Altec 3184 on ebay

[cclark65]

he says it's newly reconed by the Altec factory, don't know about that, but it sure looks nice! hopefully somebody on this board that would appreciate it will snag it. I very rarely see them for sale.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Altec-3184-Low-F...QQcmdZViewItem

[dhook17322]

I'm curious about the 3184 - didn't it orginally have a foam surround like the 3182? There is an answer to that question posted now:
Q: Who did the recone? [email protected]
Jul-05-06
A: This was a factory recone, not a dealer shop. I had too many problems with recones from local authorized dealers, so I send all my Altecs back to the manufacturer for recones. The results are indistinguishable from new both in performance and matching of the dust cover domes.

The cone looks like the new design Bill used on my last two 3182's, it is indeed very nice quality. Is Sparkomatic in the reconing business? Sounds fishy!

[cclark65]

I am pretty sure that it had a cloth surround originally. I had been watching out for them for a long time, and several 3182's have come and gone with foam, but I wanted cloth, so I was holding out. Then I finally got something different, and I don't need this, but it's tempting to buy it just to have it!

You can see the photo in the advertisment here:
http://www.lansingheritage.org/image...ro/1993-41.JPG

[Russ Farrell]

I have 2 versions of the 3184 specification sheet, and both pictures show a cloth surround, which is what I remember also. But don't always trust Altec's pictures. A 12" with a ribbed cone was photographed in 1983 when the correct cone wasn't available, but they wanted the literature printed right away.

[scott fitlin]

AFAIK, the 3184 always had the pleated cloth surround. I used that woofer for years in the 80,s always had accordian surrounds, we blew em from time to time. Every recone always had the pleated cloth.

I actually like that woofer, nice low end, punchy, and efficient with good definition.

[tomt]

the seller, though he no longer has Altecs in

his system, has a few videos, of interest-


YouTube - Bass Pig's Lair - System Subsonic Test Levitates Carpet


http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=basspig

his website-


http://www.aamserver.dnsalias.com/basspig/

[Old Guy]

That fellow's definition of "recent" is 1998.

I took him to task about it but he still says that's recent.
Other than that he seems ok.

[bigjunglejim]

Hi there
I bought two Altec 3184's and for two 8184 systems. I powered each with a Soundcraftsmen 5002 (the last generation, I forgot the letters that go with the numbers) The 5002s were bridged producing in excess of 750 watts RMS at 8 ohms (each). I used a bridging unit from Soundcraftsmen. I used a UREI 525 active cross over. I clipped the amps with no damage to the 3184s. These turkeys can take the power but, I didn't like the sound. I was use to the tight sound of Model 19's. I used the 8184 with 288's in a two way and that was OK but, I liked the 19's better. When used with Model 19s, I crossed over the 8184's at 50, 60 and 80 Hz. They added a lot of low end for organ and any sustained note but, when it came to attack, they subtracted from the 19s sound. I an A/B test comparing the 8184 to a JBL system I had on loan from Stanal Sound. The JBl was the better system, much to my displeasure. I don't know which model JBL I had.

BassPig. In your video, can you actually lift the carpet like it shows?. I was at a National Sound Contractors show and at the Servodrive exhibit, they had a wall of there subs all working at the same time. They had a banner that read, "can you have to much bass"? The sleeve on my shirt was going back and forth about 1/2 inch in each direction. Interesting experience but, not as great as being surrounded by 5 Servodrive basstech 5's and some Bose PA speakers. The manufacture of the King Kong bust used at Universal Studios Studio tours (Studio City Ca) had a demonstration of the bust at their factory before the bust was delivered to Universal Studios. This is the only time I've experienced low end that seemed to generate from the inside of my body and radiate out rather than being pounded on from the out side. Bass Pig. I'm wondering, does your system give the feeling I've described? I've wanted that feeling ever since and haven't found it. Jammin Jungle Jim

[mweiss]

Hi Jammin Jungle Jim,

Yes, those videos are real. Some folks thought they were contrived, with an off-camera fan. They are not. In fact, a fan isn't powerful enough to lift the rug. Heck, even my leafblower can't lift it clear off the ground like that.

What you see is being done with infrasound. A measured fundamental SPL of 133dB, as measured from 30' away.

The physical sensations vary with frequency. With heavy rock kick drum sounds, it can feel like getting hit across the chest and legs with a large, broad sheet of wood. With very low subsonic bass, it makes you feel like vomiting and the legs go weak. More than a few people who've passed through this studio have noted the effective laxative effect.

That effect is due to the 1250 cu in displacement ability of the new custom made subwoofers. The sound reinforcement industry is working on solving the challenge of how to produce bass you can feel at 300' outdoors, without having to load more than one semi-truck full of speakers. The ZR18 replaces about 8-12 conventional 18" woofers, in terms of the amount of air it moves. Just one of them, alone, completely overtook my entire array of ten of the older 18" drivers I used for a long time. Not recommended for residential use! The manufacturer will not accept liability for structural damage due to misuse of the subwoofers or operation in an unsuitable space.


A few posts back, there is discussion about the surrounds on the 3184s. I can confirm that they are cloth.

I have two more that I am selling. I will probably list them on eBay as a pair this time.

[mweiss]

Okay, they're up. I have a nice matched pair of 3184s on eBay this week. Price listed is for single driver; choose QTY of 2 to buy the whole pair.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...0141&rd=1&rd=1