ScooterMcTav
I know less than I think
...so I pick up a lot of vintage stereo equipment from a guy via local classifieds. My main item I wanted in the lot was a Thorens TD-166, but it also came with a Kenwood KR-6400 and a set of refoamed and potentiometer-repaired set of Altec Lansing Model 5.
Had a good listen to them on my known receiver (Sony STR-5800) and found the Altecs to be very lively and engaging. Bass was solid and full, and the mids were slightly scooped, not normally an issue for my listening preferences. On classic rock, country, and "quieter" music, they performed ably, though some instrument tone (piano especially) had a bit of a tipped-up quality to it. It was almost a little over-resonant.
As recommended by Altec, I turned the potentiometer to "max" and ended up dialing it down about 2/3rds for the treble setting.
This is the first set of speakers I've had with paper cone tweeters in a long time, and I found them surprisingly good. Certainly not as detailed or crisp as some of my modern speakers, but extension was certainly adequate, if a tiny bit splashy at times.
However, when I introduced them to some modern recordings, all hell broke loose. They immediately struggled with the upper mid bass, and got very congested. The STR-5800 has a damping factor of 40, so I wonder if loud volume modern rock was just a little too much to keep the woofers from getting a bit flabby sounding.
So for reference, I reattached my regular speakers in this setup, a set of Monitor Audio Silver 6. They certainly did not have the bass slam of the Altecs, but there was more sparkle up top. However, I hate to admit this, they sounded a little bit, well, dull compared to the Altecs. And for me this is odd, as I have found the MAs to be one of the more lively modern speakers I own - in fact, I prize them for their top-end dynamics and crispness without being tipped up in the treble.
Question is, what is it I am hearing in the Altecs that I am not hearing in the MAs? I can hear what's in the MAs and not in the Altecs, but not vice-versa.
Had a good listen to them on my known receiver (Sony STR-5800) and found the Altecs to be very lively and engaging. Bass was solid and full, and the mids were slightly scooped, not normally an issue for my listening preferences. On classic rock, country, and "quieter" music, they performed ably, though some instrument tone (piano especially) had a bit of a tipped-up quality to it. It was almost a little over-resonant.
As recommended by Altec, I turned the potentiometer to "max" and ended up dialing it down about 2/3rds for the treble setting.
This is the first set of speakers I've had with paper cone tweeters in a long time, and I found them surprisingly good. Certainly not as detailed or crisp as some of my modern speakers, but extension was certainly adequate, if a tiny bit splashy at times.
However, when I introduced them to some modern recordings, all hell broke loose. They immediately struggled with the upper mid bass, and got very congested. The STR-5800 has a damping factor of 40, so I wonder if loud volume modern rock was just a little too much to keep the woofers from getting a bit flabby sounding.
So for reference, I reattached my regular speakers in this setup, a set of Monitor Audio Silver 6. They certainly did not have the bass slam of the Altecs, but there was more sparkle up top. However, I hate to admit this, they sounded a little bit, well, dull compared to the Altecs. And for me this is odd, as I have found the MAs to be one of the more lively modern speakers I own - in fact, I prize them for their top-end dynamics and crispness without being tipped up in the treble.
Question is, what is it I am hearing in the Altecs that I am not hearing in the MAs? I can hear what's in the MAs and not in the Altecs, but not vice-versa.
