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Altec 604 driver identification help

Will2225

Will2225

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Subscriber
Hi, I recently picked up a pair of altec Big red speakers. I love how they sound but I just took out the drivers and it looks like they're not 604e2 like I thought. Here's some photos of them. Any info is appreciated.

Also on one driver I get a reading of around 11ohms for both woofer and tweeter, on the other I only get around 6 for both...
 

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They are both orig 16 Ohm as per the 604-16LN Label. I have a single one! just like them.
the measured at 6 ohm one was obviously reconed with an 8 ohm kit just as the diaphragm was replaced with an 8 ohm one.
What to do?
well the ML Labs X-overs are designed for 16 Ohms!
???
My guess is they don't sound exactly the same
take some pics of the backs of the cones and capture the #'s on them
 
Nyjblbob said:
They are both orig 16 Ohm as per the 604-16LN Label. I have a single one! just like them.
the measured at 6 ohm one was obviously reconed with an 8 ohm kit just as the diaphragm was replaced with an 8 ohm one.
What to do?
well the ML Labs X-overs are designed for 16 Ohms!
???
My guess is they don't sound exactly the same
take some pics of the backs of the cones and capture the #'s on them
Click to expand...


Ah shoot thats what I was afraid of. They sound fantastic even if one has been repaired with the wrong materials.

Unfortunately, I already put the drivers back in and I'm too tired to take them out at the moment.

I figure my only option is to either live with it or pay to have the 8ohm version reconed/repaired right?
 
Well I hate to say it , But I did say bring an ohm meter there.
It was an easy test to do from the back panel input screws.
But you didn't know that.
They are still worth it, because of the Unubtainium Mastering Labs X-overs.
that most of us 604 owners are Drooling over!
and the rarer 16 Ohm Alnico 604 drivers.
 
Nyjblbob said:
Well I hate to say it , But I did say bring an ohm meter there.
It was an easy test to do from the back panel input screws.
But you didn't know that.
They are still worth it, because of the Unubtainium Mastering Labs X-overs.
that most of us 604 owners are Drooling over!
and the rarer 16 Ohm Alnico 604 drivers.
Click to expand...


You're right and I did bring an ohm meter and took measurements but whether it's the meter I used or maybe that I didn't disconnect the wires to the crossover, the results were different than what I measured on the drivers. Also when he started playing them I was just blown away by the sound and kinda lost my wits.

I can't afford to send the drivers in to be restored at the moment and I'm dreading the idea of shipping these when I do have the cash. Any idea rough ball park figure the cost it will take to repair the one driver? I should probably save up to have them both done, right?

Also judging by the model number these are just regular 604e drivers not the 604e2 right?
 
From what I can tell tell they are identical to the 604e2's. and could have been original. to those cabinets.
When you calm down, take them out again and get the cone #'s.
In the mean time Enjoy them ! they appear to be the correct drivers,
There could be other options.:rockon:
 
Nyjblbob said:
From what I can tell tell they are identical to the 604e2's. and could have been original. to those cabinets.
When you calm down, take them out again and get the cone #'s.
In the mean time Enjoy them ! they appear to be the correct drivers,
There could be other options.:rockon:
Click to expand...

Thanks Bob, I think you're right I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy em for awhile. Even with the issues they sound amazing and are a big step up from the wharfdale linton 85th speakers I was using. I'm not too upset with them, I honestly wouldn't have known about the issue judging from the sound quality haha. Plus they have a really cool history and I don't think I'll have to upgrade for a long time. Maybe put a little money into fixing them up at some point but I think I'd be pretty happy with these as end game speakers
 
Any others bowtie427ss out there want to check in with verification that these
Big reds could have been born with the 604-16LN Altec's?
 
Nyjblbob said:
Any others bowtie427ss out there want to check in with verification that these
Big reds could have been born with the 604-16LN Altec's?
Click to expand...

From what I could tell researching this the 604-16ln is the designation for the part number used for the woofer only in the 604e series. So I think they're most likely original to the speakers. My interpretation could be wrong though. They sound excellent anyways. The one that was reconed with 8ohm parts actually sounds a bit better for some reason than the original 16ohm.
 
