Hey Hey...the Altecs are finally done :)

gonefishin · « **on:** 28 Aug 2005, 06:04 pm »

Hi guys

The Altec project has finally been finished.

These are my brothers speakers which started out as Valencia's.

take care all>>>>>>

dan

DeadFish · « **Reply #1 on:** 28 Aug 2005, 07:05 pm »

<<*drool!*>>
(with my very best Homer Simpson mindless slobbering...)
Damned purty, Dan!
Those are really sweet.
Noting how they started as Valencias, did you get creative with the innards or pretty much leaving 'as is'?
Enquiring minds are ...damned curious!

How are they sounding?
And did I mention they look beautiful?!!

Good work!
Best Regards,
Bill

Dmason · « **Reply #2 on:** 28 Aug 2005, 08:27 pm »

Dan

Your woodcraft is fantastic. Maybe you could grace us with more pix, sideshots, etc. Let's look at the finish. Veneer choice? Crossovers? Inquiring minds NEED more!! Congrats on the fab work. A World Class Drool Magnet. Supply listeners with Depends (tm) type speakers.

gonefishin · « **Reply #3 on:** 29 Aug 2005, 07:13 pm »

Thanks for the kind words...I know the picture is a bit dark. I'll post some better pics once I get'em. I do have some more pictures in a gallery. But be warned...you may need to turn your contrast up until I get some better pictures.

It's been some time since I heard the Valencia's to directly compare. But off memory the sound is nicely extended in the low end while it also sounds much smoother with less colorations. The mids have also cleaned up quite a bit going up in the woofers response matching up with the 806 midrange.

I don't have the dimensions off hand...but the cabinet is a large 10cuft. What we did was use 13ply baltic birch for the first layer. Inside of this we use a good amount of tension braceing and dividing strips to seperate the larger panels into smaller (oddly sized) panels. While this did reduce alot of vibrations from the enclosure...it could still use more. So we added an additional layer of 3/4" veneered mdf screwed and glued. Now the entire cabinet is about as dead as a tree. Downside? It weighs about as much too.

We did try out a couple different croosvers in the speakers...using some pllxo, an active...the original Altec crossover and another passive similar to the original. While both the active and the other passive did sound less colored...it didn't have the same BIG Altec sound. My brother preffered the orginal Altec sound...so the original is still in there.

dan

Dmason · « **Reply #4 on:** 29 Aug 2005, 07:41 pm »

Yup. the V was 10.38ft^3.

Everytime I see stuff like that I just want to move inland into a big place JUST so I can get back into BIG speakers. From BIG speakers come similar sound

Somehow I am not surprised that after mucho experimendo you settle on the original. This I have heard before.

The Iconic 704's are now landing in cabinets out there and it wont be long til we start hearing the comparisons. Should be VERY interesting.