What Altec woofer would best be suited for my A7 cabinets. I am currently looking to get something form GPA, and there are many choices. I went to the library and I see that Altec used a few different woofers in that cabinet.
I have tried 421A's and 421 LF's. Curently I use B&C woofers, but i want something a little more open sounding.
I am leaning twards the 515-8LF at the moment.
Allen
IME&O best bass was with 416s, best midrange was with 515Bs. So I used 515s and big subs, Hell, you should probably use a sub with 825-828 cabinets regardless of the woofer used.
I have two of bills GPA Altec 515-8LF,s in right now, they are good, very efficient through the midband, but not really bottom heavy sounding. Crack of the snare drum is good. Vocal range is good.Originally Posted by allen mueller
I also tried two of Bills GPA Altec 416-8C,s. WOW, the bottom end is HUGE, very clean and detailed, you hear every note. Midrange is slightly less, and I mean slightly, from the 515, but VERY open sounding, transient snap is fantastic, crack of the snare has that transparency, its killer. Drums are so clear, each note in its own space, and clearly defined, same for basslines. Vocals sound so smooth, yet, its all there. Bass is LARGE, you hit a bass transient, you get some oomph out of these. And, I have 421,s, and let me tell you, I found I LOVE the paper dustcap with the little hole and screen in the center, and Im not missing the aluminum dustacp from the 421 at all.
I have all Altec horn cabinets, I had the 416,s in an 817A which is a vented basshorn, and I have the 515,s in the same 817A.
The 515 is slightly more efficient, but in the midband not LF! The 416 made a much fuller sounding bass IMO, and even at a 97db sensitivity rating, I find them to be extremely efficient.
Or let me put it another way! I have been looking to go back to Altec for a while now. I tried both that 515 and the 416, I ordered 14 GPA 416-8C,s. In the next few weeks, they should be here, and I will put em when they get here. The 515 is good, the 416 is better for what I want to hear. The 416 seems to give alot more low end, the mids are there, its not lacking at all. The tonal balance for me is really good, and you save a few dollars with the 416, as the 515-8LF is a bit more expensive.
scottyj
416-8B or 416-8C for more lows
I really really like 515Bs too....
not to sure on the breakdown of the pros/cons of the other variants...
but there are a few documents floating around that talk that...
look for the Jim Dickinson VOTT modification articles that appeared in Sound Practices....
have you visited
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...b/forum/f/3729
it's the Todd White Altec users board.....
Yeah, 515B,s in the BIG Altec basshorns, yes, but in an A7 the 416 is a better choice, I think. Especially in smaller room for home use.
The 416-8B is regarded by many, it has the alnico magnet, but I didnt want to search and piecemeal, have to send em back for reconing and recharging, so I just bought brand new ferrite 416-8C,s from Bill. Truthfully, I didnt know what to expect, Bill thought I would like the 515-8LF better, but I just listened, and when I heard the 416,s I LUVVVED what it did. The bottom end was huge, the mids are there, so present sounding, yet mellow too. Instruments, well you hear every little fret buzz, percussions buried in the mix, etc.
The 515 doesnt sound quite as open and transparent to me, it has very good vocal range presence, but the bottom end isnt as big, or deep sounding as the 416 to my ears. Oh, and even with just two of the 416,s in my room, my volume control became VERY sensitive, so imagine what the room will be like with the whole midbass range loaded with the 416,s?
Both you and Allen play dance music, as do I, I really cant see you NOT liking the 416, its sweet.
scottyj
I just placed the order for two 416-8C's off their ebay store. The sound you describe scott is what i'm going for. I can't wait to get them in.
I bet your place is going to sound crazy with all those new altecs in.
allen
You should adore them. Allen, what amp do you plan to use? These dont need alot of power.
scottyj
I have a crown PS 400 (165 a channel) that i plane to use. I have a PS 200 that i use to drive the hf section.
allen
If interested, see my listed Altec 515 8G in "marketplace" or PM me.
russellc
Agree with your assesment of the 416 8C, which is what I am currently using in my A7s....while they do seem to have a little more bass than the 515 8G in the same cab, I wouldn't say the Bass, while "Huge" maybe, isnt really that deep. Just an A7 characteristic!Yeah, 515B,s in the BIG Altec basshorns, yes, but in an A7 the 416 is a better choice, I think. Especially in smaller room for home use.
The 416-8B is regarded by many, it has the alnico magnet, but I didnt want to search and piecemeal, have to send em back for reconing and recharging, so I just bought brand new ferrite 416-8C,s from Bill. Truthfully, I didnt know what to expect, Bill thought I would like the 515-8LF better, but I just listened, and when I heard the 416,s I LUVVVED what it did. The bottom end was huge, the mids are there, so present sounding, yet mellow too. Instruments, well you hear every little fret buzz, percussions buried in the mix, etc.
