Cost to finish a pair of A7's

**crazyish1** · August 24th, 2012, 03:41 PM

There are some A7's (I think) for sale near me in Illinois. They have 805b horns, 291-16k drivers, and empty cabinets. What would be a good price for them if the cabinets are in fair-to-good condition? Drivers are functioning, one has been replaced.

What is missing: everything else. No LF driver, no crossover, etc.

In addition to how much I should offer what would be the cost to complete them? What if I upgrade to an active crossover?

Didn't want to post a link as I was unaware of your listing policies (I am not affiliated with the seller in any way).

This is my first post here and I am new the vintage VOTT but I have always enjoyed the sound of horns so this could be a fun project. I am overall a novice in DIY speaker building but I am an engineer.

Thanks in advance.

**cradeldorf** · August 24th, 2012, 03:51 PM

Get the seller to mention a price first. If he's under 500 bucks I'd jump. Active crossover if your not familiar with them are an extremely expensive way to go. If you like the finest sound in the world it would Behoove you to grab them.

**bowtie427ss** · August 24th, 2012, 04:52 PM

Those look pretty decent, correct sleds and brackets enhance the value a bit too.

It'd be nice to know what diaphragms are in the 291's, you don't want the stock ones for hifi.

If you can buy them outright for the opening bid, i'd run.

I'd make contact with the seller to show interest if you're local before somebody convinces him to ship the horns separately.

**crazyish1** · August 24th, 2012, 05:28 PM

You'd run to get them or run away? Don't know if I can get them for the opening bid. There's always hoping. I will be contacting him to look at them in person before the auction ends. Do you know what the potential across the terminals should read for the drivers? Also any ideas on total build cost. Thanks for the quick replies.

Yeah, I was wondering if I would have to replace the diaphragms. It would make sense that they would be different for hifi. I was reading that great plains has some replacements... is this what I would want. Looks like that may be an additional 100-200 too. :-/

**bowtie427ss** · August 24th, 2012, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by crazyish1

You'd run to get them or run away? Don't know if I can get them for the opening bid. There's always hoping. I will be contacting him to look at them in person before the auction ends. Do you know what the potential across the terminals should read for the drivers? Also any ideas on total build cost. Thanks for the quick replies.

Yeah, I was wondering if I would have to replace the diaphragms. It would make sense that they would be different for hifi. I was reading that great plains has some replacements... is this what I would want. Looks like that may be an additional 100-200 too. :-/

I would be tempted to run to get them. They're a great start to an A5 system. GPA makes a variety of ferrite 515 woofers as well as a couple alnico versions, i'd probably go with a ferrite to match the ferrite of the HF drivers.

GPA may also have a crossover solution though i'd be tempted to go DIY in a pair of vintage correct chassis. One note, if you DIY networks, be sure to provide enough HF attenuation to get the horn down far enough for proper system balance.

If the diaphragms are 16 ohm, i'd expect a DCR in the neighborhood of 11.5ohms +/- an ohm or two wouldn't be cause for alarm.

**VolvoHeretic** · August 24th, 2012, 06:45 PM

If you're replacing the diaphragms anyway, wouldn’t it behoove you to go with 8 ohms if it is going to be paired with SS amps since every thing else will have to be acquired anyway?