I knew the newly re-issued VOTTs were up around $9k. Like I said to Manualblock, these old things are the best kept secrets in audio land......Colin

It's like most things, you 'rob Peter to pay Paul', so between these two it's efficiency Vs BW gain. The 515 has a weak bottom end compared to the 416, though I imagine the main reason they weren't used in HI-Fi apps was their higher cost, but EQ them both flat and compare them at the same amplitude over the same BW that they were designed for and they will sound the same, though there will be some folks who'll swear on a stack of bibles they can hear the difference of the 515's ~5% lower Mms.

What folks do hear though since they typically don't EQ the 515 flat is its greater rising response that when used with a typical Altec textbook XO causes a hump in the FR above ~500Hz, ergo it sounds 'faster'/'higher resolution'/etc.. It's this 'quality' that makes it the better driver (whether horn loaded or not) for blending to the big multicells and sectoral horns that are coupled to the higher efficiency drivers.

Bottom line, unless you either use dual 515s/channel or a highly damped sub system of sufficient efficiency, then IMO the 416 is the choice for all Altec based Hi-Fi apps since too much EQ/eff. loss is required to flatten the 515.

GM

Regarding the horns mods. I just cannot bring myself to sawzall the vanes or knock out the center peg. Yeah, it might sound better, but I just don't have the heart.

I'm still playing around with positioning. It's getting better but I can still hear the HF and LF drivers as different sources. I think I'm going to put the 811s in the cabs and see if that helps any.....Colin

Smaller horn/higher XO makes it worse until you find the right offset. Turning the cab upside down and putting the horn in the port helps somewhat, but makes finding the right offset more of a PIA if you don't make an adjustable sled for it and the sound is compromised in other ways, though they can be delt with.

GM

Regards, Russellc

Yep, the 515 series were specifically optimized for 'throwing' the critical midbass/lower mids out far/loud enough through a preforated screen, and also in the case of the 803/416 series, with the midbass horn only acting as a blending 'bridge' between the driver's upper BW efficiency and the cab's lower efficiency LF BW.

GM

russellc

Yep, the 515 series were specifically optimized for 'throwing' the critical midbass/lower mids out far/loud enough through a perforated screen, and also in the case of the 803/416 series, with the midbass horn only acting as a blending 'bridge' between the driver's upper BW efficiency and the cab/driver's lower efficiency LF BW.

GM