Very well put across. Can't agree more, especially the highlighted part.
Altec 2 ways
- Thread starter GeorgeO
- Start date
Very well put across. Can't agree more, especially the highlighted part.
GeorgeO
Well-Known Member
Anil
I agree with you, and know that you have plenty of experience, that some tweaking has to be done, which will be done. For example while the highs are good the LF needs some adjustment. I expect this is a process that will slowly take me to where I want to be. All I want to say here is that a well implemented passive( which I had in place) can also be a very good solution.
The long journey continues..
I agree with you, and know that you have plenty of experience, that some tweaking has to be done, which will be done. For example while the highs are good the LF needs some adjustment. I expect this is a process that will slowly take me to where I want to be. All I want to say here is that a well implemented passive( which I had in place) can also be a very good solution.
The long journey continues..
GeorgeO
Well-Known Member
Update: Some tweaking has been done via mini dsp and the lows have been reinforced. It's now sounding much, much better. I can definitely now say that I am in the "zone".
GeorgeO
Well-Known Member
At the time of my build I got these drivers and not the coax so I went with them.
If you go back to post No 9 you will see the photos of the enclosures are made from plywood-certified marine ply is what I used. I would guess as a ball park estimate for the speakers and crossover, it is around a lakh give or take, all told. It will cost significantly more now since the supply of drivers is drying up. No super tweeter-the HF (Altec 288K) is an outstanding performer as it is..
If you go back to post No 9 you will see the photos of the enclosures are made from plywood-certified marine ply is what I used. I would guess as a ball park estimate for the speakers and crossover, it is around a lakh give or take, all told. It will cost significantly more now since the supply of drivers is drying up. No super tweeter-the HF (Altec 288K) is an outstanding performer as it is..
Srinath_seshadri
New Member
I'm an altec nut too.
I have several 808, 807, 511/811 horns, 421's and a few more from the VOTT series.
I also have similar ones from EV and I'd almost say they copy each other and improve on each other.
Of course that is in the US, I dont know what they sold elsewhere. I wasn't into audio much when I was in India.
Cool.
Srinath.
I have several 808, 807, 511/811 horns, 421's and a few more from the VOTT series.
I also have similar ones from EV and I'd almost say they copy each other and improve on each other.
Of course that is in the US, I dont know what they sold elsewhere. I wasn't into audio much when I was in India.
Cool.
Srinath.
There are many Altec nuts here. Rajiv, Santhosh, myself, Rajagopal and many more. 416 LFs and 802/808s are available easier than 515s and 288s. These days everything Altec is being lapped up at some astronomical prices.
I have Altec 515 in a Onken cabinet with Altec 288 HFs in a Azura horn. They are wired active and paired with Pass DIY amps.
Cheers.
I have Altec 515 in a Onken cabinet with Altec 288 HFs in a Azura horn. They are wired active and paired with Pass DIY amps.
Cheers.
Srinath_seshadri
New Member
Yea 515's are the holy grail of those series of altecs. 288's are also a large format horn driver bloody cool.
My wife wont let anything bigger than these - in fact I am not allowed to get the 511 in the cabinet, 811 is the only one she'll let me put in.
I am building an altec 19 clone.
Then,
I also have a EV addiction.
And a carver addiction.
And a Marantz addiction.
And a McIntosh addiction.
Cool.
Srinath.
My wife wont let anything bigger than these - in fact I am not allowed to get the 511 in the cabinet, 811 is the only one she'll let me put in.
I am building an altec 19 clone.
Then,
I also have a EV addiction.
And a carver addiction.
And a Marantz addiction.
And a McIntosh addiction.
Cool.
Srinath.
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Srinath_seshadri
New Member
Back in the 60's JBL, altec, and Klipsch used EV drivers in a lot of their speakers.
I have Altec 421's and 422's and their construction, look and sound looks very very similar to the EVM15L. I have heard of coral, not owned any of those, never heard of Flat and Beta.
But remember these are old, 50's, 60's and 70's but high end speakers. No idea about new.
Cool.
Srinath.
Srinath_seshadri
New Member
EV wolverines - LOL, I am going to sell a pair of those in a few weeks. I like them, they are triaxials very good.
Also mac 12's, shorter profile and not a triaxial but very good. I have a pair of those too, and love them too.
