High Efficiency Speaker Asylum

Best horn setup for vintage Altec drivers?

199.116.171.39

samoore

I have two 802-8D compression drivers and two 416-8a woofers. What's the awesomest horn based setup I can build using these drivers (I love horns)? Anything better than the original VOTT configuration I have them in now?

Steve
Remember, it's all about the music.

Follow Ups:

Do as I do..... - drlowmu 20:22:08 01/16/17 (0)
(1) Rewire the entire audio system, amplifier to the driver terminals, optimally with m22759/11 12, use Bob Fulton lengths, multiples and divisors, sometimes paralleled in key places, 14 AWG single runs to 802.
(2) Use a two-stage Direct Coupled JJ 2A3-40 monoblock set of amplifiers on the system, the best possible circuit ever ( since 1929 ). Amps, believe me, are JUNK, dreck, still the weak link. If you don't know it by now, Serious Stereo in Montana makes the best-sounding tube amps ever available for high efficiency speakers, last 28 years.
(3) Re-do the crossovers, and keep them external. Use a fixed pad-down resistor, no POTS allowed, and NO press-to-fit connections allowed anywhere on crossover, drivers, or inside the speaker.
(4) Do NOT, as all novices do, butcher the stock ALTEC box. It can be beneficially stabilized and kept stock, by mass loading the A-7. I use about 290 pounds of patio style concrete blocks, VERY cheap, easily reversed, at Lowes hardware, Garden Supply section.
(5) Sell the 515 horns ASAP on eBay, go to a A7-800 for home use, ultimately with an Emilar EH-500 ( or SHOWCO 9000 clones ) set of horns and one to two inch adapters.
(6) Strategically place a flower pot, with leaves, etc, on top of each speaker, adjust position by EAR, while playing complex music.
(7) After 1 through 6 is done, employ some form ( hopefully nicer-looking than my "box" prototypes above ) of Uncle Stu's speaker baffles. Improves diction.
(8) Write to me, or give me a phone call. We should talk audio.

Have fun, I sure do !!!
Jeff Medwin ....... DrLowMu
- http://seriousstereo.com/serious_stereo_user_reviewer.review (Open in New Window)
Edits: 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/16/17 01/19/17
RE: Best horn setup for vintage Altec drivers? - freddyi 01:15:46 01/15/17 (0)
"Tomservo" (Tom Danley) had some ideas on improving the VOTT- crossover and IIRC, a BMS HF driver. Exemplar had a short tractrix midbass horn and tractrix upper horn, with bottom supplied by a low-tuned Karlson cabinet.
Joe Roberts should have some ideas
for a different perspective (which you may or may not like), the 416 could to into a Karlson K15 and make a K-tube from 1" pvc or metal pipe for the 802.
tweaking what you have should be good.
Exemplar

Karlson Evangelist

Edits: 01/15/17

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