Cleveland W416

[mah]

I saw this mentioned on DIY Audio website as an Altec 416 replacement. Is anyone familiar with this speaker?

OlimpiaAudio_ClevelandW416

Cheers, Marshall.

PS. Also W412 and W414.

[Old Guy]

Looks like a small Italian company just took some Altecs apart and cloned them.

Appear to have higher power handling...note it's ferrite too...

Italy can make good speakers...RCF and B&C come to mind...

I would be tempted to get real Altecs in the absence of a reason to buy them. I would like to hear a pair, but chances are slim to none.

English by Google

Google Translate

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

Google Translate

Looks like they're available in ceramic and Neodymium, if you look at the bottom of this page. I like it that they state, at least in the Google translation, that they are modern replicas.

I have no experience with drivers with neodymium magnets. It would be neat to have an "Altec" driver with the new magnet technology.

[Old Guy]

I have no experience with drivers with neodymium magnets.

Tried to count and come up with about 10 different units that I have used both the neo and ferrite versions.

My general feeling, subject to change, is neo has better "transient" response. Just seems the neos have a little quicker attack...and with good HF units the neo seems to have a bit more detail.

This is entirely subjective, but is backed by AB tests where I picked the neo driver 4 out of 4....so I do think there is a difference. Just not gonna claim everybody is gonna hear what I do...


Neo magnets are killed, as in dead, by excess heat...I would be a bit afraid of neos in, say, a folded horn with a very small closed rear chamber.

For me, from a portability standpoint, lower weight is not to be discounted also.

Now given the spare money, I MIGHT just plonk down for a neo 416. Ferrite wouldn't excite me at all.

Actually given the trend to subs, neo 414's and neo HF units by BMS might be really nice with subs under it...I REALLY like the 811 and 32 horns...