Alternative Klipschorn Mid and Hi Drivers and Horns

[George Roland]

I am interested in suggestions for alternative midrange and high frequency horn and driver combinations for K-horns. My perspective on the K-55V/Altec 511B combo is that it is better than the K-400, but I'm looking for suggestions that will open up the soundstage to a less constricted width and depth than I am presently getting. IS moving to a larger than 1" throat the ticket to this? 

I can't build crossovers, etc., so I need suggestions with that in mind fromsome of you who have found success in this search.

George

[DrWho]

What is your budget?

From what I understand, the smaller throat sizes are only a problem when the SPL's increase to a point to cause throat overload distortion...it's pretty much the same thing as port chuffing on a subwoofer from what I can make of it. So unless you're blasting at crazy SPL's, I don't think this is the biggest variable to concern yourself with.

I would worry more about the power response of your speaker as it pertains to your listening environment.

[George Roland]

I can't swing Aavantegarde Trios, but I could spend a couple thousand, I guess.

Could you explain what you mean by the last sentence in your post?

Thanks,

George

[Coytee]

I had a pair of Khorns. The biggest single change I got from their sound was when I sat a JBL 2404 tweeter on top of them. I was going to do Al K's "trachorn" upgrade. You can look here http://alkeng.com/ on the left click on Klipsch upgrades, then I belive, squawker horn upgrades.

I ended up selling the Khorns before I got to the Trachorns so I can't give a first person report. There are others here who speak glowingly of that change. It's also essentially a drop in change so your Khorns won't change their appearance. You would use your current K55 on the back of the horn so you wouldn't need to replace that.

[George Roland]

Thanks,

Is the JBL 2404 a driver or driver and horn combination? If it's a driver, can it go on the 511B or, if not, what horns can it be used with?

George

[ZAKO]

The JBL2404 is a self contained tweeter. Baby cheek style like the beymas.....The altec 511 horn needs a 1" driver mounted to it....

[oscarsear]

I use the JBL 2404 tweeter and the JBL 2482 mid-range driver. The 2482 driver is a vintage 2" driver that will not readily attach to the 511 Altec horn. I suggest that you review their technical data on the JBL pro web site. BTW this combination does result in replacing the top hat on the Khorn. I use these with Al K's ES crossover and am quite pleased with the results. Perhaps ecstatic is better to describe this. In time I'm going to obtain some tractix horns for the mids. Als trachorn set-up is for 1" drivers only.

[DrWho]

The final sound we hear from our speakers is a culmination of both the direct and reflected sound in the room and the power response is a way of describing the off-axis behavior of the speaker. Your room is going to introduce different effects at different frequencies, so it's important to "match" the power response of your speaker to the behavior of your room. OR, an easier approach (and one with a more probable positive outcome) is to treat the acoustics of your room. I'll be honest and mention that I'm not a huge fan of the old Altecs like the 511B, but constricted is probably one of the last terms I would use to describe their sound. Contstricted, however, is a term that I would readily associate with the behavior of some rooms though.

I'm not sure how acquainted you are with the issues of small room acoustics, but it's really opening a huge can of worms. I'm all for using better and more exotic drivers, but there's gotta be a point where one sits back and considers the +-10dB influences of the room. Because if it is your room that is at fault, then with a "better" squaker/tweeter you can at best try to minimize some of the effects of the room.

[IB Slammin]

You got a PM.

tc

[Horatio]

I will be trying out an EV HR90 w/ EV DH1012 soon, and will report back to this forum on the results. If it is anywhere as clean and open as the EV HR9040's I'm running on top of University Classic bottoms, it ought to be an improvement over the mid/top of my khorn clones (speakerlab builds with K33E's and Type A's). The HR series requires active equalization, as they are (the original) Constant Directivity design.

[DrWho]

Reply Sent...

[Tarheel]

George....you may want to talk with Bluesboy who has made new tophats for his Khorns and has taken a few orders recently as a result of his post on my hybrid La Scalas that he built. See the thread on Tarheels Hybrid La Scalas. He uses the 511b horns, Altec drivers and Beyma or JBL tweeters.

Chuck