X-over compatibility question

[Aigars]

Hi everybody!

I've started a project of making Altec speakers for my house (until now I've been Tannoy guy having a pair of Westminsters). I have got hold of Altec 515E bass drivers, 806A compression drivers and H-811B horns, and thinking to put them is a A7 cabinets (still to be made). Have not got the x-overs yet. They recommend, as far as I know, N800-D, but these seem to be hard to get. Just ran accross a pair of x-overs from Altec 846B Valencia speakers. Any idea if they would fit into my intended setup?

Many thanks,
Aigars

[Steve Mac]

I think the Valencia uses and 806/416 combo in a bass reflex cab.
If you use an A7 and pop in the valencia XO for the components you have, the sensitivity I would think of a 515 being greater and then using it in a
horn/reflex design cab would go bass heavy. My suggestion, FWIW is to go with an active XO and bi-amplify. It will be easier to dial in and it will sound better. Others may think different...just my humble 2 cents.

[Aigars]

Thanks Steve for advice. You're probably right about the effects of cabinet differences. I'll better skip those Valencia x-overs.

[Zilch]

Biamp with Behringer CX3400 crossover and push the "CD Horn" compensation button. That'll get 806A playing out to 14 kHz, about the best you can do with that driver, below, top.

N800-D has no built-in HF compensation, as I recall, and will barely get you to 10 kHz, with stock Altec shouty midrange.

The asymmetric N800-F and N800-8K Valencia crossovers tame the midrange somewhat with compensation, but it's not enough to extend the HF, below, bottom.

While 811B will play down to 800 Hz, consensus is that it's a 1200 Hz horn, really. For 800 Hz, use the 511 horn and fight the ringing.

The 802-8G and 902-8B drivers have better HF extension than the 806, which is best used as an upper midrange driver. They'll actually get to 20 kHz with compensation such as was incorporated in Model 19 using a "Bridged-T" filter.

BMS 4550 or 4552nd is a better driver option than the vintage Altecs, particularly if you move to 1200 Hz.

It's a worthwhile endeavor to extend the HF response with either 811 or 511 horns two-way, but know in advance that the VHF beams considerably. Integrating a tweeter has its own set of issues....

[toddalin]

Hi everybody!

I've started a project of making Altec speakers for my house (until now I've been Tannoy guy having a pair of Westminsters). I have got hold of Altec 515E bass drivers, 806A compression drivers and H-811B horns, and thinking to put them is a A7 cabinets (still to be made). Have not got the x-overs yet. They recommend, as far as I know, N800-D, but these seem to be hard to get. Just ran accross a pair of x-overs from Altec 846B Valencia speakers. Any idea if they would fit into my intended setup?

Many thanks,
Aigars

If the price is right, I'd say give them a shot. If the levels are is off, that's what the attenuation control is for. If nothing else, you may be able to use them as a platform and "tweek" the resistors a little. You can also add some high frequency compensation.