Pascalite vs. Aluminum

[Alien_Shore]

I have a pair of 802Ds that sent off to Bill @ GPA to fix up for me. Recharged the Alnicos, and replaced the original frams with the pascalite 26420 frams. From what I can tell, this essentially turns the 802Ds into Alnico 909-8A drivers.
My question is for those of you that have done any A/B comparisons of the aluminums to the pascalite frams - is there an audible difference?

[bowtie427ss]

is there an audible difference?

A very subtle difference to my ears.

Not as large as the difference between certain interconnects and speaker cables.

Not as large as the difference between original Altec 416B and 416C.

Not as large as the difference between an 811 and 511 horn.

My wise ass answer would be that at 25 watts input there's a huge difference because the aluminum phragm failed several watts ago.

From what I can tell, this essentially turns the 802Ds into Alnico 909-8A drivers.

IMHO&E.......................

It turns the 802D into 802DHP. HP = high power.

An 800 series driver does not become a 900 series driver. 900 series motor has a short pole/throat, ferrite mag, and more flux in the gap. The 900 will enjoy higher sensitivity, more HF extension, and won't play as well down low with any phragm

There will be considerably larger sonic difference between an 800 series motor pascalite loaded and a 900 series motor pascalite loaded, than between a pascalite or aluminum phragm in the same 802 motor.

[Altec Best]

Yes there is very little difference IMO sound wise to my ears ! The pascalites will handle more power.They are both aluminum diaphragms,with the Pascalites being an aluminum alloy.

FWIW I would use the aluminum diaphragms in a low power setup and the pascalites in a system that might see some higher volumes and or High Power.... YMMV.

[Alien_Shore]

Thanks for the info. Good insights about the motor and throat on the 800 vs 900 series.

One of the things I'm thinking of trying is sending the original 902s off that I got in the Model 14s to get them fixed up (loading caps removed, back covers added, new frams if needed, phase plug fixed, etc.). While they're away, I have a pair of 902-8Ts and a pair of 908-8as that I could use. The problem with the 908s is the symbiotic fram (34726) that according to what I read is only good up to 15KHz. The 902-8Ts have the aluminum fram (34647) and should be a direct replacement for "OEM" 902s original with the Model 14s, yes?

I read in another thread (I think it was GM who said) that the 900 series are pretty much the same motors in all of them and the only difference is the frams... All of the spec sheets I can find seem to bear this out.