Altec 683A
Little is documented about the Altec 683A.
The 681A came out around 1961 at $36.00, less stand. Frequency response was 35 to 20,000 cycles. Output impedances were selectable by cable connections: 30/50, 150/250, and 20,000 ohms. Audio (March 1961, p.17) and Audio (January 1962, p.33) both listed these specifications for the 681A. A later entry described the 682A as "similar in design and style to Model 681A," with a 45-20,000 cps response. The same source had the 681A at $42.00 by 1964. It came with a 15-foot cord and a dark green baked enamel and brushed chrome finish. The desk stand and on-off switch kit were sold separately.
The 683A likely followed the same design language and application - a professional-grade dynamic microphone aimed at broadcast, recording, or installed-sound use. But no specifications, price, or production years for the 683A itself have been located in the period sources consulted. Whether it offered a different impedance variant, a tailored frequency response, or a simple cosmetic difference from its siblings remains unconfirmed.
For now, the 683A is a model name in the Altec microphone lineup, and its details are still unknown.
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