Altec 421-8LF
Not much is documented about the Altec 421-8LF. What survives comes mostly from trade advertising and passing mentions in the live-sound press of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The clearest record is an Altec ad in Recording-Engineer (April 1980, p.109). It showed two 421-8LFs as high-power, low-frequency loudspeakers with tight, clean bass, high SPL and punch, and output from roughly 20 Hz to 80 Hz or above. The cabinets pictured had recessed handles and fiberglass-coated, top-grade plywood construction.
The 421-8LF also turns up as the bass element in the so-called Stanley Screamers - a line of speaker systems Altec made available for broader purchase after years of use in professional settings. They were developed with sound contractor Stan Miller of Stanal Sound (Sound-Arts, May 1980, p.43). A Modern-Recording (February 1979, p.50) look at a Stanal rig describes the 421-8LF sub-woofers fed by Altec 9440 800-watt dual-channel power amplifiers through custom Stanal crossovers fitted with De Coursey crossover cards.
Very little hard specification data has surfaced beyond those mentions. Exact impedance, sensitivity and power handling for the 421-8LF remain unconfirmed in the archive.
- High-power, low-frequency loudspeaker intended for bass/subwoofer duty
- Output approximately 20 Hz to 80 Hz or above
- Used in Stanal Sound / Stanley Screamers professional sound systems
- Driven by Altec 9440 amplifiers in at least one documented touring installation
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