Great Plains Audio ... is now Great Plains Acoustics!

[RonSSNova]

Somewhere in Mexico. And they quit selling cone kits years ago.

The Speaker Exchange in FLA has the best kits. Very close to original. The former GPA owner said the same.

They also do reconing of course.

I’d think there would be places in CA that can do that work?
The cone kits cost about $100.

There are recent posts here about this, just a week or so ago.

 

[MissionX]

Oh wow, thats a bummer. thank you for the info.

In that case, does anyone know the best place to get an older Altec woofer reckoned?

@GordonW will do it if he's not backed up. I have a local guy. I think he does out of state. I'm in Missouri.

 

[bowtie427ss]

For those who hadn't figured this out 3 or more years ago, here's the final word on the disposition of GPA:

 

[hjames]

I dunno - I find it hard to believe if GPA is no more that they'd keep the website running 3 years on!
The website still exists, tho the prices look high to me.

Great Plain Acoustics drivers and speakers where Altec Legend Lives on

Great Plains Acoustics (GPA) was born out of the Altec Lansing corporation in 1998. It carries forward the loudspeaker design and manufacturing tradition that began with Western Electric in the early 20th century. GPA is the only place where Western Electric/Altec Lansing sound reproduction...

greatplainsacoustics.com

 

[RonSSNova]

There are prices, but everything is listed as out of stock.

My guess would be that the bill for the website is on someones’s autopay.

 

[hjames]

There are prices, but everything is listed as out of stock.

My guess would be that the bill for the website is on someones’s autopay.

Yes - thats very sad.
Still got my JBLs and UREI speakers, but sold off my Altec 15 cabs a couple years back, and took forever to sell off the (Heathkit branded) Valencias...

 

[Ikke&Altec]

FWIW, stumbled upon this Y-Tube video a few days ago. Company called "Altec Lansing" showcased their reference speakers. Not sure what alteration of the Altec Lansing this company is, the speakers showcased are quite a departure from pc speakers Altec Lansing has been known for the past few decades.

Their lead engineer James Harvell was interviewed, he stated (@ ~5:39min in the Y-Tube vid.) that several horn-loaded designs i.e. Voice of Theater versions, Model 19 are under development however with a new flair. No market release time frame is given.

 

[Dr. Beaker]

Interesting video, thanks for posting that.

 

[Nyjblbob]

For those who hadn't figured this out 3 or more years ago, here's the final word on the disposition of GPA:

View attachment 3815407

FWIW, stumbled upon this Y-Tube video a few days ago. Company called "Altec Lansing" showcased their reference speakers. Not sure what alteration of the Altec Lansing this company is, the speakers showcased are quite a departure from pc speakers Altec Lansing has been known for the past few decades.

Their lead engineer James Harvell was interviewed, he stated (@ ~5:39min in the Y-Tube vid.) that several horn-loaded designs i.e. Voice of Theater versions, Model 19 are under development however with a new flair. No market release time frame is given.

IN A best case scenario, the New owners at least in Name, of Altec Lancing
Reach out to Bill Hanecheck Formerly one of the founders of Great Planes Audio,
and Recover the Equipment from somewhere in Mexico.
But No doubt Bill H. has endured enough grief to even bother!
bobhorn

 

[gberchin]

Just a bit of history. Some of this might be slightly off; it's been thirty years and my memory of events is a bit foggy:

I worked for Altec Lansing during the mid-1990s. At the time I was hired, it was part of Mark IV Audio, but through various sales and mergers that became part of ElectroVoice International (EVI), then Telex, and eventually Bosch after I left.

By the way, Bill Hanuschak's workshop and anechoic chamber were right outside the door to my office.

At the time I worked there, there was also a company named Altec Lansing Technologies, a division of Sparkomatic. As I understand it, they licensed the Altec Lansing name for some of their products.

Sometime in the late 1990s, again as I understand it, EVI (or it might have become Telex by that time) sold the rights to the Altec Lansing name outright to Sparkomatic.

What the relationship between Sparkomatic's Altec Lansing and the new Altec Lansing might be, I have no idea.

 

[Nyjblbob]

Just a bit of history. Some of this might be slightly off; it's been thirty years and my memory of events is a bit foggy:

I worked for Altec Lansing during the mid-1990s. At the time I was hired, it was part of Mark IV Audio, but through various sales and mergers that became part of ElectroVoice International (EVI), then Telex, and eventually Bosch after I left.

By the way, Bill Hanuschak's workshop and anechoic chamber were right outside the door to my office.

At the time I worked there, there was also a company named Altec Lansing Technologies, a division of Sparkomatic. As I understand it, they licensed the Altec Lansing name for some of their products.

Sometime in the late 1990s, again as I understand it, EVI (or it might have become Telex by that time) sold the rights to the Altec Lansing name outright to Sparkomatic.

What the relationship between Sparkomatic's Altec Lansing and the new Altec Lansing might be, I have no idea.

Wow!
A person with your experience , perhaps you can help put the right people together
To help save The product line and Name Brand Altec!
Bobhorn

What do you think bowtie427ss

 

[gberchin]

A person with your experience , perhaps you can help put the right people together
To help save The product line and Name Brand Altec!

