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Altec Lansing 401 - Any Opinions

ScooterMcTav

ScooterMcTav

I know less than I think
Hi Folks,

I've been offered a set of Altec Lansing 401 speakers and was curious if anyone out here had heard them. This is only the third set of Altec related speakers I've seen locally.

Looking for a good full-range 3-way speaker for my main music rig.

Not the ones for sale, but they do look like this:

124191-altec_lansing_401__speakers.jpg


I imagine they sound pretty good, but apparently the mid and tweeter are made of "polyamide" with an aluminum coating, while the woofers are 12" carbon fibre.

Unfortunately, information on these bad boys is about as scarce as hen's teeth.
 
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They definitely are not the Altec of old. There was a period when Altec decided to get back into consumer speaker business, and I believe these come from that period. They were of average sensitivity and power handling. I don't like small tweeters with metal domes. The all have a irritating resonant peak that influences the music in a very negative way. The woofers have less harmonic distortion, but compared to the consumer models derived and using professional components are challenged in clarity and dynamic range. I'll pass.
 
As a side note, there are also a set of Klipsch Tangent 40 and a set of Polk Monitor 10b I can get my hands on, likely in the same $$$ range.

Main thing I want is as close to full range sound as possible.
 
Lol damacman - I usually provide the same recommendation to others.

Challenge is usually one can find some sort of review online giving some sort of speaker description (and even specs)! In the case of these guys, pretty much nothing. Since I'd need to drive for a bit to go see them, I don't want to waste mine or the sellers time if they're a non starter.
 
These were made in the same factory as made some NAD and Proton gear.

I worked at a dealer that sold these, new, BTW.

No, they're not "classic" Altec- but they were quite competent speakers. I thought they had a more neutral balance than the Polk Monitor series speakers.

Regards,
Gordon.
 
GordonW said:
These were made in the same factory as made some NAD and Proton gear.

I worked at a dealer that sold these, new, BTW.

No, they're not "classic" Altec- but they were quite competent speakers. I thought they had a more neutral balance than the Polk Monitor series speakers.

Regards,
Gordon.
Click to expand...
In absolute agreement GW!
 
Well, discussion may have been made moot by the issue that they do actually need new surrounds. Also, I have now been offered a pair of mint AR-2ax (with a premium price on them), a set of Mirage M-790, and some Axiom AX-5. A great variety of selections out there, that's for sure.
 
At the risk of sounding heretical- the Altecs may outperform those. It would depend on the preferences of the listener.

I would definitely want to listen to all before picking any of them over the Altecs.

Regards,
Gordon.
 
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