Phoenix CL: 4 VOTTs (2 A-7s, 2 with 12" drivers) 300.00

[cheon57]

Upon closer inspection, I am finding that the smaller cabinets are in fact plywood. Just the back is MDF which has clearly picked up some water as it is crumbling around the edges. That being said, they will still require quite a bit of work to restore even structural integrity, let alone cosmetically. They are literally coming apart at the seams in the front. I had planned on being extra careful when removing the curved pieces to use them as templates. I have roughly 30 sets of speakers, most of which have wood veneered cabinets. I find them pleasing to the eye and the drivers themselves kick ass. Now that I have heard them, I have no plans nor desire to part them out. I don't see any real benefit to restoring the origional cabinets to their flat black finish so I see them as prime candidates for some nice walnut or mahogany veneer sides with perhaps a birds eye maple veneer for the curved areas. They would truly be 1 of a kind.

 

[titanstats]

Well, I'd love to see pics of those when you manage to getting around to restoring them -- your plan sounds excellent. :thmbsp: Quite a score you landed there.

Then again, maybe that pastel pink/red will grow on you..?

 

[cheon57]

Driver images

Here are shots of the drivers from 1 of each of the 2 model cabinets.

 

[chimpetus]

Paint them black and move them to your listening room. Do you have a Le Corbusier chair and a floor lamp on hand?

 

[cheon57]

Paint them black and move them to your listening room. Do you have a Le Corbusier chair and a floor lamp on hand?

That is one of my all-time favorite ads. Maxell, wasn't it? BTW that appears to be a foam grille on that speaker. It appears familiar and I want to say Pioneer but not sure. I am sure that someone has that bit of trivia bouncing around in their head. Would they be so kind as to enlighten me? I could probably generate that effect but would have to need at least 32db earplugs. Feeding them with the 9900Z, they cause pain at < 6' running power at 12 o'clock.Besides it might be more fun to get a rolling desk chair, set a cabinet in each corner and let the sound waves ping-pong me around the room. My daughter was here today and she suggested that I paint them psychadelic and set them up with plants to obscure the fronts so you can't really tell where the sound is coming from. She also wants to borrow them for her house warming party. I am sure her neighbors will love that.

 

[chimpetus]

Yup.. Maxell tape. "No other tape delivers higher fidelity."

 

[cheon57]

No doubt. I still have some XLS II's that I recorded back in '82 that still sound great.

 

[cheon57]

If the original paint is flat black, they're older boxes.

It'll be very interesting to see some pics.

Also take notice if they're constructed of 5/8 (mod 825) or 3/4 (mod 828) inch plywood.

The 12 inch woofers kinda throw a wrench in the works, there were never any VOTT's with 12 inch woofers. I suspect either the term VOTT is being abused, which is common as people like to call anything with the altec name and a horn VOTT, but that's doesn't make it true.


Whatever happens, if you're not taking a vehicle they'll fit in, take tools and immediately pull the drivers and bring them home with you if you make a deal. Don't make the mistake i have in the past only to have the lady hand you back your money when you go to pick them up because she's sold them to somebody else for more.

This what I am surmising after doing a bit more searching for info to match driver configuration with cabinet size. The standard 417 drivers were labeled 417 8C and were 8ohm. I located them in the 1968 musical instrument drivers brochure. It also states that other impedance values were available.
http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/altec/specs/components/mi.htm
The next link has dimensions and images of the A7 and A7 500 cabinets and according to the info, I in fact have A7 500 cabinets if they were made in '68 but if there were made in '72 then they may be 1208A's.:scratch2:
http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/altec/plans/1968-plans.htm

Either way that doesn't explain the other cabinets. While searching for driver numbers, I ran across a page that made mention of A7 500 XLR cabinets that had 2 16" drivers and a dividing network. The cabinet dimensions were actually very close to the ones I have (within 1/2" iirc) so I am wondering if these were not something that was special ordered for smaller venues and ease of lugging around. With the 12"'s they are damned heavy and I would think that 16"s would add at least 20 or 30# to an already heavy box that a small band may not want to screw with. I am going to call the lady I got them from and see if I can get a little clearer history.

 

[analog addict]

Dunno if anyone's said it yet...

...but that is a SUPER SCORE!!! :drool::drool::drool:

:yes::thmbsp: You got plans for an alternate living situation lined up for when the ol' lady gets back???:nono:

 

[cheon57]

Thanks, I am excited to have found them and consider them a steal. Clean from over a block away. The fan kicked in on the Sansui and it ran cool to the touch for the entire time I was driving them and my Model 8's at the same time. At the moment they are sitting on pallets, tarped over in the driveway.
I did talk to the girl I got them from again. She is certain he bought all 4 boxes new in 1974 or 75 at the latest and have not been rebuilt, repaired or altered other than paint. They were specifically purchased with the boxes containing the 12's instead of the horns. This clearly points towards the A7 500 Series with the small boxes being some lesser version of the 500XLR or is it LXR(brainfart) cabs which contained the 16" drivers. She said her hubby was still in HS when he purchased them so I am thinking that bang for bucks on hand was a major factor. Make no mistake, the boxes with the 12's performed far beyond my expectations and seemed to thrive on the power the 9900Z is able to output. 16ohm, parallel wired, they performed well fed alone with no crossover, EQ and when fed through the 801 8A's along with the 421's in the big boxes, they only sounded better. I am a little concerned with the condition of the surrounds. There seemed to be quite a bit of light shining through.

 

[rickr15]

Congrats on your score. You apparently got an honest seller as I am sure she was deluged with calls at that price. I myself would have been willing to pay much more than her asking price if they werent already spoken for.

 

[cheon57]

Waf

OMG. I have them out on the driveway right now, stacked on 4x4's and double tarped to keep them dry and I uncovered them to show them to the wife.:worried: I was in the process of explaining to her what I had envisioned in the way of new cabinets when she looks at me and says, "I kind of like the cabinets. The color isn't the greatest but I like the cabinets."
:jawdrop:
You could have knocked me over with a feather. I at least expected or maybe or even this but not :thmbsp:.
Just goes to show, ya never know.

 

[cheon57]

Congrats on your score. You apparently got an honest seller as I am sure she was deluged with calls at that price. I myself would have been willing to pay much more than her asking price if they werent already spoken for.

Many thanks. She was a real nice lady, attitudes formed in the late 60's/early 70's and fairly set in her philosophy, much like yours truly. She did say that a number of people told her she could get a lot more for them and that she had a few actually come and look. Guess they were putting too much stock in physical appearance and lack of horns. I did see a pair of the 417 16ohm drivers listed on E-pray and the seller stated they were Jensen guitar amp speakers. That is the only place so far I have found anything on the 417's as a 16ohm driver and they are paired like mine are.
By the way, any of my fellow members at AK are willing to pop by for a visit pretty much anytime. I am a f/t caregiver for MIL and as a result pretty much house-bound. Once you get to Wittmann, just zero in on the sound.