New to the forum - Intrigued by THE HORNS!

[Machineghost]

Hi there

I am new to this fine forum. This web-stop is not a strange place to me as I have spent hours reading through many posts as my interest in horn speakers grow.

For some reason or another I have developed an obsessive interest in horn speakers.

Funny thing is that the only "horn" speakers I have listened to was a set of Zingali Qverture 4s (with Omniray mid/high devices) for a weekend at an audio show. This was in 2006 but their super perfect sound still rings in my ears.

I would like to engage in discussion with members of this forum on some DIY hints and tips for constructing a speaker set in the lines of an Altec Model Nineteen with a few custom touches such as a wooden horn and slimmer, taller bass cabinet. I seem to have managed to infect a music-loving friend (not audiophile) with the same fever. He is also keen on doing a set.

I love huge speakers. My simple philosiphy - "How can you squeeze a 20" bass drum through a 6" speaker??":blink:

My current setup is modest to say the least but recently I find the sound boring and un-involving (unexciting??).

B&W Dm603 Series 2 speakers
NAD 3020A amplifier
(In development: 6C33C-B single-ended triode amplifier)
EAR 834P Signature phonostage
Rega RB300 arm with mods
Technics SP-10 mkII motor
Dynavector Karat 17D3 pickup
Some Rotel cd player that is giving me grief with a sticky tray

I am an analogue front-end man and love the sound of tubes. Lets say I love a speaker with a rosy response (Not getting that from the B&Ws).
My idea of relaxation is to restore and service vintage audio equipment.

Kind regards
Dewald aka Machineghost.

More on my silly hobby here: http://www.theanalogdept.com/dewald_v.htm
Note that page is old and some upgrades/downgrades has occurred.

http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt230/recordplayer33/tech.jpg

[Machineghost]

I hope this is the correct place for an introduction. :o:

[hjames]

Hiya!
Welcome to the site Dewald!
Just getting up and prepping to run for work, but nice to meet you!
Plenty of horn fans here - I put a pair of walnut "smith" horns on my JBL 3 ways this fall - love the change in the sound!


Hi there

I am new to this fine forum. This web-stop is not a strange place to me as I have spent hours reading through many posts as my interest in horn speakers grow.

For some reason or another I have developed an obsessive interest in horn speakers.

Funny thing is that the only "horn" speakers I have listened to was a set of Zingali Qverture 4s (with Omniray mid/high devices) for a weekend at an audio show. This was in 2006 but their super perfect sound still rings in my ears.

I would like to engage in discussion with members of this forum on some DIY hints and tips for constructing a speaker set in the lines of an Altec Model Nineteen with a few custom touches such as a wooden horn and slimmer, taller bass cabinet. I seem to have managed to infect a music-loving friend (not audiophile) with the same fever. He is also keen on doing a set.

I love huge speakers. My simple philosiphy - "How can you squeeze a 20" bass drum through a 6" speaker??":blink:

My current setup is modest to say the least but recently I find the sound boring and un-involving (unexciting??).

B&W Dm603 Series 2 speakers
NAD 3020A amplifier
(In development: 6C33C-B single-ended triode amplifier)
EAR 834P Signature phonostage
Rega RB300 arm with mods
Technics SP-10 mkII motor
Dynavector Karat 17D3 pickup
Some Rotel cd player that is giving me grief with a sticky tray

I am an analogue front-end man and love the sound of tubes. Lets say I love a speaker with a rosy response (Not getting that from the B&Ws).
My idea of relaxation is to restore and service vintage audio equipment.

Kind regards
Dewald aka Machineghost.

More on my silly hobby here: http://www.theanalogdept.com/dewald_v.htm
Note that page is old and some upgrades/downgrades has occurred.

http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt230/recordplayer33/tech.jpg

[Machineghost]

Hjames - thank you for the welcome!

I saw your avatar and that is exactly the kind of horns I want to construct for the high/mid drivers.

2-way system with 15" bass/mid driver and CD horn uppers.

:applaud:

[hjames]

Hjames - thank you for the welcome!

I saw your avatar and that is exactly the kind of horns I want to construct for the high/mid drivers.

2-way system with 15" bass/mid driver and CD horn uppers.

:applaud:

Ahh - but mine is a 3 way!
I have a 2234 15" in the cabinet, with a 2405 slot for high freqs - and the equivalent of a 4333's crossover to manage the drivers.

[BMWCCA]

Sounds like he's looking for an L200B. Heather will straighten him out. :D

[Mr. Widget]

I would like to engage in discussion with members of this forum on some DIY hints and tips for constructing a speaker set in the lines of an Altec Model Nineteen with a few custom touches such as a wooden horn and slimmer, taller bass cabinet. I seem to have managed to infect a music-loving friend (not audiophile) with the same fever. He is also keen on doing a set.

Plenty of horn fans here - I put a pair of walnut "smith" horns on my JBL 3 ways this fall - love the change in the sound!

I saw your avatar and that is exactly the kind of horns I want to construct for the high/mid drivers. Interesting notion... I think a 2397/Smith horn would work with an Altec Model 19 bottom... not sure about that network. I'd bet you would have to do a fair amount of revision.

I feel the 2397 horn sounds best with the larger two inch drivers, I believe Heather finally came around on that one too, but I might be mistaken... the JBL 2440 (375) or the 2441 (376) really won't work as a two way even with judicious coaxing from the network... I personally wouldn't use any of the Ti diaphragmed units as they sound harsh to my ears. Others have had good results with the aquaplas coated Ti diaphragms, but they still don't have the HF extension you'd need for a two-way. You might pull off a successful two-way with a TAD 4001, but they are quite expensive... then again, I've been told that BMS coaxial compression drivers sound pretty good... but then you are back to a three way...

