i saw these on ebay and i'm hoping i can get some feedback before someone gets them. otherwise i can use the schooling for future reference. i looked at some of the earlier posts here. and mostly what i can tell is that they are really loud but sound great.
Two Altec Lansing 808 8A Horn Speaker Drivers Tested | eBay
damn they're gone already.
Opinions are like...but I say you want to replace the Symbiotiks. Period.
Look for blown ones in 808's. Even singles. Or buy them at a price you can change out the frams.
In this case, buy at 175, off the Symbitiks for 100 on eBay , new frams 200 you'd have 275 in a pair.
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
i'm seeing a few on ebay lately for around 200 a pair. and it sounds like with a little help, they could be a great set of drivers. they have a large mag. but they don't have a "tangerine" plug. whats the difference between that and the machined aluminum plug? can they be swapped?
My understanding is that they can't be swapped. I spoke to Bill at GPA regarding my 808-As and his opinion was that swapping for the Pascalite, which he sells, was not good economy since the highs would be better but still not good enough without the new style phase plug. I'm planning on keeping the Symbiotek for now and using a passive super tweeter up above. I think they sound nice, in the mid range, but would really like to hear the Pascalite for comparison. The problem I see is that a BMS 4550 or a Radian 475 are not much more than the Pascalite diaphragms... Unless the 500hz crossover is retained the alternate drivers might work better for a pure two-way. The major caveat to my comments is that I have not personally heard any driver other than the 808-A with a symbiotek. Hopefully others who have heard both will chime in.Originally Posted by Phil-G
As for your question on cutoff, my measurement software is not yet running but I can say that without 12db equalization the cymbals are almost not present. Even with the equalization they are still not "sparkly".
I have to disagree with Bill here, there is little difference between the old plug and Tangerine. Yes it is worth changing frams. Not trying to ego trip, just saying Bill likely has experience mostly with the newer drivers. So let me say i am not addressing ferrite, only the 802/808 body.
You can take the loading cap off the Symbiotik, and it helps. Pascalite is not top dog for highs, the aluminum is. Go for it over the Pascalite, again though, not much difference.
Frankly had plastic molded Tangerines not been cheaper than machined aluminum I doubt Altec would have switched for the marginal improvement.
The alnico and ferrite driver DO sound different. The ferrites are shifted upward in their band. This will attenuate some of the excess mid in the Symbiotik. They did not make the alnicos when Bill worked at Altec. His experience is mostly servicing them, not using them. I used them. For say. 25 years.
Your neighbors called. They like your music.
I'm in total agreement with OG on this.. I always recommend if you need a little higher power go with the Pascalites,if not then the all aluminum.WRT the phase plugs ? Darn if I can hear much of a difference.What that tells me is there is not much difference.
I would go for the diaphragms..The BMS and Radians maybe the same cost as the Frams.But they don't sound like the Altec's IMHO..
+1000 if for a HIFI/HT app. The Symbiotiks not only need more CD horn EQ to be ~flat over a wide BW, but still have a sharp/strident HF that I liken to sounding akin to aluminum sheet being ripped. Not surprising when one considers that the majority of the upper treble of a compression driver's diaphragm is nothing but break-up modes off its surround/joints.
GM
Loud is Beautiful if it's Clean! As always though, the usual disclaimers apply to this post's contents.
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks