Stonehenge V

**johnsonad** · January 11th, 2009, 04:51 PM

For those of you with experience with this enclosure, would you elaborate on its' strengths and weaknesses? I'm considering either making it or purchasing a complete set up from Iconic. System specifics can be found in my other thread, enclosure recommendations. Thanks!!

**Steve Mac** · January 11th, 2009, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by johnsonad

For those of you with experience with this enclosure, would you elaborate on its' strengths and weaknesses? I'm considering either making it or purchasing a complete set up from Iconic. System specifics can be found in my other thread, enclosure recommendations. Thanks!!

Strengths:
1) tried and true altec design ~9cu.ft
2) the right height
3) doesn't take up a lot of floor space

Weaknesses
1) I have yet to see a cab from iconic that has any class in the way it's finished.
But without blinking I would buy an unfinished cab with the hardware and finish it myself.
I have no doubt they can do a bang up job of constructing the cab...correctly.

**Todd W. White** · January 11th, 2009, 08:17 PM

Er, excuse me, but I personally hand-finished the first few sets of SH V enclosures IMC sold - I hope you're not referring to one of them, as the feedback I got from the customers was very positive.

My son builds them now, also, and I am teaching him how to hand-finish them like I used to, with Tung Oil.

**johnsonad** · January 11th, 2009, 09:02 PM

Thank you for your responses. Todd, I sent you a PM but don't think it went through. Will you contact me at my listed email addy when you have time please?

The fit and finish is what I'm working on now. Veneer vs. tung oil on the external. I'm leaning toward an external crossover; speaker wired with only the leads exiting the enclosure or possibly wired to a biwire post set up but would like to minimize connections. Proper dampening based off of speaker response..... (little things

**johnsonad** · January 12th, 2009, 08:05 PM

Todd, sent a reply, not sure if it went through. I may be having problems with the PM function. Thanks!

**johnsonad** · January 14th, 2009, 09:34 AM

Others with SH V experiences?

**dr.joe** · January 14th, 2009, 10:12 AM

I built (well, had built for me) a pair of Stonehenge V-style cabinets for the Iconic 704-8A (same as GPA 604-8H-II but with phenolic instead of aluminium diaphragm): 51 x 23 x 19 inches (external dimensions) with all panels 1.5-inch thick laminates of birch plywood-MDF-birch plywood and damped on three non-parallel sides with 1.5-inch open cell acoustic foam from Solen Untitled Document. Three 3.5 inch diameter round ports. For the finish I simply applied Tung Oil.

I'm still experimenting with crossovers, but overall I am very pleased with them. {My points of reference are Altec 604-8K in 620-style cabinets, Tannoy System 15 DMT II, Tannoy System 215 DMT II and Tannoy AMS-12A).

The other option is the mass-loaded-transmission-line cabinet originally designed by "GM" who contributes frequently to the Altec User's Board and which has been discussed on this forum in other threads.

GM · January 14th, 2009, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by johnsonad

For those of you with experience with this enclosure, would you elaborate on its' strengths and weaknesses? I'm considering either making it or purchasing a complete set up from Iconic. System specifics can be found in my other thread, enclosure recommendations. Thanks!!

No experience per se, but you may find this long thread of interest and FWIW my speaker, room, etc. design philosophies pretty much mirrors Dr. Geddes', so it wouldn't surprise me if I'd expressed a similar view had I been there: High Efficiency Speaker Asylum: Pictures of Iconic Mfg.'s Demo Room @ the Great Plains AudioFest in Tulsa 04/30/05! by Todd W. White

That said, assuming it's a 620 with a different vent orientation it can be turned into a MLTL by relocating the vent near/at the bottom to gain a bit more vent damping, which if the same vent dims are used it will be tuned a little lower due to the increased cab loading. The theoretical downside is that some of the so called 'west coast sound' Altec is (in)famous for will be replaced with a little more accurate (smoother) reproduction. To maximize the MLTL's tuning benefits though will require at least a taller (and preferably larger) cab that allows the driver to be located lower down and still be at ear height (preferably higher to lower the floor bounce frequency as much as practical).

GM

**Todd W. White** · January 14th, 2009, 03:28 PM

Dr. Geddes was very defensive at that show - ask those who were there. He was upset because everyone was going around commenting on how good the SH V system sounded, and, when he'd heard enough, he barged in our listening room and created a scene.

The 604-8H-III doesn't exhibit the problems found in the MANTARAY version, so a lot of his objections are no longer an issue.

**Vathek** · January 14th, 2009, 05:32 PM

I don't want to comment on Mr. Geddes behaviour, but from his point of view, the problems with the new horn got even worse. His two objections, lower loading and dispersion control have both not been improved, while the dispersion control has even gotten worse by going back to a radial. The III's may sound better overall (even though I doubt it) but frankly, his issues have not been adressed.

Then again, being the math-guy he is, he probably judged the speakers by looking at them and calculating the horn's properties without even listening to them, which after all I think (interior designers may differ) speakers are made for.

David