are the model 19's the ultimate

[les winter]

I can see how it means louder but how does it mean better?

[Nickd]

There are some who think the 811b horn with a 802 or 902 driver is too efficient to mate with a single 416 woofer. For those folks I suppose louder is better meaning the balance of the speaker will be warmer and have more bass impact.

As I am undertaking my first Altec build, honestly I don't know. I am building as the designers originally intended and then I will go from there. I have had line source speakers in my room with 12ea 6" woofers per side. In that room, louder was not better. Bass at higher listening levels would overwhelm the room and muddy up the mix on a otherwise very good sounding system. I would think there is an unwritten "golden ratio" of bass output for room size.

[GM]

Other than power handling, what's the benefit of two woofers side by side?

For [most] HIFI/HT apps it's about a better controlled horizontal polar response, especially for mating to a radial horn with dual 12" for the 811 and dual 15" for the 511.

GM

[les winter]

Thank you GM.
Will a 902 mate with a 500 horn?

[bowtie427ss]

For [most] HIFI/HT apps it's about a better controlled horizontal polar response, especially for mating to a radial horn with dual 12" for the 811 and dual 15" for the 511.

GM

+1 Particularly thru the crossover region, which for example is why the 9844 has such an audibly seamless transition at XO using such a basic network.

[Nickd]

OK, so 2ea 12's (414's?) side by side mated to the 811 has a better horizontal polar response. does it sound better in a home application 12-14' away. looks like maybe the 9844-9845 are near field studio monitors (soffit mounted) then feet were added for home use?

My thoughts are the box looks too small and the horn height is too low. GM, have you modeled a pair of 414's in a taller box like the M19 platform for home use? and do you still use the 1200hz crossover with the 811?

I am shopping for drivers next week and need to make some decisions.

[bowtie427ss]

Yes, at least in the case of the 9844, the designers intended for them to be soffit mounted with the ceiling immediately adjacent to the woofers for 1/4 space loading. When i owned them i found that was the optimum positioning. But, it's not very attractive in a living room.

To digress, my best 9844 experience in the rooms available to me at the time were stacked pairs in corners with the horn in the bottom cabinets turned off.

[Nickd]

Thanks bowtie,
I think sticking with the M19 is the way to go. Lots of choices, but in the end my wife has to live with and enjoy them too. The 19's are the look of an era. I think they will sound good enough to keep me happy, and look good enough that she is happy too.

[GM]

Thank you GM.
Will a 902 mate with a 500 horn?

You're welcome! Any 800-900 series driver will work on any of Altec's 1" throats, though of course the horn will dictate its overall performance, hence usable XO point/slope.

GM

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+1 Particularly thru the crossover region, which for example is why the 9844 has such an audibly seamless transition at XO using such a basic network.

Right, what I was predominantly referring to and in retrospect should have spelled out.

GM

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Yes, at least in the case of the 9844.........

Ditto the Laguna's dual 416/511 where I learned about such things: https://www.google.com/search?q=altec+laguna+830a&rlz=1C1AVNG_enUS675US67 5&espv=2&biw=1242&bih=585&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa= X&ved=0ahUKEwif8YXi4unMAhVlxYMKHQhWBr0Q_AUIBygC

GM

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GM, have you modeled a pair of 414's in a taller box like the M19 platform for home use? and do you still use the 1200hz crossover with the 811?

Modelled, no; built, yes. Long before modelling software, I converted a then co-worker's pair of 9844s to a tower/column reflex [aka MLTL nowadays] with horn on top tuned to the driver's averaged Fs. They were very pleased with its lack of a typical reflex's 'boom'/'flabbiness' and added 'fullness' of its increased [mid] bass.

I've never used a 1200 Hz XO nor a fan of the M19............ the few 811s I've been involved with were either nominally 800 or 1000 Hz.

GM

[Nickd]

So GM,
Knowing what you know now, what is your idea of the best ALtec can do for a standard size room (15'x 21')?
Seems like you guys that have been around the block a couple of times are into big multi sectional horns and really low crossover points.

I could build a DIY box with a big horn on top after chasing the parts I suppose, but I like full range highs and am sensitive to absolute phase between drivers. It seems like a tweeter would have to be added and a crossover devised to handle 3 dissimilar drivers. Not to mention where to mount the "tweeter" or uhf driver and baby size horn.

Your thoughts?