Altec 604D which Cabinet

**HeathKitPat** · March 19th, 2015, 08:03 PM

Hi all, I have a question for my learned colleagues.. Currently I'm using a nice matched pair of Altec 604C speakers in matching 606 Corner Cabinets (great combination).. taking advantage of my Mc C20's center channel capability I found a very nice EV Royal (this is just like a 15" version of the Aristocrat and I've been trying to find a second one, good luck). It's currently housing a TRX15 EV speaker.. It just doesn't sound right in the middle of the Altecs.. I just don't think the timing is right and it doesn't project the sound stage the same way as the 604. I find that the system sounds better with the center channel off. Not being one to give up I found a beautiful early model 604D. This is the first generation that uses the same cone as the 604. It even has two sets of numbers stamped on the cone. The newer 604D number and behind one of the ribs you can see a nice clean stamping of the 604C cone number. So this speaker should be almost identical in sound to the 604C...

NOW here is the question. I recently picked up an EV Regency Cabinet as well as the Royal. They are both massive 15" cabinets. The royal is the folded horn design (Klipsch) and the Regency Looks like it has bass ports and is a folded horn design also.. I'm not really familiar with these cabinets.

Does anyone have an idea which cabinet might be better suited for the 604D? I have seen many of the Regency and Empires for sale with 604's in them so I have to assume it was common back in the day to do this. I just wonder which cabinet would be best for the Altec. I'm going to keep the better one and put the TRX15 in the other and sell it off.

Thanks for any and all input..

Pat

**Altec Best** · March 20th, 2015, 01:49 AM

IMO I think the Regency will be a better fit for the 604D... I would go with the one with ports...

**HeathKitPat** · March 20th, 2015, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Altec Best

IMO I think the Regency will be a better fit for the 604D... I would go with the one with ports...

I was leaning that way.. but there might be a hitch.. Looking at a spec sheet (too lazy last night to go to my shop with a tape measure) The Altec is just a little bit shy of 12 inches.. .. Using a square, it looks like there isn't enough depth in the Regency cabinet to handle the overall length of the 604 series.. Don't think I want to go cutting a hole on the inside of the cabinet to accommodate the HF driver of the 604.. btw the inside back wall of the cabinet is part of the baffle for the side ports. So this probably could be done. Once I get the cabinet and the speaker together I'll do a dry fit.. So it might be the Royal Cabinet after all that gets used. With it's folded horn design it should still produce plenty of bass even as a center channel.. it does now with the TRX15.. It sounds good, it just doesn't sound good WITH the two altecs.

**Altec Best** · March 24th, 2015, 02:16 AM

Well hope it works out for you..If you can post some pics...

**HeathKitPat** · March 31st, 2015, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by Altec Best

Well hope it works out for you..If you can post some pics...

Probably going to give the regency a try.. will post some pics.

**cradeldorf** · April 2nd, 2015, 03:36 AM

Did you try reversing the polarity of the center speaker to see if it sounds better with the 604's?

**HeathKitPat** · April 7th, 2015, 09:49 PM

Yes, I did check polarity of all speakers.. phasing is correct.

- - - Updated - - -

I ended up mounting the 604D (btw this is the early 604D with a 604C paper cone with rolled edge, I checked the numbers. There are actually two sets of Altec numbers. New numbers that are probably for the 604D and there is a number stamp with the original Altec 604C cone number. Essentially this is a 604C) in the Electro Voice Royal cabinet. For those of you not familiar with this uncommon cabinet it is a 15" speaker version of the Klipschhorn designed Aristocrat. I have never seen another Royal cabinet for sale (I've been looking). I am using three new GPA Crossovers designed just for the 604 series. They are wonderful! At this time after running through a list of good music. The 604 in the center channel is much more alive than the 15TRX. There is just something about the way the 604 projects.. the sound stage is so "in your face".. the 15TRX just didn't seem to have the same "timing" to my ear as having all 604's. And this was with changing the wires around to make sure the polarities were all correct. The bass extension in this cabinet is really good (even though it's really a corner speaker) it's close to the wall and there are no problems with the bass. It's almost like it was made for the 604. This is the Altec board maybe I'm biased, but I'm still going to say that there is something magical about Altec speakers, especially the 604 series. I'm sold!