Model 14 - disappointing

**Number 9** · October 24th, 2003, 08:38 PM

So a fellow I know wants to sell his 14s for $425.

Having owned Altec's since I was 15, and having heard the 604's and 19s, my expectations were perhaps too high.

Anwyways, I was disappointed by what I heard ... namely, the bass sounded boxy, loose and lacked punch.

Could be a lot of variables that cause this ... the room, associated electronics, placement.

My guess is that with the woofer so low to the ground, and having to extend up to 1.5K, there are going to be obvious colorations.

Are the drivers perhaps worth salvaging...putting them perhaps into a better enclosure that places the horn and woofer higher off the ground?

**Todd W. White** · October 24th, 2003, 11:01 PM

Your friend's Model 14's have something wrong with them - the Model 14 sounds EXCELLENT when it is operating properly, not loke what you described at all....my guess is they've been abused.

Give him 1/2 that, then have Bill at Great Plains Audio fix them - they're worth it!

**Wardsweb** · October 24th, 2003, 11:25 PM

did you by chance pull the grills off and look at the woofers. They may need refoaming. It's a very common problem with that series. If memory serves me, Altec used stamped steel frame LF drivers as a cost saving measure on those.

**Number 9** · October 24th, 2003, 11:41 PM

The grills were off ... they had been reconed though ... by whom, he did not know, but they looked OK to me. Almost brand new looking, including surrounds...

But I think you raise a good point ... he said the previous owner used to play them so loud, he would smoke them, so I wonder if the reconing actually is hiding problems elsewhere, like in the voice coil or spider?

The mids/highs were just fine through the horn, its just thatthe bass lacked punch and dynamics. Kind of bloated, which I know, Altec's I've heard in the past, usually don't sound like that at all.

I thoght the woofer's were cast not stamped on these? What woofer's are in these?

**Wardsweb** · October 25th, 2003, 12:26 AM

I did some checking and Don over at audioheritage.org says the Model 14 woofer is a cast frame 12" driver that uses a ceramic magnet. The same driver was also used in the last version of the 9842 studio monitor. The part number for the 9842 woofer is 50-03-034633-01, but I don't know if it will do much for you since it was never sold standalone.

As reference, the 9842 specs are here:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html...eakers/9842.htm

the Model 14 specs are here:

http://www.lansingheritage.org/html...rs/model-14.htm

They appear to use identical components in different cabinets. The Model 14 was discontinued in 1982, but the 9842 remained in production until at least 1984.

Your best bet for further details would be to contact Bill Hanuschak to see if he can add anything. Ask him about the 9842 woofer. He may be more familiar with the driver as used in that studio monitor since it was in production while he was at Altec. The Models 14 and 15 were discontinued before he started.

GREAT PLAINS AUDIO
7127 NORTHWEST THIRD ST.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA 73127
[email protected]
(405) 789-0221

http://greatplainsaudio.50megs.com/

**Wardsweb** · October 25th, 2003, 12:29 AM

Forgot to add, you can have them rebuilt for $75.00 each by the man himself, Bill Hanuschak, at Great Plains Audio.

**Wardsweb** · October 25th, 2003, 12:31 AM

And lastely, the stamped steel frame woofer was in the early Model 15's.

**Todd W. White** · October 25th, 2003, 01:14 AM

Correct - the Model 14/9842 used a cast woofer that was designed specifically for them.

If this guy smoked them at times, he probably tore them up inside.

Not only that, but the Automatic Power protection circuit may be damaged, too, which would mess up how the speakers sound...

Bill has parts for these - send them in: they are WORTH it!

**Number 9** · October 25th, 2003, 06:05 AM

Thanks a lot for all the info. Clearly by the spec sheets, these should be pretty good. So I'm scratching my head in regards to my audition today ...

Todd ... when you say these are WORTH it ... do you mean exactly ... is this a particularly desirable model?