Altec 604 coaxial

[VDS]

Hi,

Not Klipsch, but I’m sure there’s some with Altec experience. Anybody have any experiences with the Altec, or current Great Plains Audio, 604 Coaixal?

I’ve become interested in the idea of building a set of speakers with these drivers and biamping them with active XO’s.  
Lots of love for these drivers on Altec forum, but looking for comparisons to Klipsch.

thanks

 

[OO1]

  the Altec 604 Coaxial is Studio Monitor quality , 

 

  I would search out for the newer  GPA 604 Ferrite drivers  versus restoring older Alnico 604 units , as repairs can be very costly .  Urei Altec  studio Monitors do come up from time to time  with these newer drivers + crossovers , 

[RRR]

Expect better imaging and sound in some ways, not a house rocker but maybe the newer stuff has improved since my experience.

[garyrc]

2 hours ago, VDS said:

Hi,

Not Klipsch, but I’m sure there’s some with Altec experience. Anybody have any experiences with the Altec, or current Great Plains Audio, 604 Coaixal?

I’ve become interested in the idea of building a set of speakers with these drivers and biamping them with active XO’s.  
Lots of love for these drivers on Altec forum, but looking for comparisons to Klipsch.

thanks

 

 

I have experience with the Altec 604E.  It was used (along with other speakers) at Wally Heider recording studio and Swanson sound services.  The sound reminded me of Klipsch and JBL horny highs, but without quite as much very high frequency "air," "sizzle," "zing," etc., etc.  I could live with any of the above.

Here are some curves. 

 

The 604Es I knew were c. 1974 in large bass reflex enclosures.  They were fine.  As I remember, they were a bit warmer -- less steely -- than the Voice of the Theater A7, not as powerful sounding as a Klipschorn, or the big, old, studio monitors of the '70s like the JBL4350

(two 15" woofers, a low mid, high mid [horn], and super tweeter), or the Paragon, etc.

 

With studio monitors, I found that getting used to what you used was the key.  Engineers, producers, musicians, students, intimate partners, etc. would take first generation copies home, or over to the friend's house with the good sound system, and think, "that needs a little more/less treble/bass/midrange," etc. and gradually get a sense of how the balance, transparency, etc. of the  monitors that lived at the studio with which they were familiar compared to the speakers "out there." 

 

Of the readily available speakers out there, for music in general, not necessarily strings, I'd guess that the Klipsch Jubilee

might be the best (haven't heard it yet), then the Klipschorn

(have lived with  them happily for the past 45 years, and put in two factory upgrades), then the Klipsch La Scala AL5 (definitely needs a subwoofer below 60 Hz, IMHO), then the Altec 604- 8H-111 (haven't heard it), then the 604E, both in large, ported enclosures.

 

The Klipsch Forte III might be a contender (haven't heard it). 

 

In the good old days, you might be able to walk into a store and hear the models of each of these current in that time, sitting there side by side.  Around 1980, Pro Audio (Oakland), Christopher's Audio (Berkeley), Berkeley Custom Electronics

and you might have run into Paul Klipsch, Joe Minor (engineer and owner of Berkeley Custom) and Arthur Fiedler, conductor of the Boston Pops -- who knows?

But that was then.

[juniper]

I Had the G models for years with good recordings they are eerie. Imaging is insane. Had 2 sets of Cornwalls older models, and the Altecs were much more refined to my ear. you will hear much more of the recording. I have a brand new pair of Hs that are vintage never hooked them up because i have Jub types now. Look up Jean Hiraga speakers High end show in Munich some of the reviews are interesting. They do need a very good subwoofer . If they are good enough in the past for B Striesand, Frank Sinatra Sony execs  Les Paul and you can go on and on. Incredible speakers like one gent said on the JBL board its like owning a Ferrari..... They are fun!!!

[Bubo]

On 3/25/2022 at 5:45 PM, VDS said:

Hi,

Not Klipsch, but I’m sure there’s some with Altec experience. Anybody have any experiences with the Altec, or current Great Plains Audio, 604 Coaixal?

