ALTEC LANSING A7system
| * Released in 1954 | |
| A-7S | Price unknown (1 unit, around 1965) |
| A7 | ¥ 211,200 (1 unit, domestic, around 1969) |
| A7-500 | ¥ 256,800 (1 unit, domestic, around 1969) |
| A7-XX | ¥ 256,300 (1 unit, domestic, around 1969) |
| A7-8 | ¥ 301,600 (1 unit, original, around 1970) ¥ 258,800 (1 unit, domestic, around 1970) ¥ 313,200 (1 unit, original, around 1975) ¥ 271,000 (1 unit, domestic, around 1975) ¥ 326,000 (1 unit, around 1977) |
| A7-500-8 | ¥ 335,500 (1 unit, original, around 1970) ¥ 287,500 (1 unit, domestic, around 1970) ¥ 343,300 (1 unit, original, around 1975 ~ 77) ¥ 301,000 (1 unit, domestic, around 1975) |
| A7-500-8E | Price unknown (1 unit, around 1980) |
| A7-X | Price unknown (1 unit, around 1978) |
| A7-XS | Price unknown (1 unit, around 1980) |
| A7-8G | Price unknown (1 unit, around 1988) |
| A7/MR994A | Price unknown (1 unit, around 1988) |
| A7B/MR994A | Price unknown (1 unit, around 1993) |
| A7 Legacy | ¥ 939,750 (1 unit, tax included, sold in March 2005) |
Commentary
Altec's representative speaker system.
The A7 is one of Altech's theater speaker systems named Voice of the Theater.
The Voice of the Theater released variations from A1 to A6 in 1945, followed by A7 in 1954 and then A8, A9, and A10, for a total of 10 types.
A7 is said to have its roots in the 800 system announced in 1947.
It seems to have been imported from 60's in Japan.
Among the catalogs that the manager has, the one that the Ginza Audio Center around 1965 sold in Japan is the oldest, and it seems to have been imported to Japan around that time.
According to Stereo Sound magazine, Elektri became an agent from 1966.
Unlike A5, A7 seems to have been sold with original configuration, but A7-XS is an exception with various changes.
* Regarding A7 enclosure
Only designated domestic enclosures are listed in the 1969 Elektri price list and Altec original enclosures are not listed. Later, the 1970 / 75 catalog lists both domestic and original, and the 1977 catalog lists only original enclosures (I don't know because I don't have a price list for 1976).
No Image
- A7 (circa 1965)
According to the catalog in Japan which the manager has, it is A7 of the earliest period.
Before Elektri became an agent, the Japan sales source became Ginza Audio Center.
There are many parts of this catalog that I don't understand well. On the cover of the catalog, it says "A7-W & A7-W 500 w", but there is no particular description about the magnifier. In the catalog, the model corresponding to A-7 is described as A7S.
It seems that the unit configuration was the same as the original at that time with driver 806A and horn 511B for the high frequency.
It seems that there was a low range with 38 cm woofer and 30 cm woofer, and the size of the enclosure is also different. I don't know if it is a domestic box or not because there is no description.
.jpg)
- A7 (circa 1954 to 1969)
A7-500 (around 1963 - 1969)
A7-XX (1966 to around 1969)It was a model when A7 was released, and it was 16 Ω specification at that time.
The initial unit configuration according to the catalog is 803 for low band, 802 for driver and 811 for horn for high band, N800 for network, and the type name of the enclosure is not listed.
(In the stereo sound magazine, the low range is 803A, the high range is 802C and H811, the network is N800D d for the network, and H825 for the enclosure, but the model name of H825 is not described in the catalog and only domestic pages are hit on the Internet, so I will put it on hold as of now.)
* Please let me know if you have any further information.
In 1963, the composition changed dramatically.
803B for low band, 804A and 811B for high band, N-800D for network, and 825A for enclosure.
In 1963, the A7 500 was released as a 500 hz version.
In 1966, the configuration of A7 and A7-500 was changed, and A7-XX was released at that time.
The A7-XX is made compact by inverting the A7 enclosure and installing a horn and driver inside.
- A7-500-8 (around 1970 - 77)
A7-8 (circa 1970 - 1977)Since 1970, the impedance has been changed to 8 Ω, and "-8" is attached to the end of the model number.
At that time, individual catalogs were prepared and relatively detailed information was written.
During this period, the units, etc. have been changed significantly.
For the lower range, it is 416 to 8 a until 1974, and it will be changed to 416 to 8 b after that.
