Altec Lansing Carmel ? Speaker System

[Ed Sittler]

I have owned and enjoyed a pair of these speakers since 1960 and have always wanted to know what actual model they are. Someone years ago thought that they were CARMEL or AVALONS . They are amazing to hear and all I have ever done to them is wipe down the walnut veneer with lemon oil and about twenty years ago I opened them up and inverted the 414-A bass speakers as someone knowledgeable suggested as good preventative maintenance. They have just 1 414-A and and a 811-B horn in each cabinet. The cabinets measure 35" W x18" D x 30" Ht including the round peg legs. I think they would be considered Danish Walnut Style.
I do remember that when I bought them that they were available with both 1 or 2 of the 414-A's and also that they could be ordered in a vertical style cabinet of a different model nameas well as the lowboy style that mine are

I have looked at the article about the Carmel model posted by aldread but had no luck opening the picture he included.

I have just signed up as a member of the forum and am just trying now to navigate it. If I can take a photo of mine and figure out how to post it I will do so later.

So if there is anyone out there who can offer information or furnish a catalog photo of my speakers I would really appreciate it.

 

[hjames]

Wow - I'd LOVE to see pictures of your speakers - Danish Modern sound like a VERY neat style!
I did find this dark picture ... apparently, the Altec 838A are horizontal and the 843A Malibu are vertical versions.

 

[62caddy]

If memory serves, I believe the Malibu and Carmel utilize dual 414A LF drivers; OP states his speakers contain a single so that sounds like a different model.

No doubt @bowtie427ss will have the complete lowdown on which Altecs feature the driver compliment described.

 

[62caddy]

Single woofer version of Carmel.

Interesting. Specs appear similar - maybe even identical.

Why did they do that?

 

[twiiii]

The only difference might be the power handling. If the box were sealed mutual coupling would extend the bass with two woofers. I Had Carmels before I bought Symphonys by Bozak. And though only rated to 35 HZ the Symphony had more accurate extended bass. I did give up 3+ db dynamic range but Symphonies powered by two 275's were easily the equal to my Carmels powered by a MC 240 or my older MC 60's. I cooked quite a few diaphragms until I swapped to 802 drivers with a little cabinet work. As I remember my Carmels had a removable plate so you could change diaphragms with out removing the back or am I wrong? The Carmels were trade ins for Klipschorns. I know I paid less than $500.00 for them in 63 or 62. I only had them 6 months or so.

Wasn't there a version of the Carmel that had a 604 installed or maybe a 605?
The Store sold a pair of Altecs with a 604 in each by the factory taking out the 511 and 416 as I remember. I don't even know the name of the system. Its been to long. Could it be Capistranos?