Older Altec horn speakers

06-08-09: Prcinka
Altec model 19 are the best horn speakers for home use I have had. Better than Klipsch and JBL(unless you want to go for 4344 and multi amp...)With good tube amps the Altec 19 is un-beatable...

Now *that* is a good horn-based speaker. The isolation of the horn from the woofer cabinet may have helped some. Scan of brochure (pics & specs) here. I prefer a lower crossover point from a 15" speaker, but if it works, it works.

Altec made a sealed woofer version of the VOTT for home use called the 878B Santiago. They also made an unfinished birch version of this speaker (or similar) at a lower cost.

The VOTT-based home speakers were generally good to excellent. The 890C is not in that category, in design, components, or performance.

Model 15 over looked and affordable, to me better in smaller space than 19.

06-08-09: T_bone
Johnnyb53, The L65 Jubal link shows that sensitivity is 78dB. Is that really so inefficient? Given higher impedance, it might work with tube amps, but it would certainly be a stretch for a lot of tube amps I know...

Sensitivity ratings weren't standardized in the least back then. Altec used wide band pink noise measured at 4 feet. The resulting figure is not at all comparable to what you get today with a 1KHz test tone measured at 1M. The Jubal is pretty efficient, but I still think there are better-sounding Altecs from that era.

The Model 15 is sort of a Model 19 Jr.--a home VOTT sensibility, but with 12" woofer and smaller horn in smaller cabinet. Pics and specs here.

The JBL L-65 Jubal is probably around 93 db per watt at 1 M... the 78 db figure is from 15 feet away.

listening to wrti fm on a pair of recapped 890c's now via an upgraded ee preamp, triode strapped st-70 (hovland caps, magnaquest power transformer) sourced to an lt 110 scott tuner. i've attached a hsu clone sub. if there's a sweeter-sounding set up, you'd have to enpanel a jury to prove it to me.