Thinking 604B, 604D, & etc.

[Steve Burger]

I think you are going to have a difficult time matching those two especially since they have different horns. Might be better to off one after having Bill re-do it and get the match. Or find the match and use the odd ball for a center channel!

[BACarr]

From the Department of Redundancy Department:
"sweet sounding" isn't a term I've ever used in my life, but here it is twice. Should have been sleeping.

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm really hoping there is some way to match the B and D (make them G's?), since they both need attention.

Now, about that center channel idea ... my S.O. might reasonably object to accumulating more gigantic and/or power-sucking audio equipment.

If you're going to put three of these monsters in a row, plus the Macs, the other equipment, plus proper shielding, and so on, I think you might be required to simply build an entire three-foot-deep false wall in that room and be done with it.

That's the kind of thinking which leads to your living room landing on the cover of "Audio/Video Interiors," you know.

[BACarr]

New here, but longtime Altec/tube guy.

I've now officially inherited a 604B (s/n 223) with a crummy N1000B crossover and a 604D with N1600B crossover.

Before I get to building new enclosures, etc., I figured to get in touch with Great Plans, have them rehabilitated /updated and at the same time figure out how to make them sound the same.

Anyone have thoughts / experience along those lines?

And, just to stir the pot, I've got a pair of early sweet-sounding Heil AMTs that have been sitting around waiting for a project.

The Heils aren't very efficient, though, and I'm not bi-amping, so they might not work into the equation ... or could they?

FYI, I'm driving the whole mess via a Dyna and pair of sweet-sounding McIntosh MC60's, but don't ask me to biamp these guys unless you want to come rewire the house.

Finally, I am holding in my hand a single Altec 100A "Bass Energizer" 16 ohm "Extreme Lo-Pass Filter". It was connected to the 604D at one time, but was removed years ago. Thoughts about its use/abuse ?

Thanks for your help, thoughts and ideas.

- Bruce

[Jim D]

Actually the C does have the same horn as the G, they both have the miserable "eggcrate" multicell. The G has the cast pot magnetic structure so even if you change all the parts to 8 ohm, the C won't quite be a G. I am also not sure if the length of the LF magnetic gap is the same either. The B is the better of the two speakers. The real multicell horn in the B loads better, but needs some equalizing in the crossover. I will find out if the magnetic gaps are different and report back. The Mantaray started in the H model. We at Iconic area able to make a crossover for an B converted to 8 ohm, we are still working on 16 ohm B's E's and 8 ohm G's, H's and K's.

[selmerdave]

Bruce,

I don't think you're going to be able to make them G's because neither of them have the G horn. You could put LF cones from G's on them but even then I think they have slightly different magnets. Then the HF horns are quite different from each other (not to mention the G CD horn) so it would be next to impossible to make them match. The good news is that singles usually sell for quite a bit less than when part of a pair, so you might be able to get a deal on finding the match for one of them.

Dave

[Steve Burger]

I noticed a cabinet on ebay with 604d and it is in Indiana so it is not too far from you. Item number is #2234087427

[Steve Burger]

Speaking of audio/video interiors: Some amazing designon the interiors but kind of a boring magazine in terms of the audio/speakers. It is kind of curious that the only equipment featured is pretty much what is advertised in the magazine. They also won't feature any rooms with equipment that is not available in every major metropolise. I have never seen 604's in any of the rooms featured. Closest thing I ever saw was one room that did have a pair of 811 horns if I recall. The 604's at 100 db efficiency are not very power hungry but the Heils certainly are! I owned a pair once but didn't really see what all the fuss was about. I did get a good price for them on ebay, so I suppose they were worth the $10 investment.

[Charles Chance]

Personal Note:

It's good to see Steve Burger and JimD back on the board. Hope things been goin' good for ya'.

[Steve Burger]

No need to shield as center channel. Alnico works as a shielded magnet.

[BACarr]

Great information, thanks everybody.

How about converting the D to a B? Is that possible?

I have always liked the sound of the B better, as you probably agree, even with the super-noisy 1k crossover.

Once I get past this find-build-another-B problem, I'll definitely need all your help in dealing with the crossover sitution.

There may not have been any home theater systems in the magazines with 604's, but once all this is finished, I promise to attach a couple pics of ours.

Using a 604 as a center channel might be a bit of a trick, though ... getting it close enough to the screen, and not with us sitting off-axis. On that train of thought, is there an absolute minimum distance which should be maintained between the top of the cone and the top or side of the enclosure? Never seen that in any of my 604 literature.

Thanks as always,
Bruce