How would you spend $2000?

[DaveCan]

I'm curious as to how you all would spend up to $2000 for drivers for your home 2 channel listening, in an average room for your dream system, and what cabs you'd build for them etc? Not including cab materials etc..

Me, well as I gather more info it will either be the new 604-8H III or the new 212-8A.. Not sure on the box yet, but if I go for the 212 then there would still be some$$$ left over for some IB subs..

Also all advice and wisdom is most definitely welcome and appreciated....

Dave

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ October 30, 2008 04:06 PM: Message edited by: DaveCan ]</font>

[gamalot]

OK, I'll take the first bite and probably get bit in the process.
Since this is the Altec Users Board, I have to assume you want to go with Altec.

You were a bit scant in your details of the 2 Ch. system and the listening room accoustics.

I happen to appreciate the 416-8B woofer and the 802-8G HF driver for home systems. I would begin with freshly rebuilt alnico drivers and expect to spend right around $1200 or a bit more when all is said and done.

The Model 19 XO is a good match for this set-up or you could do an adjustable, biampable gadget with the rest of your cash depending on what you have to drive the finished product.

I think the 811B or 511B horns are just fine depending on the size of your listening area.

You could probably just buy a nice set of 19s and have them brought up to spec but again, depending on your music and sound taste you might like a nice set of A7s instead.

I know for $2000 I could have a very fine set of nice speakers and build a cabinet to suit my decore and current system.

What you have to drive them with may play a big roll here and Altecs tend to do quite well when driven by better SS electronics and even better if pushed by tubes.

I had three hurdles to clear when I built mine.
First was to please my ears.
Second was to fit in the available space.
Third was to please the wife and her decore scheme.

I was successful on all three and it cost me right around what you have to spend.





Gary

[gortnipper]

Originally posted by DaveCan:
...it will either be the new 604-8H III or the new 212-8A...
<font color="#FFFFFF"><font size="1">[ October 30, 2008 04:06 PM: Message edited by: DaveCan ]</font></font>

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I already popped my 2 Large on the 604-8H III, soooo, if I had another two I would get some nice cabs and xovers made so it wouldnt take me months and months to get them out of the OB's.

Or maybe I would spend it on a nice set of SET amps to replace my PP amps.

No, wait. I would buy the SET amps and build the cabs with the leftover cash and if I had any left I would get the x-overs made. But since this is a pipe dream, I will just build the cabs and see how the stock x-overs sound with my current amps.

<center></center>

Sorted!

David

[DaveCan]

Glad to have some replies Basically I just thought it would be neat and informative to see what different people would want in a Altec system for their speaker choices and cabs, keep em coming folks!!

I'm leaning towards one of the new Duplex's and the room will be average size.. Already have my amp which is a 6w rms SEP Decware Taboo...

Dave

[oface1]

Dave,,

If it were me, I would getthe 604's. I played with the single driver thing for a few years and like some of the things it did well. But it had it trade offs as well, mainly lack of bass, and a little clutted up top.

I haven't had a chance yet t olisten to a set of 604's yet, but I would try and see if anyone has a set you can come over and listen too. To see if it is/would be your cup of tea. From the descriptions I have read of people's experiences, it seems they will do fine with me.

It does nto stop me form picking up pther gear along the way though.....

I will be doing a 9849-8d mock or build a petite onken iwth the horn on top.....

I wll be doing this till I save for a set of 604's, or until i stumble across a pair for cheap...

Do you have existing audio equipment? If so I would drop the main part of my 2k into the speakers first, the maybe amps/pre-amp, and then bulk up your listening material,lp's/cd's/downloads.....


Good luck, have fun , and keep us posted on your progress....

-chris

[GM]

Hmm, my 'dream' system would cost much more than $2 k/channel, though not sure how much more because there's no point in researching something I'm unlikely to ever afford again.

Oh well, I had a 'killer' system all through my prime when it mattered most, so I'm not complaining.

Anyway, limited to buying new and a $2 k driver budget, for me it boils down to what the performance goals are and the room's acoustics since down low it dominates the speaker's response and since ~live dynamics at inaudibly low distortion is a major one for me, my choice(s) are for the most part worthless to someone who prefers low power tube amps and space limited.

WRT IBs, with the advent of relatively inexpensive high power/excursion sub drivers, power amps and digital EQ/time delay (TD) plus source material down into the single digits, its time has finally arrived, but room modes being what they are they make a typical single source placement problematic unless XO'd very low/steep, 'throwing away' much of their usable HF BW.

This dictates a relatively low tuning for the mains, too low for only 6 W without either a large BLH or separate mid-bass system to bolster the bottom end, though if making the room more acoustically 'friendly' is an option, i.e. would have to be gutted/re-modeled before putting it up for sale, then a centrally located multiple driver manifold IB could be XO'd much higher, negating the need for any mid-bass augmentation.

As always though, YMMV.

GM

[speakerdave]

The best of the classics:

Not being very concerned about reproducing earthquakes, I would build a system for music.

Careful shopping in the used markets could get:

2-JBL 2245 recones in cores $600
2-Altec 414's $300-400
2-TAD 2001's $900-1200
2-Emilar EH1210 horns or EH800 bowties $50-100

The 2245's in 8-10 cu ft bass reflex lowboy cabinets.

Active crossover to 414's and 2001 with passive crossover in a smaller aimable cabinet sitting on top. I would have to experiment to find where 414 would roll off in a sealed enclosure and use low pass only on the subwoofer to match. Otherwise it would need to be bass reflex.

[DaveCan]

Thanks GM, the $2000 is more or less about the most I could spend and also pretty much the price of a pair of 604 8-h III drivers, so that's why I titled the thread at that price, but if the 212 will work for me then that would be great and can save some $$$. I had assumed that 6w would be plenty of juice for either of the new Duplex's?, at least I'm hoping it is lol..

WRT the IB idea I had, I wouldn't know if I could go that route till I see the new place, but if I can, I was going to try and have them right beside or behind each cab location or along the wall in between them....

I'd love to hear your choices even if your not able to put it together right now.. The only reason I will have a little cash for this is from when the house sells (if it ever will).. I'd probably be smarter to just save the money, but I love music and would like to treat myself and enjoy a new direction in sound etc..

Speakerdave, me too,my system is just for music not HT or anything...

Dave

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ October 31, 2008 01:41 PM: Message edited by: DaveCan ]</font>

[Tom Brennan]

I've been screwing around with Altecs and other horns for well over 30 years and my opinion is you should buy some Model 19s and then relax. Don't "mod" them or "send the drivers to GPA" or any of that nonsense, just use them. Simple.

[DaveCan]

Tom ,thanks for that advice.. I see a pair of model 19's on ebay for $1500 right now... I think I'm more inclined to go the Duplex route for whatever I build, but those 19's do look nice!!

BTW, it's nice to see what all you folk would spend the money on for yourselves, as that helps educate myself on the different approaches to some excellent sound...

Dave