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

[VolvoHeretic]

I have stock A7-500's w/ 416-8A, 511b, 802-8D, and without EQ are very SHOUTY. They sound great with pure acoustic music, but with anything electronic, sound terrible like a giant transistor radio (tried it for 2 months). With the bottom and top boosted, they sound fine in large and small rooms alike, would sound better tuned lower with a small port, and even better with subwoofers (haven't tried). Good luck.

I also like the 32B horns for near field paired with 806 drivers loaded with 8ohm pascalite diaphragms and a Peizo super tweeter (maybe not in an A7 though).

[LowOhms]

VolvoHeretic,

I don't deny your experience or what you heard at all, and I truly appreciate your comments and attempt at help.

IMHO, if a stock A7 sounds bad, in most cases you should first-of-all look at the power amplifier that is driving it.

Most solid state amps ( but not all) sound dreadful when throttled down to a Watt of power or less. Just the opposite, however, with a very WELL designed low powered tube amp. It becomes a synergistic amp match to an ALTEC A7.

The problem is often times more-than-likely the electronics, and not the A7.

No doubt, lotsa people use EQs on them, but then, LOOK at their power amps. In 99 percent of the cases its solid state. Does Jean Hiraga use an EQ, no, he just modded the crossover some, and he uses a tube amp. Does Dominique Tanguy use a EQ, no, he uses a 300B amp. Does JE Labs use a EQ, no, a low powered tube amp.

So, whereas an EQ is an acceptable solution for you, and many others, it is NOT going to be part of my own system. My first objection to EQs and Digital Processors is that extra amplifying stage it requires, and my second objection is the additional interconnect wires and their losses.

So VH, I am trying to find out if anyone who is experienced has suggestions on how, ( without added EQs, etc, ) to "naturally adapt " a A7 to a 13 by 14 by 9 foot room. "Less is more" is my mantra.

Jeff Medwin

[zelgall]

Hi Jeff.
I'm not VH but I have a thought on the Altec thing. If you expect an A5 or A7 to be a full range speaker you'll be disappointed. They roll off quite high for a speaker their size, I believe it's about 80Hz for the horn. Needs a sub if you listen to anything other than chamber music or little girl with guitar. Doesn't matter what you drive them with if it's not equalized they don't do full range by themselves.

[LowOhms]

Hi Jeff.
I'm not VH but I have a thought on the Altec thing. If you expect an A5 or A7 to be a full range speaker you'll be disappointed. They roll off quite high for a speaker their size, I believe it's about 80Hz for the horn. Needs a sub if you listen to anything other than chamber music or little girl with guitar. Doesn't matter what you drive them with if it's not equalized they don't do full range by themselves.

Hiah Zelgall,

Thanks for the warning, I know that already.

I am really not worried about the extreme bottom or top. I have had systems that do that. If I wanted ALTEC and a bottom, I would do a new GPA 604 in a MLTL like the Serious Stereo enclosures. I have all the one inch Baltic birch !

I want the A7 because of the partial horn load of the 15 inch driver, which will match with the 811 horn-loaded top end.

I want it because its efficient, and can do the midrange OK to OK- good/ great. We "live" in the midrange, and a speaker needs to excel there IMHO, before it gets the top and bottom ideal.

No sub, equalizer, etc will I use, but thats just me and "my" preferences at this point. I want the A7 to develop low powered tube SE amps. Sorta a fun thing I like a whole lot to do !! Thanks.

Jeff Medwin

[VolvoHeretic]

Build a tube powered EQ.

[LowOhms]

Build a tube powered EQ.

Hi VH,

Don't wish to have an extra stage of amplification ( the active EQ) and an extra set of interconnect cables in my audio chain. "Simplest is best" IMHO. YMMV, fine with me !!

Jeff Medwin