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755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good?

64.73.69.5
Posted on July 1, 2011 at 04:55:52
Gerry E.
Audiophile

Posts: 2197
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY
Joined: February 19, 2000


A Japanese company is offering a reproduction Altec/WE 755A but with a field coil magnet. Dubbed the 755EX, the cost is about $3100/pair - use the link below. Is this a gimmick or does it have potential (cost and pun aside)?

On the positive side, having a field coil magnet allows you to fine tune the driver. That could be very beneficial if you use it on an open baffle. On the negative side, I believe much of the magic of the Altec/WE 700 series cone drivers is in the cone material. Unless they have come close to replicating the original cone material (including silk?), it won't sound the same.

Gerry

 

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RE: 755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good?, posted on July 1, 2011 at 07:35:22
Hornlover
Manufacturer

Posts: 2529
Joined: March 8, 2002
 $3100 a pair is a lot of money for a couple of wide range 8" drivers. There had better be a LOT of magic in that field coil thing.

 

RE: 755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good?, posted on July 1, 2011 at 10:21:41
TubeBuilder
 Your rich mate you can afford to try them for us lol. I tried a Jensen in a ob once. It played like no other speaker I have ever heard. It wasn't hifedelity. It was Jensen organ speaker after all. But the bass slam was un believable. So I say go for it if you like 755a or ask if they make the bigger altec you preferr. I am not sure the cone material is supa special. I think it's more a matter of cone and coil geometry. The flatness especially. They may not have the finesss of the silk 755a cone but they would have more speed and slamm for sure. For what they are. I dont think there dear really. They could of asked 20k and some fools would of bought them I am sure.They would make a great midbass horn driver too if you can wind the volts up high. I would swap my km30,s for a pair for midd bass dutys. I over open baffle. My house isnt big enough.

edit the pics dark but they dont look as flat as stocl 755a's

 

RE: 755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good?, posted on July 1, 2011 at 11:09:52
Iron Knee
Audiophile

Posts: 955
Location: Middle Florida
Joined: May 17, 2009
 The outer edge of the surround being rolled is suspect. It looks like they got pretty close otherwise. I bet many of us are wondering if they offer a PM version.....:)

 

RE: 755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good?, posted on July 1, 2011 at 12:39:53
Tom Brennan
Audiophile

Posts: 5879
Joined: January 2, 2000
 A friend of mine who was an old time engineer at WE thought the 755 was a medicore speaker and was amused by it's recent cult. He gave me the response curve shown.

Photobucket

 

RE: 755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good? : Cones, posted on July 1, 2011 at 13:55:45
N.B.C.
Audiophile

Posts: 752
Location: SoCal
Joined: March 10, 2004
 Last I heard, Nicholas McKinney, originally of Lambda Acoustics, was working on paper cone formulations for 755A reproductions.

 

Hardly the worst frequency response curves...................., posted on July 1, 2011 at 15:50:26
viridian
 .....sure the bass is shelved down, but the ear will probably latch on to the one octave midrange peak, which will be offset, somewhat, by the peaky treble. It could be much worse really. Then again it would be interesting to see the polar response family, which will probably indicate that on-axis is the only place to be.

I would love to try a pair of those.

 

3100 a pair for field coil drivers is a pretty good price, posted on July 1, 2011 at 17:14:06
Triodeuser
Audiophile

Posts: 1535
Location: South Carolina
Joined: April 29, 2003
 I couldn't readily find current prices, but with the Euro where it is, I think Supravox and Fertin are higher.

And yes, there is a lot of _magic_ in those field coils_grin_

Hard to explain how much difference it makes to the sound, but it's a good bit.

Now whether or not that particular one sounds good? dunno, never heard it.

 

RE: 755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good?, posted on July 8, 2011 at 08:30:48
Vinyljh
Distributor or Rep

Posts: 462
Location: New York
Joined: May 12, 2002
 Hi Gerry,

These are not made in Japan nor by SoundBox as the link seems to indicate. Please check my website.

Jonathan

 

RE: 755EX Field Coil - Gimmick or Good?, posted on July 8, 2011 at 10:46:57
Gerry E.
Audiophile

Posts: 2197
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY
Joined: February 19, 2000
 "These are not made in Japan nor by SoundBox as the link seems to indicate."

Hi Jonathan:

Yeah, I figured that out after my orignal post. At least one of the replies below mentioned that it's made in China. Of course that doesn't mean it can't be good.

As you may know, I use 10" 756s on OBs. I think the 756 is far better than the original 755 (I had both on identical JE Labs OBs at the same time). Now, if they made a field coil reproduction of the 756, I would really be impressed!

Anyway, I will run the 755EX by Dr. Field Coil to see what he thinks. I know he's not a big fan of the original 755. Thanks for your reply and now to your website.

Gerry

 

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