The driver unit for A7-500-8 was 808-8A until 1972 and later changed to 802-8D.
A7-8 drivers were 807-8A until 1972, 806-8A from 73-75 and 806-8B from 1976.
As for the enclosure, it seems to have used 825B in 1973, but it was not listed in the 1974 catalog. It seems to have changed to 828B in 1975, so it seems to have changed between 74-75.
- A7-X (from around 1978)
A7-500-8E (from around 1980)A7 which was upgraded by the latest technology of ALTEC.
The A7-X uses a Tangerine Driver 802-8G for the high range, N1201-8A for the network, 38 cm cone woofer 416-8B for the low range, and 511B for the horn.
The enclosure was initially a 828C, but the 1981 catalog changed to a 828E.
A7-500-8E is the successor to A7-500-8.
We use a 38 cm cone woofer 416-8C for the low range, a driver 902-8T for the high range, 511B and 511 mb for the horn, N501-8B for the network, and 828E for the enclosure.
Regarding A7-500-8E, it seems that there was a change in the configuration by 1983, and the configuration has changed in the 1983 catalog.
- A7-XS (circa 1980?)
A7 of Japan original configuration based on A7-X.
The A7-XS is equipped with 6041st in the high band aiming at wide band.
In addition, 38 cm cone type woofer 416-8BXS with improved vibration system is used for the low range.
The mid-range is equipped with the same driver 802-8G and horn 511B as the original.
The network uses N1201-8AXS, modified by the addition of tweeters, and the enclosure uses 828C-XS.
- A7-8G (circa 1988)
This A7 was sold at the same time as A7/MR994A and A7B/MR994A.
The configuration uses 38 cm cone type woofer 515 to 8 g for the low band and driver unit 902 to 8 b and horn 511B for the high band.
The network uses N1285-8B, and the enclosure uses 828H.
- A7/MR994A (released in 1988)
A7B/MR994A (around 1993)A speaker system combining A7 with manta ray Rayhorn MR994A.
38 cm cone woofer 515-8G is used for the low range and 828H is used for the enclosure.
The enclosure operates as a bass reflex at 120 Hz or less and as a horn at 120 Hz or more. 19 mm thick particleboard is used for the plate material. The exterior features a Theater Gray sputter finish.
In addition to mounting the horn and fixing it on the top surface, it can also be mounted inside the enclosure.
The difference between A7/MR994A and A7B/MR994A is the driver unit. A7/MR994A uses 909-8A and A7B/MR994A uses 909-8G.
N500-8H is used for the network.
- A7 Legacy (launched in 2005)
Speaker system reprinted from A7.
38 cm cone type woofer 515-8G is mounted in the low range.
The high-range is equipped with a 2.5 cm compression driver 902 to 8 t and a separable horn 511B.
The 902-8T uses a radial phase plug "Tangerine", and the 511B is made of aluminum die-cast in the most considered part for the revival of the A7.
The enclosure uses the R & R 828, a proven DTS speaker system.
The 828 is made of 13 layers of birch and has a satin black exterior finish.
The network section is the first 900 Hz crossover design in the series.
The speaker terminal is gold-plated and multi-drive is possible by removing the jumper.
