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Consensus best 828 Altec horn combo?

A

aronc

New Member
Hi guys,
Okay so Im wondering if there is an Altec horn that is rated as the best to pair with an 828 /515 cabinet?

I understand we all hear things a "little different" but is there a combo that is generally regarded as the "best" combination horn driver for the 828?

FWIW, I have the 902B/511B and I have already noticed a flaw with that combo. Xover is 500hz Iwill try switching to 800 but my problem is a "shrill" I hear in the female voice. I have to chart it to see where that frequency response is but no doubt its there.

I would also like and think it would be nice to list the top 3 in order horn/driver combo so we can perhaps use as a reference? (forgive me if this has already been done)

Thanks!!
 
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Extra info to consider:

I am a newbie to Altec stuff although my father has had a pair of Flamingos since the 70's.

My setup is for my HT but it will also be for my music pleasure. I have plenty of sub power and my New 515LF's from GP have the port closed to 3.5" and that sounds good to me where its at.

Xovers are N8500-8A but will more than likely replace those.

I have DBX active crossover but do not care for the 24db slope and the noise. May have to listen again now that my 2225 drivers were replaced with the 515's but that will not help the noise.

I will run 125wpc tube amps when all is done but also have the option since I have the tube amps to bi-amp. If I could just stay with one 125 amp per cabinet Im happier.

As it stands the 828's completely disappear in the room and have a great sound but I feel the top end to be the weak link at this point.

Any help is much appreciated and while I post this I am still reading years of posts in different forums but this is my situation.

Might also add that my room is 16x30x8.

If anyone provides a link I will read it but it does take some time on some of these threads.

Thanks again for helping me!
 
I would also like and think it would be nice to list the top 3 in order horn/driver combo so we can perhaps use as a reference?
Click to expand...
With all due respect, you pick your three, and i'll pick mine. Consensus on a "top 3 in order" is unlikely.

That said, if it has to be Altec my preference would be late model 288/299 on 311-90 horn. Next best, same driver on MR-594. Small format option, MR-994/902 w/ a 1.2khz or higher XO.

Best i've heard on a small or large VOT is TAD TD-4002 on critically damped and mass loaded JBL 2360 bi-radial horns.

Just my .02 of course............
 
I have 3 2360's with 2446 drivers. No TAD 4002's. What is critically damped? Like the tar on the Altecs?

I still need to paint my cabinets and put the grills on the bottom. My room is crude right now but eventually it will be completed. Even as is those A7's image very well. Voice is dead center of screen with good depth and you can look at each speaker and swear no sound is coming from them, just the way I like it :)
Eventually everything will be behind the screen (current screen is temp)
 

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This is how I want them to look when all done. Very nice combo.
 

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aronc said:
This is how I want them to look when all done. Very nice combo.
Click to expand...

Eh...Given your possession of large format horns, I might try them as well. I am not real up on JBL compression drivers, but in general they have a very good reputation. So you'd be looking at some sort of A5 configuration...

4014564858_573570487a_z.jpg


page_5.jpg


A5's typically used a multicell configuration, but people will argue about manta rays being better in some respects....You might consider joining the Altec forum and posting your question there. Bowtie will tell you as well as me that we're both rank amateurs compared to some of those guys, and that their compendium of knowledge on all things Altec is some of the best in the world...

http://www.hostboard.com/forums/f700/altec-users-board.html
 
I would use the N-1201 crossover with two level controls to tame the 511 horn. I would prefer either the MR 994 or the 120 degree MR horn in smaller rooms. In larger rooms the 60 degree horn for 1.4 inch throats with an adapter for the 902 driver. I prefer the older 288 driver myself without the tangerine phase plug for smoother highs with 311 horns, too. My favorite out door and large venue horn is the 203b used in multiples stacked and splayed with 291 drivers. There isn't much need for HF's above 13 khz out doors any way.
 
My favorite woofer enclosure is the 817, whether indoors or out. A Stacked pair is flat to 40 HZ being use full down to 25 hz with about 6 db boost using either 515's or for more power 3156. All you would need is a MC 601 to drive the 515's and a MC2k or two 1.2 K's to drive the 4 3156's. Then a MC 275 for the 288 driver with the new diaphragms from GPA> To keep everything together set the crossover to 750 HZ.. Ashley use to make a crossover as did Klark-tecniq that had 12/db slopes. You can find Urei 521 crossovers here and there that use either 12/db or 18/db cards, too, for bi-amping.
 
aronc said:
I have 3 2360's with 2446 drivers. No TAD 4002's. What is critically damped? Like the tar on the Altecs?

