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Has anyone gone from horn speakers such as Altec 19s to any other type of speaker???

joel27

joel27

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I am thinking of replacing my speakers but want something that is as lively and realistic sounding as my current DIY speakers. For me these are as close to live sound as I've come outside of concerts. I was thinking of replacing them but want something that has a lively sound and do a better disapearing act. I'm sure some of my problem is the room I'm sitting only about 9' away from them. The question is should I use more room treatments or replace them with something smaller.

Room is 13L x 12W x 7H
 
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Here is a pic of the room.
 

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I'd suggest to pull them out a bit from the wall and do some room treatments before you replace. Your system is something most guys would die for.
 
Understand your concern the wife and I have gone through several major audio changes over the years. From in your face stereo gear in our living room to a more civilized and refined system. Our in your face gear is now downstairs where it can spread it's wings when the mood hits.
We also played with horns some were never meant to be in such a small listening environment but we learned a lot from the experience. That would be my suggestion to you.
We chose the route to have the option of changing the mids from horns to cone drivers or a combination. The same with amplifiers we love our Solid State gear but also have Tube gear to fire up when that mood strikes.
Good Luck in your quest for a different look and sound.
 
Try some dipoles... Something electrostatic or Magnepans... It will be significantly different and might give you ideas or where you want to go... if you want to go anywhere at all.
 
I would treat the first 24" of each corner wall behind the speakers, say 48" up from the floor. Pull the speaker out from the corner as suggested. Rinse & repeat.....

Nice room with even nicer gear! Those AE drivers are hard to beat! "Tomlingmgt" is my local room treatment expert, maybe he will chime in here.............
DC
 
joel27 said:
I am thinking of replacing my speakers but want something that is as lively and realistic sounding as my current DIY speakers. For me these are as close to live sound as I've come outside of concerts. I was thinking of replacing them but want something that has a lively sound and do a better disapearing act. I'm sure some of my problem is the room I'm sitting only about 9' away from them. The question is should I use more room treatments or replace them with something smaller.

Room is 13L x 12W x 7H
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You probably need some more absorption. What you have there at early reflection is a good start, but I'd recommend another absorption panel for each side wall (at opposite wall first reflection....where you see the left speaker if a mirror is held on the right wall and visa versa) and two or three on the rear wall (behind you) so you're not catching the reflection from that location.....which can be a definite issue if it's within ten feet of your listening position. What are your absorption panels made of? Have you measured the in room response?

I recently pulled my Altec 19s out of rotation and plopped some Acoustat Spectra 22 (electrostatics) in their place. Very different animal, but equally impressive. If you haven't tried dipoles (open baffle, electrostatic, planar) you might want to go that route, but make sure you have room to get them three to four feet out from the front wall and still have seven feet or more between the listening position and the speakers. If you can't do that I wouldn't bother because the rear wave they propagate needs some "breathing room" and the magic number tends to be around four feet. Looking at your room dimensions that might be a little tricky for you to pull off.

- Michael
 
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I sold my 19's because they were so big and directional sounding - I have klipschorns and even though they are bigger they do a better disappearing act than the 19's did - of course I have two good corners to put them in.
 
I sold my 19's in the late 70's and bought a pair of Koss model 1a stats. Used them for 30 years till they died on me.
 
It appears your set up is on the short wall of the room firing down the long wall. You might want to set up the equipment on the long wall and fire across the room, give the speakers a little room to breathe. Of course it could just be the camera angle making it appear that way in the pic.
 
Yup, Maggies, fill the room top to bottom and never get in your face.
But make the mids sweet and realistic.
Mine have replaced Klipsch Chorus II's as top dog for my listening
 
Thanks for the encouraging comments. I will start by moving the speakers out a little more.

The panels are 1" thick with a fiberfill core and a tweed like carpet covering. I don't own a CPU or laptop to measure in room response but I do have an iPhone with an app for spectrum analyzing. What would you suggest I use for the measuring?
 
why don't you try a simple paper Karlson K-Tube. Roll a tube with some writing paper same id as your driver exit id. I use a double cutaway with a light twist tie wire "keeper" to maintain the profile. I have the tube parallel to the floor at seated ear level the tubes fire directly at my shoulders. I have no desire to go back to a horn lens again. Take a look at my attached picture. Theses are almost free and are easy to make. I like the double cut away version I position the tube so the cut away section is vertical with the single cut away I position the cut away section toward each other so the solid sections are to the outside. Hope this might be of interest to you. Best regards Moray James.
 

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After moving my speakers about 8" more into the room and about 4" more from the side walls I think I have what I'm looking for. I'm going to get some more absorption panels and see how that changes things. Thanks again guys.

This karlson ktube looks interesting.
 
Echoing a few of the above posters. The only thing that did it for me moving from Altecs were electrostats. I really like Acoustats and Quads and they have a midrange that the Altecs can't quite convey. But I still really like Altec midrange too, just not as much
 
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I have seriously considered magnepans a few times but just worry I don't have the room for them in this house. Maybe next house. I've listened to quite a few different speakers and when I get home there are some qualities I find lacking in my speakers. After concerts I always come home and think my speakers are perfect.

Maybe I just want to spend money.
 
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moray james said:
why don't you try a simple paper Karlson K-Tube. Roll a tube with some writing paper same id as your driver exit id. I use a double cutaway with a light twist tie wire "keeper" to maintain the profile. I have the tube parallel to the floor at seated ear level the tubes fire directly at my shoulders. I have no desire to go back to a horn lens again. Take a look at my attached picture. Theses are almost free and are easy to make. I like the double cut away version I position the tube so the cut away section is vertical with the single cut away I position the cut away section toward each other so the solid sections are to the outside. Hope this might be of interest to you. Best regards Moray James.
Click to expand...

tell us more, moray james! :thmbsp:

veddy eenteresting !
 
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