High Efficiency Speaker Asylum

Posted by Oface (A) on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

Looked in a local Cl and brought these home.

I have tried looking online for info on these but it is a bit spotty at times, and the old Altec site is down , so no in depth info there.....

Here's what I found for about $400.....

(4) 817a (mdf,ply)cabs with a total (8) 921-8a's drivers

(4) 291-16k drivers with 2 different sized horns, I want to say that the horns are made out of fiberglass.

I saw one post that said these are mainly for pro/club/theater use, but could they have any potential for a large room? ~20'x30'+?, Looking maybe to do an addition with in a year or 2.

Saw something about changing out the diaphragms on the 291-16k's, any one done that ? what about results?

Unfortunately this set did not come with any divider network/ xover....

I can sling some solder and try and build my own, not too bad of a slouch with diy'n , or should I go with one of those active behringer deals?

Btw, my first time posting pics here, and also I apologize about the crappy pic quality, my MIL's camera, mine happen to break recently

thanks for any info/ ideas

Edits: 05/04/08

• Your wife must have been thrilled! - Godzilla. 15:10:50 05/05/08 (3)
  In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

  Pretty cool find actually!
  
  

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  • she's cool about it.... - Oface 20:52:52 05/05/08 (2)
    In Reply to: RE: Your wife must have been thrilled! posted by Godzilla. on May 05, 2008 at 15:10:50

    Really no issues, as long as I get rid of some other stuff, and when I do the addition in the future, she will not mind the outcome.
    
    She has never really giving me any kinda nagging of sorts, just kinda told me to filter some stuff I do not use any more,, old speakers that I have and do not use any longer....I caught the vintage bug a few years back so it caught up with me in a sense....
    
    Still plan on making some new bib as well in the future , ,when I find a few moments, been catching up since last year's little fiasco...
    
    you still running your bib's? any new projects on your front?
    
    
    
    later.......
    
    

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    • you still running your bib's? any new projects on your front? - Godzilla. 14:09:22 05/06/08 (1)
      In Reply to: RE: she's cool about it.... posted by Oface on May 05, 2008 at 20:52:52

      That's great your wife is cool with your hobby. Mine is too.
      
      Since my surgery i have had a difficult time moving around. But yes, i have my Fostex 165 BIBs singing beautifully and a few projects left unfinished. I hope to complete a TB 4" Bamboo BIB i have already cut up, a small subwoofer project with the old ACI SV12, want to stick my old boxed up Fostex 168S into a patiently waiting Straight Pipe and mrh sent me a pair of 69 cent wonders i'd like to compare to my stash or NSB's... not including the subwoofer for my sister (nearly finished) and two small monitors for friends to tuck away above some furniture.
      
      Truly,
      Godzilla
      
      

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      • wow.... - Oface 18:18:29 05/06/08 (0)
        In Reply to: RE: you still running your bib's? any new projects on your front? posted by Godzilla. on May 06, 2008 at 14:09:22

        you seem to have your plate full as well....
        
        Naaa, I gave my old bib's to "jim in blacksburg", i had posted to give them away for free, and he came down and picked them up,, I was going to build another set of them , but out of different materials, but i had a little illness that put me back for a while,, getting better now and ready to hit the ground running again....
        
        Looks like I will 1. Get my jbl's xover redone, 2. make new bibs for my 166e's, and 3. work on replacing the diaphragms on these 917-16k's and getting some sound out of this altec setup I have going,,, then it will be something else and something else after that...
        
        have fun,,,,
        
        

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• RE: A little something I found today....... - Gerner 07:17:17 05/05/08 (0)
  In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

  WOW..nice trompets...
  
  Filters? Try this: http://www.duelundaudio.com/downloads/Articles_Steen_Duelund/duelund-filter.pdf
  
  gerner
  
  

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• BTW.... - Analog Addict 07:09:06 05/05/08 (1)
  In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

  Remember that those 291's are prolly going to be way north of 100db/w/m, so go easy on them to start, and shut them down immediately if you hear any distortion. Think tubes for the compression drivers and hefty SS watts for the LF bins....
  
