Forums - Restored Altec Valencia’s

Geno

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Without music, life
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Pearl, MS

Restored Altec Valencia’s
06/20/26 at 17:41:25

I turn 65 this summer, and bought these restored Altec Valencia’s as a present to myself, for hitting this milestone.

A while back, I started watching the “Chicago Horn Guys” YouTube channel, and ended up falling deeply into that rabbit hole.

After listening to open baffles exclusively for a number of years, this vintage sound is a very nice contrast in sound. These things sound great across the board, and I’m very happy with the purchase. Are they better than my open baffles? Definitely not! Just different, and most enjoyable. But I’m running out of room for speaker storage Roll Eyes

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SE84UFO(Balanced Monoblocs) or Sansui AU222
Cambridge CXN(ModWrt)
SL1210 MK5(KAB Mods) London Decca Maroon cart • Darlingt.Labs MP8b
Otari MX5050-Bii2
ZLC Pwr cond.
Lii Audio PT-10 or F-12 or Betsy Alnico 8"/ W-15 in Open Baffles
Altec Valencia's restored

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Bottlehead Seasoned Member Online Posts: 668	Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s Reply #1 - 06/21/26 at 04:04:56 Lookin’ good, Geno!
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Kahuna Jack

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Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s
Reply #2 - 06/21/26 at 07:31:54

I wonder how the C horn guys feel about open baffles compared to the horn world?? I watch them also and would probably already have a pair of vintage horns if I knew what I wanted exactly. I held on to a single Stephens TruSonic very large multi cell horn and driver for a long time before giving up finding a mate. Turning 65 myself this year now I know what to gift myself : )
Those are sweet !

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Geno Seasoned Member Offline Without music, life would be a mistake. Posts: 2319 Pearl, MS	Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s Reply #3 - 06/21/26 at 18:28:43 Thanks Randy and Jack! Jack, I got these from Holt Hill Audio in MA. I ran across their ad on US Audio Mart. You might want to take a look at it. Best, Geno
Back to top	SE84UFO(Balanced Monoblocs) or Sansui AU222 Cambridge CXN(ModWrt) SL1210 MK5(KAB Mods) London Decca Maroon cart • Darlingt.Labs MP8b Otari MX5050-Bii2 ZLC Pwr cond. Lii Audio PT-10 or F-12 or Betsy Alnico 8"/ W-15 in Open Baffles Altec Valencia's restored IP Logged Share: Likes:

MM Seasoned Member Offline Posts: 529 Olympia, WA	Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s Reply #4 - 06/22/26 at 00:25:39 Congrats on both the horns and turning 65, Geno! I have horn envy but once I went open baffle I am never going back. What’s your take on the Altecs vs those beautiful different OB’s you have configured?
Back to top	Lumin T3x \| DSR3 IC \| SEWE 300b \| Crown XLS1000 \| ZSTYX SC \| Lii F15 & W15 in open baffle \| Puritan PSM156 IP Logged Share: Likes:

Geno

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Without music, life
would be a mistake.

Posts: 2319
Pearl, MS

Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s
Reply #5 - 06/22/26 at 02:24:24

Thanks man! We know how great the open baffle sound is. And I had no reason to do anything different.

I got interested in the “Chicago Horn Guys” YouTube channel, and it rekindled my interest in vintage horns. Next I ran across an ad on US Audio Mart, and the rest is history.

The Valencia’s are a lot of fun to listen to and have that old school horn sound. They are not better than my open baffles, but great in a different way. Bottom line is both are fun to listen to, and both sound fantastic.

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SE84UFO(Balanced Monoblocs) or Sansui AU222
Cambridge CXN(ModWrt)
SL1210 MK5(KAB Mods) London Decca Maroon cart • Darlingt.Labs MP8b
Otari MX5050-Bii2
ZLC Pwr cond.
Lii Audio PT-10 or F-12 or Betsy Alnico 8"/ W-15 in Open Baffles
Altec Valencia's restored

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ArtMan Seasoned Member Offline Posts: 233	Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s Reply #6 - 06/22/26 at 18:26:12 Geno, if you are going to indulge, this is the way to do it.
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HockessinKid Seasoned Member Online Posts: 1358 Delaware	Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s Reply #7 - 06/22/26 at 19:21:16 Very nice Geno enjoy them. Some of the vintage speakers sound amazing, if only I had more space🤣😂. HK
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Doug

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Lees Summit, Missouri

Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s
Reply #8 - 06/23/26 at 00:03:38

Beautiful speakers, Geno! I love vintage Altec gear. I sold my last pair of 1970s era Altec 515B woofers about five years ago, and now wish I hadn’t.

In the late seventies I upgraded the woofers in my Klipschorns to Altec 515Bs after reading an article by Paul Klipsch in which he recommended the 515B as a substantial upgrade. Man, you talk about easy clean detailed powerful bass. The sound was so good (at least it was to me) back then when I was on a strict rock and roll diet.

My brother and I also used Altec musical instrument drivers in our guitar and keyboard speaker cabs. We bought all of our Altec stuff at McGee Radio at 19th and McGee in downtown Kansas City. So many fond memories working with Altec products!

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Jay’s CD2T-Mk3
Denafrips Pontus II
ZROCK2 25th Mods
CSP3 25th & Custom Mods
Speakers:
PAP Quintet w/Vox 1.6
PAP-C1 (First Watt) active crossover
Amplifiers:
LFD NCSE for Woofers
First Watt J2 for Voxativ
Cary 300SEI for super tweeters

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1stwattlife Seasoned Member Offline Posts: 212	Re: Restored Altec Valencia’s Reply #9 - Yesterday at 21:56:26 Those are amazing! I love the treatment on the center island!
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