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A7's Up and running [message #17987] Tue, 21 June 2005 11:38 Go to next message
zincman is currently offline  zincman
Messages: 42
Registered: May 2009
Baron
I initially thought it would take me a couple weeks to do some handy work but alas I could not wait. Thanks to Sprkman57 aka Ron, he gave me a set of A7 cabs(Yes Gave). They needed and still need some more work but I just wanted to hear them. Up until Ron and I crossed paths I was a single driver guy, but my single driver stuff will now find a new home, or find a corner shelf to sit on. My iniital impressions with no tweaking "Oh my I have died and gone to audio heaven". Firm solid bass, ultra smooth mids, and what sweet highs. I am running Paramours with a Foreplay 2. But what can I say, they sound absolutely grand. And Ron's prediction when we first meet was he would have me loving a nice 2 way set-up and boy was he dead on right. A major thanks to Ron and hope to add some pictures and addtional observations as time goes on.
Tim

Well, there's another wife that hates me now! [message #17989 is a reply to message #17987] Tue, 21 June 2005 15:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
spkrman57
Messages: 522
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (1st Degree)
Tim,

Glad you are happy. I still have some interesting cabinets for some starter systems for high-efficiency speaker systems if there is some folks willing to travel to Columbus, Ohio and pick them up.

Tim, I would say you might not take these apart for awhile as you would not want to listen to anything else for awhile. Pay particular attention to the voice coils on the horndriver and woofer for vertical alignment. Also when we go with the 511B horns and 500hz crossovers it will sound even more interesting.

Did you go to Colin's house and measure his ports and check other things he has done with his A7's?

Ron

Re: Well, there's another wife that hates me now! [message #17990 is a reply to message #17989] Tue, 21 June 2005 16:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
zincman is currently offline  zincman
Messages: 42
Registered: May 2009
Baron
Hey Ron;
I did no measuring with Colin, I jsut looked up the plans and made the port accordingly, isn't the best looking but who cares. I set up the horns to Altec specs, 4.5 inches from the front of the cabinet, the 511 setup is flush with the front. I won't tear these down for a long time. I still have a bunch of work to tighten up the cabinets but they will do just fine. I left you a phone message to see if you had a spare bed
My wife thinks I am trying to start a local movie house. I will say the bass is superb, with my volume set at 12:00 I can't hear a thing outside of my room, darn the bad luck,

Re: A7's Up and running PIC [message #17991 is a reply to message #17987] Tue, 21 June 2005 18:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
zincman is currently offline  zincman
Messages: 42
Registered: May 2009
Baron
Here is a pic of the A7. Not pretty but Oh boy thet sound good.

Re: Well, there's another wife that hates me now! [message #17992 is a reply to message #17989] Wed, 22 June 2005 16:20 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Russellc is currently offline  Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (1st Degree)
I will agree with your findings (having both) that the 511b (in my system anyway) is the one to have, over the 811b. I'm not sure why, it just seems larger, not only in size, but sound as well. I only have a 500 hz crossover, which is a little low for the 811b, maybe thats the problem. Glad to see another Pi person on the A7 trail zincman, what sort of drivers are in your A7s and what crossover are you using? I have the 501 8B altec crossover. Currently using 416 8c and 902 8b ( modified to 902 8A specs). Also have 5158g woofers, as well as 802 8D, 808 8B and 908 8b compression drivers. The current setup is my favorite. These speakers are a big fun trip. Funky industrial style, with big fat vintage sound. Real toe tappers these A7s!

Enjoy
Russellc

Re: Well, there's another wife that hates me now! [message #17993 is a reply to message #17989] Wed, 22 June 2005 16:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
cheetah is currently offline  cheetah
Messages: 70
Registered: May 2009
Viscount
Hey Ron,

I live in Pataskala. What kind of cabinets do you have left?

Thanks in advance!

Joe

Re: Well, there's another wife that hates me now! [message #17994 is a reply to message #17992] Wed, 22 June 2005 18:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
zincman is currently offline  zincman
Messages: 42
Registered: May 2009
Baron
Hey Russ;
Ron has got my hooked on the BIG Altec sound. I have the 416-16Z with 802/811 horn, not sure about the xover, did not even take the time to look. Ron and I are going to do some swapping around on the horns. But the sound is just incredible, almost overwhelming. The cabinets I have need some work but I will just have to suffer in the meantime .They sure are not pretty boy speakers but we use to have a saying in the Air Force "Go ugly early" although it applied to another activity, I will take ugly in this case over pretty anyday. I have spent the first couple days tube rolling to find a good combo with my Paramours and Foreplay. I need to change out my 2A3's, I have one that is noisy thet really stands out with this setup.

Re: Well, there's another wife that hates me now! [message #17996 is a reply to message #17994] Thu, 23 June 2005 21:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Russellc is currently offline  Russellc
Messages: 397
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (1st Degree)
Yes it is hard to get hum free sound with these things using tubes, but I have managed it with proper cable dressing. Repairing the cabinets is more akin to bodywork than cabinetry. sounds like you also have altec crossovers. It is amazing how good these old buggers sound, I have wanted to experiment with alternative crossovers however. I would like to clone the Exemplar speaker, and have the drivers for it. But I have a 7 Pi jbl project to finish first.

Big Altec sound is right. Its hard to explain to your high end buddies, its best to say nothing and just let fly with the music. I still have a couple pairs of "highend" direct radiator reflex speakers that sound well balanced and image like crazy, but the altecs have a big fat live soul sound that just grabs you. They are awfully big however and have limited WAF. Before my divorce, my wife griped about mini monitors on stands in the living room! When she has since dropped by and seen the A7s in the living room, she just smiles and laughs!


Happy A7 play,
Russellc

Russellc

Re: Well, there's another wife that hates me now! [message #18006 is a reply to message #17993] Sat, 25 June 2005 12:20 Go to previous message
spkrman57
Messages: 522
Registered: May 2009
Illuminati (1st Degree)
Joe,

I have a pair of Altec 1234's(15" 2-way reflex w/HF horn). Send me a e-mail through the forum here, you are only 15 mins away(east side of Columbus near 70 and 270 on the east side). There are other cabinets available also, let me know what your needs are!

Ron

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