Altec 9849-8A help

Galaxie65

Always looking for new gear to try
So I picked up a set of these And there is an odd plug on the back.

I can't get anything from the normal hook ups on the XO, but can bypass and run to the drivers with no issues. Can anyone help me understand what is going on with the crossover and if I can by pass the extra plug to have it work normally? Pics are below and I appreciate any help!!

The gray wire is coming from the plug in the back and connecting to the crossover.
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Someone's idea of a single connection with an easy to operate twist lock feature.
 
That's a twist-lok plug used for pro audio applications. They were installed to speed up installation and insure reliable connection. I would d/c it from the crossover network and restore the crossover connections to original. Difficult to tell from the pics, but it appears that all they've done is rerouted the input connections from the originals to the twist-lok. The schematics for your crossover are available online. Just follow the lines and reconnect whatever the original owner disconnected. Should be a simple process. I'll bet these were being used as side-fill or keyboard monitors.

GeeDeeEmm
 
Thanks for the help guys, I figured it was a pro audio piece it couldn't think of how they worked it. I ll have to track down the schematic and see what I can do. Both speakers are in decent shape, internals are really nice.

414-8C
23746 HF
32343 XO

I'm not sure but I can't tell if I have the rare version of the 23746. I know there is not a tangerine plug in it, but that's about it. Anyone know how I can tell otherwise? I hear the 806-8B was only a short period for this setup.

I don't know just trying to figure things out as I go.
 
Bowtie will be along shortly to give you the complete scoop. He's the resident Altec history expert.

GeeDeeEmm
 
I'm not sure but I can't tell if I have the rare version of the 23746.
They're all fairly uncommon as they are all proprietary to the 9849. They weren't used in any other speaker system.
Unlikely given the Sound Reinforcement application(the Hubbell connectors are a dead giveaway) they were used in, but i'll ask anyway. Are the 23744 diaphragms still in them?

Some 23746's had tangerines, the end of the run i would suspect. IMO, the annular slit metal phase plug is superior. I'll offer as fact that the tangerine was largely a manufacturing cost cutting development. You will be hard pressed to find any evidence in the form of measurements/analysis published by Altec supporting any claims of improved sonic performance.

I'd also recommend replacing those original Callins caps. They'll be leaky, have rising ESR, and are probably drifting in value by now.

I prefer my 9849's over 604-8G's, and i've lived with 604's for decades.
 
What's the story on the 23746, Bowtie? Is it an 806? 808? Something special about it? What was changed about it for use in the 9849s?

GeeDeeEmm
 
Use a twist lock on my table saw, my first time seeing one on a pair of speakers.
Very skookum and of course won't disconnect easily.
 
What's the story on the 23746, Bowtie? Is it an 806? 808? Something special about it? What was changed about it for use in the 9849s?

GeeDeeEmm
It's really it's own little deal. Uses an 806 sized magnet slug with a one piece cast STEEL return pot like that of an 808B or 802G. Also originally supplied with the 23744 "light" diaphragm. Because of the high crossover point many can still be found with the original phragms.

Some late 23746's had tangerines, the rest have the machined metal phase plug.

The 23746's in my 9849-8D's have the new style rear cover as well.

About the most we have ever been able to shake out is that this driver was put together specifically for this speaker system as it appears nowhere else in Altec's literature or inventory.
 
Seems an odd choice for a speaker connection.
In the 70's and 80's they were an unwritten standard used by many sound companies large and small. They are a fast and reliable polarized connector that can handle some current.

When you start setting up and tearing down FOH and monitor systems that may total 50, 60, even 80 boxes, a fast reliable polarized connector is worth it's weight in gold in the time that it saves alone.
 
Those jacks are common for industrial or residential 220v power applications. Your best solution is to make your own connectors with plugs commonly found at Lowe's or Home Depot. Better than XLR.
 
Thanks guys, I'm thinking about tracking down the original schematic if there is one to rebuild the crossovers. Does anyone by chance know of a good place to start?

Also are there some mods or improvements to make these up to par or are they good in just an updated stock form?

I was going to remove the plug as I don't have a need and would like to use the standard posts on the XO. What do you all think as far as hookups are concerned?
 
Here's the capacitor values needed for a recap of your network .

( partial schematic is courtesy of Blue Corona ).

Altec32343.png


Coil values have never been determined ( though you don't really need to change them out > according to most ).

The variable Lpad ( VR1 ) is an 8-ohm / 100watt type ( not 100K as shown in the pic ).

:)
 
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Hey guys, I finally got back around to looking into these again. With all that's going on these will most likely be my only source of music for awhile. I would like to recap the crossovers and was curious about what caps to use. Is there something I should look at doing to upgrade? Anything that I can do to make it sound better, good as is, ect?

I was also thinking of upgrading the connections, but is there any real need or am I just barking up the wrong tree? I thought banana connectors/5 ways would be nice but still allow it to be returned to stock if I wanted.

Still going to look over everything. When I looked at the driver I couldn't see any tangerine so I got that much for now. I wasn't too sure about pulling the rest off as I didn't want to damage the diaphragms. I would like to use these for my home theater/audio as I'll have to do that for now. Maybe later I can have a vintage system and a HT system.

Any direction would be great, thanks again guys.


Thanks for the schematic as well!
 
Hey guys, I finally got back around to looking into these again. With all that's going on these will most likely be my only source of music for awhile. I would like to recap the crossovers and was curious about what caps to use. Is there something I should look at doing to upgrade? Anything that I can do to make it sound better, good as is, ect?

I was also thinking of upgrading the connections, but is there any real need or am I just barking up the wrong tree? I thought banana connectors/5 ways would be nice but still allow it to be returned to stock if I wanted.

Still going to look over everything. When I looked at the driver I couldn't see any tangerine so I got that much for now. I wasn't too sure about pulling the rest off as I didn't want to damage the diaphragms. I would like to use these for my home theater/audio as I'll have to do that for now. Maybe later I can have a vintage system and a HT system.

Any direction would be great, thanks again guys.


Thanks for the schematic as well!
I recapped my Altecs (9846-8A) recently with Solen caps. I was able to find all values I needed and it was a relatively simple job. The top end sounds oh so smooth now.
 
I recapped my Altecs (9846-8A) recently with Solen caps. I was able to find all values I needed and it was a relatively simple job. The top end sounds oh so smooth now.

I wonder how they compare to one another, granted I'm not using a 15in driver. I typically use the Heathkit Legato's for the 15in (Twin 803A/511/802). Yours look like a big brother to mine

On the cap values I will have to see what I have, the schematic above I thought had some on it
 
I wonder how they compare to one another, granted I'm not using a 15in driver. I typically use the Heathkit Legato's for the 15in (Twin 803A/511/802). Yours look like a big brother to mine

On the cap values I will have to see what I have, the schematic above I thought had some on it
The 9846-8A is somewhat unusual in the Altec family due to the 411-8A woofer. It'll reach into the deep 20s with ease but at a huge penalty in efficiency. In my 20s (house party days) I toyed with the idea of building new baffles for the speakers o accommodate a CV or JBL 18" in an effort to close the huge difference in efficiency between the 411-8A and the 802D/511. But I didn't want to give up the low octave performance so I never did. If I didn't also have the XRT22s, the Altecs would still be in use in the main system.

I'm not at all familiar with yours but that does look to be the same bent horn from the Model 15s. Either way, the Solen caps weren't very expensive so not a super big risk ...
 
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