I still need to paint my cabinets and put the grills on the bottom. My room is crude right now but eventually it will be completed. Even as is those A7's image very well. Voice is dead center of screen with good depth and you can look at each speaker and swear no sound is coming from them, just the way I like it :)
Eventually everything will be behind the screen (current screen is temp)
Click to expand...


Why would you want to get rid of your 2360A / 2446 combo? It is a much more advanced design (by D. B Keele) than the old Altec sectoral horns. One of my home theater setups uses 2360A's and 2446's -- and I will never return to the older stuff. The only drawback is with the 2360A's is size / WAF...
 
loach71 said:
Why would you want to get rid of your 2360A / 2446 combo? It is a much more advanced design (by D. B Keele) than the old Altec sectoral horns. One of my home theater setups uses 2360A's and 2446's -- and I will never return to the older stuff. The only drawback is with the 2360A's is size / WAF...
Click to expand...

Long story short, I picked up a single 2360/2446 when I bought a set of JBL speakers locally on craigslist. Sold the drivers to a local guy who was in need of them, packed the cabinets away.

Went to LA to pick up my 828's and came home with two more 2360's. Figured might as well complete the set since the first one only cost me 15.00 so now I'm in to all three of them for 265.00 - was going to hang them and use them for movies and switch to my 511 or whatever I end up with for music. I never really considered them for music until Bowtie mentioned the 2360. So not trying to get rid of them.

As far as the WAF, my wife does not interfere or complain about my HT/music stuff, she enjoys them although she will not sit for hours and listen to music, but movies yes.
 
twiiii said:
I would use the N-1201 crossover with two level controls to tame the 511 horn. I would prefer either the MR 994 or the 120 degree MR horn in smaller rooms. In larger rooms the 60 degree horn for 1.4 inch throats with an adapter for the 902 driver. I prefer the older 288 driver myself without the tangerine phase plug for smoother highs with 311 horns, too. My favorite out door and large venue horn is the 203b used in multiples stacked and splayed with 291 drivers. There isn't much need for HF's above 13 khz out doors any way.
Click to expand...

I have my eyes on the N-1200 from GPA but I think it crosses over at 1200hz. I like your taste for McIntosh gear!
 
twiiii said:
My favorite woofer enclosure is the 817, whether indoors or out. A Stacked pair is flat to 40 HZ being use full down to 25 hz with about 6 db boost using either 515's or for more power 3156. All you would need is a MC 601 to drive the 515's and a MC2k or two 1.2 K's to drive the 4 3156's. Then a MC 275 for the 288 driver with the new diaphragms from GPA> To keep everything together set the crossover to 750 HZ.. Ashley use to make a crossover as did Klark-tecniq that had 12/db slopes. You can find Urei 521 crossovers here and there that use either 12/db or 18/db cards, too, for bi-amping.
Click to expand...


Will look into the crossovers, they sound interesting. Wish I still had my Pioneer SF-850.
 
analog addict said:
Eh...Given your possession of large format horns, I might try them as well. I am not real up on JBL compression drivers, but in general they have a very good reputation. So you'd be looking at some sort of A5 configuration...

4014564858_573570487a_z.jpg


page_5.jpg


A5's typically used a multicell configuration, but people will argue about manta rays being better in some respects....You might consider joining the Altec forum and posting your question there. Bowtie will tell you as well as me that we're both rank amateurs compared to some of those guys, and that their compendium of knowledge on all things Altec is some of the best in the world...

http://www.hostboard.com/forums/f700/altec-users-board.html
Click to expand...

I have been trying for days to register to Todd's site but they have yet to send me the email to complete the registration process.

I also have a set of EV Model HP940/DH1A that sound pretty good and look similar to the Manta but for some reason my mind has me thinking I have to pair my 828's with a multicell Altec. Sun-Tue are my days off so I might just play with the HP940 & 2360's
 
I have a set of MR994s sitting around idle that I've been thinking about plopping on top of a set of 828s loaded with 416-8Bs. Just for chuckles and grins of course. I also have a number of different large format Altec drivers to roll in and out....
 
aronc said:
I have been trying for days to register to Todd's site but they have yet to send me the email to complete the registration process.
Click to expand...

I had a similar problem. Contact AKer Altec Best and he can get it sorted out.
 
This is kinda what I had in mind....





It seems that much of the magic is contained in the crossovers. I'll have to fool with that part a little as well....
 
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