InventiveAudio.com Posted July 29, 2002 Share Posted July 29, 2002 Hi, I was wondering if anyone here has played with or tested out the replacement squawker drivers sold by Layne Audio. The drivers use a larger magnet and are suppose to have more clarity and less disortion at lower frequencies. He is only charging 79.99 a piece and they screw on the back of a stock k-horn lens. I have a pair on order and will be testing them out. The price is refundable if I don't like the sound. If they are half as good as he claims this could be a great upgrade. I'm a bit skeptical but was wondering if anyone here has any experience with these drivers. ------------------ My Klipsch Page www.nyonline.com This message has been edited by trader on 08-04-2002 at 08:49 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorv Posted July 29, 2002 Share Posted July 29, 2002 I got a pair of them in last Thursday and am still trying to decide. I was gone over the weekend to the Chicago horn meeting and have not had much time with them. My first impression was favorable. However when I measured the resonant frequency, it is higher than the Klipsch unit. Not sure if how important that is. I think I was more impressed with the Altec VOT that I heard in Chicago. I am looking to pick up a pair of their HF horns for a starter. Jnorv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted July 29, 2002 Author Share Posted July 29, 2002 JNORV, Do u have the Layne drivers installed in K-horns? What type and year Klipsch speaker do u have? I have the old Atlas Alnico drivers with spring loaded connectors. Also, try removing the tweeter so u can really hear the mids. On my CD player I have two stereo outputs so I simply connect the same channel to each speaker for an A/B test. You can also get a y connector and do the same thing. I'm sure u know all this but........ Let me know how further test compare to the old driver. What Altec horn impressed u and will it fit on a Klipsch lens? My next upgrade is to build a new crossover for my K's? ------------------ My Klipsch Page www.nyonline.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted August 4, 2002 Author Share Posted August 4, 2002 Did u get a chance to do more testing on the Layne Audio drivers. The guy from Layne says they are a much better driver with lower distortion and more articulation. We'll see.....Anyone else try these drivers? ------------------ My Klipsch Page www.nyonline.com/klipsch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorv Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 I have been listening to them for about a week now and I cant tell much difference in them. Neither one blows the other away. Which, I guess is good news, bad news. I finally settled on the 2-0 taps (-9.5 db) for the level control. The K-55 has an impedance peak at about 400 Hz and then a gentle rise again at about 2K. The 1st peak that I measured on the Layne was at about 800, with another at about 1600. For what it is worth, the guy at Layne seemed to think that the threads were pipe threads, but they turn out to be 1 3/8-18 which is UNEF series. I have yet to find a tap for it. M-C has 1 3/8-12 (for $60), so the correct tap will be pricey. I have an Altec 511B coming in next week. Still looking for a set of drivers. I will probably go with the 802D, since it supposedly better high frequency response. Just missed a pair on EBAY today. J Norvell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted August 4, 2002 Author Share Posted August 4, 2002 jnorv, You lost me with: For what it is worth, the guy at Layne seemed to think that the threads were pipe threads, but they turn out to be 1 3/8-18 which is UNEF series. I have yet to find a tap for it. M-C has 1 3/8-12 (for $60), so the correct tap will be pricey. Are u saying the Layne driver will not fit on the stock k-400 horn? Have u tried removing the tweeter when evaluating the drivers? Are u going to retun your Layne drivers or live with them for a while more? ------------------ My Klipsch Page www.nyonline.com/klipsch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorv Posted August 4, 2002 Share Posted August 4, 2002 No, they have common threads. It is just that the Layne guy did not know what they were. I havent tried disconnecting the tweeters yet. Will get to that soon. I plan on keeping them. I never seem to be able to part with gear. You never know when you might need another driver. I will probaably figure a way to plug them into my new 511Bs until I get a proper set of drivers. J Norvell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted August 4, 2002 Author Share Posted August 4, 2002 jnorv, Cool. You might want to try posting on the Altec BB. http://www.audioheritage.org There are some very knowledgeable individuals on the Altec board. Many of them have traveled on the same road that you're on and can advice you on the best Altec or JBL driver, for your needs. I don' think the K-55-V sounds bad but not great either. I would like to try some other drivers to see what the results are. What's great about used equipment is that you never loose your money when you want to resell it or very little. The Layne drivers are a different story because they are a no-name driver. I was told that there is a night and day difference between the K-55-V driver and what Layne is selling (by Layne). I plan on doing extensive testing when my new drivers arrive next week. If they aren't an improvement then they will go back and I'll put my dollars on trying to pickup an Altec or JBL driver and lens. I'll have a full report on them for you soon. Keep me updated on your testing as well. I just ordered the transformers to build the ALK crossovers. I plan on having them done in the next 30-40 days. What speakers, crossover and drivers are you using? This message has been edited by trader on 08-04-2002 at 11:39 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Man Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 