MissionX
Keep it Silky
I asked Alex(the Russian guy) if they would fit a 288B and he said "and of course they are suitable for a 288B." He also said he would make them with the screw connectors and not the spade connectors. I sent him a picture of my diaphragm and circled the areas I was concerned with. I didn't ask him if they would fit without modification, I didn't think to specify this, DOH. If they don't fit, they'll be on ebay, I guess.
elitopus
Addicted Member
Ok gotcha. I’m curious to see if they fit, and if so how they sound. I’ve only dealt with newer 288. In fact I have a pair that I need some diaphragms for and was considering the paper phragms also.
Pls post some pics when you get them. Did they give you an idea of how long it would take for them to arrive? I know with capacitors I’ve bought from Russia it usually takes about a month. But it sounds like this guy has to make the diaphragms first.
Pls post some pics when you get them. Did they give you an idea of how long it would take for them to arrive? I know with capacitors I’ve bought from Russia it usually takes about a month. But it sounds like this guy has to make the diaphragms first.
MissionX
Keep it Silky
There are some new listings on ebay for the newer drivers. Original Altec
EDIT: Dangggggg. I think they all sold already. They were listed yesterday
MissionX
Keep it Silky
Boy. If anyone is looking for some brand new old stock. The same guy has 299-8AT in unopened boxes.
MacSic
Active Member
Hi,
I came across this video and it seems quite interesting to me, a DSP with an integrated amplification, it seems to me that the PWR-ICE125 version would be sufficient for A7 but here it is the PWR-ICE250 which is demonstrated.
Does anyone know and if so what do you think?
Audio Geekery! | Altec A7-500 VOTT MiniDSP PWR-ICE250 Bi-Amped Full Send DSP! Vintage PA in 2021HD
I came across this video and it seems quite interesting to me, a DSP with an integrated amplification, it seems to me that the PWR-ICE125 version would be sufficient for A7 but here it is the PWR-ICE250 which is demonstrated.
Does anyone know and if so what do you think?
Audio Geekery! | Altec A7-500 VOTT MiniDSP PWR-ICE250 Bi-Amped Full Send DSP! Vintage PA in 2021HD
MissionX
Keep it Silky
I found this must watch video on Youtube and it answers some questions. Particularly that the more recent diaphragm from the 70's or 80's have the spade connectors and a channel in the ring. Here is my take on what has to be modded to use newer diaphragms.....install spade connectors and use shorter screws. Since I'm getting the Russian diaphragms, I'm not too worried since he is putting the screw terminals on. But now I know that I can put the newer diaphragms in without much trouble. I would possibly just change the speaker terminals with something modern and keep my OE parts tucked away. So we have more options!
Last edited by a moderator:
MissionX
Keep it Silky
Finished my Hiraga crossovers. I decided to use audio capacitors instead of motor run capacitors. Totally different speakers. First impressions are the sound is what I would say as thicker. Not thick like a milk shake, just compared to the Altec. Some would call it more body, I guess? Not lacking any bottom end now. I can see why people like this, the horn doesn't cut your ears off. No need for an attenuator. I adjusted the tone controls opposite, now for less bass and more treble. The transformation is astonishing. I never thought it would change this much.
Nice! Great to hear! I'm jealous and would love to hear a proper A5 setup, but with my 604Es the ML crossover made a huge difference. Enjoy!
MissionX
Keep it Silky
There is a mistake in the above image. After listening more there is too much midbass that I can't get rid of. Tried 4 amps. That's why it's thick. I took the notch filter out and put an attenuator in the high pass and achieved good results. I have the tone controls where I normally set them and the horn is attenuated. Sounds pretty good.
Pete Riggle builds his Hiraga inspired crossover with the option of removing the notch filter and has an attenuator also.
Pete Riggle builds his Hiraga inspired crossover with the option of removing the notch filter and has an attenuator also.
Last edited:
twiiii
Lunatic Member
N-500 crossovers used with 288 drivers really limits the power handling of the 288 to be tween 14 to 18 watts rms. Moving the crossover up to 800 hz with a steeper slope will allow the HF driver to handle 50 watts. I would bi-amp. Maybe SS on the bottom and tube on the top. for a smoother sound.
MissionX
Keep it Silky
The crossover I built is around 600 Hz, I believe. If I cross it higher will I get more mid-bass? I took the notch filter out of the Hiraga because the mid-bass was undesirable to me.(I could have had it wired incorrectly, but I don't think so). It's fairly decent right now, but on a few songs I have to adjust it. I'm still waiting for my new diaphragms. I'm also reluctant to send all that power from a SS amp to my woofers because they can only take 35 watts, that's why I've been waiting to source another Mark III. I'm using an ST-70 right now that is still breaking in. If I can use one of my Onkyo receivers to bi-amp without fear of blowing my woofers, I'll give it a run. I also have a Crown CP660 I could use, but I'd have to use my Onkyo as preamp. I don't have a stand alone preamp. I'm still sourcing a DSP as I remain undecided. Thanks
twiiii
Lunatic Member
I don't see how as mid bass stops at middle C or lower or about 260 hZ. If you mean more lower midrange, no. You can only do that with graphic or parametric tone controls. Or just move the speakers closer to the rear wall or closer into a corner. but that usually only applies 150 hz on down. But with a horn loaded speaker with a bass reflex port narrowing the angle of radiation will increase the over all output. So the corner is sort of a solution. But you may have to pull the enclosure out of the corner a bit if things get to heavy sounding. I didn't say away from the corner said out from the corner.
