ResonantLive Sound Archive

Equipment file · High-frequency compression driver

288 compression driver

Altec Lansing · 1940s

Evidence status · documented

Identity and core specifications are documented; some historical fields remain unavailable.

The Altec 288 is a large-format compression driver with an aluminium diaphragm, developed for the Voice of the Theatre systems. Early versions used Alnico motors with circumferential phase plugs; later ones moved to ceramic magnets.

Introduced
1940s
Category
High-frequency compression driver
Intended use
Horn driver for cinema and sound-reinforcement systems
Production
Altec Lansing, revised (288B to 288-16L) into the 1990s

Equipment photographs · 1

Altec Lansing 288B high-frequency compression driver literature photo

1 / 1 · Altec Lansing 288B high-frequency compression driver literature photo

Altec Lansing 288B high-frequency compression driver literature photo·Altec Lansing Corporation·© Altec Lansing; used for identification and historical commentary

Why it mattered

  1. 01

    It was the high-frequency partner of the [[altec-515|515]] woofer in the [[altec-a4|A4]] and [[altec-a7|A7]].

  2. 02

    Continual revision made it one of the most widely used compression drivers in American cinema and PA for decades.

Engineering record

Diaphragm
Aluminium diaphragm, interchangeable with later 291-series diaphragms[1]
Motor evolution
Alnico with circumferential phase plugs early; ceramic magnets with Tangerine phase plugs later[1]
Impedance variants
8, 16, 24 and 32-ohm versions across revisions[2]

Original pricing

No reliable period price located

2026 equivalent

Not calculated without a reliable original price.

Public price evidence was not sufficient to publish a defensible original figure.

Use in the field

Standard HF driver in Voice of the Theatre cinema systems[3]

Manuals & original documents

Sources

  1. 1Altec Lansing HF Compression Drivers Technical GuideManualsLib · manual
  2. 2Altec HF & LF Cross-Reference Parts ListAltec Lansing Unofficial · reference
  3. 3Altec LansingAudio Heritage · archive

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