The 515 doesnt sound quite as open and transparent to me, it has very good vocal range presence, but the bottom end isnt as big, or deep sounding as the 416 to my ears. Oh, and even with just two of the 416,s in my room, my volume control became VERY sensitive, so imagine what the room will be like with the whole midbass range loaded with the 416,s?
Both you and Allen play dance music, as do I, I really cant see you NOT liking the 416, its sweet.
russellc
Well, I had them in an 817A, which is a double 15in cabinet, and a bit bigger than an A7, and the bottom was huge sounding.
Knowing the cabinet and woofer, I agree, IT ISNT as deep as people think it is, but it sounds like goes deep. I played one track off CD, Love and Happiness by River Ocean, the intro has a deep organ note, I havent heard a rumble and growl like that since I last had Altec woofers in my system. Standing 25ft away from this particular stack with the 416-8C/817A as the midbass component, the low end lands on your chest and sounds deep, and underlying bass type of sound. The beat of the kick drum is centered on the strike of the beater and nicely damped, and very clear, sounds like a kick drum. Then you get some harmonics that make it sound like it goes deep, deeper than it really is, BUT I LOVE THAT SOUND!
Whether or not the 416 really goes deep in an A7 wasnt the point, it will sound audibly deeper in a proper cabinet than the 515, I hear it. I have two 515,s in right now, good midrange, nice transient snap, shallow sounding bottom end. The 416 is not quite as sensitive in the mids, but the bass is alot more than the 515.
Again, the A7 is considerably smaller than my 817A cabinet, although my 816A,s are smaller than A7,s, but all of the above mentioned cabinets make a really nice sounding, punchy bottom, with good underlying bass, and I know it isnt truly deep, but it sounds proper to me, and even sounds deeper than I know it really is.
Jus my opinion,
scottyj
PS400 should be a good choice for your woofers, just dont overdrive them. This will make a nice sounding bottom end.
scottyj
Oh, I missed that small point, I thought you were talking A7! I understand what you mean about the bass...most slamming for what is there, and what is lacked in deep bass is made up with bass punch. In those large cabs, with the 416 8C I am sure you are getting better low bass than the A7s do.Well, I had them in an 817A, which is a double 15in cabinet, and a bit bigger than an A7, and the bottom was huge sounding.
Knowing the cabinet and woofer, I agree, IT ISNT as deep as people think it is, but it sounds like goes deep. I played one track off CD, Love and Happiness by River Ocean, the intro has a deep organ note, I havent heard a rumble and growl like that since I last had Altec woofers in my system. Standing 25ft away from this particular stack with the 416-8C/817A as the midbass component, the low end lands on your chest and sounds deep, and underlying bass type of sound. The beat of the kick drum is centered on the strike of the beater and nicely damped, and very clear, sounds like a kick drum. Then you get some harmonics that make it sound like it goes deep, deeper than it really is, BUT I LOVE THAT SOUND!
Whether or not the 416 really goes deep in an A7 wasnt the point, it will sound audibly deeper in a proper cabinet than the 515, I hear it. I have two 515,s in right now, good midrange, nice transient snap, shallow sounding bottom end. The 416 is not quite as sensitive in the mids, but the bass is alot more than the 515.
Again, the A7 is considerably smaller than my 817A cabinet, although my 816A,s are smaller than A7,s, but all of the above mentioned cabinets make a really nice sounding, punchy bottom, with good underlying bass, and I know it isnt truly deep, but it sounds proper to me, and even sounds deeper than I know it really is.
Jus my opinion,
russellc
Tom Danley got 1/2+ octave lower out of A-7s using 2226H and retuning them, he claims:
http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?...503&r=&session=
Sacrilege!!
[But worth considering, perhaps....]
Yes, you can use different woofers and get lower in frequency response, and I HAVE had 2226,s in my Altec cabinets, and I DO NOT LIKE how they sound in these types of cabinets. To my ears, the bass sounds hard, and like a knocking sound using 2226,s in Altec basshorns, and you lose the critical low mids the Altecs do so well. Altec woofers make a musical sounding bass in Altec cabinets, what MY ears tell ME is that the Altecs work well in Altec cabinets because they load correctly. The loading IMO, is not proper for a JBL 2226 woofer.Tom Danley got 1/2+ octave lower out of A-7s using 2226H and retuning them, he claims:
http://db.audioasylum.com/cgi/m.mpl?...503&r=&session=
Sacrilege!!
[But worth considering, perhaps....
Tom Danley makes some good cabinets, and Im sure with retuning the A7 it probably does work, but Im fairly sure they wont sound like an Altec, and Altec is the sound I love best. I know I may get shot for saying this, BUT, I dont really care for JBL midbass. I love their tweeters, comp drivers, and 18,s, but I just dont care for JBL midbass. OK, I said it, shoot me now!
Conversely, I like JBL 2226,s in scoops, and in ported quad boxes. The way I would do things using the 2226, is a four way full range, consisting of ported quad cabinets loaded with 2226,s, horn loaded 2020H,s, the horn/driver combination of your choice, and a tweeter, of whatever the systems designer finds preferable!
scottyj
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