Upgrading Valencias

[Old Guy]

I wonder how the 416 is gonna play crossed at 1200 with that 19 crossover, in that small of a cabinet.

A smaller cabinet is going to affect LF, not likely to have much effect 800-1200Hz.

I wouldn't be worried about that at all.

Later Altec crossovers will flatten the HF and help pull out some mid.
Of course an EQ could just be added after the existing crossover. Haven't done much playing with that sort of thing.

The original Altec designs are pretty good. They can be improved...but the cost may be just not worth it. You reach a point of diminishing returns....a ten percent improvement costs way more than ten percent more...

[theebadone]

Thanks for the info. I agree, sometimes the mods. aren't worth it. By the time I finish these 846As, it would of been cheaper to buy a nice set of 846Bs on the bay. I'm retired, so i got to learn a little, and the finished product turned out pretty good. I found the cabinets empty, except for the original crossovers, which were opened up and tampered with. I installed rebuilt 416As, rebuilt 802-8As hooked to 811B horns, and a set of N 801-8A crossovers. The grills were trashed, so I made a set from 1/4 inch tempered masonite, covered with black burlap, they look presentable, and sound pretty good. plenty of bass and detailed highs. The 802s are a little longer than the original 806s by about a half inch, so a little modding is also necessary to get them to fit. Overall i'm pleased with the results, and i had fun playing, and learning. I would post pics, but it will not let me.

[Altec Best]

There is a gentleman over at Lansing Heritage by the name of Rick (Saeman) who took over for Zilch on the Zilch Cloth Emporium that has original JBL grille cloth Black & Blue I have aquired 2yds of black for my Altec 612C's and it is Identical to the brown cloth that came on my 19's a diamond pattern only differance is the diamond is alittle smaller tighter weave.I think Altec and JBL used the same cloth manufacturer.You may want to try some I think you would be much happier than with Burlap.$15 a yard I can post a pic if you would like a lookie.And use a Weldwood Contact Cement (Original) the smelly stuff for applying it to the grille frame.

Also try Photobucket or Flickr I think Flickr is easier though http://photobucket.com/ or http://www.flickr.com/ and if you use these sites then you just have to post a link something you may want to try.

[rontec]

I would post pics, but it will not let me.

In your profile you can creat a photo album. Then after you upload photos into your album, you can click on the picture then copy the bb code at the bottom of the photo to your post.

[theebadone]

Thanks again for the info. I also apologize to the o.p. im not trying to hijack your thread. I understand that the 902s and 802s are about the best small format drivers for home use. New components get a little expensive to use for an upgrade. I think the valencias would definitely benefit from the h.f driver upgrade, but by how much, it's not a huge improvement. I don't think the improvement is worth the cost, unless you had an extra set laying around unused. Then there's the mods you have to do to the rear of cabinets to get them to fit. If i had a set of perfect cabinets, i would think twice before i altered them. Altec had it pretty much right, from the factory. I would love to see those grills too, thanks.

[GM]

.........and a set of N 801-8A crossovers. The grills were trashed, so I made a set from 1/4 inch tempered masonite, covered with black burlap, they look presentable, and sound pretty good.

Hmm, the 846 XOs are considerably different from the N801-8A's 'textbook' 2nd order Butterworth designs, so a bit surprised you don't find the mids 'hump' this causes objectionable. Then again, I imagine burlap is dense enough to make an audible difference, allowing less HF shelving. FWIW, the 801s are old enough to need new (and better) caps by now.

GM

[theebadone]

Hmm, the 846 XOs are considerably different from the N801-8A's 'textbook' 2nd order Butterworth designs, so a bit surprised you don't find the mids 'hump' this causes objectionable. Then again, I imagine burlap is dense enough to make an audible difference, allowing less HF shelving. FWIW, the 801s are old enough to need new (and better) caps by now.

GM

New caps are next on the list. I honestly don't hear any kind of noticable hump in the mids, but then, ask me again after i recap the crossovers, and switch to the JBL speaker cloth. I might be installing an eq too. Ahh more fun, lol Sorry about the pics, i'm computer illiterate. I may have to ask my daughter to show me, now i really feel old.

[GM]

Just have someone remove the grill while listening to a female singer. If she 'jumps' closer to you than the band and/or she's already much closer to you than the band, then you have the 'hump' and if she sounds 'chesty' compared to say on a TV show, then it's bad enough to be the often complained about, but mostly misunderstood, horn 'honk' which non or improperly EQ'd sectoral horns are notorious for.

Not sure what you did wrong, but in 'reply' mode I see this action noted, so maybe you just copy/pasted an incomplete link/whatever and when I try to complete it I get a their blank photo with its 'deleted or moved' message and searching photobucket using 'theebadone' returns only a young woman's photo:

Already pinged:

• http://i1018.photobucket.com/albums/af303/theebado...

GM

[Old Guy]

if she sounds 'chesty' compared to say on a TV show

You talkin' about Dolly Parton?

[GM]

No, but good to see you still got the appropriate 'one track' mind. Actually, I was thinking about a DIYer's three way I auditioned awhile back. It was 'voiced' so bad that Diana Krall sounded more like Janis Joplin....... Maybe a 'trailer trash' DK weaned on Jack Daniels and Lucky Strikes got him 'focused'.

GM