large or small format driver-and which horn?????

[mraertex]

Hi Guys
I'm new here and loving the stuff I read so far-its great. Now I need help please

I want to set up the following:
*2 way system (Altec comp. driver mid/high + horn and TAD 1601A bass) for music video/dvd and movies mainly in a room about 15' wide x 24'long x 14' high(pitched cathedral ceiling)
*drivers must "fill" room with resolute sound
*crossover will be (anticipated) at around 600-800Hz, based on TAD 1601A needs primarily
*ultimate bass and treble frequency extension not absolutely critical, but would hope for resolute, quality sound in the 35Hz-18KHz-ish range

So with that, what Altec compression driver mid/high and horn options are best suited for this purpose??? I have my eye set on some of the bigger sectoral or multicell horns such as 511B, 811B, 1003B and maybe others. I have no practical experience with such drivers and horns, but do have listening experience with horns generally as in my main system. All comments from practical experience appreciated

Thanks
Alan

[Altec Best]

The 511,811, horns aren't Multicellular, they are Sectoral horns.Is the TAD 1601A the only driver you have at this point ?

[Audio_by_Goodwill]

The 511,811, horns aren't Multicellular, they are Sectoral horns.Is the TAD 1601A the only driver you have at this point ?

And they're not constant directivity, either........ only the Mantarays are correct?

Edit...... just realized the OP probably meant compression driver, not constant directivity.

[mraertex]

Thanks guys. Yes I meant compression driver and sectoral (as well as multicellular) horn

Is the TAD 1601A the only driver you have at this point ?

In answer to this. I have a main horn based system which I have put (am putting) together for critical 2 channel listening which I enjoy for that purpose. It is in a separate room to the living room I refer to in my initial post. This horn based system comprises GOTO, YL and TAD 1601A (x4) drivers in a 4 way active set up. I am looking to use the 1601A's in both set up's-ie. move them over to an Altec 2 way horn set up when I want to watch music dvds or movies in a bigger less intimate room as is described. Hope that tells the full story so that comment and assisstance to my question can be offered. Thanks

Alan

[Geekstar]

You sound like you are looking for a high performance solution.

Don't mess around. Get AlNiCo 288s and 1505s. HF EQ in the passive crossover.

You will need a tweeter to get more than 13k, if you care. I had JBL and Gauss tweeters and never hooked them up.

These will fill your room with resolute music. I think it is the best combo of ALTEC for home listening and well suited for the room you describe.

TAD woofer is a good stopgap measure but I like 416s. Don't be lured in the TAD midrange drivers which sound "impressive" but to an ALTEC lover such as myself they sounded fake, even though I tried again and again to like them.

I advise to skip all cast aluminum horns and go for the big multicells. I liked 1505s a lot better than 1005s. Sheet metal much more than tar filled.

When I ran this setup I was in a ten-year period of speaker nirvana and didn't even think about getting any new speakers.

I was constantly exposed to large WE setups that I thought were better, but with the 288/1505 I was beyond speaker envy.

I think WE594s on 26A horns are a 10, 288s on 1505s are at least an 8 on the cosmic horn performance scale. A score of 8 is hard to achieve. I can live with 8.

[Altec Best]

You sound like you are looking for a high performance solution.

Don't mess around. Get AlNiCo 288s and 1505s. HF EQ in the passive crossover.

You will need a tweeter to get more than 13k, if you care. I had JBL and Gauss tweeters and never hooked them up.

These will fill your room with resolute music. I think it is the best combo of ALTEC for home listening and well suited for the room you describe.

TAD woofer is a good stopgap measure but I like 416s. Don't be lured in the TAD midrange drivers which sound "impressive" but to an ALTEC lover such as myself they sounded fake, even though I tried again and again to like them.

I advise to skip all cast aluminum horns and go for the big multicells. I liked 1505s a lot better than 1005s. Sheet metal much more than tar filled.

When I ran this setup I was in a ten-year period of speaker nirvana and didn't even think about getting any new speakers.

I was constantly exposed to large WE setups that I thought were better, but with the 288/1505 I was beyond speaker envy.

I think WE594s on 26A horns are a 10, 288s on 1505s are at least an 8 on the cosmic horn performance scale. A score of 8 is hard to achieve. I can live with 8.

1505's aren't that easy to find.This setup could be quite expensive.Western Electric's are even more expensive and harder to find.I would also go with the 416's too.GPA 416's you can get brand new.

[Geekstar]

The OP has GOTO and TAD...that stuff ain't free.

Saw a few 1505s on ebay for ~800 each. GOTO would charge that much for a speaker terminal (half joking--might get a pair for that).

Relatively speakering, 288/1505s are still a bargain and big bang for the bucks compared to import Japanese exotica.

Plus you don't have to worry about beating it with the next experiment to come down the pike. That is my main point.

[Altec Best]

The last pair of 1505's I saw sold for around $3 grand. A single throat 30166 just sold on eBay for a few hundred.. Just sayin....

Everyone on this board would love to own 1505's and 288's. I agree that they sound Fabulous.I'm still looking for a pair myself that I can find reasonable.

[Geekstar]

I may be poor and cheap to boot...but some people have money are are willing to invest a couple thousand in a horn/driver combo.

Even on ebay, you can do it for $3k.

Anyway, that is an ideal setup. ALTEC 8 or 10 cell horns are very good too, but not quite as good as the 15 cells.

[GM]

'In for a penny, in for a pound', get 1803 with it's much better pattern control and ability to be XO'd at 300 Hz. Regardless, unless horn loaded, having only a single woofer/channel is the weak link.

GM