Fell off the Wagon....Altec Bolero 890B acquisition

marantzfan

marantzfan

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Between my 604-8G's and the current 802/32/414 build that I need to wrap up, you'd think I have my bases covered. Well, a pair of Altec 890B's popped up on the local Offer Up. I'd never heard a pair but always been intrigued by what I'd heard about them.

I stopped by for a listen and it didn't take long before I was loading them into my car and driving home. I don't think I've ever heard that much sound come out of a speaker this size. They have a surprising bottom end and that gorgeous Altec midrange. I think these may knock the KLH 6's out of the office. ;)

The cabinets are in decent shape but I know that with how picky I am about my gear I'll likely end up re-veneering them.

Anyone here have experience with these smaller Altec "bookshelf" speakers?

31471B9D-66D1-433F-94B2-CCA2026D02F9.jpeg

Not mine, image borrowed but mine look like these.
 
I've heard that these are very good and do a bunch of the Altec goodness in a more size-friendly package - looking forward to hearing about them! I know if I tripped over a pair with original innards in working order they'd be coming home with me too.
 
billfort said:
I've heard that these are very good and do a bunch of the Altec goodness in a more size-friendly package - looking forward to hearing about them! I know if I tripped over a pair with original innards in working order they'd be coming home with me too.
Click to expand...

Yup.....me too. ;)
 
These are all original, including the 3000 series tweeters, which as I understand it have microphone ribbon diaphragms.

I’ve been trying to find a schematic for the N3000G crossovers without any luck to see what the networks look like.
 
Congrats @marantzfan ! I haven't heard any of the various iterations of Boleros and/or Maderas but I love my pair of Altec 3000H's. I also have a single 406Z woofer, which I believe is the woofer of your 890B. It shares many of the good qualities of the 414.
 
marantzfan said:
These are all original, including the 3000 series tweeters, which as I understand it have microphone ribbon diaphragms.

I’ve been trying to find a schematic for the N3000G crossovers without any luck to see what the networks look like.
Click to expand...

From what I've heard, those 3000 tweeters have unobtainable, irreplaceable "microphone ribbon diaphragms".

Be careful in there. :)
 
je2a3 said:
Congrats @marantzfan ! I haven't heard any of the various iterations of Boleros and/or Maderas but I love my pair of Altec 3000H's. I also have a single 406Z woofer, which I believe is the woofer of your 890B. It shares many of the good qualities of the 414.
Click to expand...

Thanks @je2a3!

I think you’re right about the woofers being 406z.

It’s funny, I can usually find product sheets, brochures and schematics for vintage Altec products pretty easily. Not the case here.
 
@Audionut and @TubeHiFiNut

As for orientation, they will definitely be setup horizontally as was the design intent.

Which means I’ll need to likely build some stands to get them to the correct height.
 
They remind me of the JBL Lancer 77's, but not having heard either pair, I'm betting that these would win hands down over the JBLs.
 
The Lancer 77s are pretty nice sounding, actually (I have a friend in MA who found a pair curbside a few years back). Haven't heard the Boleros. The 3000 tweeter is very sweet sounding in my (limited) experience but is reputed to be fragile.

I am not sure the diaphragms are ribbons in the tweeters, FWIW -- I thought they were pretty bog-standard dynamic microphone diaphragms -- but 1) no idea which ones and 2) apparently, at this late date, there is no one capable of repairing them.

I'd be tempted to pull apart some 1960s dynamic microphones and do a Frankensteinian repair if I had a 3000 (or a pair of same) that were dead. I mean, what is there to lose?

;)

DISCLAIMER: If it's not obvious from this post - I don't know the first thing about the 3000 tweeters :confused:
 
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