A LIVING LEGEND! | ALTEC A7 "Voice of the Theatre" Loudspeakers

At Pieffe Elettronica - Gallarate
#SoundSommelier
#4Kᵁᴴᴰ
#AltecA7

[@RWong-wn3pv]

As a boy (66 years ago) I grew up hearing the Altec’s “VOICE of the THEATER” in some auditoriums & most (local movie) theaters. I really got to know these speakers controlling the sounds in the local university’s stage lighting & sound classes for musicals & plays. For almost every application over the years, they’ve been a superb performer, albeit massive.

[@dazzfromaus4797]

Love that theatre sound. Takes me back to when i was a projectionists in a move theatre. Are the good old days.

[@marvinmartian7281]

ALTEC LANSING THE VOICE OF THE THEATRE The best speakers ever made by an human being on planet earth indeed!

[@siddharthjodh]

Ah! Such a sweet sounding speaker, so graceful if you can call the sound graceful!

[@davidperry4013]

These speakers are why live rock concerts back in the old days sounded so good such as the Beetles concerts in the 1960s and many prog rock artists in the 1970s. They sounded better than most of today's professional audio systems and concerts were not louder than what it actually needs to be back then. Altec A7s are basically one the best if not the best professional audio speakers ever made. I'd take a rock concert with those great speakers that are only 250 watts each and only a few of them with natural mixing over dozens of line array speakers that are each 1000 watts or higher and artificial mixing any day. If I had a pair of Altec A7s I would power it with a pair of 5 to 15-watt valve monoblock amplifiers and a valve pre amp because they do not take much power to get very loud in the living room and they really justify vacuum tube audio amplifiers. Then put on a sing-along with Hotel California with the song playing at a moderately loud volume.

[@James_Bowie]

"They sounded better than most of today's professional audio systems" ... Ya reckon?

[@wernerjacq]

Sound sommelier likes the melancholy...... beautifull song!

[@undisturbednaturalworldd3102]

thanks for the video - from 72 - 87 i workd in a compagny . super sound - and i built over 2000 ( voice of theater ) mostly with a 15 inch. altec - jb. lansing. and a 408 horn -driver. thanks love peace children peace

[@ChonkTek]

Did you solder all connections?

[@timmotel5804]

1/2023: Good Day. Back in 1974 a friend of mine had a voice of the theater speaker system like/similar to this one. It was amazing, and obviously, still is. I'm envious of your system. Beautiful. I'd love to have a pair of these speakers. The other toys tooo. Thanks for posting this video. P.S. WoW

[@rindordrums]

Heart of the music... quality sound reproduction. Beautiful.

[@matejgrim]

Most modern speakers have fidelity... But these speakers have soul! 😢😅

[@zaimkarii1756]

I heard once and the sound has soul and very alive sound. The speaker sound like a Klipsch. Headphone sound like those Altec are Grado sr125,sr225 and RS1

[@thedanny2249]

The Mighty, "Voice Of The Theatre" set up, in a lovely high end shop! Superb!... in every way! Places, like this don't exist, in my area...Sob, sob!

[@thedanny2249]

@Mark Godfrey Awesome! Great ,to listen to, and could be used for house demolition, in a pinch! Wish, l had a room large enough, to hold them.

[@thedanny2249]

@Mark Godfrey That is hilarious! Let's face it, these things are impressive Monsters! My experience, was through a friend, in the early 80s. He restored, an old home and loved throwing parties. We would flock, to his house, and the house would literally vibrate, to the point, things would fall off of shelves and tables! Pictures, on the wall, were clapping, to the performance! Thanks, for sharing, your story! Lol!!! Fun memories!!!

[@craigellsworth3952]

But you didn't have this music.

[@zaimkarii1756]

Tge closest thing in the world that sound like A7 are Grado headphone

[@dckfg01]

Another master piece by a great master. Thank you for the video.

[@iplaymytele]

I have had a set of these for years and years….🎶❤️❤️❤️🎶👍🏻

[@cletusberkeley9441]

Your system is just beautiful! I've always had a passion for A7 VOTTs, my VTA ST-120 drives mine beautifully as well.

[@acreguy3156]

Very nice indeed. I own a pair of A7-800 speakers (1974). Yours look like the A7-500 models. Matched with your Mac amp, she's match made in heaven. Thanks for sharing!

[@robertbaird7001]

Not bad for a book shelf speaker!!! haha your choice in music is the best so varied. its good to see you enjoy the gear you sell. something that has been lost theses days.Thank you for the demo...

VOT, best sound ever, amazing work Altec Lansing

[@tkc2642]

very good🎉

[@njdoughboy]

first time hearing i'm am stunned and amazed

[@mrpositronia]

Apart from everything about this room, my living room is identical. :D Thanks for the lovely videos!

[@a0r0a7]

Beautiful.

[@craigenputtock]

Lovely sound.

[@snakeoilaudio]

Imagine that the VOTT is basically a gramophone 2.0 and the industry could not come up with something better still. We can't appreciate Altec's work enough.

