291-16A's and 311-60 sound?

[blakehoo]

To my ears, 288 drivers with CD horns are, by far, the best. This is especially true when driven by clean, fast transient SET tube amps such as:

Transcendent Sound's single ended OTL amplifier link:
http://www.transcendentsound.com/single%20ended.htm

The 2XX series, all of them, reproduce the music "warts and all." What's on the back-end is at least as important for really good sound.
Heck, the 291's you are using now ...could be just accurately reproducing what the amp you're using is sending them!!

[dhook17322]

Could I add another variable to this comparison? How about 288x's with best music diaphrams and multicellular horns - say 803's or 1003's? Seems like the trend lately here is away from these big horns(given a fairly large listening room).

[Vinyljh]

Hi Blakehoo,

"Heck, the 291's you are using now ...could be just accurately reproducing what the amp you're using is sending them!!"

Not a chance my friend but a good thought. If the sound isn't good it ain't the electronics that's for sure.
The best sound I ever heard was with these very same electronics on a pair of Shindo Latour speakers. These use 288's converted to field coil's on Shindo horns, Altec 515B's, custom crossovers and a tuned cabinet. The sound was like Quads with dynamics and scale. I will be getting a pair of these in a few months, this Altec 291 system was just going to be temporary.
The bad sound is either the lack of a eq'd crossover, the 311-60 or the 291's. Seriously my wife walked in the room just after I set this 291/311-60 system up and said "hey that sounds like a old radio".... my thoughts exactly. My non audiophile friend walked in the next day while I had some tunes playing and said "your system doesn't sound nearly as good as usual".
My other speakers all sound fantastic including Quad ESL's (original), Tannoy IIILZ's, Tannoy 15" Monitor Golds, JBL 001/C35(these are OK sounding, not the best), Shindo 12" full range drivers on OB and even a pair of Rogers LS3/5A's.
Thanks everyone for their thoughts, maybe these drivers just need service.

Best,
Vinyljh

[blakehoo]

From the ...further discription ...I now can see that you're exactly right. The 291's need servicing.

I did not infer that from what I'd gotten from your earlier description. Perhaps because my experience with that model had been ...initially, so good. (These were my first Altec drivers)

I can't really tell the difference between late 288 and 299 drivers in CD horns, but I can tell a difference in sectoral horns. "Jim D." had explained the reason for that in the old board, somewhere.

My opinion ...is to get the later model driver motors and phase plugs. Perhaps others have differing opinions.

Anyway, good luck and sorry for initially misunderstanding the problem!