comparison of Altec LF drivers

[jeff else]

Hello all,
I inherited some Altec A7's of various ages, and i'm trying to come up with the optimum configuration for a small cinema. I have the HF part down, but I am uncertain of the best LF arrangement. I have the following drivers:

(2) 416-8A's
(2) 416-8B's
(2) 515-8G's

I need to use 3 of them in a 3 screen channel setup (L,C,R). so which are the best and why?

[Earl K]

Hi Jeff,

- Given your cache of speakers , I'd first try using a single 515-8G in the center channel A7 / with the (2) 416-8B(s) used in the left & right A7s .

- The 515 has more mid presence compared to the 416 types / which helps voice reproduction (which should be applicable to a Centre Channel ) .


<> Earl K

[ronaltronics]

Your very lucky to have that stuff to play with. The 515 Altec is legendary..

[Progneta]

Very very very nice! I too prefer a 515 as it does indeed have sweet mid - bass. Right now I am running A7's with 515bs for my fronts and altec 604C for my center. I seem to like this a lot.

Either way, you are going to be happy with 416/515. Before you mount stuff perm. try the 416 and 515 as the center...see what you like.

by the way, what hi freq drivers are you running?

-G

[jeff else]

HF's are 802-8T's for left and right, and a 902-8T for center.

[ronaltronics]

If I remember correctly the 515 woofer uses a larger Alnico magnet then the 416 woofer. I think the 515 was the best woofer Altec/James Lansing designed for that project. Voice of the theatre.

But here is some fun I used to have if you can find some D-130's Jbl try them instead of the 515 because the 515 has a 3 inch voice coil and the D-130 has a four inch voice coil for a little more control.

[Progneta]

If you are going to keep those A7s in a theatre leave the diaphragms alone as I believe they are symbiotic for more power. But you are bringing them into a home environment, switch out the diaphragms to aluminum from GPA. They sound great!

The 515 is darn good woofer. The 416 plays a little higher and seems to be happy in smaller cabinets.

If it were me, I would probably stay with 515's.

[speakerdave]

. . . . The 416 plays a little higher . . . .

I never heard that one before.

[Progneta]

I never heard that one before.

lol should have been a little more precise. My apologies. As I have been a long fan of the 515b, I was comparing it to the 416.

According to altec specs, 515b 20-1000hz... 416 20-1600hz

-G

[jeff else]

okay, i got my hands on a 515b to complete the setup using all 515's. I didn't notice till now that the 515b is 16 ohms, whereas the 515-8g's are 8 ohms. can I use the 515b with acceptable results? will i need to boost the LF channel on the amp for that speaker? (its a bi-amped setup). finally, are all 515b's 16 ohms, or should I swap this one for a 8 ohm variant.

Thanks in advance