The EV's I like are typically woofer, mid horn and tweeter.
The T350 IMHO is the best horn based tweeter that was mass marketed.
The Mids I think those 1832's and that entire genre is damn good.
Woofer SP15/SP12 all the way.
Throw in a X8 and X32 XO pair, those Lpads they made and you're looking at one hell of a good speaker.
Owwww 2-3G for a coral beta - no wonder I have not heard of those.
604's 288's are not that $$$. I should look for those and try and see the best deals on them.
Cool.
Srinath.
Also mac 12's, shorter profile and not a triaxial but very good. I have a pair of those too, and love them too.
The EV's I like are typically woofer, mid horn and tweeter.
The T350 IMHO is the best horn based tweeter that was mass marketed.
The Mids I think those 1832's and that entire genre is damn good.
Woofer SP15/SP12 all the way.
Throw in a X8 and X32 XO pair, those Lpads they made and you're looking at one hell of a good speaker.
Owwww 2-3G for a coral beta - no wonder I have not heard of those.
604's 288's are not that $$$. I should look for those and try and see the best deals on them.
Cool.
Srinath.
Danieljohn
Active Member
Hi Yogi,
Check this EV-SP15 2-way Mechanically Crossovered Fullrange Triaxial just like Coral FLAT-10 with alloy dome too but it seems this alloy dome version is kind of rare & Look at that big Alnico:licklips: magnet & Carver Sunfire series Amplifiers simply Rock ! with discreet Voltage & Current outputs for each speaker & Check the http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/downloads/604E Series II Spec Sheet.pdf link for Altec Alnico 604 Coaxial which are still available new so forget 288 and 515b unless you want to use it as Subwoofer.
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Srinath_seshadri
New Member
EV SP15's are bloody cool. I have a SP12 with whizzer in my EV's, I also have TRX12 (wolverine) and mac 12's. The EV 15's I have are all EVM15L's. Commercial grade.
However dont think all that is the magnet. There is a shielding on the magnet that takes up some space. They were putting mids and tweeters so close to the thing that it was distorting them.
The huge magnets go in the commercial gear, but even that is to be taken with a grain of salt. These have field replaceable cones. So basically you can unscrew the magnet out of the frame and bolt it onto your new basket/frame. Saves downtime in a commercial situation. However, it also takes up space in the magnet. An impressive magnet, may just be a bit less impressive if you deduct that volume from it.
Same with Altec, JBL, Klipsch all of em.
In effect Klipsch IMHO was the worst offender of the bunch. They put square magnets on their woofers. Lots of people think its superior, sadly, a square magnet has more wasted and useless magnetism, worse yet, they made em square to be able to mass produce them, they can blank out square pieces with a billet shear after magnetizing a long piece of flat bar. No need to get it machined round and then magnetized. and the corners - apparently they interfere with the woofer itself. No way to even eliminate it.
So when someone tells you these are so cool, they have square magnets - run. Dont walk.
Cool.
Srinath.
However dont think all that is the magnet. There is a shielding on the magnet that takes up some space. They were putting mids and tweeters so close to the thing that it was distorting them.
The huge magnets go in the commercial gear, but even that is to be taken with a grain of salt. These have field replaceable cones. So basically you can unscrew the magnet out of the frame and bolt it onto your new basket/frame. Saves downtime in a commercial situation. However, it also takes up space in the magnet. An impressive magnet, may just be a bit less impressive if you deduct that volume from it.
Same with Altec, JBL, Klipsch all of em.
In effect Klipsch IMHO was the worst offender of the bunch. They put square magnets on their woofers. Lots of people think its superior, sadly, a square magnet has more wasted and useless magnetism, worse yet, they made em square to be able to mass produce them, they can blank out square pieces with a billet shear after magnetizing a long piece of flat bar. No need to get it machined round and then magnetized. and the corners - apparently they interfere with the woofer itself. No way to even eliminate it.
So when someone tells you these are so cool, they have square magnets - run. Dont walk.
Cool.
Srinath.
Srinath_seshadri
New Member
I think if it was magnetized correctly it sould be OK. I opened a few of these. No big trick to them.
