Which driver for 300Hz front loaded wood horn?

[atilsley]

I'm taken by the Bill Wood's large 300Hz wooden horn....and I'm wondering who might be using similar? This horn features in the up-market Cogent speaker system from Oswald Mill Audio. Field-coil drivers make this rather exotic.

What drivers are best suited? I like the idea of new Altec drivers from Great Plains. The 902 1-inch driver will run from 500Hz all the way to 20,000. But, is this too much to ask of one horn? (I ask because I'm keen to develop a two-way speaker.) If this driver was not the best, then I would use the 2-inch 390 model, and run it from 300Hz to 5,000, then use another horn for the HF's, possibly using the 1-inch 902 driver....or a dedicated tweeter/horn similar to Beyma's CP25.

Bass will be GPA Altec 416 driver in large ported or Onken box. If I get really enthused, I might use the Tannoy GRF-R cabinet, but I'll then need to reassess the driver, as not sure about the 416 for back-loading. The GOTO bass horn is also another consideration...which suits the 416 driver nicely.

Thoughts anyone?

Regards.

Andrew

[SOOTSHE]

Andrew,

I think you'll find the 902 will be a bit stretched running from 500Hz, even though the specs say it will. It will sound much nicer if running from at least 800Hz & preferably even higher.

The 1-1/2 inch 390 will also be a stretch from 300Hz.

I bet the experts here will recommend the older style 280/290 drivers for your application, that is, assuming your lower crossover point will be in the region of 300-500Hz.

If you end up running 3 way, you should look at the JBL high frequency drivers (2404, 2405, etc). I switched to some 2404's & they really opened up the sound & have great transparency.

Cheers,
John

[atilsley]

Thanks John...I've heard that advice about how low to take the driver.

One thing I'm trying to do is use new components, as I'd like to develop a product here in Oz for commercial sale...hence leaning towards GPA.

If the 416 will comfortably go to 1,000Hz, then I might bring the horn up to around 800 as you suggest. Still, I'd like to stay with a two-way design for the first attempt. If the famous Model 19 can do it....!?

Regards.

[SOOTSHE]

Well the 416 goes easily to 1200 in the model 19, but you'll probably need a fancy crossover to make it blend properly.

.....or you could use the 399 driver from 500 - 15K. You may find you don't really need any more extension.......or offer the 3 way as the next upgrade model.

[Ronald Lee]

I don't claim to be an audio engineer, and the closest that I come; is that my son took an radio production audio class at the local community college.

With that said, according to my handy dandy Altec brochure AL1712-3 6/75 states that the 290-4G has a range of 300-7000 Hz, Altec has the 203B, 311-60 & -90, 803, 1003B and 31A horns that is recommended for that driver in the 300 Hz range. So I am sure that if Altec was in business today they would recommend their 290 driver with the phenolic diaphragm.

I would definitely install a super-tweeter, such as a JBL 2404/077 or a modern Beyma CP21F(which is similar to the JBL 2404/077)

I would recommend an active crossover to simply your life rather than designing your own passive xover.

[bowtie427ss]

Just my .02 here, but i think that over the last 6 decades technology has indeed advanced in at least a few areas.

Here's one: Overview

If i take on another "project", you'll find a pair of these involved in it.