Re: Hello
August 7th, 2016, 10:07 pm
I am the editor and publisher of that article so I know it well. I know John Stronczer and Hiraga. I also built the crossover and used it for 15 years.
I didn't like the A5 bass cab. I used an Onken box instead. But I heard a set of A5s that Hiraga brought to a meeting in Berlin two years ago and they were awesome. Best mid-bass I ever heard.
Wish I still had that rig! It would not fit on the moving truck. That was a serious speaker.
I can say this. Altec made great stuff and it was pro grade gear, designed for the specific category of commercial applications.
Sometimes though, we might want something a bit different for domestic hifi use. In fact, I would say their home systems aren't as good for that as the pro gear is for what it does.
The best hi-fi Altec always has a major component of DIY in it. You can do a lot more with crossovers in terms of design and parts quality, for example.
In any case, 511s are a great gateway drug!
I didn't like the A5 bass cab. I used an Onken box instead. But I heard a set of A5s that Hiraga brought to a meeting in Berlin two years ago and they were awesome. Best mid-bass I ever heard.
Wish I still had that rig! It would not fit on the moving truck. That was a serious speaker.
I can say this. Altec made great stuff and it was pro grade gear, designed for the specific category of commercial applications.
Sometimes though, we might want something a bit different for domestic hifi use. In fact, I would say their home systems aren't as good for that as the pro gear is for what it does.
The best hi-fi Altec always has a major component of DIY in it. You can do a lot more with crossovers in terms of design and parts quality, for example.
In any case, 511s are a great gateway drug!
Re: Hello
August 7th, 2016, 10:15 pm
- Code:
I am the editor and publisher of that article so I know it well. I know John Stronczer and Hiraga. I also built the crossover and used it for 15 years.
WoW!!
Where can I find info on you?
Re: Hello
August 7th, 2016, 10:33 pm
Try the NSA! 
Re: Hello
August 7th, 2016, 10:46 pm
Or the Triode Mafia 
Re: Hello
August 8th, 2016, 7:32 am
Since we are talking horns, where does the Klipschorn mid-range horn rate?
Re: Hello
August 8th, 2016, 9:32 am
Good question. It has been a long time since I heard a Klipsch midrange. The drivers were not the greatest and with the screw on attachment, it is hard to pop on an 802 for comparison.
And note that Klipsch had a nice Western Electric collection. The first articles on the Klipsch midrange horn show him using WE 713C drivers and there is a bunch of WE gear still sitting in the Klipsch Museum in Hope, AK, I think he was trying to make something decent and affordable for the consumers while he was listening to the good stuff himself, or at least he had it as a reference.
More interesting is the question of good modern stuff that you can buy, easy and cheap.
The Volti Audio room at CAF had a good three way with modern pro drivers and a plastic horn. Sounded pretty good. Maybe the best thing there, after the DIY room of course.
There must be a good modern 1" horn that will bolt up to an Altec driver, but I have so much decent antique junk laying around that I have not been pressed to investigate.
And note that Klipsch had a nice Western Electric collection. The first articles on the Klipsch midrange horn show him using WE 713C drivers and there is a bunch of WE gear still sitting in the Klipsch Museum in Hope, AK, I think he was trying to make something decent and affordable for the consumers while he was listening to the good stuff himself, or at least he had it as a reference.
More interesting is the question of good modern stuff that you can buy, easy and cheap.
The Volti Audio room at CAF had a good three way with modern pro drivers and a plastic horn. Sounded pretty good. Maybe the best thing there, after the DIY room of course.
There must be a good modern 1" horn that will bolt up to an Altec driver, but I have so much decent antique junk laying around that I have not been pressed to investigate.
Re: Hello
August 8th, 2016, 9:46 am
This is my last word -- you can blame the horn as you are, but these are exponential horns based on logarithms and you have only to hear what I have done to get them calmed down.
These speakers are so revealing that all passive parts matter and your entire reproduction chain matters. Cables, pre-amp, power amp, AC power, etc. I can say this with conviction that anything solid-state in the signal path is going to drive you crazy.
In my case, the crossovers have gone through three major changes to get it right. The third change was inspired by a pair of Quad ESL "57" speakers that I repaired as well as performing a minor upgrade.
I used to say that my Altecs were Quads on steroids. They were close -- just a little close. The Quads hooked up to my system genuinely had the "breathe of life." It took two weeks of screwing around with a test horn in my shop to get the Altecs close to where the Quads were. At least this time I knew what was possible -- Peter Walker's genius led the way. As result of that epiphany I ended up with horns that are providing smooth sweetness, better transparency, and of course, the kick-ass dynamics that brings a drum set into one's living room. Just as an aside, the woofers also contribute to issues and they were taken care of during phase 1 when I first got the speakers.
These speakers are so revealing that all passive parts matter and your entire reproduction chain matters. Cables, pre-amp, power amp, AC power, etc. I can say this with conviction that anything solid-state in the signal path is going to drive you crazy.
In my case, the crossovers have gone through three major changes to get it right. The third change was inspired by a pair of Quad ESL "57" speakers that I repaired as well as performing a minor upgrade.
I used to say that my Altecs were Quads on steroids. They were close -- just a little close. The Quads hooked up to my system genuinely had the "breathe of life." It took two weeks of screwing around with a test horn in my shop to get the Altecs close to where the Quads were. At least this time I knew what was possible -- Peter Walker's genius led the way. As result of that epiphany I ended up with horns that are providing smooth sweetness, better transparency, and of course, the kick-ass dynamics that brings a drum set into one's living room. Just as an aside, the woofers also contribute to issues and they were taken care of during phase 1 when I first got the speakers.
Re: Hello
August 8th, 2016, 10:02 am
Reversing the polarity of the horn as suggested by the N-500D crossover made it lot soother.
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Re: Hello
August 8th, 2016, 10:04 am
SoundMods wrote:This is my last word -- you can blame the horn as you are, but these are exponential horns based on logarithms. . .
I think you're missing the point. Exponential horns are a fine thing. The 511 departs from being an exponential horn in the throat area. That's not opinion or hearsay, that's plain measurable geometry. No amount of damping can change that.
Roscoe
Re: Hello
August 8th, 2016, 10:40 am
Would anyone here using horns with a dsp crossover and bi/tri amplification care to comment?