Got a email from Truextent

[moparfan]

On a 4430 for instance.

[grumpy]

Beryllium diaphragms for small format Altecs that could be used in the 802 and 604 would be nice.

I mentioned this in my survey response, as well as the 242x JBL family.

On a 4430 for instance.

Unknown. Could range from installing the diaphragm only, to adjusting the contour
levels (L-pads), to re-working the crossover, depending on how meticulous one was
and how they measure out... assuming they come to fruition.

[OC Speaker]

I see Orange County Speaker now offers the 4" TruExtent phragms.

Yes, we are stocking these diaphragms in both 8 and 16 ohms. Just an FYI, we are running a 2-day sale right now where we are giving 15% off any purchase from our website. So if anyone is seriously considering these diaphragms, now would be a good time to buy (you'd save $90 on each one). The coupon code is 15PC810, but it will only last for a couple days.

Take care,
Eric Sunda
Orange County Speaker, Inc.
http://www.SpeakerRepair.com
1-800-897-8373

[Charlie4350]

You know, I really want to buy a pair of these. I just can't see 600 worth, and believe me, I am trying. Remember the good old days, when you could part with the cash and feel good about it, because you felt you got your monies worth.

Seems one diaphram shouldn't cost the same as half a dozen complete drivers, even if they are cheap ones.

And, no disrespect meant to OCS by the way.

[JeffW]

You know, I really want to buy a pair of these. I just can't see 600 worth,

Well, $600 will only get you half a pair.

[scott fitlin]

You know, I really want to buy a pair of these. I just can't see 600 worth, and believe me, I am trying. Remember the good old days, when you could part with the cash and feel good about it, because you felt you got your monies worth.

Seems one diaphram shouldn't cost the same as half a dozen complete drivers, even if they are cheap ones.

And, no disrespect meant to OCS by the way.

But, if we go back to whatever decade, and look at pricing then, didn't premium products always cost more? Beryllium is a premium diaphragm material, and it costs. It isn't just JBL nor Truextent, if you price out TAD drivers, they are also even more expensive, and their diaphragms are hideously expensive, as well. So, when you compare the price of the Truextent part to a TAD part, it is far less costly, and many here compared the TAD drivers with TAD BE diaphragms to JBL drivers with Truextent Be diaphragms, and say they like the JBL/Truextent better! To me, THIS does represent a good value, but, still, at what these cost, if you could get a chance to hear them first, then you would know for sure IF they represent you getting your monies worth and more.

Premium materials and parts cost more! Are they worth it? Only you can decide for yourself. I, in your shoes, would not buy these blind, I would seek a way to find someone or someplace with JBL drivers loaded with Truextent diaphragms and hear them first.

The guys that did spend their coin for this, read what they have to say!

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...ight=Truextent

[JeffW]

That's what I'm sort of looking at. A newer design JBL driver with the coherent phase plug vs $3K TAD. So a 2446 or 245X for under a grand each with Be phragms if you shop it. Maybe not 100% as sweet as the TAD, but hopefully better than 33%.

This post from Don got me thinking (since I have the 2450 already, at ~$300 ea invested)

An interesting JBL driver candidate for diaphragm replacement with Be would be the 2450. This driver was originally developed to accommodate a Be diaphragm as JBL was considering going head to head with TAD with that design. It was the reason for the development of the "Coherent Wave" phase plug. It allows for output from the diaphragm to be recombined in-phase at the driver throat in comparison to the out-of-phase output from a traditional phasing plug with variable length paths. According to JBL, it really only works with a Be diaphragm. The Al and Ti diaphragms are in breakup mode over most of their bandwidth, and as one designer said, are so "phasey" that there is limited benefit from the "Coherent Wave". However, a Be diaphragm, being pistonic for most of its bandwidth, would theoretically benefit the most.

This theoretically in-phase output would be a unique driver attribute compared to the TAD drivers and even JBL's current Be drivers. It would be interesting to have feedback if this two decade old technology actually results in a superior driver with a Be diaphragm.