If you do several searches here for 2397, Westlake, Smith Horn, you will find a ton of info. If you look at some of the older posts you will even find drawings and tips on how to make your own wooden horns of this type.

Lots to think about. Sounds like a fun journey.


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[Machineghost]

Thank you all!!

The numbers quoted makes my head spin 4425, 8896, 0023??? Lol!!

One tiny knot in this project will be that I am going to use "unfamiliar drivers".
Down here in S Africa there is little access to all these exotic drivers you guys are fortunate to use.

Only drivers I have seen for sale on local soil is: Eminence, B&C, Beta3, Hybrid, and a few others.

I have never had the opportunity to hear proper JBL or Altec loudspeakers.

To me, at this stage, the most important aspect is the contraction of a good 600 Hz CD bi-radial wood horn (or rather a set of). This is with the idea in mind that I can upgrade and replace the compression drivers, bass drivers and cross-overs in the future. The driver upgradability is one aspect that draws me to these speakers. Maybe even later add an extra driver to make the units 3-way.

[yggdrasil]

Wood horns, looked here? http://www.geocities.jp/arai401204/index.html

Sourcing JBL parts when you live outside US can be a real pain. However there are sources, e.g.:
http://www.usspeaker.com/homepage.htm
http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?srchExt=Mfg&srchMfg=90

And of course: http://www.ebay.com/

When you get to the point tha you want a specific driver, you could open a thread in the marketplace forum. You never know when you get lucky.

Shipping will be cruel, and that's a fact you'll have to live with. The rewards can be fantastic, and that's also a fact you'll have to live with...

[Machineghost]

yggdrasil

Thank you.

Buying & importing from outside SA is a big NO-NO for me at the moment. Using JBL device would off course be cream on the cake.

I have stumbled upon the Japanese wooden horn DIY site. Thank you once again.

Almost forgot... also have access to Beyma drivers.

[Machineghost]

Please allow me to post my "vision" here. For the moment I want to simply post it here until I am ready to open other threads regarding the project. At the moment I am only doing research, gathering as much information as I can to get a clearer understanding about these types of speakers.

http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt230/recordplayer33/651684684684.jpg

This is a scale rendering of the two-way 15" bass system that I would like to attempt to construct. I would like it to be "domestic friendly" as they will be huge "monsters".

[Mr. Widget]

To me, at this stage, the most important aspect is the contraction of a good 600 Hz CD bi-radial wood horn (or rather a set of). It seems to me that you are throwing around the bi-radial term much as you did the Altec Model 19...

Reading between the lines, it appears to me what you are really saying you want to build a custom two-way with wooden horns. nothing wrong there, but it is confusing for some of us when you mention something specific and then say that this or that generic thing will do.

One word of general caution... and you may have already read this somewhere, but if you buy or build a 600Hz horn, it won't be a horn that is meant to play down to 600Hz. Most horns are specified by their cut off frequency... the lowest usable frequency is typically considered to be at least one octave above that, though some will compromise and only go 1/2 an octave above.

Here are some pretty wooden horns to consider: http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5229


This is a scale rendering of the two-way 15" bass system that I would like to attempt to construct. You won't find a 600Hz horn that is as narrow as your drawing. Expect it to be 22" (~560mm) or wider.


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[Machineghost]

It seems to me that you are throwing around the bi-radial term much as you did the Altec Model 19...

Reading between the lines, it appears to me what you are really saying you want to build a custom two-way with wooden horns. nothing wrong there, but it is confusing for some of us when you mention something specific and then say that this or that generic thing will do.

One word of general caution... and you may have already read this somewhere, but if you buy or build a 600Hz horn, it won't be a horn that is meant to play down to 600Hz. Most horns are specified by their cut off frequency... the lowest usable frequency is typically considered to be at least one octave above that, though some will compromise and only go 1/2 an octave above.

Here are some pretty wooden horns to consider: http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=5229

You won't find a 600Hz horn that is as narrow as your drawing. Expect it to be 22" (~560mm) or wider.

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Widget

I should have specified that it will be a custom speaker set. I have no desire to copy a specific set of speakers. I only refer to some existing models as to give the readers an idea of what I would like to achieve.

Regarding my rendering... I am a total noob to horns so my rendering of the mf/hf horn would be "skewed". :blink:

[Mr. Widget]

I should have specified that it will be a custom speaker set. I have no desire to copy a specific set of speakers. I only refer to some existing models as to give the readers an idea of what I would like to achieve. I understood from the start that it would be custom, but after reading your posts I came to realize that you meant to be more general.

I'd suggest you do a lot of research before you cut any wood or order any drivers... there is much to discover about horns. Have fun, it is one hell of a journey!


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[Machineghost]

What I will do in the near future would be to get my hands on at least a set of reasonably good compression drivers. Then I will start experimenting with horns made from chip-board to get the "feel".

[jcrobso]

yggdrasil

Thank you.

Buying & importing from outside SA is a big NO-NO for me at the moment. Using JBL device would off course be cream on the cake.

I have stumbled upon the Japanese wooden horn DIY site. Thank you once again.

Almost forgot... also have access to Beyma drivers.

I have used Beyma in the past with excellent results. They used to make a bi-radial horn that was similar to the JBL 2345.