Keep all of us updated on the Layne drivers. I know he tried to sell me a pair wend I bought the last of his K-77 tweeters. Q. ------------------ Q-Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted August 5, 2002 Author Share Posted August 5, 2002 Q, Fedex is showing that I should have them tomorrow. I was planning on using one channel to two speakers and then having my wife stand at one speaker while I stand at the other and toggle them on and off using the input speaker leads. I haven't bought an A/B switch yet. Maybe I'll see if RadioShack has one but I doubt it. I was also going to disconnect the tweeters when I test them out. I guess I'll need to run them a while if the sound difference isn't obvious. How did you test your Altec drivers? I also found out that the 288 driver had an 8ohm version. It's probably hard to find though. I would like to get my hands on one. Too bad you're not in NY I'd love to compare notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q-Man Posted August 5, 2002 Share Posted August 5, 2002 That's what I said earlier. We end up buying a lot of stuff to try out, because we can't hear them anywhere. Maybe we should all develope a Klipsch Town or Horn Town somewhere. Think we can create jobs for ourselves? I just did an A/B with them and the K-55, it didn't take much to hear the difference. I may be wrong, but there might even be a 24Ohm version of the 288. I too sometimes isolate the driver that I'm comparing by disconnecting the other two. It's easier to hear the differences that way. I grew up in upstate N.Y. I left there around 1974. Q. ------------------ Q-Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted August 6, 2002 Author Share Posted August 6, 2002 Well, I finally got my new Layne mid drivers. Overall I thought they sounded very good. Did they blow away the K-55-V drivers? No. Did the K-55-V drivers blow away the Layne drivers? No. I tested both drivers using the same channel driven into two k-horn speakers. I dismantled the tweeter and woofer so I could isolate the midrange driver and also tested them with a woofer and with all drivers on. I honestly couldn't hear an appreciable difference. They sounded the same to me. Maybe my ears are not critical enough but I know what I like and they both sounded very good. I tried several different volume levels too. From all my research I found an important relationship between the horn and driver so perhaps I'm only going to get so much out of the horn I have. I definetely, could live with the Layne drivers as a replacement. These drivers would also work well in a Klipsch clone. They seem to have the same sensitivity as the K-55-V driver and intergrate well. I couldn't get them to distort at higher levels either. I guess I'll live with them for a week and continue my testing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted August 6, 2002 Share Posted August 6, 2002 Is there any chance of getting a picture of the Layne drivers posted. It would be interesting to see if they resemble anything else. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digjr Posted August 6, 2002 Share Posted August 6, 2002 I have the Layne components coming for my modified/split Lascala center. The tv will sit on the base unit and the mid/tweeter will attach to the rear wall above the tv angled to ear level. I am waiting till they arrive for measurements before building the top. I hope it will be a nice voice match for the Khorns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digjr Posted August 6, 2002 Share Posted August 6, 2002 I should have taken some camera classes (yuck) but here are a couple more. The Layne components should be here by the end of the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorv Posted August 6, 2002 Share Posted August 6, 2002 Well this is the my best picture of it. It is slightly larger than the K-55 and weighs more, too. It's throat is a true 1". J Norvell This message has been edited by jnorv on 08-06-2002 at 10:40 PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBrennan Posted August 6, 2002 Share Posted August 6, 2002 In my opinion if you fellas want to improve your midrange it's that damned horn you need to change, not the driver. Jnorv and I talked about this a couple of weeks ago while listening to some VOTs. I did very well when I owned LaScalas by going to the EV SM-120A horns, radials with a wide pattern. They ridded my LSs of their "fierceness" and improved imaging too. And they are the coolest looking horns I ever saw. :-) Check the attatchment. www.chicagohornspeakerclub.org Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorv Posted August 6, 2002 Share Posted August 6, 2002 Hopefully, by this weekend, I will have a pair of 511B's and 802 D's in hand. I figure on trying them on both my LS's and 4638's. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InventiveAudio.com Posted August 7, 2002 Author Share Posted August 7, 2002 JNORV, I didn't weigh each driver but my K-55-V looked to be a little bigger then the Layne drivers. Maybe I'll post a pic of them side by side. I also thought it was interesting that there was no bug screen on the throat of the driver. Are you going to use them in the Lascala you're building? Did u buy the plans on Ebay? I'd love to listen to the Hartsfield reproduction with TAD drivers. The kit runs 3,500.00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnorv Posted August 7, 2002 Share Posted August 7, 2002 I am not the one building LS's. I have a pair that I bought in about 1977. I don't think that the weight difference is that big a deal . Depends on the magnet type to some extent. I pulled the bug screens out of my K-55 drivers some time back. I liked the sound much better. We don't suffer the bug problem out here in Ca that other places do. I would never have pulled the screens off in Detroit or Florida. J Norvell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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