss]

This is not surprising to me. My rationale is that the 806-8B was specified in catalogs during both 75 and 76. I realize that marketing is marketing, but given that this model number shows up for a least an entire year lends credibility to its existence

Respectfully, no argument intended here:

Catalog also specifies "A7 frequency response of 35 to 22,000hz guaranteed" I'd urge one to use that as a credibility barometer for the catalogs. I promise you, that pig don't fly.

Seeing is believing.

Since we're talking about a 1 inch compression driver form the 70's, this isn't some exotic new development in audio, and i am not willing to give it any exemption from the same scrutiny that "rare" components have to pass for provenance.

There were some sloppy, careless, and unsavory things going on within the corporation during this time as well.

I'd like the believers in 806-8B to tell me what they think the difference is between an 806-8A and an 806-8B.

Further, do you believe that 23746 is an 806-8B?

Remember, 23746 is alive and well in both tangerine, and annular steel phase plug versions with nothing in the part number to denote the difference .

FWIW, i suspect that any corporate documentation that would be of help is probably long gone.

I come close to wanting to concede/agree that 23746 and 806-8B are the same driver, they are obviously, closely related. Then i have to consider the progression of the 802 driver and the 33952.

Tangerine equipped, cast pot variants of both the 802 and 808 clearly have their own specific model numbers and suffixes that differentiate them from the annular steel phase plug versions, and pipe/plate construction models. It is perplexing(to me) that a company with the level of expertise of 70's Altec would produce such model numbering inconsistency. Indeed, maybe a small part of why they're now largely history.