The Altec-Lansing M500 Maestro is a largely lost and forgotten loudspeaker, but it is, perhaps, the best the company ever built. It arrived in the final days of Altec-Lansing, Inc., and production was cut short due to the sale of the company. Why is the M500 Maestro important to us today? It provides the framework for what would have been the replacement for the highly acclaimed Model 19. It has … Continue reading →

The Compostela Loudspeaker System “Compostela”, literally “a field of stars” is the result of over two years of design and engineering. Everything from its stacked box design to the drivers chosen reaches back to the golden age of Altec Lansing. Design: The Compostela loudspeaker system is a D’Appolito hybrid design also known as an MTM. You can learn more about MTM designs here. Components: 2 x Altec Lansing or Great … Continue reading →

The Altec-Lansing Valencia 846B is an American audio classic that inspired the development of the legendary Model 19. It shares many similarities with the newer and larger Model 19. There were two versions of the Valencia: the 846A and 846B. For our testing purposes we chose the 846B due to its impedance, and that it was a tuned port enclosure. We had two goals with our Valencias: 1. Make them … Continue reading →

David Hafler and Ed Laurent founded the Dyna Company (later Dynaco) with the intention of not only producing transformers, but high-quality audio circuitry. The company was incorporated in October 1955, with business premises located at 617 N. 41st St in Philadelphia. Dynaco’s first product was the Mk. II 50-watt power amplifier. Available as a kit or preassembled unit, the Mk. II was sold for several years until its replacement in … Continue reading →

If you’ve been following our Altec-Lansing Model 14 project that began with a summary of the loudspeaker, this final part will be of special interest to you. After spending 8 weeks testing the Model 14 with various crossover configurations and amplifiers, we’re ready to report our findings. The Altec Model 14 suffers from a couple of weaknesses that have led to its lack of popularity among audiophiles. Firstly, Altec-Lansing revised … Continue reading →

The JBL XPL-200A is considered by many to be the holy grail of loudspeaker systems. They are coveted by collectors and music lovers alike, especially when they are paired with one of the most rare of all audiophile components: the JBL DX-1 active crossover network with an XPL-200A card set. When we were offered the opportunity to bring a pair into the listening room, we felt honored. The XPL-200A is … Continue reading →

After their complete restoration, our pair of Altec Lansing Model 14s were finally ready to be auditioned . We placed them on stands so that the top of the cabinets were at ear level. (This was determined to be the best height during setup testing.) They were set 10′ apart (center to center), 3′ feet from the side walls, 28″ from the the rear wall, with a toe-in of 4″ … Continue reading →

The JBL 4425 is a Constant Directivity horn loudspeaker system designed by Greg Timbers. It’s based of the larger 4430 and 4435 systems that were designed by David Smith. All of these systems utilize Don Keele’s famous 2344 or 2342 Bi-Radial Horn, oftentimes referred to as ‘Dolly Partons’ or ‘Baboon butts’. The 4425 combines this with the 2416H compression driver. Don Keele was responsible for the first Constant Directivity horn … Continue reading →

The dbx DriveRack PA2 is one of many Loudspeaker Management Systems currently available to the Pro Audio community, but do these systems also have a place among audiophiles? Many purists will complain that any digital device adulterates the original analog signal, and that EQ is never a good thing. We disagree with this type of thinking. Your collection of recordings, whether they be purely analog (vinyl and tape), digital, or … Continue reading →

The Altec Lansing Model 14 is an almost forgotten classic speaker system. It’s rare to find a pair, and highly improbable that they’re still functional. Considering the continuing popularity of their bigger sibling, the Model 19, it’s difficult to comprehend why the Model 14 is so neglected by audiophiles. The Model 14 is of a more practical size for most homes, and its Mantaray horn should fix the beaming problems … Continue reading →