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Something you don't see everyday

Rex Everything

Rex Everything

are you Shpongled?
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Check it out....STACKED ALTEC VALENCIAS! :banana:

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I went ahead and stacked em up so I could have a listen before I fixed the horn mount. I've only had them on for about 10 minutes now so no reports yet other than they work. I'm gonna let em "warm up" for another couple minutes before I hit them w/ a bit of "Dark Side Of The Moon". Then one of my favorite radio programs comes on the mighty KSHE at 9 so I'll be giving them a work out from 9-12 tonight. Do a little a/bn' w/ the 846B's there on top of if I get adventurous
 
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Gee some people have all the luck. Myself I'd be quite happy with one pair of the valencias. Tell us now; are they better stacked? I'm betting they are.
 
Prediction: They are not better stacked.

Although, I predict that with just about every speaker aside from those made to be stacked for line arrays at concerts.
 
dnewma04 said:
Prediction: They are not better stacked.

Although, I predict that with just about every speaker aside from those made to be stacked for line arrays at concerts.
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Any reason why they shouldn't be better? Seems to me everything should be better. I've yet to hear a pair of speakers that didn't sound better stacked but there's always that first time.
 
MS, alot of folks think stacking speakers causes the image and soundstage to degrade. I agree to an extent, but I think the degradation is small and worth it to have bigger and bolder sound.

I think stacking mismatched speakers will be worse for soundstage and imaging than stacking speakers that are the same specs.
I will say this, I like stacking..hehe
 
motorstereo said:
Any reason why they shouldn't be better? Seems to me everything should be better. I've yet to hear a pair of speakers that didn't sound better stacked but there's always that first time.
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Depends what your goals are, I suppose. Stacked speakers have advantages in output, lower power compression and distortion. But the stacking can cause a lot of ugliness in the freq response at higher freqs. Comb filtering becomes an issue. But if dynamics are what you are looking for, it's tough to beat multiple speakers.
 
Thanks for the explanation dnewma04. I understand everything but the "comb filtering". What exactly is that? I've stacked a few pairs here and there and I almost always like the sound better. I honestly never noticed any "ugliness" in the high frequencys either. Maybe it's there and my old ears just can't hear it. I have a mismatch stack running right now; polk 2.3's driven by ss on the bottom and sui sp3500's driven by tubes on the top. If there's any ugliness there I sure can't detect it. Cheers; Brian
 
Unlike the speakers that guys around here normally stack the Altecs are not dynamically constipated. They have excellent dynamics and low distortion as they are and if stacked are likely to lose in imaging and coherance more than they'd gain in dynamics and output. These are not Advents or A-25s boys.

What WOULD be cool would be to use the drivers to build 2 vertical WTW arrays, each consisting of a pair of the 15s with a SINGLE horn in the center.
 
Tom Brennan said:
Unlike the speakers that guys around here normally stack the Altecs are not dynamically constipated. They have excellent dynamics and low distortion as they are and if stacked are likely to lose in imaging and coherance more than they'd gain in dynamics and output. These are not Advents or A-25s boys.

What WOULD be cool would be to use the drivers to build 2 vertical WTW arrays, each consisting of a pair of the 15s with a SINGLE horn in the center.
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This is an interesting thought. Wonder what the cab dimenssions would need to be?
 
Rex---Cabinet size? Just double the volume of a single cabinet, double the venting too.
 

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Tom Brennan said:
Rex---Cabinet size? Just double the volume of a single cabinet, double the venting too.
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A doubled up 846B cab would not be to big. Would something more like a 19 cab be better for the improved bass? I'm sure a 19 style X-over would probably be best.

It may be time to start researching speaker cab building.
 
theblackknight said:
Hey, Rex, what kind of amps do you have hooked up to each of those?:scratch2:
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Right now I'm running them w/ my Sansui G-8700DB. Soon they will be powered by a Mitsubishi DA-A10DC as the big G is in need of a deoxit bath.
 
"Would something more like a 19 cab be better for the improved bass?"

Yes, the 19s, by all accounts, go deeper than the Valencias. Bigger box. Doubled 19s better yet. ;-) There's an ongoing thread at the unofficial Altec board about Model 19 enclosure building, very informative.

"I'm sure a 19 style X-over would probably be best."

Better highs, no doubt of that.
 
Tom Brennan said:
Unlike the speakers that guys around here normally stack the Altecs are not dynamically constipated. They have excellent dynamics and low distortion as they are and if stacked are likely to lose in imaging and coherance more than they'd gain in dynamics and output. These are not Advents or A-25s boys.

What WOULD be cool would be to use the drivers to build 2 vertical WTW arrays, each consisting of a pair of the 15s with a SINGLE horn in the center.
Click to expand...
I'd have to respectfully disagree. I've heard dq10's stacked which don't fit the bill for "dynamically constipated" and my goodness they have to be heard to be believed. They certainly aren't "advents or A25's either." The imaging and soundstage and everything the dq 10's are noted for got many times better when stacked. I just fail to see how stacking the altecs wouldn't sound better. Maybe the specs on paper say they should lose this and that but I'm betting in reality they sound much better stacked. Yes I'm a fan of stacking and I'd love to hear some stacked altecs to draw my own conclusions.
 
Motor---DQ-10s are very dynamically challenged, no wonder you think they're good candidates for doubling up.

I remember about 30 years ago a pal tryng to get decent output from his DQ-10s, using a 200wpc amplifier and frying the upper midrange domes on the things. Nice sounding speakers within their dynamic limits but most certainly limited.

"I just fail to see how stacking the altecs wouldn't sound better."

Well doubling the woofers would of course lower distortion and increase dynamics, always a good thing even if taken to extremes. But simple stacking could hurt imaging, read Davis and Badmaieff for the notions of astute Altec engineers on multiple woofer use.

And the doubling of the treble horns could very well lead to serious response and imaging problems. If more output and lower distortion are wanted then in this situation better to go to a single large-format driver and horn than double small format. Use a 288 instead of double 806s.

Kind Regards
 
Thanks for the education Tom. Sounds like I need to go to stacking school. I sure would like to hear some altecs stacked. I've heard klipsch (I know they aren't altecs) chorus II's and kg4's stacked and they sounded as good as klipsch could sound. I believe they could be called "dynamic". Not the best sounding speakers in the world for sure but stacked was better. I'll take your word for it though in the stacked altec department since it seems like you have first hand experience. Cheers Brian
 
Tom Brennan said:
Rex---Cabinet size? Just double the volume of a single cabinet, double the venting too.
Click to expand...


Is that a Brennan original? How much would that set me back to purchase?
 
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