.JPG)
.JPG)
Model Rating
| Method | 2-way, 2-speaker, horn + bass reflex system, floor type | ||||||||
| Configuration (models with * mark at the end of the model name are data from overseas catalog) | |||||||||
| Model Name | Low pass | High range | Network | Enclosure | Impedance | Crossover | Allowable input | ||
| A-7S(1965): | 30cm 38cm |
806A+511B | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| A7 | 1954 * : | 803 | 802+811 | N-800 | 16 Ω | 25W | |||
| 1963 * : | 803B | 804A+811B | N-800D | 825A | 800Hz | 30W | |||
| 1966 * : | 416A | 806A+811B | N800D | 825 | |||||
| 1969: | - | ||||||||
| A7-XX | 1966 * : | 515B | 806A+811B | N800D | 825 | ||||
| 1969: | 416A | - | |||||||
| A7-8 | 1970 to 72 : | 416-8A | 807-8A+811B | N801-8A | 825B | 8 Ω | 50W (Continuous Program) |
||
| 1973: | 806-8A+811B | ||||||||
| 1974: | - | ||||||||
| 1975 to 76 : | 416-8B | 828B | |||||||
| 1977: | 806-8B+811B | ||||||||
| A7-500 | 1963 * : | 803B | 802D+511B | N-500D | 825A | 16 Ω | 500Hz | 30W | |
| 1966 * : | 416A | 806A+511A | N500C | 825 | |||||
| 1969: | 802D+511B | N500G | - | - | |||||
| A7-500-8 | 1970 to 72 : | 416-8A | 808-8A+511B | N501-8A | 825B | 8 Ω | 500Hz | 50W (Continuous Program) |
|
| 1973: | 802-8D+511B | ||||||||
| 1974: | - | ||||||||
| 1975 to 76 : | 416-8B | 828B | |||||||
| 1977: | |||||||||
| A7-500-8E | 1980: | 416-8C | 902-8T + 511B&511MB |
N501-8B | 828E | - | |||
| 1983: | 902-8B+511B | N8500-8A | 828G | 500/800Hz | |||||
| A7-X(1978): | 416-8B | 802-8G+511B | N1201-8A | 828C | - | 1.2kHz | 65W (Continuous Program) |
||
| A7-X(1981): | 828E | ||||||||
| A7-XS: | 416-8BXS | 802-8G 511B |
6041-ST | N1201-8AXS | 828C-XS | 1k, 9 kHz | |||
| A7-8G * : | 515-8G | 902-8B+511B | N1285-8B | 828H | 500/800/1.2kHz | 65W | |||
| A7/MR994A: | 909-8A+MR994A | N500-8H | 500Hz | 75W (AES standard) 150W (program rating) |
|||||
| A7B/MR994A * : | 909-8G+MR994A | ||||||||
| A7 Legacy: | 902-8T+511B | N-900A | 828 | 900Hz | 200W (IEC standard) |
||||
| Characteristics and dimensions (models with * mark at the end of model name are data from overseas catalog) | ||||||
| Model Name | Frequency characteristic | Output sound pressure level | Maximum output sound pressure | External dimensions (WxHxD) |
Weight | |
| A-7S(1965): | - | - | - | 760x1,070x610mm 710x860x440mm |
- | |
| A7 | 1954 * : | 35-22 kHz | 762x1,372x610mm | 81.65kg | ||
| 1963 * : | 762x1,327x610mm | |||||
| 1966 * : | - | - | ||||
| 1969: | 765x1,360x610mm | 61kg | ||||
| A7-XX | 1966 * : | 762x1,327x610mm | - | |||
| A7-8 | 1970: | 30 Hz to 20 kHz | 770x1,070x610mm | |||
| 1972: | - | |||||
| 1974: | 30 Hz to 20 kHz | |||||
| 1975 to 76 : | 45 Hz to 20 kHz | 104 dB (New JIS) | 762x1,327x610mm | 61.36kg | ||
| 1977: | 103 dB (New JIS) | 762x1,378x610mm | 64.5kg | |||
| A7-500 | 1966 * : | - | - | 762x1,378x610mm | ||
| 1969: | 765x1,380x610mm | 64kg | ||||
| A7-500-8 | 1970: | 30 Hz to 20 kHz | 770x1,070x610mm | - | ||
| 1972: | - | |||||
| 1974: | 30 Hz to 20 kHz | |||||
| 1975 to 76 : | 45 Hz to 20 kHz | 104 dB (New JIS) | 762x1,327x610mm | 64.5kg | ||
| 1977: | 103 dB (New JIS) | 762x1,378x610mm | ||||
| A7-500-8E | 1980: | 40 Hz to 18 kHz | - | 760x1,380x610mm | 93kg | |
| 1983: | ||||||
| A7-X(1978): | 45 Hz to 20 kHz | 103 dB (New JIS) | 762x1,378x610mm | 74.5kg | ||
| A7-X(1981): | ||||||
| A7-XS: | 40 Hz to 20 kHz | 100 dB (New JIS) | 810x1,110x676mm | 78.5kg | ||
| A7-8G * : | 35 Hz to 20 kHz | 104.5dB | 122.2dB SPL (1m) |
762x1,378x610mm | 78.9kg | |
| A7/MR994A: | 102.5dB SPL (1m, 1W, 35 Hz to 20 kHz) |
762x1,378x610mm | 77kg | |||
| A7B/MR994A * : | - | - | - | 762x1,378x559mm | 78.9kg | |
| A7 Legacy: | 35 Hz to 22 kHz ± 10 dB 54 Hz to 16 kHz ± 3 dB |
97dB/W/m | - | 762x1,372x610mm | 77kg | |
| * A7-500-8E and A7Legacy have directional characteristics 90 ° horizontal x 40 ° vertical (± 3 db) | ||||||