[@armandocallejas4158]

Excelente 👍

[@m0wao690]

Still can't beleive that I had that (A7 / 511B / 802) in my bedroom years ago :)

[@l0stcluster2]

true voice of the theater

[@David-kf5gk]

Very nice 💯👍👍👍✌️

[@FG-33]

Just a beautiful song and a beautiful sound. Thanks SS. I wonder how an SRV song turned up to 11 would sound on these? Hearing loss be damned.

[@professornuke7562]

When you say SRV here,... do you mean Mister Stevie Ray Vaughan? Oh please say that you do.

[@guyconnell2250]

Back in the 70s, these were the shit for PA loudspeakers for a live band.

[@vernonsteinkamp1088]

This is what we used in the 70s. I still have them.

[@davevolz6138]

Now becoming popular for retro high end music bars.

[@mpkelly7976]

I'd say, those are pre woven carbon fiber. Spectacular!

[@garyjones783]

Out of the ballpark sound!!!

[@Topnikko]

How do these sound compared to Klipsch La Scalas?

[@robinsonpeixoto8521]

Heaven exists.. congrats.

[@naknakacknak]

Your stereo owns your house. :-)

[@neverknowit11]

Easier to listen to than most speakers smooth sound.

[@hksunchaser1]

neat and class!👍

[@EduardoGarcia-jx8mo]

my good they sound amazing!!! one question... they really need a large room to enjoy them... a theater its cloising here in my country and they have a pair of A6... i want to buy them

[@zaimkarii1756]

Just Grab them, they good for any room.

[@polkiju7]

These have a certain clarity that is alluring. I hope to try a horn set up some day. I find the sound a bit thin and harsh. As a point of reference, listen to this track on a 4way open baffle. If I’m wrong, let me know:kzbin.info/www/bejne/f3OTkJ6hl5KliNU

[@kaybhee6]

keen

[@geminispatricio8517]

😍

[@bobsmoot8454]

Add some bass bin wings to help tighten and extend the lower register

[@mati7029]

very characteristic dark slightly smoky sound

[@AllboroLCD]

Gorgeous setup! Do you know when your A7's were made? Are they the "re-issue" models made between 2002-2010?

[@roberte.andrews4621]

You can always damp them down, but you can't damp them up to resemble low-efficiency transducers. Maybe throw a sleeping bag over the cabs. I use ALTEC 846B. No echo, just reality.

[@markh3088]

Horns!

[@roberte.andrews4621]

Yes, Like the shape of the human outer ear, but the pressure wave is exiting.

[@gsmd770]

That sounds magnificent!!!! Nat King Cole sings it much better. Still it's beautiful! Very efficient speaker!!!

[@SvenForbes]

Manchmal habe ich den Eindruck, je älter die Lautsprecher desto besser klingen sie.

[@crossoverchef]

i do crossovers for these.

[@chitwan76]

Do those have the N1285 dividers? What frequency are you running them at?

[@andyhuynh5270]

May I ask what album is this? Thanks

[@alexismax666]

what integrared or pre amp conbo is the best for a7 ?

[@Keving3]

OK, Undercoat the backs of the horns, it really does help, tack a JBL bullet on top and take them outside , you'll love them.

[@matthewsek5228]

What are you hi amping these speakers with? And what is the wattage

[@joekey8464]

One of those can fill a 100 plus seater cinema, with one 50 watt tube amplifier - in the 70's - 80's...before Dolby introduced multi-channel cinema.

[@MrStingraybernard]

Name of singer and song ?

[@bourru6321]

Originaly it's a french song singing by Yves Montant : les feuilles mortes. Litteraly "the dead leaves". kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqCUdGl7bM-Vhtk

[@dazzfromaus4797]

There's a seller in Australia who wants $123,000 dollars for just one of these speakers. Ridiculous isn't it.

[@austingwatson]

whats wrong with this picture? i’m listening to a recording on A7’s on an iPad.

[@user-mo6sz8ns9c]

👍

[@trystrat]

Only one watt was used

[@justins.1283]

My old high school teacher sponsored a teen center when I was in high school and basically it was an old Sears showroom store and he had a set of those with 60 watt tube monoblock amps fed by a 16 chanel powered mixing board. With up to 150 people in there it was so loud you couldn't talk to anyone near you at times.

[@craigellsworth3952]

What you say?

[@CrusaderX]

eric clapton ? Anyway, those are great for live shows, but may lose some mids and pressence for lower volume home use. IMO.

[@fabieneldridge3414]

New speakers don’t sound any better !

[@ahnenpost5237]

was not built (inteded) for flat response - look at the "glued" horn - Sentry III sounds far better, to mention one well known

[@trekjudas]

Forget wife approval, they don't have my approval! I can't put those things in my living room!

[@user-me7zk7mq7y]

너같은게 남들 이용해 먹는 소시오야!!

[@stevesmith3033]

I could live with these ugly speakers for the rest of my life :)