Between 1/3 octave voicing and shuffling my line arrays around in corners I only use about 4 db maximum error correction to get a flat response of +/- 2 db from around 16 hz to 300 HZ where my crossover point is . But then my speakers are three way. You could always use 290 drivers and cross at 300 HZ with your big horns and then add a MR-902-16 hF tweeter crossing around 6000 HZ. What ever you do get the voice coils of the woofer and horn and future tweeter aligned in a vertical plane.
Between 1/3 octave voicing and shuffling my line arrays around in corners I only use about 4 db maximum error correction to get a flat response of +/- 2 db from around 16 hz to 300 HZ where my crossover point is . But then my speakers are three way. You could always use 290 drivers and cross at 300 HZ with your big horns and then add a MR-902-16 hF tweeter crossing around 6000 HZ. What ever you do get the voice coils of the woofer and horn and future tweeter aligned in a vertical plane.
MissionX
Keep it Silky
Amazon had an open-box miniDSP 2x4 so I ordered it and a mic.Should be an easy resell if I don't like it. I might source a Driverack PA2 at some point.
@twiiii .I may be confusing midbass with lower midrange. The reason I say midbass is because I had to go negative on the bass control to remove it and the rest of the bass went along with it.The Hiraga network really tamed the the tweeter and i thought is was great......for a minute. It was too thick in my head and made it unpleasant with minor volume increase. Everybody is different and many consider the crossover to be very good. Some guys are selling them for $1000-$2000.
I'm not in a corner and I have enough room to squeeze behind my cabinets to get to the back of receiver that is my preamp.
There are different artists where I have to remove some attenuation of the tweeter and knock the bass control down a bit. Simon and Garfunkel(Sounds of Silence) and The Carpenters come to mind. Most everything sounds pretty good. Pink Floyd, Heart, Springsteen(Point Blank), Beatles, Rush (2112), Robin Trower (Day of the Eagle), America,Ted Nugent's Stranglehold is surprisingly top notch. Van Halen is good, too. I haven't listened to America or The Carpenters since I was a child. I would like the bass to hit harder(The Temples of Syrinx) without being muddy, so I guess that's where the SS amp comes in, but I think the Mark III's might do it. I'd say Crazy on You, Point Blank and Stranglehold sound the best at this point. I gauge my adjustments with Crazy On You and Point Blank and most everything else will fare pretty well.
I ran my ST-70 in triode mode and I thought it just made things muddy and put it right back to pentode.
I suspect the paper diaphragms will soften the horns up a bit. There's a guy on ebay selling his original Altec diaphragms after he got his Russian paper diaphragms. I asked him how he liked them and he said they are "sweet and liquid".
@twiiii .I may be confusing midbass with lower midrange. The reason I say midbass is because I had to go negative on the bass control to remove it and the rest of the bass went along with it.The Hiraga network really tamed the the tweeter and i thought is was great......for a minute. It was too thick in my head and made it unpleasant with minor volume increase. Everybody is different and many consider the crossover to be very good. Some guys are selling them for $1000-$2000.
I'm not in a corner and I have enough room to squeeze behind my cabinets to get to the back of receiver that is my preamp.
There are different artists where I have to remove some attenuation of the tweeter and knock the bass control down a bit. Simon and Garfunkel(Sounds of Silence) and The Carpenters come to mind. Most everything sounds pretty good. Pink Floyd, Heart, Springsteen(Point Blank), Beatles, Rush (2112), Robin Trower (Day of the Eagle), America,Ted Nugent's Stranglehold is surprisingly top notch. Van Halen is good, too. I haven't listened to America or The Carpenters since I was a child. I would like the bass to hit harder(The Temples of Syrinx) without being muddy, so I guess that's where the SS amp comes in, but I think the Mark III's might do it. I'd say Crazy on You, Point Blank and Stranglehold sound the best at this point. I gauge my adjustments with Crazy On You and Point Blank and most everything else will fare pretty well.
I ran my ST-70 in triode mode and I thought it just made things muddy and put it right back to pentode.
I suspect the paper diaphragms will soften the horns up a bit. There's a guy on ebay selling his original Altec diaphragms after he got his Russian paper diaphragms. I asked him how he liked them and he said they are "sweet and liquid".
MissionX
Keep it Silky
Received my paper diaphragms yesterday and I'm quite pleased. It's sounding pretty good. Ann Wilson never sounded better! I was able to knock a fair amount of attenuation off the horn. I also received my miniDSP and tried to biamp. Spending a decent amount of time with it, I don't think it's for me. It doesn't accept the settings all the time. I made wholesale changes and applied them, test the speaker and the curve is the same. I got tired of **** with it without anything changing. The meters, mute buttons are working and it does cross. Got tired of rebooting and resetting. Tried Mac and PC. Anyway, I'm bidding on a Rane crossover. I think the Magnavox console amp is going to be a winner on the tweeter.
Edit: The Rane is on it's way. Thoughts on an equalizer?
Edit: The Rane is on it's way. Thoughts on an equalizer?
Last edited:
bowtie427ss
Lunatic Member
The more revealing your system becomes, the more critical it will be about what you feed it. Everything will gravitate toward an extreme.
Good sounding, well engineered recordings will be even better than you've heard them before.
Some lesser quality recordings that have generally always left a bit to be desired will become nearly unlistenable.
There's always a compromise in audio...