  Before I forget, Helluva score and welcome to the club! Hope you gots lots of room in your garage!
  Cheers!
  Analog Addict
  
  Jack of all trades, Master of none...
  Time is an abstract concept created by carbon-based life-forms to monitor their ongoing decay. -Thunderclese
  
  

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  • RE: BTW.... - Oface 21:05:46 05/05/08 (0)
    In Reply to: RE: BTW.... posted by Analog Addict on May 05, 2008 at 07:09:06

    Thanks for the link,, I registered and did a quick search, also stumbled across the Lansing Heritage site as well and perused there.

    I am going to have filter out some gear, the wife told me before i picked these up that I needed too, and I was thinking about doing so even before I found these.....Since here in SC, we do not have any basements, to my knowledge, the garage has been delegated to the ad hoc man cave.... Gonna have to wait till I get the nerve to crack ground for a addition , and before that will be a pool with it also being covered , then hardwood floors, carpet,, you get the picture,,

    It will be awhile till I get things settled and an set up , and then it will probably be time to move again rinse , repeat.

    I will be able to just hunt at a new region or locale...

    later

    ps,, I saw an add in the ATL craigslist about some nice looking 605-A's in furniture cabs,,, I think he was asking $800,, and also I am not affiliated in any way,, just passing some news on...........
    

    • http://atlanta.craigslist.org/ele/666128070.html   (Open in New Window)

    
    

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    Edits: 05/05/08
• Try here.... - Analog Addict 07:04:31 05/05/08 (0)
  In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

  This site, plus Bill and Steve at GPA are the end all for Altec knowledge...
  
  
  Cheers!
  Analog Addict
  
  Jack of all trades, Master of none...
  Time is an abstract concept created by carbon-based life-forms to monitor their ongoing decay. -Thunderclese
  

  • Altec Forum   (Open in New Window)

  
  

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• RE: A little something I found today....... - Jim in Blacksburg 06:40:48 05/05/08 (4)
  In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

  Unfortunately this set did not come with any divider network/ xover....
  
  Not at problem at all. For something like that, I'd want to run active anyway...
  
  I'll be going down to the Columbia area in August for the Elite Summer Nationals SQ show...think I could hear 'em by then? :^P
  
  
  

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  • RE: A little something I found today....... - Oface 07:20:47 05/05/08 (3)
    In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Jim in Blacksburg on May 05, 2008 at 06:40:48

    Hey jim,,, how are those bib's doing ya? did they let you see how they would perform? they we not the best , but for what they cost and skills to make, not to bad for a cheap test bed eh?
    
    Yeah when I get things hooked up and figured out, you can come down again...
    
    take care,,,
    
    are you attending school through the summer? man I am glad finals are finally through....
    
    
    later,,
    
    

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    • RE: A little something I found today....... - Jim in Blacksburg 07:41:53 05/05/08 (2)
      In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 05, 2008 at 07:20:47

      Your BIB's are now playing at my folks' house, after they heard what mine with the Sigmas sounded like they wanted a set for themselves, so it worked out :D
      
      I've got classes in June but that's about it. Just one final next week and that's that for this semester :)
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

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      • Cool,,, - Oface 09:11:35 05/05/08 (1)
        In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Jim in Blacksburg on May 05, 2008 at 07:41:53

        They are still getting some use, did you happen to spruce them up a bit, or are they still looking "raw".... I am thinking of making some new ones but out of ply or osb this time, My speakers are still naked and no box to go into atm....
        
        I am still on the fence about taking a full load for the summer,,, decisions , decisions......
        
        Either way with this speaker project and I need to update the xover in my JBL 4311's that I found for a dirt cheap price,,, I am gonna be a bit busy I think......
        
