Altec 711A (1966–1967)
Little is documented about the Altec 711A beyond what the company put in its own advertising. What the record shows: the 711A was an FM stereo receiver with an all-silicon-transistor design. Altec made a point of the missing audio transformers, and claimed this helped both reliability and low distortion.
The specification sheet Altec promoted in multiple publications throughout 1966 and 1967 was consistent: 100 watts of power at 0.5% THD, with distortion dropping to 0.25% at 70 watts, and a frequency response of ±1 dB from 15 to 30,000 Hz. High Fidelity (October 1966, p.45) and HiFI-Stereo (May 1967, p.102) both carried the same full-page ad, which featured an open-chassis view of the receiver and the bold headline “Last Chance to See the Guts.” The implication was that the 711A’s solid-state construction would be so trouble-free that owners would never have reason to open it up again.
Altec also offered the 711A as the center of a complete system. A 1966 advertisement in High Fidelity (March 1966, p.43) showed the receiver in the new “Valencia II” equipment cabinet, priced at $269, flanked by Altec Valencia speaker systems. The cabinet had adjustable sections for a tape deck, turntable, and record storage.
Outside these ads, surviving information on the 711A is thin. No service manual, schematic, or detailed independent review has surfaced in the available record. The known specs, per Altec’s own published claims:
- Type: FM stereo receiver, solid-state, silicon transistors
- Power output: 100 watts at 0.5% THD; 70 watts at 0.25% THD
- Frequency response: ±1 dB, 15–30,000 Hz
- Design feature: No audio transformers
The 711A appears to have been marketed as a premium, high-power receiver while Altec moved into all-transistor consumer electronics. Production run length, exact release date, and original retail price remain undocumented.
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