I’ve become interested in the idea of building a set of speakers with these drivers and biamping them with active XO’s.  
Lots of love for these drivers on Altec forum, but looking for comparisons to Klipsch.

thanks

 

If you do a build

post it here.

Some of the guys are wood workers and speaker builders

who would appreciate the work product

[seti]

I heard a pair in what was called Monkey Coffins. They were great...

 

 

[HiFi Heaven]

Howdy Juniper - and all the ALTEC fans here that have graduated to Klipsch for home listening!

ALTEC 604's are nearfield Monitor Speakers, never intended or voiced for home music playback.

ALTEC 604-HPLN (High Power Less Network) had 421 8Ω woofer LF + 16Ω HF diaphragm, so the

Sound 80 mix-masters could achieve 110+dB at the console. Those were the days!  I was there.

 

[juniper]

HiFi you should talk about the installation at the Walker Art Center..... My high school had an awesome Planetarium with fully reclining seats they had about 20 604s in it. Kids would travel hundreds of miles to see shows in it all the time. It was so silent when a show wasnt on it was weird.  Found away to deal with the quiet, get a lass in there. Darkest place i think ive ever been.

[juniper]

HiFI i dont think there just near field monitors. some thought just like in Munich at RMAF they were the best speakers in the show all subjective of course, I think Serious Stereo made them. My *gs would scare people when soffit mounted. I liked bass reflex better for most music. I like separation and detail but soffit mounted can be just insane.

[Marvel]

12 hours ago, HiFi Heaven said:

ALTEC 604-HPLN (High Power Less Network) had 421 8Ω woofer LF + 16Ω HF diaphragm, so the

Sound 80 mix-masters could achieve 110+dB at the console

Those were built for PA/sound reinforcement use and not as monitors. The 604-8G would be better suited for your home, and sound better with lower frequency extension.

 

Those were the days... it's nice that they're gone.

[JohnA]

VDS, I *might* be able to talk my GF into selling her 604-8Gs, rebuilt to new with GPA parts.  They will be >$1400 for the pair and there is always a new excuse not to sell, but maybe. 

[charlieboy]

I have owned more than a few 604, Urei, and similar duplex style speakers and different enclosures. The speakers pictured at the top of this thread link are the finest end result out of any I have had to date.

 

https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/194255-pictures-of-your-tube-amplifiers/page/24/#comment-2686414

[Audiophile53]

Several years ago I had ported cabinets built for a pair of 604E's in the art deco style (i.e. 605 cab).  They were properly tuned for each speaker by the length of the port tube and sound very good.  This is not my main system but it is very enjoyable to listen to in the porch.

[the real Duke Spinner]

Great clarity, but not a room shaker

[OO1]

On 10/17/2022 at 12:04 PM, Audiophile53 said:

art deco style (i.e. 605 cab). 

your cabinets have   Refined  details and   styling cues , I see a  cleaner , more fluid  art deco style versus the traditional   605 cab with the heavier platform base .

[the real Duke Spinner]

On 3/30/2022 at 12:49 PM, Marvel said:

 

 

Those were the days... it's nice that they're gone.

 

They are still here, every day in my living room. 😀

[the real Duke Spinner]

BTW as one might divine from the shallow basket....

There is not a lot of woofer excursion

 

 

 

 

 

[the real Duke Spinner]

On 3/25/2022 at 9:10 PM, jason str said:

, not a house rocker

 

Exactly ir is a true Monitor speaker

 

[garyrc]

They used 604Es at Wally Heider recording studio in San Francisco in the early 1970s, powered by McIntosh 275 tube amps.  They sounded very, very good.  There was some roll-off above 10K Hz and below 80 Hz.  Still, they sounded very, very good!  We visited the Heider studio in an elective course called "Discover Your Ears,"  at San Francisco State University.  We visited most of the studios in the extended Bay Area, as well as Churches with exemplary pipe organs, like Grace Cathedral, with an antiphonal organ.