I had Altec 604 loudspeakers, in the past and I can understand their appeal. Now, I prefer the sound of my more modern speaker. My goal is for the better sound rather than trying to recreate a vintage sound. Another factor is size. The Altec speakers would not fit in my smaller sized listening space.
My Mono system, thirty years ago, with duplex speakers:
Not really a true mono system, but still sounds nice. One MC30, a tube preamp that utilizes 27 tubes, an old radio triode, an Elac 50HII that I'm using for my 78 collection, and one, all original, AR2 speaker.
Not really a true mono system, but still sounds nice. One MC30, a tube preamp that utilizes 27 tubes, an old radio triode, an Elac 50HII that I'm using for my 78 collection, and one, all original, AR2 speaker.
So this may sound really stupid but what constitutes a “mono system”. I have an Elac Miracord 10 on which I often play mono 78 rpm records. But it all goes through a stereo amp and 2 speakers. But the music is mono. Is a “true” mono system a single speaker system? Can a Two speaker system, producing a mono signal be considered mono? I do love the sound of many of my mono 78’s and even a number of my mono recordings…but it is all played through 2 speakers.
So this may sound really stupid but what constitutes a “mono system”. I have an Elac Miracord 10 on which I often play mono 78 rpm records. But it all goes through a stereo amp and 2 speakers. But the music is mono. Is a “true” mono system a single speaker system? Can a Two speaker system, producing a mono signal be considered mono? I do love the sound of many of my mono 78’s and even a number of my mono recordings…but it is all played through 2 speakers.
Not stupid at all. A "true" mono system, at least what I consider a true mono system that somebody from the mid 50's might've had, would be a turntable wired for mono with a true mono cartridge, a mono amp, a mono preamp, and one speaker to listen through.
My system is not the above(and since posting the video, I moved the MC30 into the main system to use with my Klipsch Cornwall's and McIntosh C11 preamp and Fairchild 412 turntable). One mono amp, but a stereo preamp where I can sum to not only mono, but to either one channel or the other, 2 speakers, stereo cartridge. That said, mono lp's sound better then I have ever heard them, owning I'm sure to the Mac gear as much as anything. Obviously one can debate the advantages of listening with one speaker vs. 2, and I enjoyed listening to the previous system with just one AR2, but listening now with two big Klipsch's up's the ante quite a bit.