Altec Lansing 800
The “Altec Lansing 800” shows up in period sources as several different things. It is not always clear whether the number means a model, a series, or a crossover frequency. Here is what the record shows.
An Altec-Lansing 800 speaker system was listed in Audio magazine (July 1954, p.56). The listing described the speaker system in the context of positive improvements in sound spread and masking, but no detailed specifications survive. Around the same period, Heathkit catalogs from 1963 through 1967 offered an Altec Lansing 800 cycle exponential horn and driver as a component. It was likely a high-frequency horn and compression driver meant for use with a matching crossover. The catalogs list a magnet weight of .53 lb., an 800 Hz constant-K crossover (assembled), and a high-frequency shelving control. One catalog from 1967 gives the magnet weight as “53 lb.,” which is almost certainly a typo.
Other fragmentary references mention an “Altec Lansing 800 Series” of high-frequency drivers, an “Altec Lansing N-800-E dividing network” (a crossover), and “Altec Lansing 800/810” in forum discussions. The “800” may have been a series designation for 2-bolt drivers. The same number was used across a speaker system, a horn/driver component, and a crossover. Without more documentation, “Altec Lansing 800” can't be treated as a single, well-defined model.
Known specs (horn/driver component, from Heathkit catalogs 1963-1967):
- Magnet weight: .53 lb. (multiple catalogs); 53 lb. appears once and is likely a misprint.
- Crossover: 800 Hz constant‑K type, assembled.
- Control: high‑frequency shelving.
No production years, original price, frequency response, impedance, sensitivity, or cabinet details have been confirmed for any variant. The archive welcomes any additional period documentation.
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