my A7s are up and running- and 416a magnet questions

[kipduff]

great day!! new 416 8Bs alnicos for 360 $ each? screw the recones that's a good deal. especially considering two way shipping.

Exactement, mon amie...... And they're the correct fit for the cab motor board. Itchy trigger finger.....

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For the sake of completeness and for future reference, the A7-500-8's in question use 416-8B Alnico woofers, 511B horns, and model 802-8D alnico magnet drivers.

Here's the crossover schematic.

Thanks for clarification. This is nudging me closer to the new GPA units- and (per your advice) stick with the 16 Ohm setup. Wanted to stay at 16 Ohm- now I have a reason.

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AlNiCo magnets are basically the original ?shielded? magnets. A screw won?t stick to the outside of them like a ferrite magnet. As I understand it, this is because of the magnetic return inside redirects all the force to the gap.

That is a good deal on the GPA woofers. I would seriously consider those.

As far as 8 versus 16 ohm, I would use whichever is easier for you. For instance, if you are running passive xovers, and like expensive caps, the 16 ohm versions are cheaper to build.
If you are like me, and use cheap caps, the bigger coils on the 16 ohm xovers make them more expensive to build, and I would go with 8 ohms.

That's quite a relief to hear about the Alnico magnet characteristics- I was worried there was something wrong with my regaussed 604s.

Yeah- thinking seriously of getting the GPA 416-16Bs ordered today. AND they are the correct fit for the 828s. Just need to do a little research first.

[Elitopus1]

At that price, you can?t go wrong with the GPA woofers. And then they are all new parts.

I?m sure you could sell the 416A pair and recoupe some of that money too. Even if they are just sold for parts (frames for recone).

[horndawg]

Regardless of magnet material, for that entry fee, for woofers that likely don't sound exactly like an original 416B.................. i'll gladly run with TD15M's and not look back.

Acoustic Elegance TD15M high efficiency bass/midbass driver

Just my .02 y'all understand....................

Although I have no first hand experience, there's no question that the TD15M is one of the great 15'" drivers available today. After all, they're almost universally praised. The one person that has had extensive experience with both the TD15M and the GPA 416B, is Gary Dahl. He wrote about both drivers in the megathread "beyond the Ariel" over at diyaudio. He definitely prefers the 416B and he had the TD15 in his system for three years prior to him switching to the GPA driver. Also, for whatever it's worth, keep in mind that Gary is an orchestra conductor and a Tympani player.

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1097 - diyAudio

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1105 - diyAudio

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1106 - diyAudio

Of course the TD15 could very well be prefered in a different system or by a listener with different priorities and/or tastes. However, for me, It's the last sentence in the third link I posted above that is the clincher:

"Would you say that the 416 Alnico has that larger-than-life 'Technicolor' sound they are so famous for?"
Response: "Yes."

To the OP: Since you don't seem to be hung up on the old Altec drivers (and rightly so IMO), then I think you'd be doing yourself a favor by getting a pair of the GPA 416-16B drivers.

[horndawg]

Bowtie's suggestion earlier in this thread regarding the AE TD15M, is a good one and certainly a viable option. Although I have no first hand experience, there's no question that the TD15M is one of the great 15'" drivers available today. After all, they're almost universally praised.

However in this instance, there's one person that has had extensive experience with both the TD15M and the GPA 416B. In the megathread "beyond the Ariel" over at diyaudio, Gary Dahl compared both these drivers and his preference was for the 416B. The TD15M was in his system for three years prior to him switching to the GPA driver. Also, for whatever it's worth, keep in mind that Gary is an orchestra conductor and a Tympani player.

Here are some of his comments:

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1097 - diyAudio

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1105 - diyAudio

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1106 - diyAudio

Of course the TD15 could very well be prefered in a different system or by a listener with different priorities and/or tastes. However, for me, It's the last sentence in the third link I posted above that is the clincher:

"Would you say that the 416 Alnico has that larger-than-life 'Technicolor' sound they are so famous for?"
GD Response: "Yes."

To the OP: Since you don't seem to be hung up on the old Altec drivers (and rightly so IMO), then I think you'd be doing yourself a favor by getting a pair of the GPA 416-16B drivers.

[Elitopus1]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but just curious about the AE TD15M woofers. What does the Apollo option do, and is it worth the extra 150$ per woofer?

I see where they say it helps cool the VC, but I did not see an in depth explanation. Just curious if it is worth the extra cash.

[kipduff]

Just ordered GPA 416-16B Alnico woofers. Will probably have them in about 9 days.

[Elitopus1]

Very cool. Looking forward to hearing your impressions.

[bowtie427ss]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but just curious about the AE TD15M woofers. What does the Apollo option do, and is it worth the extra 150$ per woofer?

I see where they say it helps cool the VC, but I did not see an in depth explanation. Just curious if it is worth the extra cash.

Start a thread asking about them at AK. Several members have completed builds using them with excellent results. Some fellas have even ordered sets of extra phase plugs from John to use as cabinet feet/spikes, makes for an interesting touch of cosmetic class. Dennis had his copper plated and polished, very rich looking touch.

[horndawg]

Bowtie's suggestion of the AE TD15M is a good one and certainly a viable option. Although I can't speak from first-hand experience, there's no question that the TD15M is one of the great 15'" drivers available today as they're almost universally praised.

However, there's one person that has had extensive experience with both the TD15M and the GPA 416B. In the megathread "beyond the Ariel" over at diyaudio, Gary Dahl compared both these drivers and his preference was for the 416B. The TD15 was in his system for three years prior to him switching to the GPA driver. Also, for whatever it's worth, Gary is a choir conductor and a Tympani player.

Here are some of his comments:

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1097 - diyAudio

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1105 - diyAudio

Beyond the Ariel - Page 1106 - diyAudio

Of course the above is one man's opinion and the TD15 could very well be the one preferred in a different system or by a listener with different priorities and/or tastes. However, for me, It's the last sentence in the third link I posted above that is the clincher:

"Would you say that the 416 Alnico has that larger-than-life 'Technicolor' sound they are so famous for?"
GD Response: "Yes."

To the OP: Since you don't seem to be hung up on the old Altec drivers (and rightly so IMO), then I think you'd be doing yourself a favor by getting a pair of the GPA 416-16B drivers.

[Elitopus1]

I just finished reading the long thread on AK about the TD15M builds. Unfortunately, all the pics are gone. I started a new thread about AE users and their setups.

I was also curious about GPA woofer prices, since the 416B were so reasonable. I asked Bill about his 515C drivers, and he came back with a price of 550$ each. Still not bad when you look at how much original 515C cost, and the benefits of having woofers with all new parts.