A7-500 Crossover Recommendations?

[LowOhms]

Hi Louder,

I personally would NOT be so quick to get rid of the one inch EMILAR EA-175s.

The main thing in 2017 I worry about is that their Alnico magnets may not be fully charged. Elitopus 1 runs them, switches between them and ALTECs I think, and likes them, as do people like Joe Roberts, and Joseph Esmilla, both good listeners.

I DO think non stock Woofer recones can be quite suspect, but for now.... initially, yer " Run What 'Ya Brung" is pretty good advice !!

When I buy a used ALTECs ( bought Valencias and 19s this year ) I figure, all the drivers will get gone over by GPA, re magged, etc.

FV says he will email me....cool.

Jeff

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Thanks Jeff and all for your detailed responses.

Since I was a new poster on Hostboard, this took a few days to appear, so I was surprised to see all the thread action.

These speakers will only likely live in my studio at work. They'll never cross the threshold at home (unless my wife decides to run off with the mailman!) My studio is fairly large at 22x60x18' high. Brick walls, wood floors, glass window wall, wood ceilings, city noises. So a lot to deal with (it was part of an old disco). The good part is that we're surrounded by a parking garage, so no neighbors to complain when things are cranked up!

I was wondering if it's worth trying to get an old Altec crossover with brightness knob (like a N801-8A) and gut it and rebuild the caps. I like the look of the Altec crossover plates/knobs. Is there a particular model that is suited to doing this?

Or just build one from the ground up. Would you recommend having an L-pad in the HF section as Altec did or just go with a single resistor (or none)?

Your idea of weighting the top is interesting. I'm wondering if I use sandbags, and then place the horns on top of the bags would kill two birds with one stone?

I'll be in touch with a PM...

Hi FV,



I have been eating, dreaming, thinking and breathing A7-800s for home-use for a few years now, as I SLOWLY, on a budget, have been setting mine up.

Been going to RMAF audio shows, last ten years in a row, and for three days straight, hear possibly the world's finest ALTEC 604 system at this Denver show, source, certainly the amps, and MLTL speakers, although results do vary some, from year to year. ( Lack of set-up time. )


I would PASS on re-doing an ALTEC " 800 " series crossover. Waste of money, from my direct 2017 experience. I have actually just DONE this, for a fellow in Switzerland, and posted photos on this Forum.

For DIY passive crossovers, I know of GREAT parts and things to use, for PENNIES on the dollar, that sonically will far-outperform "conventional audiophile-parts implementations" which a majority of audio people tend to pursue.

Go slow. No mistakes. Please contact me and we will talk, which beats typing things out.

So glad you have a McIntosh 60 pair of monos !!!!! That will EASILY be adequate, when we are done with it all. COOL.

Jeff Medwin....Low Ohms

[LOUDER]

Fv, see if you can trade jeff your hf drivers for his. That way he could the enilars and you could get the Altec's for your horns. Keep bi-amping for the size of your room. I had some 816's with 811's and in about the same size room with Eminence sigma pro 18's. Played LOUDER than the saw and routers Oh and do his brick trick but use the sand bags for the 511's

[FriendlyVolcano]

I'm enjoying the bi-amping, but just wanted to build a great crossover for single amp use. The MC60s mate well both power and sound-wise with the MC250, which is really like a dual monoblock with autoformers similar to the MC60s.

I do like the control an electronic crossover gives, but I'd like to have the single crossover option. My Ashley has a Response curve dial which sort of mimics the ability to change the crossover slope from 3 to 6 to 12 to 24.

I'm curious if anyone has used a feature like the CD Horn Equalization on a a Behringer Super-X Pro CX3400. It has some other nice features including phase alignment and low cut protection filters. The 3400 is a 3-way, so I could add a passive sub if I was interested. Anyone have experience with the Behringers?

[mah]

I use a Behringer DCX2496. It has a lot of flexibility with EQ for CD horn combo but it doesn't have the simple, fixed, one size fits all setting of the cx3400. You have to 'dial' it in - easy to do. Very happy with mine.

I have seen the CX3400 mentioned often on this forum in the past so you should hear from experience.

With either of these units you need to know how to interface balanced and consumer gear. Not difficult but needs to be done properly. Ask if you need help,

[LowOhms]

Fv, see if you can trade jeff your hf drivers for his. That way he could the enilars and you could get the Altec's for your horns. Keep bi-amping for the size of your room. I had some 816's with 811's and in about the same size room with Eminence sigma pro 18's. Played LOUDER than the saw and routers Oh and do his brick trick but use the sand bags for the 511's

LOUDER,

My ALTEC 802D bodies were re-magnetized 3 years ago, and re-diaphragmed by GPA. Because of the re-magnetizing, and general performance, I intend to keep them ! :-)

It would be good in 2017 to re-mag any ( and all ) of the Emilar EA-175s, so one could do fair comparisons.

The EA-175s do not now belong to me. They are being used on the rear of a 811, in a good friend's new / rebuilt VALENCIA ( with modded back panel ), after I decided we should eliminate the small-bodied 806s.

We now have a new DC Type 46 stereo SET amp I have designed and built, ( in 5-2017 ), for this same friend. The amp should, hopefully, mate well with his VALENCIAS in his apartment. I am impressed with it, so far, on my A7-800s. 1.3 Watts, plays like 200 .

