Night and day? Are you sure you don't exaggerate a bit? Could it be Berenek's Law at work? I mean c'mon, night and day?
Altec Model 19 Score...
- Thread starter marantzfan
- Start date
Night and day? Are you sure you don't exaggerate a bit? Could it be Berenek's Law at work? I mean c'mon, night and day?
Scuzzer
Fixed Bias
Maybe it was late afternoon vs. early evening in Barrow around the first of the year.
BTW, I like Berenek's law. Where'd it come from?
SpeakerLabFan
< speakerlab 7's
Congratulations, have fun with those!
They are certainly a contrast to your Amazing Silvers.
They are certainly a contrast to your Amazing Silvers.
Leo Beranek, a noted acoustician. Born in 1914 he's still alive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Beranek
Scuzzer
Fixed Bias
Really smart old guys are cool! :thmbsp:
Altec Best
Well-Known Member
Berenek's Law I don't think so as I have other peoples opinion who knew nothing of the Mods who commented on them sounding real crisp, different,Clear(Clarity),and much louder ! Yes Tom, for my pair it was, had weak bass the highs were kinda dull. My Cornwall II's outperformed them easily but not after the Mods done.The rivets on the board were the grounds are were very loose.With the bypass with the wire i think made a huge difference "Night & Day" Caps were bad,half the resistors out of spec IIRC Dave replaced them all anyway. You never heard my 19's before or after so you wouldn't know would ya. Exaggerate I think Not.
Absolutely two different speakers. I can't stress enough the difference. I got JHenry to do the mods on his 19's over on the Altec board ask his opinion (Night & Day). All I can say is I'm Happy Camper !! :yippy:BTW: Tom I made a major sonic improvement that I thought was worth sharing.Everyone who has done these Mods has been completly floored by the difference.These Mods can be done for about $110 in parts for the pair.
Last edited:
Should be stated for the thread..
It has been remarked that if one selects his own components, builds his own enclosure, and is convinced he has made a wise choice of design, then his own loudspeaker sounds better to him than does anyone else's loudspeaker. In this case, the frequency response of the loudspeaker seems to play only a minor part in forming a person's opinion.
L.L. Beranek, Acoustics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1954), p.208.
It has been remarked that if one selects his own components, builds his own enclosure, and is convinced he has made a wise choice of design, then his own loudspeaker sounds better to him than does anyone else's loudspeaker. In this case, the frequency response of the loudspeaker seems to play only a minor part in forming a person's opinion.
L.L. Beranek, Acoustics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1954), p.208.
Pretty amazing the above was stated back in 1954.
My 19's are long gone. I replaced the caps with Auricaps, the resistors with Mills and the wiring with Cadas. The difference was night and day. Need to get off my butt and do the same treatment for my 604's
My 19's are long gone. I replaced the caps with Auricaps, the resistors with Mills and the wiring with Cadas. The difference was night and day. Need to get off my butt and do the same treatment for my 604's
And to think,that our speaker designer(well he does over-post on other forums also)was still so young at the time.
How could Beranek have known?
dc270
Now Off the Reservation
I am pleased with the "whole hog" xover replacement. The older inductors would saturate at higher volume levels to me bluring the music. With the new inductors the music was much more crisp with improved definition.
I did perform staged rebuild of the networks and compared them to stock networks. While the basic recap and resistor replacement did work well, I found the inductors replacements to be the final key for that dynamic jump I was looking for. I personally think the overall voicing improved here with the Z19 networks. FWIW I also went with OFC wire and better binding posts, as well as 1.5" ripple foam im place of fiberglass inside the cabs. MY 19's are certainly improved for the better- to me!
DC
I did perform staged rebuild of the networks and compared them to stock networks. While the basic recap and resistor replacement did work well, I found the inductors replacements to be the final key for that dynamic jump I was looking for. I personally think the overall voicing improved here with the Z19 networks. FWIW I also went with OFC wire and better binding posts, as well as 1.5" ripple foam im place of fiberglass inside the cabs. MY 19's are certainly improved for the better- to me!
DC
Last edited:
marantzfan
...
I'm just going to take these one step at a time....
First three steps:
1. Send compression drivers to Great Plains Audio for checkup and new diaphragms.
2. Sand and refinish cabinets.
3. Purchase grill covers and foam for horns.
Once we get to this point, I am going to give them a good long listen before I do anything else.
First three steps:
1. Send compression drivers to Great Plains Audio for checkup and new diaphragms.
2. Sand and refinish cabinets.
3. Purchase grill covers and foam for horns.
Once we get to this point, I am going to give them a good long listen before I do anything else.
Altec Best
Well-Known Member
I need to do that for my 604-8G's as well.
I'm just going to take these one step at a time....
First three steps:
1. Send compression drivers to Great Plains Audio for checkup and new diaphragms.
2. Sand and refinish cabinets.
3. Purchase grill covers and foam for horns.
Once we get to this point, I am going to give them a good long listen before I do anything else.
That works ! Take your time.
Last edited:
I'm just going to take these one step at a time....
First three steps:
1. Send compression drivers to Great Plains Audio for checkup and new diaphragms.
2. Sand and refinish cabinets.
3. Purchase grill covers and foam for horns.
Once we get to this point, I am going to give them a good long listen before I do anything else.
Definitely remove the existing 'phragms and set them aside before shipping to GPA....
marantzfan
...
Well, I opened these up tonight and began what appears as if it will be a long and painful refinish.
Driver compliment consists of:
416-8Z Woofers
and
Compression drivers only say - 27-03-033952 Driver, so unsure there.
The good news is, I think the plant ring and most of the scratches on the tops will sand out and 95% of the veneer is in good shape, only a few chips here and there but nothing major. With a tiny bit of oak wood filler here and there I think these can look pretty nice. This looks to be really nice veneer. Thick too. Hard to see through the thirty years of cigarette smoke and gunk one of the previous owners caked on these in the name of "refinishing" them.
Driver compliment consists of:
416-8Z Woofers
and
Compression drivers only say - 27-03-033952 Driver, so unsure there.
The good news is, I think the plant ring and most of the scratches on the tops will sand out and 95% of the veneer is in good shape, only a few chips here and there but nothing major. With a tiny bit of oak wood filler here and there I think these can look pretty nice. This looks to be really nice veneer. Thick too. Hard to see through the thirty years of cigarette smoke and gunk one of the previous owners caked on these in the name of "refinishing" them.
michaelhigh
mind's eye music
I don't need speakers, but I certainly would love to own these...
bowtie427ss
Lunatic Member
802-8G, altec part/assembly number 33952, altec sales/order dept(when it existed) number 10-01-03-288.
marantzfan
...
Another question. It seems as though all of my drivers have Alnico magnets. Should I box them all up and send them to GPA for a recharge?
marantzfan
...
Why is that? The gentleman at GPA that answered my email said not to worry about removing the diaphragm. :scratch2:
Well, when I sent in my 291-16B's to rephragm into 288-16G's, one had a 'phragm and one didn't. However, I didn't get the remaining 'phragm back.
In all fairness though, I didn't ask...:stupid: