Look at my new babies...Altec 846Bs w/EV Tweeters!

[moldyoldy]

Here's the 909/511;

PWT -bellys ~ 6.5k, same story

[SMKSoundPro]

Dear Mr. Z,

Have you received our Alaskan drivers yet?

As far as I know, the owner of these Val's bought them from a widow here in Anchorage, as she was cleaning out her dead husband's things. The owner is also named Scott M, and yes, he can be a moron at times. He was SO quick to get these vals loaded into his taurus station wagon, that he slid them on their backs and broke of one of the l-pad knob and shaft.

I have no other information regarding these drivers, or what they were powered with, or what was listened to through them. On Saturday, while packing them for you, Lisa and I opened the back on one and saw a matching date code for diaphram and driver assembly. Hence, my remark regarding "unmolested." I believe these vals have rarely seen the light of day inside.

I am interested on your finding and also more about these BMS drivers. It looks like a really good improvement so far, and I think Scott Martin would agree and buy the 4550 driver for them.

Thank you for all that you do!!!

Scott M. Koeller.

[Gary L]

Zilch, I've been reading and keep hearing the need for some Altec drivers known to be good and fresh.
I have a fresh set of 802-8Gs just back from GPA with new frams and rezapped waiting for me to build the cabinets. These are what the 19s have and IMO far better sounding then the 806s in the 846/Valencias in question here.

Drop me a PM if you would like me to send one or both and I can also send the 19 XO to go with it.

Sorry for my late entry to this thread but I think your findings so far are right in tune with how my ears have always percieved the sound of the Valencia models. I will be very suprised if the 802-8Gs and 19 XOs don't substantially out perform the other Altec entrants.

Let me know.

On another note; Who owns the Gold 811B horn with green felt strip?
I have an orphan here that is it's mate.

Gary

[Zilch]

Dear Mr. Z,

Have you received our Alaskan drivers yet?

Not yet, Scott. The test results will be posted within minutes of their arrival, most likely....

On another note; Who owns the Gold 811B horn with green felt strip? I have an orphan here that is it's mate.

It belongs to Audivex, my local JBL Authorized Service guy. I'll ask him if he has a mate and for more info. Musta been from a particular Altec product offering.

PM regarding sending the drivers for test on the way....

[Zilch]

Scott's 806A drivers are better matched than Jack's, but....

All drivers 16 Ohms.

Highpass = 450 Hz.

No compensation on BMS 4550.

Postage from Alaska was $40 for these and the crossovers. There's substantial commitment here, folks.

Edit: Add LE85 to the mix, bottom. Good to 14 kHz on this horn, apparently....

[Zilch]

(After all, look at all I'm saving gargling with tap water!)

Well, what I meant was the folks that are sending me Altec stuff to check out are making a significant commitment in doing so, but I'll PM you my Paypal address anyway.

[Seems everybody's pissed, flabbergasted, or bored with this today.... ]

Edit:

moldyoldy has chosen not to receive private messages or may not be allowed to receive private messages. Therefore you may not send your message to him/her.

[Zilch]

moldyoldy has no contact information.

PM me yer eMail address, and I'll send it that way....

[Robh3606]

I 'spect the concensus will go with the results of Gary's drivers.

What diaphrams are in the LE-85's?? Are they the originals or updated with the diamond surrounds?? I am kinda surprised there is that much roll off.

Rob

[Zilch]

What diaphrams are in the LE-85's?? Are they the originals or updated with the diamond surrounds?? I am kinda surprised there is that much roll off.

Which, the general slope, or the cliff at 14 kHz?

It's a red-sealed original tangential, #4712, one of a group of six that virtually superimpose on HL91:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/s...2&postcount=34

I ran it and another on 511A a few posts back:

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/s...&postcount=435

The difference in response between Altec's hyperbolic radials and JBL's short exponential is apparent, the Altecs being rather better, from these results, at playing vintage LE85s two-way, I would say.

LE85 on 511A @800 Hz is very pleasant listening....

[Robh3606]

Hello Zilch

Sorry not the Le-85 the Altecs. I am surprised that they don't look more like the JBL driver.

LE85 on 511A @800 Hz is very pleasant listening....

511 is a real 500Hz horn not wannabe.

Rob

[Gary L]

I am certainly not bored with this thread at all. Just letting the shippers do their job & hopeing we don't end up with lost or damaged goods.

I am truely hopeing we can come out of this with some very valuable information that can be posted and maintained for future reference.
That being said, even if the results don't go as we would hope it still does not mean a particular driver/horn/XO combination doesn't sound good to those who like them. Strom apparently loves his new babies and that is what music is all about. I am pretty sure alot of us might not like the clinical best that any of these are capeable of but it will be good to have the info and be able to taylor and tweek to hear the differences.

I do expect the fresh 802-8Gs with GPA 34647 diaphragms to out perfom some others and I sent one of the Light 23744 original diaphragms to also be tested. My gut feeling is the 30 year old fram may have been better but I really think it's age is working against it--- We shall see.

That really is a nice gesture there Moldy and thanks to all who are making this happen and the efforts of the Zilchmaster. My stuff should be there by tuesday or wednesday.

Gary

[Mr. Widget]

The difference in response between Altec's hyperbolic radials and JBL's short exponential is apparent, the Altecs being rather better, from these results, at playing vintage LE85s two-way, I would say.

LE85 on 511A @800 Hz is very pleasant listening....

That's not so surprising... I think you might find that the 511 horn is "more pleasing" than most of your bi-radials too. The 511's little brother, the 811, is not quite as nice below 1KHz.


Widget

[Zilch]

The 511's little brother, the 811, is not quite as nice below 1KHz.

Yup, I'm calling 811B a "1.2 kHz" horn, and Jack's moving the frequency up in one of his Valencia pairs for comparison.

Altec moved it up to there for the Model 19.

[DaveV]

Me too Zilch. I'm following the thread, although silently till now and it's no surprise to me that the 806A's graph like they do.

I can't wait to see the graphs from Gary's "fresh" 802's. They do seem to be more extented than the 806A's, at least with the comp'ed xover in the Model 19 but without an added tweeter they still don't float my boat. It's not just an issue of lacking highs over 10 or 12K. I still say there's much better clarity if the 802 doesn't run full out.

The problem is getting them integrated properly which no doubt means opening up the can of worms with having having the 802's rolled off with 6 or 12db/octave.

I happened upon an Altec 604B yesterday in a ported cabinet for $3 at a thrift store. I almost fell over and couldn't get up! I have to say that the horn in it sounds better than an 806 or 802 in some ways. A lot less honk for sure. Maybe it's just the smaller horn?

However the 416B's in the Model 19 cabinets win in the bass dept hands down.

So there's no perfect transducer but so far the 19's are the most interesting to experiment with for me.

[Zilch]

511 is a real 500Hz horn not wannabe.

Issues:

1) They're huge. Kinda hard to "integrate" with small woofer boxes. Not a problem at ZilchLab, of course.

2) Time alignment. Gotta run active and delay the woofer, unless it's a bass horn with the woofer back there somewhere, too.