I would think that as you are using a SS Mac amp?
you might be mistaking a louder output from the 8 ohm unit, with better sound?
as the SS amp usually will put out more power at 8 ohms than at 16 ohms.
In addition the 8 ohm speaker is not optimized with the 16 Ohm X-overs.
Has any one with 8 ohm 604's tried the Mastering Labs X-overs???
That will change the response as well.
I'm hoping more will chime in . opinions?
 
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Nyjblbob said:
I would think that as you are using a SS Mac amp?
you might be mistaking a louder output from the 8 ohm unit, with better sound?
as the SS amp usually will put out more power at 8 ohms than at 16 ohms.
In addition the 8 ohm speaker is not optimized with the 16 Ohm X-overs.
Has any one with 8 ohm 604's tried the Mastering Labs X-overs???
That will change the response as well.
I'm hoping more will chime in . opinions?
Click to expand...


I think you're exactly right that it's just the 8ohm speaker plays louder, and that's why it appears to sound better. I'm using a mcintosh 2105 that has an autoformer so unlike most solid state amps I think the output is the same regardless.
 
Nyjblbob said:
Big reds could have been born with the 604-16LN Altec's?
Click to expand...
I suppose anything is possible, never were any hard n fast rules with Altec.

But, i would expect Audiomarketing Ltd to have been a lot more strict. They shelled out serious coin for every Altec driver they sourced, and would not send product out their door without their name on it.

In my mind, since they do not have the correct red series E2 decals, and since they do have Altec decals clearly specifying what they are, and Altec in house inventory numbers i would hold a very firm position that those were never owned, or sold by Audiomarketing Ltd.

604-16LN is very simply a 16 ohm 604G, less network.
 
bowtie427ss said:
I suppose anything is possible, never were any hard n fast rules with Altec.

But, i would expect Audiomarketing Ltd to have been a lot more strict. They shelled out serious coin for every Altec driver they sourced, and would not send product out their door without their name on it.

In my mind, since they do not have the correct red series E2 decals, and since they do have Altec decals clearly specifying what they are, and Altec in house inventory numbers i would hold a very firm position that those were never owned, or sold by Audiomarketing Ltd.

604-16LN is very simply a 16 ohm 604G, less network.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "less network"?

Also do you think this means the speakers were just custom built and not originally big red speakers? I think they are original cabinets at least considering the vinyl wrap on the cabinets and the design but it's possible that the drivers were possibly replaced.

Comparing these drivers to the original, are these less valuable or not as good as the original big red e2?
 
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Also to clarify, the drivers are 16ohm altec 604 8g? Sorry for all the questions, I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to altec
 
I have seen two pair of Super Big Reds that used the 15" E version of the 604. It was obvious because the woofer was white, would stand out from the cabinet a bit, and you could see the ribs digging into the baffleboard. No attempt was made to rear mount the woofers as Altec would have done.

BTW, the E2s (I assume but have never confirmed) in my Super Big Reds are also white, but are front-mounted and appear to be flush (no ribs show), and do look larger in diameter than the 15" Utah aux woofers.
 
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Todd
If your 604 frames are white they could be the early 15”E’s also 16 ohm
I have a pair of them
My big reds had 604 G’s 8 ohm
Not original ML Xover s long gone
My cabinets have the notches in them for those
early 15”s to front mount them
Maybe your cabinets also have them
 
Nyjblbob said:
Todd
If your 604 frames are white they could be the early 15”E’s also 16 ohm
I have a pair of them
My big reds had 604 G’s 8 ohm
Not original ML Xover s long gone
My cabinets have the notches in them for those
early 15”s to front mount them
Maybe your cabinets also have them
Click to expand...

But..., the 604 appears to be larger in diameter than the Utah and that would infer a 16" frame in which case there is no need for the notches.
 
It’s easy to see from the front
the 16” with the 1” wide gasket
And the 15” old style ribbed frames
Have 1/2” gaskets
Measure the frame 15 or 16”
 
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