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Altec Big Red

Will2225

Will2225

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Hi I'm wondering if anyone can tell me a fair price for a pair of altec Big Red speakers. Seems like they go for a good amount 1500 plus but they also seem rare to the point that it's tough to say what they actually sell for. Any advice on what to offer or whether they're actually worth buying would be great. Thanks!
 
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Do they still have the Mastering Labs
Xover also check what drivers are in them
And the condition of the cones
Diafragms
 
If yes with nice Alnico Altec drivers
and in nice working condition
Hurry, Go get them for 15 hun
 
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Pretty sure @toddalin was looking at a pair of them a few years back -
It might depend on location =
 
I wouldn't sell my fresh pair W/O the Rare ML X-overs, But custom ones, for less than $2500
In fact I don't want to sell them for even more.
to get something better, you' would have to spend many times more.
 
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In So Cal, when they come up they are on the order of $1,500-$2,500 depending on condition and need of the seller for cash. Sometimes then are had for <$1K, but not a nice set. Interesting that they don't really go for any more than a nice set of Stonehenge/Model17 units and are typically less. I guess ergononics matter more to some people than sound.

Mine are Super Big Reds I got from a recording studio and are most probably one-offs made by The Mastering Labs. The cabinets are 15.5 cu feet, exterior volume, and are solid oak. They are tri-amped with a dedicated "one-off" electronic crossover and "one-off" eq units that go between the HF amp and horns. I paid $600 for the pair (with the crossover and eq units) and $100 for delivery from a second story loft in an industrial building to my living room.

I power the system using three Marantz amps. An 1180DC console/integrated (conservatively 90 wpc) provides the preamp and powers the horns and a pair of Marantz 170DC amps (conservatively 85 wpc) power the four woofers. I also have the matching Marantz 2130 tuner with the o-scope. All Marantz equipment was professionally gone though a couple years ago and one was recapped with Mundorfs.
 
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toddalin said:
In So Cal, when they come up they are on the order of $1,500-$2,500 depending on condition and need of the seller for cash. Sometimes then are had for <$1K, but not a nice set. Interesting that they don't really go for any more than a nice set of Stonehenge/Model17 units and are typically less. I guess ergononics matter more to some people than sound.

Mine are Super Big Reds I got from a recording studio and are most probably one-offs made by The Mastering Labs. The cabinets are 15.5 cu feet, exterior volume, and are solid oak. They are tri-amped with a dedicated "one-off" electronic crossover and "one-off" eq units that go between the HF amp and horns. I paid $600 for the pair (with the crossover and eq units) and $100 for delivery from a second story loft in an industrial building to my living room.

I power the system using three Marantz amps. An 1180DC console/integrated (conservatively 90 wpc) provides the preamp and powers the horns and a pair of Marantz 170DC amps (conservatively 85 wpc) power the four woofers. I also have the matching Marantz 2130 tuner with the o-scope. All Marantz equipment was professionally gone though a couple years ago and one was recapped with Mundorfs.
Click to expand...

Can you post a pic? Would love to see them.
 
These have the rare 604E2s in them.

The Audiomarketing Ltd. 604E2 was a special 16 ohm OEM version 604-8G... essentially a non-catalog 604-16G
16" Duplex Speaker
Magnets: Alnico V
rest of spec assumed to be same as 604G except 16 ohm
Power Rating: 65 watts continuous pink 20Hz-20kHz (AES)
Sensitivity: 100dBSPL/1W/4ft
Free Air Resonance: 30Hz
Response: 20Hz - 22kHz
Crossover: 1500 Hz
Network: used with Mastering Lab 16 ohm crossover as implemented in the Big and Super Reds by Audiomarketing ltd..
Impedance: 16 ohms
Phase Plug: Circumferential initially - moved to Tangerine phase plug in 1976
HF horn: 6-section sectoral-style horn with divider vanes - 90° horizontal and 40° vertical
Cone: paper cone with an "accordion edge" cloth surround
Frame: 16" die cast aluminum frame dark gray paint
Weight: 34 lb.

comment: 604E2 had the new 16" cast basket that came in with G in 1974 - G was 8 ohm nominal - E2 is 16 ohm - the only place these appear as E2's are in Audiomarketing Ltd. "Big Red" speaker systems that used the Mastering Labs Crossover that was nominal 16 ohms. Cabinets for Big Red's were front loading. Since the original Mastering Labs monitors and crossovers were based around a 16 ohm 604E it made marketing sense to call this driver an E2.

Note the 604E2 label is not an Altec label


In the recording studio before I bought them:
Big_Reds1.jpg


One-off professional electronic crossover:
DSC_00027.JPG

DSC_00039.JPG

DSC_000614.JPG


One-off eq units:
DSC_00045.JPG

DSC_00115.JPG


The oversized grills covered the recesses they were mounted in in the recording studio in the first pic.
DSC_00142.JPG

DSC_00114.JPG
 
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The seller is asking 1900 for them with the original ML crossovers. The cabs have been repainted purple tho and it's hard to tell from the photos if it was a good paint job or not.

I'd be using a d sachs model 3 tube pre amp and a mcintosh 2105 amp. Would this be a good pairing? I'm a bit worried about it being too much power?
 
Well don't worry about the color, Mine were painted black. they are textured painted Red so no big deal. The thing is they are just Soooo right!
port size cabinet size, If you love them Veneer them. I have a Mac 2100 SS amp.
It does nothing special ! Stay with the tube pre amp and get a sweet sounding 25-40 watt tube amp.
those speakers will take 200 watts!. I doubt you could stay in the same room at that level though 99DB efficient!
Those X-overs Alone! if you can find a pair go for 12-1500$ Do check the Cones and ask about if they were ever reconed,
and if the Diaphragms have been changed. I believe they should be 16 OHM.. ask on the forum.
Mine have different drivers 604G's and no ML x-overs . don't loose them if they are mint. for a couple hundred$
Good luck
Bob
 
MRL_Audio said:
No pics for me...
Click to expand...

It is because of an incompatability between this and the host site. But!!!

Right click on the icon and it will ask if you want to open the image in a new tab. Click yes, and it will appear in another window. Lots of people pics, including my own, do this for me.
 
This is from the tech. If they've been reconed multiple times is it still worth buying in this condition for 1600?


"Hi
I don’t remember
I would think they’re Altec604e’s probably reconed several times.
only Gauss made a replacement but I don’t believe that’s what’s there.
the crossover we ran at the Farm was a black Mastering Lab crossover, it hung on the back. The diaphragms are Altec 808a and are still available today"
 
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