        

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        • RE: Cool,,, - Jim in Blacksburg 09:37:04 05/05/08 (0)
          In Reply to: RE: Cool,,, posted by Oface on May 05, 2008 at 09:11:35

          I had a flush trim bit that I was going to throw out anyway, so I cleaned up the edges a bit and sanded them down, coat or two of high build primer and some paint and they came out surprisingly well :)
          
          The pretty ones that are in my apartment now are basically done...still need to experiment with what color stain I'm going to use. And play around with the stuffing. Unstuffed, the midrange is not so pleasant.. x_x
          
          
          

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• RE: A little something I found today....... - lovetube 05:06:57 05/05/08 (1)
  In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

  very nice find .
  look like you will have lot of funs in a very near futher .
  enjoy.
  LT
  
  

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  • yep,,,, - Oface 21:09:46 05/05/08 (0)
    In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by lovetube on May 05, 2008 at 05:06:57

    Looks like I added some more to my plate now,, was needing to build some more bib's and refresh/rebuild the components in my jbl 4311's that I almost literally stumbled upon.... Then there some amps I need to get too.....never ends...
    
    Later,,,
    
    

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• Home Theater measured on the richter scale! Geez... - mpathus 21:29:36 05/04/08 (9)
  In Reply to: RE: A little something I found today....... posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 20:47:57

  ...prepare to blast off, lucky.
  
  Tube multi-amp with Behringer DCX 2496.
  
  

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  • grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now - Oface 21:53:41 05/04/08 (8)
    In Reply to: RE: Home Theater measured on the richter scale! Geez... posted by mpathus on May 04, 2008 at 21:29:36

    well the wife says no way to them being in the main part of the house (need basement badly) house, and I would concur, but I would also like to play some music out of them , and wondering about how to go about doing that. Not that I would all the speakers/horns , just one set though........
    
    The freakin' altecpro site is done so no info there,, I am gonna try at one of the lansing sites and register and try poking some brains there
    
    
    
    will update.......
    
    

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    • Try the great Great Plains Site... - eso 06:07:28 05/05/08 (1)
      In Reply to: RE: grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 21:53:41

      They should still have their "Unofficial Altec Forum" with lots of collective knowledge.
      
      eso
      They were a carnival of American decay on parade, and they had no idea of the atrocity they had inflicted upon themselves–Henry Chinaski
      
      

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      • thanks... - Oface 14:26:18 05/06/08 (0)
        In Reply to: RE: Try the great Great Plains Site... posted by eso on May 05, 2008 at 06:07:28

        got all registered and all ready posted...
        
        Thanks....
        
        

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    • RE: grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now - gearhunter 06:06:53 05/05/08 (5)
      In Reply to: RE: grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now posted by Oface on May 04, 2008 at 21:53:41

      Most wives LOVE big equipment!!
      
      But NOT when it comes to audio gear!
      Betcha to see the 4-SALE BY OWNER signs sprout on all the houses around you!
      
      Good luck and HAVE FUN!!
      
      Steve
      
      

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      • Set up a wet bar on the lawn, some chairs and snacks...(nt) - sanman 11:30:23 05/05/08 (0)
        In Reply to: RE: grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now posted by gearhunter on May 05, 2008 at 06:06:53

        x
        
        

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      • RE: grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now - Supershady1 11:19:18 05/05/08 (3)
        In Reply to: RE: grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now posted by gearhunter on May 05, 2008 at 06:06:53

        I can not imagine my wife letting me getting these anywhere near "Her" house.
        
        Best of luck on your adventure!!
        be like water B. Lee
        
        

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        • she's pretty cool..... - Oface 12:05:10 05/05/08 (2)
          In Reply to: RE: grin.......neighbors are gonna love me now posted by Supershady1 on May 05, 2008 at 11:19:18

          she knows this keeps me out of trouble, especially living in a college town with a ton of bars,,,heh,,,,
          
          I let her have your way,, she lets me have mine.......all about compromises right???
          
          

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          • RE: she's pretty cool..... - kyle 19:47:24 05/05/08 (1)
            In Reply to: RE: she's pretty cool..... posted by Oface on May 05, 2008 at 12:05:10

            I live in a university town as well but my knows that I'm way too old for the young ones. She worried about the instructors now!
            
            

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            • hahaah!!! - Oface 20:55:06 05/05/08 (0)
              In Reply to: RE: she's pretty cool..... posted by kyle on May 05, 2008 at 19:47:24

              That is funny...
              
              I was just thinking about that line in the movie, Dazed and Confused, where one guy is talking about young girls, and he goes "I get older and they stay the same age"....
              
              
              
              

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