808-8b

[Eric Best]

Hi,

I found this forum a couple of days ago by accident, what a great find. It made me think of some leftover PA horns from long ago that were left at my house and never claimed. I looked at them last night and they are 808-8bs with a 511b horn. Are these suitable for handling all of the 500hz plus information for a home system or should some kind of tweeter be added? I was thinking of what I could come up based around this horn since they've been sitting in my basement for 15 years.

Thanks,

Eric

Yes I really do live in Lansing, MI

[speakerdave]

The 808 8b is the PA version of the 802 8G driver, often considered the most desirable of the Altec small format drivers. What these two have in common is the large magnet radial phase plug made of orange plastic, and so sometimes referred to as the tangerine. It is said to result in greater HF extension.

These two drivers are different in that the 808 8b originally comes with a diaphragm designed to take the pounding it gets in PA use. To make the 808 8b function like an 802 *g you would need to get the lighter aluminum diaphragm used in that driver. OE diaphragm equivalents can be obtained from Great Plains Audio.

Some people use the Altec horns and drivers without tweeters and some do not. You'd need to check that out for yourself, I think.

David

[Eric Best]

Thanks David,

Does the different diaphragm result in these not being a sensitive as the 802?

You gave me enough information so I can research more.

Thanks!

Eric

[sean19]

808-8b are great drivers pair them with some 416-8b and a model 19 crossover and you have some killer speakers they will be well worth your time building i use almost the same set up 802 and 416, mod 19 crossover and i love my system.

[speakerdave]

By the way--there is another Lansing board at Great Plains Audio:

http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...b=forum&f=3729

the truly and deeply weird Altec nuts hang out there.

David

[Gary L]

Once you switch to the 34647 or 23744 diaphragm and loose the loading caps your 808-8Bs will be 802-8Gs.

As mentioned above I think they sound great when crossed at the 12KHz of the 19 XO.

I'm not sure what difference you might find between the 19s 811B horn and the 511Bs you have. Probably might want a little bigger room I would guess.

Gary

[Eric Best]

I was thinking about using these to build a 9845 type monitor. Bi-amping it. I've build numerous active crossovers. After I changed the diaphragms would I still be able to cross it over like the 9845s at 500hz.

I'm building a recording studio in my basement. The control room is going to be over 2500 cu. ft. I think it might be fun to build these into the wall. They wouldn't be my primary mixing speakers. I have a good pair of reference monitors that I built and a pair of JBL 4206s for checking.

I think they would definitely fun to sit back on the couch and listen to mixes on.

[Russellc]

Once you switch to the 34647 or 23744 diaphragm and loose the loading caps your 808-8Bs will be 802-8Gs.

As mentioned above I think they sound great when crossed at the 12KHz of the 19 XO.

I'm not sure what difference you might find between the 19s 811B horn and the 511Bs you have. Probably might want a little bigger room I would guess.

Gary

Dont forget to add felts to the rear covers once you remove the loading caps.
You will also need shorter screws as when you go to install the new diaphragm you will find the existing screws are now too long, and bottom out before tightening against the diaphragm.

Get the whole kit and kabutal from great plaines, new diaphragm, new diaphragm mounting kit, as you will need to convert from the old screw on leads to the modern press on leads, new non magnetic shorter diaphragm mounting screws, as well as the felts to install in the rear covers.

All this stuff is cheap except for the diaphragms, and they're fairly reasonable as well. Good find on the 808 8B, as far as I am concerned the only thing you could have found better is a 802 8G, ( dont have to convert)
or some prefer the 902 8A, which I think I like better than the 902 8B. Its really close between them, I doubt anyone could blind pick them with any statistical signifigance.

Great find,



Russellc

[Russellc]

Once you switch to the 34647 or 23744 diaphragm and loose the loading caps your 808-8Bs will be 802-8Gs.

As mentioned above I think they sound great when crossed at the 12KHz of the 19 XO.

I'm not sure what difference you might find between the 19s 811B horn and the 511Bs you have. Probably might want a little bigger room I would guess.

Gary

I find the 511B sounds better to me than the 811B in anyroom. That said, I've heard plenty of nice setups with 811B, and own a pair myself but have always prefered the larger sound of the 511B.

Recently surprised myself with the cheap JBL wave guide on top of the A7s,
I can tell you that! Thanks Zilch!

[Eric Best]

After the change would I still be able to crossover at 500Hz without damaging the driver?

[Gary L]

I don't have the electronic savy to say for sure but think you would want to be careful crossing 802-8Gs at 500 Khz.

I really like the Model 19 XOs crossing at 1200 Khz and matched with 416/802/811B combo.

I have never heard this combo with the 511B horn but find that horn in an A7 cabinet to be a bit much in most home sized rooms.

Just a personal opinion but I think my speakers sound best with some power going thru them and there seems to be a fine line between where they really sound great and then sound too loud in both of my set ups.

When I drag a pair of speakers out to the deck all bets are off and I find myself cranking them and moving around for the best possible sweet spot which is about 25 feet for me.

Gary

[Russellc]

After the change would I still be able to crossover at 500Hz without damaging the driver?

You will be just fine, for home hifi, your ears will blow out before the drivers. I had mine at 500 hz for years, not that much higher now at 800Hz. The only caveat I would add is if you are using first order filters-
otherwise there will be no problem. I have used 802 8D, 802 8G, 902 8B, and 902 8A, at all sorts of volume levels without a single problem....home hifi mind you, PA use may be a little harder on them for sure.

Russellc

[Russellc]

I don't have the electronic savy to say for sure but think you would want to be careful crossing 802-8Gs at 500 Khz.

I really like the Model 19 XOs crossing at 1200 Khz and matched with 416/802/811B combo.

I have never heard this combo with the 511B horn but find that horn in an A7 cabinet to be a bit much in most home sized rooms.

Just a personal opinion but I think my speakers sound best with some power going thru them and there seems to be a fine line between where they really sound great and then sound too loud in both of my set ups.

When I drag a pair of speakers out to the deck all bets are off and I find myself cranking them and moving around for the best possible sweet spot which is about 25 feet for me.

Gary

I agree with you on the power....I prefer a lot rather than a little, just my opinion. Many use SET and just a few watts, I like the sound of plenty of power myself. That said, I had the opportunity of hearing Jaymana's horns with 2a3 single ended and they sounded GREAT!

[Skywave-Rider]

I was thinking about using these to build a 9845 type monitor. Bi-amping it. I've build numerous active crossovers. After I changed the diaphragms would I still be able to cross it over like the 9845s at 500hz.

I'm building a recording studio in my basement. The control room is going to be over 2500 cu. ft. I think it might be fun to build these into the wall. They wouldn't be my primary mixing speakers. I have a good pair of reference monitors that I built and a pair of JBL 4206s for checking.

I think they would definitely fun to sit back on the couch and listen to mixes on.

Cool. A la Gold Star Studios.
Phil Spector, come on down!
You'd probably like this pic:

[Eric Best]

hopefully in a year it will be that way. I've already started the framing on the main room so I still have time to make changes on the control room.