Altec Bolero 890C

[piece-it pete]

Howdy everyone!

I picked a pair of these off the curb this am, the cabs are a little rough but the woofs are ec.

The original horn tweeter has been replaced by a RS ribbon, I've heard this is a JVC tweeter that is a perfect match to my DQ-10s', so away they go!!

I looked for info online and found very little, except for a couple of mentions of the woofer (very cool looking 10" 10lb monster, 406-8c or 8y), and one reference to the tweeter: "2000 crossover compression horn".

I cannot find any other reference to this tweeter. My questions: Does anyone know anything about this tweeter? If I knew the model # of them I could check prices to replace them. Someone online mentioned "these are the best sounding bookshelves ever built". (26" bookshelves??) Has anyone heard these? Would it be worth trying to hunt down the original tweets, or should the woofs go to the 'bay?

Pete

As usual, a pirated pic (my pair have plain cloth grills):

 

[Nat]

I had a pair that looked very similar, (though I don't think they were named Boleros). They had a smaller horn, but had the passive radiator set up. The woofer on one had been replaced with something hideous, so I can't comment on how they sounded in stereo, but the good one did not strike me as remotely close to 'the best bookshelf speaker ever made'. The different horn might make a big difference, though. And the price certainly was right.

 

[BKville]

Look on the Altec Lansing website I'm sure they'll have the info you're looking for..

I have a pair of Altec 886A that I really like...



Later, Brent

 

[BKville]

Originally posted by piece-it pete

I looked for info online and found very little, except for a couple of mentions of the woofer (very cool looking 10" 10lb monster, 406-8c or 8y),

It should be 8Y I believe...

 

[spkrman57]

I had the same pair...

I will contact you tomorrow to fill you in.....I traded mine to a tech who checked out my MC-240. So mine went to a good home, They have issues as the 10" is run too high in my opinion, but there are some who really like them.
Ron

 

[Don C]

Here's the link to the Bolero thread at Lansing Heritage, in case you missed it:
http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2598

 

[piece-it pete]

Thanks, everyone.

Why didn't the heritage site come up on my Google search? Well it's in my favorites now.

After listening to them, I too am unimpressed. Of course they're not original (the tweets) and the tweets aren't sealed properly, as well as the crossover components being probably older than me , but still, I expected more from them.

I agree with Ron, I can't believe how much those woofers are expected to do! And no real low end, either.

But wow, the woofs have never been removed, IMO. Even the screws on the outside! had the white oxidation, and the baskets themselves have close to an eighth of an inch. Why couldn't they be better, darn it!!

Anyone know what that oxidation actually is? I accidently got some of it in my eye (don't ask ) - it is some NASTY stuff.

I found they're not the 406-8y, that has a cast basket & these are stamped. They have a tweeter pot vs a switch, as well, and the horn cutout is small, almost a square. My best guess is that they're older than the ones pictured above.

At first blush, the tweeters DO sound good in the DQs! I'll give them some serious listening, hopefully this weekend.

Pete