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Thread: New - Valencia 846B Owner

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    Junior Hostboard Member stevenarrow's Avatar
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    New - Valencia 846B Owner

    Hello,

    I'm new here. Just poking around after I picked up a new pair of Valencias (846B). I got them from the original owner and appear to be very well cared for. Sounded pretty good last night over all.

    I will be looking around for tips and upgrades to really make these speakers killers.


    Talk Soon,
    Steve

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    Senior Hostboard Member gdmoore28's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    Hi Steve,

    And, welcome to the site! Congrats on finding a good pair of 846Bs. Tips on improving them: Start here, along with all the included links:

    Look at my new babies...Altec 846Bs w/EV Tweeters!

    Settle in with some snacks and beverages - you're in for a LOT of reading - All of it great stuff.

    How about some pics of your Valencias?

    GeeDeeEmm

    Edit: I forgot another major one: Altec 9844-8B
    Last edited by gdmoore28; September 14th, 2016 at 05:13 PM.

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    Senior Hostboard Member BillWojo's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    Welcome Steve and congrats on the new Valencias. Lot's to read in here about them. I have a pair of HeathKit AS101's that are Valencia copies with the same parts, just a different crossover.
    Playing some Diana Krall as I type, just awesome.
    You may want to read up on recapping the crossovers as caps do age. I just finished recapping mine and it made a nice difference.

    BillWojo

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    Junior Hostboard Member EliFisk's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    Hi Steve

    xo.jpgJagusch.jpg

    I bought a pair of Werner Jagusch crossovers for my Valencia 846A speakers. The Jagusch crossovers are extremely well built (C-core autoformers) and have been very happy with the improved sonics from the Valencias.

    I bypassed the stock crossovers inside the cabinets, which were original and surely no longer in spec.

    The new XOs tamed the 811 horn and 806 driver combination, which no longer sounded harsh and muddy at the same time.

    The Valencias retained all their positive attributes - dynamic, fun to listen to, great on classic rock. But now they have EQ for the horn, a gorgeous midrange and tighter bass.

    Huge improvement over the tired stock XOs.

    Disadvantages from my perspective is that now the XOs are external and sit on the floor behind each speaker. I used Western Electric 16 gauge tinned copper stranded wire, cloth covered for hookup wire, which is a nice way to go. You attach the speaker wire from the amp to the XO and then four wires from the speaker drivers. You adjust the horn EQ by moving the positive wire from the 806 driver from one screw terminal to another, louder to right, softer to left. The maximum speaker wire thickness would be 14 or 12 gauge. The crossover works best with bare stranded wire under the terminal screws.

    Highly recommended if you can swing the $600 or so.

    Keep in mind that the Valencias remain vintage speakers and the XOs don't magically turn them into modern speakers. Bass has great slam but doesn't go that low. My middle aged ears were happy with the treble extension.

    The Valencias inspired me to have Onken 360 liter enclosures built, with recharged and reconed 416-8A woofers, and 802Ds Emilar EH-800 "bowtie" horns and ANOTHER pair of Werner Jagusch crossovers.

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    Junior Hostboard Member stevenarrow's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    Thanks for the insight guys.

    I think my first step will be to get the compression drivers serviced and re-charged at Great Planes. Certain piano notes have been ringing/buzzing, which tells me one of the diaphragms is likely shot. I had been reading great things about Werner's crossover. I have started a conversation with him already. He mentioned that the roll off pot controls the starting point of the high frequency... that alone seems worth while.

    Other point of interest for me is to swap out the fibreglass surrounding the horn with something less dusty and more attractive.

    Their presentation is certainly 'vintage' but they are also very striking and the sound has been really drawing me in so far. Not sure if this is the right crowd, but these speakers CRUSH hip hop and modern RnB. My other speakers are Devore 0/96s and a Klipsch Belle/Jubellee highbred -- they are all so different. Happy I have a bigger place now to store these beauties.

    I'm taking off for the weekend (heading to the Okanagan to watch a hockey tournament, drink beer and relax), so no time to get too deep into the Valencias until next Wednesday. But I'll post some photos, and I'm sure to have more questions for you all.

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    Hostboard Member kwingylee's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    [QUOTE=stevenarrow;1965601]Thanks for the insight guys.
    " My other speakers are Devore 0/96s and a Klipsch Belle/Jubellee highbred -- they are all so different. Happy I have a bigger place now to store these beauties."

    I would like to see pictures of the Belle/Jubilee hybrid if you can accommodate that. My main rig also uses a Klipsch Jubilee clone bottom as part of hybrid.

    As far as improving the Valencia, why not replace the 806 with the 902? I think the 902B's lower profile (compare to the 802-8G) might fit in the 846B cabinet.

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    Senior Hostboard Member BillWojo's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    The 902 drivers will fit with room to spare compared to the 806 drivers. I machined up aluminum adapters 3/4" thick with a tapered bore to match up the drivers 7/8" hole to the horns 1" hole. The package winds up close to the size of the 806 driver, maybe an 1/8" longer.
    I'm not sure what having an 1/8" step up in front of the driver would do to the sound waves without the adapters I made. I come from a racing engine background and sonic tuning would be greatly disturbed with such a step.

    BillWojo

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    Senior Hostboard Member Elitopus1's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    Quote Originally Posted by BillWojo View Post
    The 902 drivers will fit with room to spare compared to the 806 drivers. I machined up aluminum adapters 3/4" thick with a tapered bore to match up the drivers 7/8" hole to the horns 1" hole. The package winds up close to the size of the 806 driver, maybe an 1/8" longer.
    I'm not sure what having an 1/8" step up in front of the driver would do to the sound waves without the adapters I made. I come from a racing engine background and sonic tuning would be greatly disturbed with such a step.

    BillWojo
    OT: Thats really cool you can do that yourself. I have been looking for some 1.4"-2" adaptors and man are they expensive. I think I have settled on some for around 70 bucks each. Most are over 100 a piece.

    Emilar made some really clean 1"-2" adaptors. I have one on a Emilar EH500 horn and hope to find another soon. The transition is so smooth. I have heard they had some of the tightest tolerances back in the day.

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    Senior Hostboard Member BillWojo's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    I have some 1" to 2" adapters. Let me find them, I'd be happy to get 75.00 for a pair. I'll let you know what the bolt circles are.

    BillWojo
    Last edited by BillWojo; October 20th, 2016 at 06:02 PM.

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    Junior Hostboard Member stevenarrow's Avatar
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    Re: New - Valencia 846B Owner

    [QUOTE=kwingylee;1965619]
    Quote Originally Posted by stevenarrow View Post
    Thanks for the insight guys.
    " My other speakers are Devore 0/96s and a Klipsch Belle/Jubellee highbred -- they are all so different. Happy I have a bigger place now to store these beauties."

    I would like to see pictures of the Belle/Jubilee hybrid if you can accommodate that. My main rig also uses a Klipsch Jubilee clone bottom as part of hybrid.

    As far as improving the Valencia, why not replace the 806 with the 902? I think the 902B's lower profile (compare to the 802-8G) might fit in the 846B cabinet.
    This is me.

    Steve Bedard's DIY Klipsch K-402 Speaker - The Klipsch Joint

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