Electro-Voice Aristocrat or Biggles Speaker Project #9,654

Hey,

Tested corner placement tight in the corner on the floor and tested tight corner placement on the shelf. While sitting on the floor was VERY good, very low, very effortless bass. This is what everyone is looking for, especially me.

Up on the shelf, I lost an octave or two, just noticeable enough to make you cock your head and say, "Dang, well ain't that somethin'".

Which is exactly what ya'll had said and I figured something similar would happen, and it did. The question now is the speaker acceptable or more than acceptable on the shelf? Yes, yes it is.

As days roll into weeks and months, configurations will change, furniture will come go and change places. Having the Aristocrat up on the shelf is not a permanent solution, it's just something to play with today. I'm working on getting a pot installed into the Altec 617-8A, that will take its place here in the near future for a while. I've also got a single, all Alnico Wharfedale W70 to try.

Biggles
 
Does it have to be touching the corner? My EV has the level control knob on the back so you can't get that close to the corner.
 
How odd- I just shipped two identivcal ones of these,bare cabinets, to a guy in Las Vegas! They should make a fine project as he was going to drop in a nice 12" and an 811 horn!
You have to love the elegance of these!
DC
 
Does it have to be touching the corner? My EV has the level control knob on the back so you can't get that close to the corner.

Well, I noticed a huge difference as I was moving the enclosure around in the corner. A knobs length shouldn't be a deal breaker. I would try it and see what you can get out of it.

How odd- I just shipped two identical ones of these,bare cabinets, to a guy in Las Vegas! They should make a fine project as he was going to drop in a nice 12" and an 811 horn!
You have to love the elegance of these!
DC

They are just that, for sure. I'd like to have one just like it, maybe twice or three times the size though. Hooyah!

Biggles
 
Mines not finished yet plus my Tube Amp is not here. So I will have to wait a little longer before trying it out. :tears: I have it all apart for refinishing dew to a big flower pot stain that I couldn't stand looking at. Maybe I should move the control to the side. :scratch2:
 
Mines not finished yet plus my Tube Amp is not here. So I will have to wait a little longer before trying it out. :tears: I have it all apart for refinishing dew to a big flower pot stain that I couldn't stand looking at. Maybe I should move the control to the side. :scratch2:

Feh, won't take too much longer. It'll be up and running in no time. The bass response difference from having the enclosure out in the room, versus up against the wall is so great you'd think you were listening to a different speaker. The tube power will make all the difference in the world too. You'll do GREAT.

Biggles
 
Excellent! Thank you for the referral, always looking for alternatives. The Aristrocrat is is really on the smaller size, do you think a 15 would have enough room to breathe? Just took a look at the C15W, wow was a hunk.

I need to eat something, then off to Audio Fun and Merriment!

Biggles

I don't know about the 15" fitting - I have never messed around with an Aristrocrat. I like home girls:D. I believe University made a 12" version of this driver as well.
 
Sure you can...

This Altec 416-8A fits like it was designed for it...





Now I don't know about an 811 horn. I have a spare pair kicking around the Mancave and I didn't even try them cause the MR. 931 just fits
 
This Altec 416-8A fits like it was designed for it...

Now I don't know about an 811 horn. I have a spare pair kicking around the Mancave and I didn't even try them cause the MR. 931 just fits

Me want. I know there's an Altec Duplex that people get very gooey about, 604 something or other? I think. I would like to try one of those some day, maybe even a pair. I need to start saving my pennies.

It also looks as though I'm going to need to make my own baffle. Just so I can try stuffing other combinations into the cabinet. I'm also going to need to find more enclosures, empty of course.

Biggles
 
Me want. I know there's an Altec Duplex that people get very gooey about, 604 something or other? I think. I would like to try one of those some day, maybe even a pair. I need to start saving my pennies.

It also looks as though I'm going to need to make my own baffle. Just so I can try stuffing other combinations into the cabinet. I'm also going to need to find more enclosures, empty of course.

Biggles

604 is the best-known 15" Altec coaxial, but there were some oddball variants with different model numbers for things like ceiling installations. You'll never get one to fit in there due to the depth of the magnet structures - it's essentially an 802 compression driver stuck on the back of a standard Alnico Altec frame, like your 416s. If you really want 15" coaxials, the K3838 Tannoys that Tinkerbelle has listed in BT should fit, at least depth-wise. You might be able to shoehorn an EV 15TRX in there, too.

