O.T. Onken W thoughts ?'s

I was wondering what you all thought of the Onken w as a speaker box with dual 416 8b's. Or if any of you have heard one? I recently acquired a Klipsch k-402 horn and they are pretty large ( 41.5w X 26.5 H X 22 d ). It supposedly plays from 380hz to 20k. I was thinking of getting one of the very large Altec horns but they are pretty pricey and hard to find.. If I went with the onken w, it wouldn't be the sand filled one, thats just to heavy. Just simple 1" ply and some heavy bracing.. Thanks any thoughts would be great!

Pano has had some experience with the W I think.. Send him a PM.I haven't seen him on the board for awhile though.

I know where to find him. I will ask him to respond. He's out of town and not able to check in a lot but hopefully in the next day or so.

It's a simple reflex with vents that are too small by today's standards, so from this POV you can do better. Really, its only 'claim to fame' is its sand filled double wall construction.

GM

After Greg's description I had to go see one, He is right and also it's not the "W" cabinet I was picturing.

The W is the famous sand filled double wall. It's a 2x15 cabinet and the best I've ever heard. It just sounds like the recording, never like a speaker. It is not based on the old Jensen designs, it's just a big bass reflex with too small ports of unequal size. An odd design, but it sure works.

The other Onkens are based on the Jensen Ultraflex. They are the multiple ports on the front. I've never seen one of the them with the sand filled walls, not sure how you'd do that. I like them very much, it's a great sounding bass box. I've spent time with the big Onken (Altec 416 15") the small Onken (Altec 414 12") and the mini Onken (Focal 10") as well as Planet 10's Fonkens which are small fullrange versions with Fostex drivers. There is something quite nice about all of these. I don't know if it's the port arrangement or just the construction technique, but they all sound very clean, very fast. Like they have very little overhang or resonance. To my ear, it's a lovely design.

I like the Altec 1505 on top though with the dual 416's !

http://website.lineone.net/~empson/homehi-fi_edited.jpg

http://www.asrr.org/biblioteca/Revue...OURNEES/20.jpg

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Originally Posted by GM

It's a simple reflex with vents that are too small by today's standards, so from this POV you can do better. Really, its only 'claim to fame' is its sand filled double wall construction.

GM

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Thanks GM is it just that the vents that are too small? There are a few disigns I have found with this cabinet the largest is about 21.18 cubic feet. I read somewhere that you recommended 24.43 cubic feet for 2 416 b's?

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Pano thanks for the response and description, as far as the sound, clean, very fast, and like the recording is what I am looking for!!!

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AB thanks for the links, I wish I could do design like yours but with a large horn on top it wouldnt look right.... I found a bunch of your posts looking for info on the "rod speaker" I think it is my favorite looking Altec...

Something to know about all the Onken style cabinets I heard in Paris is that they were built of an insane French marine plywood called Nantex. Sadly it is no more. It was the densest, stiffest, hardest damn wood I've ever worked with. It might as well have been rock maple or ebony. Sawing and drilling it felt more like working cast iron than wood. Nutz!

The closest I've found to it is bamboo plywood which is also very dense. It's also $$$ at over $300 a sheet. Makes lovely speaker cabinets, tho. I'd hate to think of the cost for a pair of bamboo ply Onken W, tho.....

Pano I might have lucked out here, there is a gentleman not far from where I live who has 1" bamboo sheets for around 75 per 4X8. They were surplus from a large construction project.