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Crossover for Altec 846A Valencia

355f1

355f1

Member
Chaps,

I recently purchased a pair of Altec 846A Valencia speakers. They are crossed over at 800-Hz.

My intention would be to build an improved dividing network using 12db Butterworth filters at 1.35 kHz to seamless blend the horn and woofer into one.

Unfortunately, I do not have the technical knowledge to design one. Impedance is 16 Ohms.

GP Audio sells a Model 19, 12-dB/octave, dual-section, passive crossover network, with a center frequency of 1.2KHz but it costs $240 a piece. I do not have the technical knowledge to design one, it would cost no more than $50 for the pair.

Does anyone have any advice?

With thanks,

Horacio
 
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last year I built a pair of crossovers for my Heathkit/valencias ... (Heath AS101 = 846A)
Someone else designed the circuit and made recommendations for the parts which included some large russian teflon caps.
I'm curious how you determined your crossovers, which you admit you have no design skills to offer, would cost no more than $50 a pair ...?

There is a difference in capacitor build types as well as Cap brands.



355f1 said:
Chaps,
GP Audio sells a Model 19, 12-dB/octave, dual-section, passive crossover network, with a center frequency of 1.2KHz but it costs $240 a piece. I do not have the technical knowledge to design one, it would cost no more than $50 for the pair.
Does anyone have any advice?
With thanks,
Horacio
Click to expand...

Image of the Xover in my Heaths, tied to the back panel.
Crossover-New_6612.jpg
 
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I do not want to touch the originals, I want to get a new set like the one in the photo. It was built for the Altec C51 Apollo by Bob Crites in Russellville, AK. Bob can build a pair for me but he needs the schematic diagram.yeas.jpg cvyes.jpg
 
I have the Heath crossover diagram, but not a 1.2k variants
 
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Your talking about building Model 19 crossovers? To do it proper you will spend a lot more than 50 bucks for parts. Look at my avatar, its my build of Model 19 crossovers and the electrical components alone were over 300 bucks.
There are shematics on the web for Model 19 crossovers that are for 8 ohm drivers. A few mods are all that are necessary to convert it to 16 ohm.
If you don't want to do it right than just recap the stock crossovers, even that will break your 50 buck budget.

BillWojo
 
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Bill,

Forget about the fifty bucks, I doesn’t matter if it costs three of five grand.

My point was to have a crossover designed from the ground up and build it at a specific frequency, in my case 1.3KHz. It is for a pair of 846A Valencia not a model 19.
 
If you have the crossover set at that frequency you will lose most of the best part of Vals. Which is the midrange and what the Vals and other similar Altecs are famous for and that's vocals. I've had Vals since 1967 and have fiddled with crossover frequencies from 500-1400 and always come back to 800-1000 as optimum for me. I went to an electronic crossover many years ago so I can adjust crossover frequency on the fly. I hover between 800-1000 now but mostly at 800. I'd try a electronic crossover so you can see what many different frequencies sound like to you and then have crossovers built to your favorite frequency, or you may just keep the electronic crossover. :) Good luck on your quest whatever you decide to do.
 
Thank you Mike, yours is the best presentation on the subject I have read on different fora. It is exactly what I needed.

What brand and model of crossover do you have?

I recently bought a pair of 846A in mint condition from the original owner, he bought them in 1967.

The reason I wanted to try a 1.3KHz crossover was an article published in Audiophilenirvana. Please see link below.



https://www.audiophilenirvana.com/a...ews/altec-lansing-valencia-improving-classic/
 
For whatever it's worth I just built 800Hz 2nd order Butterworth (replica of N800D) crossovers for my Altec A7 components (802D / 803B / 811) and they sounds incredible, especially vocals. You may have seen my thread over there (although you upgraded from a V8 to a V12 over there it seems!)

IMG_20190928_141220.jpg

IMG_20190928_153829.jpg
 
Hello, newbie here, staring at this thread, checked the links as well. Within this one thread there's 3 people showing their own builds of the crossovers. This is near or exactly what I hope to arrive at, and I am ready to try it myself, but most of the things mentioned I have no idea what or why, and I'm so curious. If this is a good place to carry on the discussion I will keep on asking, or stay clear of other people's thread, lemme know as well plz.

@hjames: your Xover, the schematics, can it be found inside either of the 2 links you mentioned? I got lost in words I couldn't make sense there, and couldn't find the schematics. Would you mind pointing me to it? For 846a speakers, it'll work, yes?

@BillWojo: I would like to know more about your crossover, how do you like the sound? A schematics for me to copy if this ended up as my way to go?

@Johnny_Law, I saw your crossover build thread. My crossovers currently in the speakers have no L pads. If I were to copy your build, I'll have to cut new boards for the back enclosure, which I originally wanted to avoid, but will do if that's the best choice. I wanted to preserve whatever came, and provide a drop-in replacement crossover without cutting. But a new pair of binding posts plus L pad like your idea could also work.

My speakers in question are 416a + 806a, 16ohm. Thanks to you all around, and a good thought or two to Zilch. I asked for schematics, but I'm not all that capable at reading them yet. Learning as I go though.
 
Attached Original AS-101 Crossover Schematic via Heathkit - (Page 2 is the parts list)

62Caddy sez:
https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=34899
Heathkit AS 101 is the Altec Valencia/Flamenco in kit form with absolutely genuine Altec components. Crossover in the Heathkit version is said to be better than on the actual Altec built model but I have no further details on this. Recommended amplifier power is 10 - 50 w according to the catalog. In reality, 3 watts will empty the room.
 

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