Another option is the 12" Altec 601, but the only downside there is the somewhat fragile and currently non-repairable 3000-series horn tweeter. My Aristocrat cabinet came with a 601A installed. Amazing driver, just keep the power levels down. They don't need much, anyway. I currently have a pair of 601Cs in the basement that need tweeter repairs. Right now they're just 414s with some extra bits glommed on.

A newer option is the GPA 212: http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/downloads/212_8A.pdf

I'm going in the opposite direction with my single Aristocrat - I'm making adapter rings to mount an 8" full-range Goodmans Axiette 8 II in the 12" opening. Best single driver I've ever heard. Absolutely dusted a Western Electric-produced Altec 755A I had for a little while.
 
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Hey Sam,

My comment about wanting some 604 action wasn't really aimed at using it in the Aristocrat, just in general. The enclosure is really quite small and I like your idea of using a Goodman's 8. The 12" seem to sound just fine, but would think an 8 could really have some decent room to breathe in there.

I just got back from Berkeley, I have the T-35B now. I walked into The Soundwell to pick it up and it was the same guy who sold me the SP12B's the other day! We both looked at each other and laughed, pretty darned cool.

Bad right wrist swollen pain today, not sure if I'll be able to get into the enclosure. We'll see how it goes.

Also, took the Altec 617-8A to Mr. Crazy Scientist Man today. He mapped out the crossover, made a schematic and handed me 2 25ohm 1 amp NOS ceramic pots to install as attenuators for the tweeter. So, that's done too!

Biggles
 
Sam,

Hey, that 212-8A driver sounds like it'd be a hunk of gold. And it'll do what it needs to in as small as a 4.5 cubic foot box. At a little over 500 bones a piece, not too terribly shabby. Droooooool.

Biggles
 
Aristocrat017.jpg


That was fun! T-35B mounted and ready for wires. All the hardware was there, just remove the wooden plug assembly and it popped right in.

Now whar's muh oil filled 4uF capacitor at?

Biggles
 
Aristocrat018.jpg


Connectors are all soldered and put into place. Old capacitor tested at 3.87, it's close enough for what I need. The zip tie is holding it onto the front baffle using an existing, stock nut and screw. No vibration is possible.

It's ready to slide into place!

Biggles
 
Lordy, that was awesome. I realize yanking the volume and testing things at a good jolt is good and fun. But what I've wanted all along is a speaker I could put a snicker of a watt into, then receive a large room filling sound with midrange and highs that would deliver an entire experience.

Low volume, bass and treble knobs set on center, loudness is off. Wow. Warm, low bass is encompassing. The highs and midrange are so alive. I can hear the horn players lips manipulating the mouthpiece. The gentle kiss of the cymbals is right there, I can hear the drum sticks sending the love.

I now feel confident that this speaker will deliver much of what the Craftsmen 500 has to offer, when it shows up.

Now for some cosmetics, eh? The grill frame is "okay", but it's got some blemishes that must be dealt with. Enough of the original finish is there and in decent enough shape. I feel good about using some restore a finish on specific areas and calling it done, I think.

Biggles
 
Nice, dude. Have you ever used oil caps with EV's before? I was thinking perhaps it's a secret weapon kinda' thing.

Goodmans made amazing stuff. I heard a large pair of them once, 2 or 3-ways, and they lit up the room. VERY-open-sounding. Breath of life sound. I'd love to have a pair of early '60's Maxims, the little bookshelf speakers that have a little woofer with the biggest magnet I've ever seen... I think they might have a metal baffle or something.
 
Nice, dude. Have you ever used oil caps with EV's before? I was thinking perhaps it's a secret weapon kinda' thing.

Goodmans made amazing stuff. I heard a large pair of them once, 2 or 3-ways, and they lit up the room. VERY-open-sounding. Breath of life sound. I'd love to have a pair of early '60's Maxims, the little bookshelf speakers that have a little woofer with the biggest magnet I've ever seen... I think they might have a metal baffle or something.

I've never had or listened to EV's before. And with your love of what oil caps do for old Wharfedale Super 3's, I figure why not do it for everything.

I haven't tried this setup using modern film/foil caps, so I have nothing to compare it to. I can say that the horns I've heard in the past have been harsh to my old ears, even at very low listening levels. On the Valencias I had to attenuate them nearly down to OFF. But these are "creamy" horns, not one ounce of harsh. I'm going with it.

Biggles
 
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