sbeineke
New Member
So, I got this pair of Karlson K15 cabinets for free and am playing with. These are obviously factory built and actually very beautiful save for some minor mars and scratches. Nothing major and I can repair quite easily.
I stuck a pair of Altec 604 duplexes in them. Dissimilar...one is Altec 604-168X and the other is a Altec 604-8k.
Both have 16 ohm horn voice coils in them so the only impedance difference is the woofer part. Sonically, I can't tell any difference.
I also have a couple Altec 604Cs but I am in the process of reconing one and the other is on its way via ebay with n1600 crossover. Will have to recone it as well. I also have placed a bid for a 3 way stereo active equalizer via ebay for playing. Presently running through a Onkyo integra preamp and a Rotel RA-2000 power amp using 2k EV crossovers. Also experimented crossing at 1k using infinity crossovers. Decided the EV crossovers more pleasant to my ears. Ideal factory match is 1.5khz. Just a real mismatch of stuff for fun.
First go was..oh, what do I have here? Sound like crap. Boomy bass, Japanese box sound. What gives? Read up a little. Since the cabinets are nice, do I rip out the guts and make it a standard bass reflex? What to do? First step, I decided, was to modify doing things easily unmodified. So, I went down to Lowe's and got me 4 90 degree 3 inch elbows and built a mount for them to go cover the upper port. Installed. Also increased insulation in the chamber.
What a difference! No more boomy bass and goes to the low where you feel it but not hear it. The floor raises. Very impressive. Almost magical in many regards. The key will be long term listening (checking for fatigue).
What music sounds good? Jazz, vocals, chamber. orchestral. Magical. Smooth. Detailed. Pleasant. Effortless. Imaging right on. Not in your face at all. Among the most pleasant listening I've ever experienced. Grateful Dead sounds just wonderful. Blues the same. What sounds bad? Rap. Don't know why but maybe it is because I am not a fan of rap or hiphop. But the bass is impressive to say the least.
I am in the experimental mode with these things. I have EV 15W and SP-15 woofers which are the original polished aluminum frame with dark copper colored magnet structures. Have to refinish reconing them. I will couple them with Altec 806A/811B sectoral horns. Will play with them later after the 604Cs. Also have one University C15W woofer that I need to recone. I am looking for a sister to this driver. Have out in the garage a pair of Allen 15 inch woofers I want to play with in these. These came in a set of speakers someone was throwing out. Huge non-ported cabinets.
I wonder how much coloration of effect that front upside down V plays in creating a hall effect to the sound. Those waves have to bounce off and go somewhere. Since I am using duplexes, there has be at least some effect to the upper freqs. Maybe sound absorbing material to reduce/eliminate?
Thoughts?
I stuck a pair of Altec 604 duplexes in them. Dissimilar...one is Altec 604-168X and the other is a Altec 604-8k.
Both have 16 ohm horn voice coils in them so the only impedance difference is the woofer part. Sonically, I can't tell any difference.
I also have a couple Altec 604Cs but I am in the process of reconing one and the other is on its way via ebay with n1600 crossover. Will have to recone it as well. I also have placed a bid for a 3 way stereo active equalizer via ebay for playing. Presently running through a Onkyo integra preamp and a Rotel RA-2000 power amp using 2k EV crossovers. Also experimented crossing at 1k using infinity crossovers. Decided the EV crossovers more pleasant to my ears. Ideal factory match is 1.5khz. Just a real mismatch of stuff for fun.
First go was..oh, what do I have here? Sound like crap. Boomy bass, Japanese box sound. What gives? Read up a little. Since the cabinets are nice, do I rip out the guts and make it a standard bass reflex? What to do? First step, I decided, was to modify doing things easily unmodified. So, I went down to Lowe's and got me 4 90 degree 3 inch elbows and built a mount for them to go cover the upper port. Installed. Also increased insulation in the chamber.
What a difference! No more boomy bass and goes to the low where you feel it but not hear it. The floor raises. Very impressive. Almost magical in many regards. The key will be long term listening (checking for fatigue).
What music sounds good? Jazz, vocals, chamber. orchestral. Magical. Smooth. Detailed. Pleasant. Effortless. Imaging right on. Not in your face at all. Among the most pleasant listening I've ever experienced. Grateful Dead sounds just wonderful. Blues the same. What sounds bad? Rap. Don't know why but maybe it is because I am not a fan of rap or hiphop. But the bass is impressive to say the least.
I am in the experimental mode with these things. I have EV 15W and SP-15 woofers which are the original polished aluminum frame with dark copper colored magnet structures. Have to refinish reconing them. I will couple them with Altec 806A/811B sectoral horns. Will play with them later after the 604Cs. Also have one University C15W woofer that I need to recone. I am looking for a sister to this driver. Have out in the garage a pair of Allen 15 inch woofers I want to play with in these. These came in a set of speakers someone was throwing out. Huge non-ported cabinets.
I wonder how much coloration of effect that front upside down V plays in creating a hall effect to the sound. Those waves have to bounce off and go somewhere. Since I am using duplexes, there has be at least some effect to the upper freqs. Maybe sound absorbing material to reduce/eliminate?
Thoughts?
