Define original.Originally Posted by Bonzo75
100% certain it isn't the cone that came in the speaker.
I don't have ready access to my papers, but that looks like a number from the 80's 90's era. So I think it's an Altec part, but way newer than the speaker.
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
That's a number assigned by Electro-Voice when they took over Altec. According to my cross-reference that cone, the 18-03-035400 replaced several Altec cones; R416/515-16; R515; R416-8; R604-16E,8K,8H,8G; and the R26768 whatever that was. So you do have an Altec cone manufactured during the period that EV owned them. It is not clear if the manufacturing specs were the same .... maybe someone else can chime in to clarify.
I wondered about the EV connection, but it's what GPA has and the few GPAs I've seen looked just like OEM, which these don't, so was wary: Altec Lansing - Page 120 - diyAudio
Another thought was these were heavy doped for 515E.
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
Thanks guys, so what does this mean from the point of view of sonics and valuations?
Were the later ones not as good, or more like the E, and have less valuation?
You have to define 'not as good' since woofer specs changed over time to accommodate ever increasing amp power, higher damping factor and the increased average/peak SPL demanded.
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
I am interested in driving the Altecs with low powered SETs and therefore have no interest in if the latter ones can take more power.
OK, the 'best' is the original field coil 515 [how deep are your pockets], #2 original AlNiCo 515 [how deep, etc.] and at this point need to know if planning on using in a horn cab since only early 515B are best in horns with later Bs [and later recones] except 515C [ceramic] are more suited for vented cabs [lack the early 515's 'snap', though still a little 'sweeter' than 416s]. Having had early Bs, some with recones, I can attest that the difference isn't subtle, so sold the recones back when they were worthless for other than being AlNiCo.
Really, one can argue that the 515-8G, which even though ceramic is overall the closest to the original two performance wise in a horn. Once moving to the 'B' onward with Fs in the 20s we're trading efficiency for BW, which generally is going in the wrong direction for SET coupling where ideally it will be a high efficiency matching impedance one.
Jim Dickinson's excellent 515 'cheat' sheet: http://www.wmeckle.com/INTRO/LARGE/Altec.htm
That said, as you can see, short of buying from a one owner with complete docs, etc., what you can wind up with is a crap shoot without measuring T/S specs plus frequency, impedance response and if you buy to recone; other than what he sells, not sure Bill/GPA can replicate my early Bs based on some things said WRT when reconing some other models.
All that said, his 515-8G, pricey as it is now with the price hike, is quite the performer, a better 'fit' to SET tubes due to its ~38 Hz Fs and if it's a matching impedance I'd be surprised if one could 'blindly' hear any difference Vs my ancient '50s AlNiCo Bs unless it was one of those high power SETs where the ceramic can better control the driver [a bit more 'dry' sounding].
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
Bookmarks