ResonantLive Sound Archive

Equipment file · Two-way theatre horn loudspeaker system

Voice of the Theatre A2

Altec Lansing · 1945

Evidence status · documented

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

The A2 was one of the original Voice of the Theatre systems Altec Lansing launched in 1945, developed by James B. Lansing and John Hilliard to succeed the [[shearer-horn|Shearer Horn]]. Altec literature describes it as using a Y-throat with two compression drivers and an extra bass cabinet compared with the [[altec-a4|A4]], for the largest rooms.

Introduced
1945
Category
Two-way theatre horn loudspeaker system
Intended use
Large theatres, arenas, auditoriums and stadiums
Production
Altec Lansing

Equipment photographs · 1

Altec Lansing Voice of the Theatre A2 system lineup.

1 / 1 · Altec Voice of the Theatre Systems Circa 1978

Altec Voice of the Theatre Systems Circa 1978·Altec Lansing·© Altec Lansing

Why it mattered

  1. 01

    Its efficiency gave large venues high levels from the limited amplifier power of the day.

  2. 02

    Voice of the Theatre cabinets crossed over into early large-scale live sound.

Engineering record

Driver complement
Y-throat with two compression drivers plus an extra bass cabinet with additional 15-inch woofers[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

Marketed for the largest theatres, arenas, auditoriums and stadiums[2]

Manuals & original documents

Sources

  1. 1A2/A4 VOTTAudio Heritage · reference
  2. 2Voice of the Theatre loudspeaker systems brochureAltec Lansing · brochure · 1983

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