Spent last weekend tearing down my pool table to make room for my altec rig.

This is my style.:thumbsup: Bet it sounds great with all of the open space.

What is the cabinet load and equipment?
 
This is my style.:thumbsup: Bet it sounds great with all of the open space.

What is the cabinet load and equipment?

The speakers are heathkit legato hh-1-cm, loaded with altec drivers (802 horn driver/511 horn, two basically rebadged for heathkit altec 416 woofers per cabinet)

Equipment is a pair audionote el34 tube mono blocks, forte 40 class a line drive preamp, AR turntable, tuner and CD player are nothing special.

Opening up the space did indeed allow the speakers to breath, I ended up with the legatos in my quest for a set of votts, the overall sound is just so warm and full, great for the live material I like to listen to.20180323_113929_1521861569580.jpg
 
This is a phenomenal system that you've assembled. I can see the same arrangement of your Heathkits still living today in large monitors and high end home speakers. Augspurgers and Everests come to mind.
 
This is a phenomenal system that you've assembled. I can see the same arrangement of your Heathkits still living today in large monitors and high end home speakers. Augspurgers and Everests come to mind.

Thanks appreciate it Grey! I get allot of listening pleasure out of this setup, and got to finally scratch an altec itch I have had.
 
Love those low boy cabinets!
Roughly where are ya, and when is the listening party?? ;)
 
Actually they're 803's, need to see the front to be sure if they are A or B version, probably A's. 416 wouldn't be along for another decade.
Actually they're 803's, need to see the front to be sure if they are A or B version, probably A's. 416 wouldn't be along for another decade.

Your prabably right, when I researched them that's just how the woofer was desribed in allot of the descriptions I read on them, as an early version of the later 416.

I actually just had the woofers out this last weekend to flip them 180, i should have took pictures, the pleated surrounds are noticeably different from my 416-z that are in my a7s, instead of the multiple rows of smaller pleats that the 416-z drivers have, theres like two or three rows of larger pleats, and the screened hole in the center of the dust cap is noticeably smaller, probably only ro 1/2 inch diameter.

Here's some close up pictures of the woofer and horn driver model #s

20180430_210611.jpg 20180430_210556.jpg
 
Just googled 803 a and b, they are indeed the a model.
If they have a doped cloth accordion surround, they are indeed "b" version. Albeit with split rims they would be very early B's.

I can't be sure, but it looks like i can see a bit of shiny surround dope from the one pick of the back.

The Heath model numbers don't really help as i'm pretty certain the woofer number remained the same as they evolved.
 
Th
If they have a doped cloth accordion surround, they are indeed "b" version. Albeit with split rims they would be very early B's.

I can't be sure, but it looks like i can see a bit of shiny surround dope from the one pick of the back.

The Heath model numbers don't really help as i'm pretty certain the woofer number remained the same as they evolved.

They are the A versions, they don't have the pleated accordion surrounds the B series ones had that I seen pictures of online, they have the surrounds that are part of the cone like the A version pictures I saw online, they are doped though on the outer edge.
 
Hu magine that, my phone logged me on on my old account that I had lost my password for and just ended up starting a new account
 
Th


They are the A versions, they don't have the pleated accordion surrounds the B series ones had that I seen pictures of online, they have the surrounds that are part of the cone like the A version pictures I saw online, they are doped though on the outer edge.
You're most fortunate. Do your best to preserve them, maybe consider rotating them 180 degrees every year or two to counteract any sag.
 
You're most fortunate. Do your best to preserve them, maybe consider rotating them 180 degrees every year or two to counteract any sag.

Thanks! As I mentioned a few posts back i rotated em this past weekend, the pair of woofers in one of the speakers had a date of "may 1957" stamped on the baskets, the 2nd speaker I could find no date stamped on the basket, but the woofers are identical in both speakers in every way (these did not start out life together, both legatos were originally purchaced by separate owners as mono setups and paired up by myself later). surprisingly considering their age none of the four woofers had any indication of surround or spider sag related voice coil rub when i checked them, but I turned them regaurdless.

One thing I noticed while I was removing the woofers ro turn em, was just how loose overall the woofer mounting screws had become with time, once I reinstalled them and tightened them up propper, the bass was noticeably tighter and cleaner

There Is only three caps in the crossovers i think that will be my next project to give them a recap, that and removing the old nasty fiberglass insulation and redamping the cabinets with something better suited.
 
Last edited:
Not really sure how I missed this post, but heck yeah!!! I love those old Altec cabinets! I’d love to get my hands on a pair like that someday.

I had a pool table when I was in high school. I bought an old Brunswick from the local boys and girls club for 100 bucks. Restored the whole thing with my buddies. And sold it for a killer profit. Good times. :)
 
Not really sure how I missed this post, but heck yeah!!! I love those old Altec cabinets! I’d love to get my hands on a pair like that someday.

I had a pool table when I was in high school. I bought an old Brunswick from the local boys and girls club for 100 bucks. Restored the whole thing with my buddies. And sold it for a killer profit. Good times. :)

Thanks appreciate it, I am getting much enjoyment out of them!
 
Back
Top Bottom