I hear of diaphrahms being better if made by original altec tooling, which Great plains audio make. I am not sure first hand. I've only heard the originals form the 80's. Chinese have been copying and bettering a lot of old school stuff.
There is a B&G driver that is a close enough and in some applications better option to a original altec driver. If you can cross over into it @ 2000 or higher, these work well. I have a 422, which works great up to 3000 hz or even 3500. Many oprions if you ahve something like that.
Altec horns - no options for those, nothing else comes close.
A 511 horn is 35 lb of cast aluminum. An 811 is 20 lb or so. Nothing made today comes close.
Cool.
Srinath.
I hear of diaphrahms being better if made by original altec tooling, which Great plains audio make. I am not sure first hand. I've only heard the originals form the 80's. Chinese have been copying and bettering a lot of old school stuff.
There is a B&G driver that is a close enough and in some applications better option to a original altec driver. If you can cross over into it @ 2000 or higher, these work well. I have a 422, which works great up to 3000 hz or even 3500. Many oprions if you ahve something like that.
Altec horns - no options for those, nothing else comes close.
A 511 horn is 35 lb of cast aluminum. An 811 is 20 lb or so. Nothing made today comes close.
Cool.
Srinath.
Model 19 is 416 woofer and 802 HF with 811 horn. They did not use 515 and 288s. While you might be quite aware of Altec stuff, the guru on this forum is Rajiv. Most of use got initiated into Altec systems because of Rajiv.
Cheers.
Srinath_seshadri
New Member
Correct anilva. They put that 416, 417, 421, 422 ,423 woofer with 802, 804, 806, 807, 808 compression driver with 511 and 811 in several other chassis too. 1202, 1203, 1205, 1233, VOTT series. The 19 and the 14 are domesticated versions of these.
I got 2 pairs, 1203 and 1205 and took em apart. I intend to put the 421/807+811 combo in a domesticated, nice looking wood chassis that would double as a coffee table for a stand up coffee drinking session. Just dont try it when the music is on, I told my wife. LOL.
Cool.
Srinath.
I got 2 pairs, 1203 and 1205 and took em apart. I intend to put the 421/807+811 combo in a domesticated, nice looking wood chassis that would double as a coffee table for a stand up coffee drinking session. Just dont try it when the music is on, I told my wife. LOL.
Cool.
Srinath.
Srinath_seshadri
New Member
GPA makes replacement diaphragms and services old drivers. They have the altec tooling for those.
I seriously dont see full on VOTT setups for under $7-800. Maybe in awful condition, with stuff needing rebuilding etc.
Of course a 515 pair even that price is good. You can ditch the cabinets at the sellers location and just take the drivers. I gutted a console that way and pulled the tube amp out and left the rest there a few years ago.
Cool.
Srinath.
I seriously dont see full on VOTT setups for under $7-800. Maybe in awful condition, with stuff needing rebuilding etc.
Of course a 515 pair even that price is good. You can ditch the cabinets at the sellers location and just take the drivers. I gutted a console that way and pulled the tube amp out and left the rest there a few years ago.
Cool.
Srinath.
GeorgeO
Well-Known Member
After some more work on the Mini dsp settings, its now beginning to sound as it should.The bass performance of the 416 LF drivers has been beefed up to the extent that I have stopped using my 12 inch sub. All in all now sounding very nice, and am thoroughly enjoying the effort and time put into this build. I've been listening to a lot of music from different genres-jazz, female vocal, pop, classic rock and they all sound good. I need to do a bit of Western classical now. Good recordings are a joy to listen to, poor ones are shown up.
Srinath_seshadri
New Member
A sub is redundant with these old speakers. The first thing I noticed when I hooked up my ev's was that the velodyne had to be cranked up, and worse yet, it was adding more to the noise upstairs than actually sub woofing in the listening room.
I am getting a car sub one of these days, a Rockford fosgate punch 12" and hope to run it with a crown commercial amp. Hopefully it will do what velodyne and the subsequent B&W failed at.
Cool.
Srinath.
I am getting a car sub one of these days, a Rockford fosgate punch 12" and hope to run it with a crown commercial amp. Hopefully it will do what velodyne and the subsequent B&W failed at.
Cool.
Srinath.
A beautiful, well-constructed speaker with class-leading soundstage, imaging and bass that is fast, deep, and precise.
