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BMS Drivers

dgwojo

dgwojo

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Back in December their was interest from members in buying some BMS 4550 or 4552ND drivers at a discount. AK member Hillman and I finally made contact with Assistance Audio, they replied to the e-mail after 3 - 4 weeks, there must have been a Christmas rush?? Here's the thread where this discussion about a group buy took place; Altecs

Jack Arnott at Assistance suggests the 4552ND over the 4550 as the neo magnet has less flux variation and the cost is not much more. The quote I received was for 15% off the regular price if we buy a dozen, S&H for boxes of 6 to one destination is $20, and one payment must be issued for the dozen. Hillman and I are interested in a pair each of the 4552ND's, so we're up to 4, we'll need 8 more to make this happen, and we'll have to settle up on who the single contact should be for payment. The regular price for the 4550 is now $143.75, and the 4552ND is $186.25, they gone up a lot due to the weak US dollar. Please e-mail me or member Hillman if you're still interested, thanks, Dave.

Assistance BMS Drivers
 
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4550s and 4552nds measure very much the same. I prefer the 4552nds, which seem to have a touch more clarity in the upper midrange. They are also much smaller and lighter with their neodymium magents; you're going to be shocked when you get them, on many scores. I'd say they're worth the premium.

Be sure to specify what impedance you want. They're available in both 8 and 16 ohms. The requisite metric mounting screws are available at your local hardware store.

Here's another BMS testimonial from just this week by an AK member reporting on the Lansing Heritage forum:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=197409#post197409

4552nd on Altec 811B, below. I also use them routinely on the $10 JBL PT waveguide with P-Audo PC-35 thread-on throat adapter.

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Ok Guys, This is the best deal we are going to get on these drivers. This is by far a better deal than US Speaker was going to give us. I would like an 8 ohm pair of the 4552ND's. That's $158.32 each for the 4552ND x 2 = $316.64 plus shipping. $20.00 for 6 x 2 = $40 ÷ 6 = $6.66 for each pair + shipping to your office or home. The 4552ND's weigh in at about 1.83 pounds each compared to 4.97 pounds each for the 4550's. UPS shipping on 2 - 4552ND's (I figured with a 6 pound, 12"x12"x12" package) with $350.00 of insurance from Michigan to Los Angeles, California is going to be around $17.50 and to Manhattan, New York about $15.50. The 4550's might cost $3.00 or $4.00 more to ship because of their weight difference, 11 - 12 pounds.
 
Shipping

Hillman said:
The 4550's might cost $3.00 or $4.00 more to ship because of their weight difference, 11 - 12 pounds.
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Indeed, some of the premium for 4552nd is made up in reduced shipping costs.

1) Diminutive 4552s come packaged in individual boxes.

2) Two of them will easily fit in a free Priority Mail "Small Video" box with padding.

3) That box weighs 3 lb. 11 oz. and would regularly mail from me to MI for $13.45, BUT,

4) It will fit in a Priority Mail Fixed Rate envelope and go Anywhere USA for $4.60, (Canada or Mexico $9.00,) OR,

5) For added security, double-boxed with plenty of bubble or other additional padding in the also free 11" x 8.5" x 5.5" Flat Rate Box for $8.95 (Canada or Mexico $23.00).

[Take yer pick; insurance $5.50 extra.... ;) ]
 

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Part of my original attraction to these was the entry price as compared to reworking the Altec drivers with new diaphragms and shipping to and from GPA. The price has jumped up a significant amount in my eyes. This doesn't look like much of a deal to me.
 
macaltec said:
The price has jumped up a significant amount in my eyes. This doesn't look like much of a deal to me.
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These are the premium Neodymium-magnet 4552nd version, Mac.

They're just $8 more apiece in this group buy than they were a year ago before the dollar turned to poop, and the performance improvement over reconditioned Altec drivers with new diaphgragms is well documented.... :yes:
 
Zilch said:
These are the better Neodymium-magnet 4552nd version, Mac.

They're just $8 more apiece in this group buy than they were a year ago before the doller turned to poop, and the performance improvement over reconditioned Altec drivers with new diaphgragms is well documented.... :yes:
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I was lookin at the 4550 because it would play lower. Seems I remember the price coming in right at $250 for a pair to my door. I'm not tryin to poop on it I'm just kinda shocked.
 
Hillman said:
OK Guys, where are we on this? I might be selling a set of 802-8G's to recoup my expences.
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Tom, I e-mailed the group, we're close to the dozen we need, I think we're between 8 and 10 drivers right now, Dave.
 
Should I?

New to the Altec playground, I recently picked up a pair of Altec 9846-8A with 511B horns and 802-8D drivers. My drivers seem to work fine.

Would these drivers be capable of handling the 500 Hz crossover and would they be a significant improvement over my existing drivers?

If so, I might be in.. if not, well good luck.
 
To Cosmos

I also have 9846-8A. I just restored them. Found out the 802's came with two different diaphrams.One was for a p.a. system (large area)and one was for the recording studio.The rec studio one goes to 20k and the p.a. goes to 15k.I was told to replace mine with a 26420 diaphram(newer type).I still have not recieved my diaphrams yet so I can"t coment on the sound.You may have the p.a. diaphrams in yours.
 
9846-8a

ALTEC9846-8A said:
I also have 9846-8A. I just restored them. Found out the 802's came with two different diaphrams.One was for a p.a. system (large area)and one was for the recording studio.The rec studio one goes to 20k and the p.a. goes to 15k.I was told to replace mine with a 26420 diaphram(newer type).I still have not recieved my diaphrams yet so I can"t coment on the sound.You may have the p.a. diaphrams in yours.
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Would they really put a PA diaphragm in a Studio Monitor speaker? I know the crossover is special and shelved to influence the extremes..
 
Saint Johnny said:
What is the total price for a pair?

I'm still on the fence about this, as my Vals are still in storage.
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I verified the prices yesterday shown at the beginning of the thread are still good, we just need to get them from the central purchasing point to your home, that's what Hillman and Zilch were quoting on top of the cost, we also have to be sure we cover the PayPal fees if that's used, no reason for a member to eat those fees and do all the work. :yes:
 
Yes If you look at the altec info,it says this speaker can be used for audiotoriums,nightclubs,conference rooms,theatres and church sound reinforcement systems. this is the website i got this info from http;//www.lansingheritage.org/images/altec/specs/pro-systems/9846-8a/page01.jpg. The person I got mine from said his dad had it for a long time and he thouight his dad got it from a church.The p.a. diaphram sounds fine. it just doesn,t go as high as the studio one(15kz to 20kz)
 
veneer no

No I didn't. When I got them they were in terrible shape. Origional gray plywood was far beond repair.I took apart one cabinet and measured everything and then designed a new cabinet out of new mahogary plywood. It was very expensive costing about $1000 for new cabinets.Some work was done by me and some by a furniture maker.
 
Could you use the jbl with a 500hz crossover. Would it be better than the 808 driver and what extra parts would I need to connect it to a 511 horn? I have ordered new diaphrams but they havn't shipped them yet. its been 2 weeks.:scratch2:
 
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