Yup, my surrounds are the ones at your local cinema - JBL 8330s. They're pretty good speakers, and they are a "reference" speaker for me when I mix.

James B. Lansing came to work for Altec in the 1940s (or thereabouts) and lent his name to Altec. He quit Altec Lansing and started JBL (James B Lansing). Shortly thereafter he committed suicide. All this sorrid history can be had on the JBL website where there is a good article on this whole era.

As for the marketing line for the A-7 speaker, I can't refute or confirm the claim. I do know the A-7 was used in practally all cinemas and a lot of recording studios. There were bigger brothers, the A-1, A-2, A-8 etc. The A-1 was HUGE, something like 15 feet wide. The A-7 that Altec is coming out with is not actually the vintage I have, which is earlier. The one they are making is of the era when I worked for them in the late 70s and early 80s. They weren't nearly as good in my opinion as the ones I have, however they apparently upgraded the crossover network, which was always the A-7's weak point, and the reason the speaker got such a bad reputation in PA applications. I use mine with an external active crossover network which solves the problem very well, and they are driven by all those tube amps in my pictures. They DO sound sweet!

I don't really keep up on the projector market, cuz I'm an audio kind of guy. My projector (Sony VPL-400Q) is serving me well, and I intend to keep it until something really better comes along.


[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited July 08, 2003).]