Altec Lansing clue me in

Having read some about the desirability of certain altecs ,mainly old theatre and other certain models can you tell me what to look out for.I understand that some of the more desirables are not popping up at thrifts but I have passed on a few pair of regular type AL's at the thrifts.I know remember model #s but looked like run of the mill 70's and 80's speakers.nothing like the model 14's or the like.Did I blow it passing on these?did AL become run of the mill after a certain time period?Why the desire for some of the nicer models like 14's other than they look cool as hell.The theatre in my hometown was being renovated a bout 2yrs ago and i heard they were selling the speakers.Went down there and as usual I was to late.I asked the owner what happened he sold to some kids for $50.Asked if he knew what kind.He wasn't sure but he thought they were "Aztecs or Alltecs". I about died.Tried to track them down but to no avail.They probably trashed them on some bpc.

Those Altecs generally considered desirable are those based on their motion picture theater and studio speakers, either in unadorned pro form or in domestic versions.

That means, among other things, 414, 803, 416 and 515 woofers and 800 and 900 series compression drivers. Also their Duplex and Biflex speakers such as 604s, 605s and 420s.

Besides the speakers based on pro speakers Altec also made "normal" hi-fi speakers with inexpensive woofers and cone tweeters. I never paid any attention to them, for all I know they might sound pretty decent, but they're not the kind of thing most Altec fans are interested in.

About as far down the food chain as I'm interested are the Bolero and Madura which use the awesome 406 10" woofer which was based on the motor of the 414 12" pro woofer.

That's Tommy's Crash Course on Altecs.

Here are some pictures/specs to look at too.

http://lansingheritage.org/html/altec/catalogs/1978-home.htm

http://lansingheritage.org/html/altec/catalogs/1975-home.htm

Even some of the later/less popular speakers using the "lzt"(altec's version of a piezo) like the series II model 6 and model 8 are really some very fine sounding speakers that usually sell well under the radar.

Even tho they don't have some of the hallmarks of the classic 15 inch 2 way systems, they're still worthy of hifi duty.

Depending on what your expectations are, even the small Altecs from the 70s can be fun to listen to -- the 3, 5, 7 and so on. They are just standard cone in a box type speakers, but they are efficient and dynamic and rock sounds good on them -- just as the cliche about west coast speakers suggests it should. Less convincing on symphonic stuff, though plausible on jazz and chamber music. They don't seem to be particularly desireable, and a limited speaker may be worth buying if its cheap and does somethings well. And they were and are in competition with more neutral but small and cheap, so don't have much bass and much worse dynamics east coast speakers. Uncolored is good, but so is fun.
(My twenty year old true believer audiophile self would smack me around for saying this!)