Vintage Altec Lansing Subwoofers

Subwoofers are even bigger than woofers since they tend to have two or more drivers mounted in each cabinet. There are two types of subwoofers, passive (driver and case, no amp) and active (driver and case with a built-in amplifier). The first subwoofer used in a recording session was a vintage Altec Lansing product.In 1973, it was used for Steely Dan`s Pretzel Logic. With every moment of vintage subwoofer experience behind them, it`s not surprising that Altec makes some of the best electronics in the world.

If you're sipping your herbal tea and blissing out on Joni Mitchell you may not appreciate the difference of these subs, but head bangers and hip hop heads will be screaming the praises of these solid units. You just won't get better low tones from another subwoofer.

We're talking bottom-end power that won't make you bottom out your bank account. You can command crystal clear sounds that are lower than the depths of Hell for a surprisingly small amount of money. These suckers are the granddaddy of affordable yet powerful vintage subs.

For a home system, a size in the neighborhood of 18' is probably a decent starting place for your subs. Depending on the age, they'll likely need a recone but your initial investment will be so low, you'll be able to splurge on restoration.