Suggestions Sought, to adapt a A7 to a small room.....

[LowOhms]

Greetings :

After a lot of interesting study of this site’s past posts, I have some questions, and could use some help.

"Picture" my TOUGH room, dimensions 13 by 15 by 9 feet, with hallways opening up to two larger-volume areas.

What could be done to modify my A7 system, so as to optimize it for this small space in a HIFI application?

System Details as follows:

(1) Electronics will be a 2 Watt SE tube amplifier, operated off of a seriously overbuilt, “fast” power supply , no EQs, digital delays, etc. etc will be used.

(2) Woofers are ALTEC 515Bs, original cones, cleaned outer surrounds, like Per Hasling does.

(3) Tweeters are ALTEC 802s, GPA remagnetized with new 16 Ohm GPA light weight aluminum diaphragms, no bug screens.

(4) Crossover / initially - recapped ALTEC N801As. I likely will NOT go lower than 800 HZ. Future crossovers : ( simpler, first order ) and eliminating the 801A, will be attempted.

(5) Horns in hand are ALTEC 511Bs, BUT – ‘can EASILY go to ALTEC 811Bs, IF 811s make more sense when listening close-up in such a small room. .

My question is, what things SPECIFIC for use in the small room, can I DO to my A7s, to get results ?

Some questions I seek advice on,

(a) what ALTEC horn may work best, and why ?? ALTEC 511 or 811 ?


(b) what sort of A7 port tuning will work best? ( With 515Bs in a small room, and a low powered amp, should I (1) eliminate casters, (2) do a low port tuning and (3) put the port(s) exit close as possible to the floor, for room gain ? )

(c) anything else fellas….I have not thought of ?

Thank you so much. Single-person use. This will be great to hear about.

Jeff Medwin

[Old Guy]

I'd stay with the 511's IMHO they are smoother than the 811.

Hopefully someone else can chime in on the rest.

[drummerwill]

My A5's had 399 drivers so it was all 500 and below on that system. ... On my Valencia's I use a de-finned 811b I like how it sounds in my rectangular shape room.
That's with a 806 Driver and aluminum dia.'s


Willie

[je2a3]

My first post but have been lurking on and off for many years, nice forum.

No experience with the A7 cab/515B combo but i recently switched to 32B horns after using early heavy sand cast 811s for 15 years. I find the 32B to be more laid back and refined. I am using 414As in 614 cabs and 802Ds.

Happy New Year to everyone!

JE

[bowtie427ss]

Has anybody tried running their small VOT's with the cabinet backs removed in a smaller room?

[LowOhms]

My first post but have been lurking on and off for many years, nice forum.

No experience with the A7 cab/515B combo but i recently switched to 32B horns after using early heavy sand cast 811s for 15 years. I find the 32B to be more laid back and refined. I am using 414As in 614 cabs and 802Ds.

Happy New Year to everyone!

JE

Holey Smokes, your first post in 15 years, and on my dinky thread?? !!

I am just guessing from your moniker that you are none other than Joseph Esmilla, first highlighted as "Homebrewer of the Month" in Sound Practices Magazine, superb violinist and conductor, and Leica collector. Welcome to this Forum. I am new here also.

You really are to be congratulated for introducing so many good people to high quality music reproduction. The audio world owes you a big thank you. You enhanced peoples lives. I'd love to correspond with you by email.

This is up to date with a 2014 entry, your 32B horns, here we go : JE Labs: November 2011

If, by chance, I erred and you are NOT Joseph Esmilla, please accept my apologies, I guessed wrong. But you can pretend for a day or two that you are !!

Jeff Medwin

[cradeldorf]

I've found that sizing your speakers to your room is very rewarding. Lets face it, your trying to shove a 3408 cat motor into a chevy chevette.

[je2a3]

Holey Smokes, your first post in 15 years, and on my dinky thread?? !!

I am just guessing from your moniker that you are none other than Joseph Esmilla, first highlighted as "Homebrewer of the Month" in Sound Practices Magazine, superb violinist and conductor, and Leica collector. Welcome to this Forum. I am new here also.

You really are to be congratulated for introducing so many good people to high quality music reproduction. The audio world owes you a big thank you. You enhanced peoples lives. I'd love to correspond with you by email.

This is up to date with a 2014 entry, your 32B horns, here we go : JE Labs: November 2011

If, by chance, I erred and you are NOT Joseph Esmilla, please accept my apologies, I guessed wrong. But you can pretend for a day or two that you are !!

Jeff Medwin

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the kind words. I think we already exchanged emails years ago when I was still based in the USA. Just leave a message in my blog (or here) and I will try to reply ASAP.

During the holidays I was searching old posts in this forum and saw my guru, Joe Roberts (Geekstar) had good things to say about the 32B horn. Check that out too.

Back in the early 2000s, I actually tried 816 cabs with 416As to work in my then 11 x 15 x 8 listening room but gave up and went back to 614s/414As. In hindsight, I should have kept the cab/woofer combo since it might work in my attic now...

Right now I am experimenting with a notch filter similar to the one found in the N1201-8A grafted on to an N1600C clone. I got the idea from a post here (or Lansing site) from the late Zilch.

JE

[Old Guy]

No experience with the A7 cab/515B combo but i recently switched to 32B horns after using early heavy sand cast 811s for 15 years. I find the 32B to be more laid back and refined. I am using 414As in 614 cabs and 802Ds.



JE

Yes the 32 series has a much wider sweet spot. they do well in small rooms.