Altec Lansing Model 14 vs. JBL M2 Master Reference Monitor

**Lansing4412** · December 11th, 2016, 11:41 PM

Hi Altec Fans,

The folks at the North Georgia Audio Society have been busy working on our latest mods to the Altec Model 14, and we have some news that we wanted to share with all of you before posting it to the website.

After months of work we finally have discovered a way to get the Altec-Lansing Model 14 to exhibit similar linear-spatial characteristics to our $20,000 pair of JBL M2 Master Reference Monitors. http://www.jblpro.com/www/products/r...2#.WE4ZW4WcHaM

We used a dbx DriveRack and a series of digital filters. We're still trying to understand the physics and engineering, but we wanted you to know that it's possible. The Model 14's Mantaray Constant Directivity horn is performing in a way that we previously thought impossible.

More updates soon...

**BillWojo** · December 12th, 2016, 12:39 AM

Keep it coming. My buddy has Model 14's, listening to them is what turned me on to Altecs. Will you be posting modifications?
Thanks

BillWojo

**Lansing4412** · December 12th, 2016, 09:33 PM

You can read the first four posts about the Model 14 beginning here Altec Lansing Model 14, Part 1 - Audiophile Nirvana.

Part 5 will cover the most recent mods.

Hope this helps you and your friend with your projects.

**Phil-G** · December 12th, 2016, 11:03 PM

CRAP!! there goes the price of Mod 14 horns.

**Elitopus1** · December 12th, 2016, 11:53 PM

CRAP!! there goes the price of Mod 14 horns.

We are safe as long as Bowtie doesn't chime in about how great M14's are

GM · December 13th, 2016, 12:19 AM

I thought GPA had a source?

GM

**bowtie427ss** · December 13th, 2016, 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Elitopus1

We are safe as long as Bowtie doesn't chime in about how great M14's are

Sadly, i made that foot shot long ago based on some 9842 monitors i fell into. I have long said the 14 is one of the best plug n play systems Altec built, 2nd only to the 19. Depending on the room and upstream gear the 14 may trump the 19 for some users.

Recently, when i got the bug to adopt a pair of 14's long term i had to pony up more for a badly abused, and issue plagued pair than you could buy beautiful clean working pairs for when i first started ebaying in the late 90's.

On the plus side, Altec sold a LOT of 14's.

GM · December 13th, 2016, 01:03 PM

Really?! Wonder which market[s]. Locally, by then, Altec retail had been relegated to the discounters; CMC Stereo couldn't hardly give them away [or the M19 and other 'large' speakers for that matter], though sold some of the smaller, more mainstream models against truckloads of Advents and others of their ilk.

GM

**bowtie427ss** · December 13th, 2016, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by GM

Really?! Wonder which market[s]. Locally, by then, Altec retail had been relegated to the discounters; CMC Stereo couldn't hardly give them away [or the M19 and other 'large' speakers for that matter], though sold some of the smaller, more mainstream models against truckloads of Advents and others of their ilk.

GM

Sometimes i forget that things vary by geographic location. And, you're spot on about the discounters.

In my corner of the republic it was Sugarman's, a regional department store chain. They carried the full Altec consumer line for many years. My brother bought his model 17's there as leftover floor models for 895. When we went back down to pick them up the following day, the manager had requested a pair in factory sealed boxes be sent up from one of the PA stores. While he had negotiated the purchase based on used floor models, what we brought home were 100% NIB. I still had a naive lust for HPM-150's at the time.

**Nickd** · December 17th, 2016, 02:26 PM

I've been using a pair of Model14's I restored this summer for almost 6 months now. I use DSP to smooth the in room response a bit a new cross them over digitally at 70hz to a big transmission line sub woofer.

Really enjoy what I' hearing. I used to lust over the big JBL's but now not so much. I wish they imaged a bit better. That said, I usually find more fault in most recordings than my system.

Inlearned quite a bit researching Altec the past year. 10 years ago I would have laughed at someone who recommended I get a horn based system. Live And learn I suppose. Really a fun speaker in the right system. I wish some of the Altec engineers could have heard what is possible with modern equipment. They woul have been very pleased with what I am hearing.