High Efficiency Speaker Asylum

If you can find them....

204.94.81.82

Rod M

W

In Reply to: RE: ...Altec Model 19's nt posted by sideliner on August 25, 2019 at 08:31:10

Vintage ones in good shape can go for as much as $3-6K, still a bargain compared to new traditional speakers. Dynamic and brash, you nailed it. But also warm and comfy, the 19s just beg for you to turn them up.

Someone mentioned a 300B SET, my experience is 30 watts is required to really take them to near live levels. I'm considering crossover upgrades though I also wonder why, I just don't feel like I'm wanting. If it ain't broke, why fix it?

If you're curious, that pic shows about half the room. My office area is on the other half along with the sweet spot. I'd post a pic, but my desk is always messy.

-Rod

Follow Ups:

RE: If you can find them.... - lokie 07:37:02 08/29/19 (3)
Super cool. Would love to hear these.

Stock xovers? I have never heard these, so take this for what its worth, but I imagine that this horn can be too much of a good thing. A vintage PIO Cap here and there (including as a coupling cap in the amp) might go a long way in mitigating listening fatigue. The Western Electric aficionados describe the effect of the PIO Caps as "slowing down" the signal... adding presence,and better integration with the other drivers. I personally found that they simultaneously add dynamics and smoothness. Those two qualities are usually contradictory.
- RE: If you can find them.... - Rod M 10:35:16 08/29/19 (2)
  Ah yes, my EdgarHorns in the main system use old military surplus PIO caps which replaced some expensive audiophile approved caps that I'd used initially. Smoothness is the key word without any impact on dynamics. Of course, the horns and completely different and the drivers are JBL with an 80hz bass bin and a pair of 15" subs. Compared to the 19s, the Edgars are little polite vs brash 19s. Both I love them both.
  
  I've only had the Altec 19s for a few months, but I wouldn't say that they're fatiguing at all though they surely do expose lesser recordings where the Edgars are more forgiving without missing detail particularly. The Altecs do go a lot lower than the Edgar bass bin and I suspect have a bit of a peak in the 60-80hz range that isn't a bad thing for classic rock music and they've got more bass impact
  
  Some folks claim the stock crossovers are improved greatly by replacing caps and adding bypass caps. Others like a totally new custom crossover, so I'm still considering the various options and would surely use PIO caps if I chose the custom route.
  
  -Rod
  - RE: If you can find them.... - lokie 11:46:17 08/30/19 (1)
    If you went the custom route, how would you execute?
    
    Take measurements yourself and self design? Send off to a guru and have em done? Or something in between?
    - RE: If you can find them.... - Rod M 12:39:07 08/30/19 (0)
      I found a couple options, this one from Zilch.
      
      Another option is Pete Rigle's A7 VOTT crossover which would have to be modified somewhat for the difference between the 511 and 811 horn, raising the horn xover from 500 to 800hz. His also has a tweak to raise the output on the high end to extend the frequency response some along with an L-pad for preferential level settings.
      
      I'm no expert here, but it looks like Zilch's is similar with some sort of notch filter on the horn.
      
      -Rod
      
      Edits: 08/30/19

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