Both this friend and I are each, by now, "spoiled rotten" about listening to amps having no negative feedback loops in them.. And me personally, I am going to monaural amps by 9-2017, so as no longer share a common power supply between two channels.

Its very nice to be able to DIY and build exactly what you want to run !! Fun.

Jeff...Low Ohms

[mah]

Jeff, "1.3 Watts plays like 200". Not possible.

That is even more ridiculous than thinking that changing the engine wiring and tinkering with the points capacitor on an old Volkswagen motor will result in the equivalent of a late-model high performance Porsche powerplant.

[LowOhms]

Jeff, "1.3 Watts plays like 200". Not possible.

That is even more ridiculous than thinking that changing the engine wiring and tinkering with the points capacitor on an old Volkswagen motor will result in the equivalent of a late-model high performance Porsche powerplant.

Sorry, you are mistaken mah. I think it will CREME any typical 200 Watt amp, in dynamics, and of course, transparency and in doing depth. Two triode stages, directly coupled, zero negative feedback. It plays "on time ".

On an ALTEC, the first WATT counts the most, really, the first half Watt. A typical solid-state high powered amp never gets off dead center till its doing.... maybe 10 Watts .

My DIY amp has a very good internal transfer function, and I designed it with a goal to be DYNAMIC with a capital "D".

The 46 amp I built for my friend, for Greg's Valencias, is one of only TWO amps in the world ( to my knowledge ) that uses 1,500 Ampere instantaneous peak film caps, and its the only SET that uses two 6 Ohm DCR chokes in series, as a B+ filter to the Finals.

Additionally, those 1,500 A. instantaneous peak film caps are bypassed with the latest generation of WIMA FKP1 pulse caps. Look them up !! FKP1 by WIMA, go on line and read their description, see the specs !!.

Better yet, build something, employ those WIMAs and HEAR them . Got dem WIMAs in my DIY A7-800 crossovers, as are the 1,500 A. caps in there, for the last 14 months !!

Yep, I am pretty sure, Greg's 1.3 Watt 46 DC SET will easily leave any 200 Watt conventional amp in the dust, for on-time dynamics, at least on my well-wired A7-800s. Now, a $18.000 Spectral DMA 200... may be a different result !.

BTW, LOL, I have owned VWs and Porsches. Three different 1961 356B Super Roadsters, and a 1957 356A Super Speedster, after I got outta college.

Have Fun, I do!!

Now, if I can only get the stock market to collapse today, it will be a PERFECT day !! I am 100% short.


Jeff Medwin....Low Ohms.

[Elitopus1]

I have to agree with mah on this one. I have a 1.8 wpc amp in my living room system. It is severely limited in how loud it can play.

Tube watts do not equal more than SS watts, other than tube amps clip nicer.

And just because a cap is rated at 1,500 amps, doesn't mean that is what it is seeing in an audio application. Those caps are for industrial use where they can handle and are run closer to that rating.

Also I don't buy into that first watt crap. Maybe if you live in an apartment and can't listen to music at a healthy volume. I say things start opening up after around 10 watts.

And finally, I don't have anything against low watt tube amps. They do sound nice. Its just when you compare a 1 watt tube amp to a 200 watt SS amp. There is no comparison in the output.

[LowOhms]

I have to agree with mah on this one. I have a 1.8 wpc amp in my living room system. It is severely limited in how loud it can play.

I don't doubt for one moment what you heard, on YOUR 1.8 WPC amp and your system. Accurate reporting on your part.

Tube watts do not equal more than SS watts, other than tube amps clip nicer.

And just because a cap is rated at 1,500 amps, doesn't mean that is what it is seeing in an audio application. Those caps are for industrial use where they can handle and are run closer to that rating.

One may, at first glance THINK that, but, have you ever heard said caps?? No, you have not.

I have been experimenting with these caps, for 14 months, hands-on, ears-on experience. You've NOT ever even heard it, one time !!!

Also I don't buy into that first watt crap. Maybe if you live in an apartment and can't listen to music at a healthy volume. I say things start opening up after around 10 watts.

Incorrect, you would just need to directly experience what I am talking about, one time, and you would not post what you post,. Its a shame, St. Augustine ain't 50 miles from Kansas City !!

And finally, I don't have anything against low watt tube amps. They do sound nice. Its just when you compare a 1 watt tube amp to a 200 watt SS amp. There is no comparison in the output.

Regarding "output", are you thinking SPL or SQ ??

How about a 1.3 Watt amp that plays FAR more dynamics in a room, than a 200 Watt amp, at reasonably high SPL levels ??

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E1,

I do not mind you, or others ( such as mah, or Bill Wojo ), posting as you do. It is " from your experience " and you are honest. Honesty is important!!

But, E1, my direct experience with amps, especially the last 11 years, is different from yours, and many others.

So, E1, you can post " honestly", yet - very much - be " honestly wrong ". THAT is my point.

The REAL TRUTH, that is what is most important !!

See my comments in BLUE, above. Best wishes.

[mah]

Easily measured: Anyone know any good, FREE acoustic measurement software?: Northern Sound Source

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