Floor-standing bass reflex speaker system with Altec’s famed 755E “Pancake” driver and constant resistance attenuator
Overview
The Altec Lansing EL-7000 is a floor-type, 2-way, 2-speaker bass reflex system. It pairs the iconic 20 cm 755E full-range driver—widely known as the “Pancake”—with a 5 cm 427-8A cone tweeter for high-frequency reproduction. Designed for accurate phase alignment, the drivers are mounted so their voice coils are aligned using traditional Altec phase processing. The system includes a 3-step constant resistance attenuator for level adjustment and a protective fuse to guard against voice coil damage from excessive input.
Specifications
| Impedance | 8 Ω |
| Playback frequency band | 40 Hz to 20 kHz |
| Output sound pressure level | 95dB/W |
| Maximum allowable input | 20W |
| Crossover frequency | 9kHz |
| Cross slope | 6dB/oct |
| External dimensions | Width 485x Height 650x Depth 435 mm |
| Weight | 25.1kg |
| Original price | ¥ 89,000 (around the late 1970s) |
Design
The EL-7000 uses the 20 cm 755E cone-type full-range unit for mid and low frequencies, notable for its integrally molded cone that eliminates the joint between the cone and center dome, reducing strain from poor connections. For high frequencies, it employs the 5 cm 427-8A cone-type tweeter, whose molded cone is mounted in a die-cast frame and operates within a strong magnetic field to deliver high acoustic output and wide directivity. The crossover features a 6 dB/oct slope at 9 kHz, and the system includes a 3-step constant resistance attenuator for precise level control. A protective fuse is integrated to prevent damage to the speaker and voice coil under high input conditions.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.