I really wish that I could. But as I said, it's been thirty years, and so any relationships that I once had faded long ago.

 

[Nyjblbob]

Mr H is still around ,
afaik.
Those guys at The new Altec Lancing are no doubt
Easy to contact.
Can’t hurt to try

 

[bowtie427ss]

What do you think bowtie427ss

OK, you asked.

I think 25+ years ago it was time to stick a fork in it. That horse won't be beat back to life. Really, you could go all the way back to Jimmy Ling and the damage done during the LTV era. I don't think the corporation ever fully recovered from that.

Without a lead engineering team, there is no innovation or development. Without innovation and development, there are no new products. To the working audio world(sound reinforcement, theater sound, recording) Altec hadn't introduced a game changer product since the introduction of the duplex, and VOT's in the late 1940's. Fundamentally, there's very little difference between a 1950's A7, and the last A7-8 system to leave the factory in the 1990's. Sure there were small upgrades in driver construction(some of which were forced by scarcity and economics, not innovation and development) and crossover application, but no significant engineering changes or developments.

The best that's going to happen, and it did, is that somebody with great means and a hobby interest in audio will come along and pump a little life support into the dying carcass. There is/was zero new engineering. Any new products were simply re-iterations of the past.

The "Altec" brand name is alive and well, they make boom trucks/derricks, and chippers. They likely enjoy a healthier annual bottom line than the Altec Lansing Corporation ever did in the 70's, 80's, and 90's.

Don't get me wrong, i still love my antiquated, and obsolete Altecs, and i will continue to do so. But, i do fully recognize that in today's audio world they are obsolete antiques.

Time marches on...

 

[gberchin]

... no significant engineering changes or developments.

I, along with the other members of the team that I was part of, was brought-in in 1995 to help the company make the transition from analog signal processing products to digital signal processing products. The name on the front of the building that I worked in was Altec Lansing. But when we completed our first product, management decided that it shouldn't be an Altec Lansing product; it was introduced under a new brand name: Merlin. Well, for various reasons that never really took-off. After that, our efforts were mostly devoted to the Klark-Teknik and Dynacord lines; not to Altec Lansing. Oh, there was an Altec Lansing speaker protection product for which we worked briefly on a DSP update, but that was ultimately abandoned. It wasn't long before they sold the Altec Lansing name to Sparkomatic.

 

[bowtie427ss]

After that, our efforts were mostly devoted to the Klark-Teknik and Dynacord lines; not to Altec Lansing.

I have a pair of Altec 1905A parametric EQ's that appear to pretty much be a KT DN-405 except with the addition of zero gain fine adjustment pots occupying a 2nd RU.

Given the lack of "made in USA" anywhere on the chassis, and the language "this equipment must be earthed", i gather they were made in England at Klark Teknik?

 

[gberchin]

I have a pair of Altec 1905A parametric EQ's

That appears to be an analog product from before my time at Altec. I have no knowledge of the product.

 

[StevenLudlam]

For those who hadn't figured this out 3 or more years ago, here's the final word on the disposition of GPA:

View attachment 3815407

Todd, I have four (4) original vintage Altec Lansing 9844a monitors which I removed from a local church for free after 30 years of use 1-2x per week. I have patiently been waiting since October 2022 for Great Plains Acoustics to restart repairing original vintage Altec Lansing products. Unfortunately, Santy continues to advise me they can't find acceptable, affordable replacement parts and are not taking GPA or Altec repair requests.

I recently purchased/read the Vintage Hi-fi Buyers Guide. After perusing it, I continue to be motivated to have these classic and rare vintage studio speakers refurbished as from 1976 to 1992 I had two Altec Lansing Valencias with birch cabinets which were great sounding but sold as they were a pain to move when changing houses. These 9844s all work except for one of the low frequency drivers and two are stronger sounding volume-wise. They definitely need help to bring back to their original sound.

I am emailing you to request your advice / help in identifying a respected service person or team in the USA who still works on these great vintage units and can provide a thorough inspection service / full restoration on the:

a) Four (4) 806A vintage horn 160HM drivers.

b) Eight (8) 414-16B low frequency vintage drivers, re-cone, additional repairs as necessary, and degauss.

c) Four (4) N-800-F crossovers, inspect & test, adjust & repair or replace if necessary, and replace connection cable from cross-over to controls and drivers with new cable.

d) Any other additional service or repair work recommended.

e) Recommendations of good speaker cable brand / product number for connection to a receiver (I currently have a Kenwood KR720 which I want to replace with a Pioneer SX-780 or Sansui g7070; and an Audio-Technica AT-LPW30TK turntable with an AT-VMN95C cartridge).



If you need pics (inside and out), I can send them to you. They are in very good shape interior and exterior-wise, save the church painted them a tan color when our sanctuary was updated about 15 years ago and I want to strip or sand the exterior and stain them.



I'll appreciate any advice or help with my continuing efforts / venture!



Thanks,

Steve Ludlam

 

[eiraved]

@StevenLudlam , Welcome to AK!!
Who's Todd?
Post some pictures.

 

[RonSSNova]

I’d assume Todd White who created the Altec Users Board on Hostboard.