The Altec Song Thread

**bfish** · July 19th, 2008, 02:18 PM

Well, the Altec demo disk in particular was a collection of tracks specifically selected to highlight Altec performance. It does that very well I think.

Reminded me of the Chesky demo disk(s), also excellent (at least the first one is, I haven't heard the second). Particularly nice because individual tracks are selected as prime examples of specific traits (i.e. dynamics, imaging, etc).

GM · July 19th, 2008, 04:10 PM

Originally posted by bfish:
Well, the Altec demo disk in particular was a collection of tracks specifically selected to highlight Altec performance. It does that very well I think.

True and yet not so true, I have a couple of the albums the tracks are from and they aren't mastered the same. The Altec demo is much less compressed and in at least the Rick Wakeman and Quincy Jones tracks the LF BW is a bit wider. You can see the difference in groove width.

Marketing at its finest!

You want to hear eighteen drivers farting in unison, play the demo's 'Catherine Howard' or the original's 'Jane Semour' on a 901 system above Muzak level.

GM

**bfish** · July 19th, 2008, 04:16 PM

ROFLMAO!

Is the farting followed by a telltale smell? That would certainly speak volumes for their "natualness"! forums

GM · July 19th, 2008, 04:38 PM

Actually, its protection ckt. did its job, but its owner was so disillusioned with his expensive (for him) new toy in a side-by-side comparison with some truly 'el cheapo' horn speakers I was fine tuning for a co-worker that he relegated it to 'seduction' (bed) room duty until he could afford to buy the recommended Altec parts to DIY a tower design of mine. The 511s you heard here was from that system. He gave me the speakers as a belated fee when he moved on to McIntosh after accompanying me to a RSVP audition of their XR290 line array.

GM

**Tom Brennan** · July 19th, 2008, 05:39 PM

I have the JBL demo LP, sounds good. Lousy music though.

**wws944** · July 19th, 2008, 11:33 PM

For a bit of exotic Polynesian style music, I must add "Taboo" by Arthur Lyman. State of the art recording as of the late 1950s. (So don't expect 100+ db dynamic range...) Stereo LPs are hard to find, but it has been reissued in a couple of different CDs.

(Altec content: The first time I heard Taboo was through a pair of Altec 820s. Impressive!)

GM · July 20th, 2008, 12:22 AM

Originally posted by Tom Brennan:
I have the JBL demo LP.......

I assumed there was one, but never seen/heard of one. What's on it that's so lousy?

GM

**Tom Brennan** · July 20th, 2008, 12:31 AM

Originally posted by GM:
<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by Tom Brennan:
I have the JBL demo LP.......

I assumed there was one, but never seen/heard of one. What's on it that's so lousy?

GM<hr /></blockquote>Oh, just the music. Vapid pop played by slick LA session people. Very well done but of interest to me only to listen to the system, know what I mean?

GM · July 20th, 2008, 12:38 AM

Originally posted by wws944:
I must add "Taboo" by Arthur Lyman.

Indeed! I remember this one, my mom bought it during her South Pacific 'rapture' after seeing the movie. From the three track master no less: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Taboo-Exotic-Sounds-Arthur-Lyman/dp/B0000009W3"]http://www.amazon.com/Taboo-Exotic-Sounds-Arthur-Lyman/dp/B0000009W3[/ame]

GM