Tim Thompson, founder of Audio Eyra, drove into Nashville with a familiar blend of nerves and excitement. His company, specializing in the manufacture of boutique and vintage style musical and listening equipment, was built on the hunt for forgotten gear with a story. Today’s target were two pairs of Altec Duplex drivers-a pristine set of 604D’s with crossovers; and, an NOS set of 605A’s with their own crossovers. But, the real prize was the backstory. The seller, Glenn, was an audiophile from West Virginia, and the plan was to meet in the vast parking lot of the Grand Ole Opry, a fitting backdrop for the speakers’ storied past.
The Connection had been forged not through a specialized forum, but through a fortunate accident. Tim, idly scrolling through Facebook Marketplace during a late-night research session, almost scrolled past the pile of history shown on that ad. in the description “Altec” snagged his attention. It was a digital needle in a haystack and the rarity of finding something like this on a mainstream platform wasn’t lost on him.
“Tim,” Glenn’s voice had resonated over the phone, “I’ve got something you’ll want to hear about. Two sets of Altec’s, manufactured in 1956. The real story, though,” he continue, his voice dropping to a near whisper, “is that two of these we never installed. They were bought as spares and have been sitting in their original boxes in my dad’s collection since G.E. Richards, inc. studio in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, closed down. My father and your grandfather worked together in these Nashville studios back in the day. Both were roadies and technicians for some of the biggest names in the business, rigging and running sound for folks like Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson.”
Tim’s breath had hitched. His Grandfather, William Byrd Thompson, Sr., had been more than a technician; he was a touring musician himself, a man who understood the sound from both sides of the stage. The Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, and RCA Studio B were the sacred places of his grandfather’s stories. The thought that his and Glenn’s families had crossed paths in those very rooms, shaping the sound of history, was a powerful and humbling revelation.
The Grand Ole Opry parking lot was a sea of metal and memories. Tim spotted Glenn’s F150, its back seat filled with carefully wrapped canvas and blankets. As they shook hands, the grip was form and the understanding unspoken. These weren’t just two strangers meeting for a transaction; they were two inheritors of a shared legacy.
Glenn, with a reverence Tim immediately recognized, began to carefully unpack the speakers. These weren’t worn-out, long-suffering components. These were untouched time capsules—brand new, uninstalled, raw-framed Altec 604s manufactured in 1956. The used 605’s, might as well been brand new as well-min condition. They were in their original Altec Lansing boxes, complete with factory paperwork. It was the kind of find that made the hair stand up on a vintage audio enthusiast’s arms.
Their conversation wove through the history they now shared. It even landed on common friends still active in the music industry that both men knew from Jackson, TN-where Tim was born. Glenn’s father had told him stories of seeing Johnny Cash and Elvis backstage at the Opry in the late 1950’s. Tim’s grandfather, William Byrd Thompson, Sr., had recounted tales of late-night jam sessions and the feeling of the music vibrating through the floorboards. They talked about the subtle imperfections, the natural warmth of analog sound, and the deep satisfaction of bringing classic gear back to life. Glenn wasn’t just selling speakers; he was passing on a torch, recognizing in Tim, a fellow craftsman and the grandson of a Nashville legend, a worthy inheritor of tradition.
As Tim loaded the crated, pristine 1956 Altec 605’s and 604’s into his own truck, he felt the satisfying weight of the history. The road back to Fort Smith would be a long one, but he wasn’t just carrying speakers. He was carrying the voice of a bygone era, the sonic ghost of a Lancaster studio, and the story of a shared passion between two men who understood that the best sound isn’t always the newest, but the one with a soul. He knew that the real work was just beginning—to meticulously design enclosures for these magnificent instruments and give them a new life, preserving their legacy for a new generation to appreciate, and in doing so, honoring the legacy of William Byrd Thompson, Sr. and all the others who made the music that mattered.
