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Help with making a tractrix horn for Altec 290-16K for use on K-horn


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My Altec 290-16K drivers arrived today from an e-Bay seller. These things are HUGE! I just tried them out, and the drivers seem to work fine. I'd like to try making a set of wooden tractrix horns for these to use as a squawker on my K-horns. Surely someone on this forum has done this already. Would you be willing to share your plans/dimensions and information?


Many thanks,

George
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I'm building a pair of 225hz tractrix horns right now. I'm about 2/3rd's done with them. Mine are going to be pretty big. They are 2" at the throat for a JBL 2482 driver and the mouth is about 24"x12" and about 17" long. I got the formula for the flare from the volvotretter web site. He has a pretty nice spread sheet calculator to lay out a pattern for the flare. JWCullison also was building these horns. I don't know if he ever finished them. A few people on this forum have built a 300hz version. I have taken some pictures to document along the way, but I don't plan to post them until i'm finished. I think i'll be done in about a week or so. I will be happy to answer any questions that I am able to. They are many people more knowledgeable then me who hopefully will chime in later. Good luck with the project!

Check this link. http://forums.klipsch.com/forums/thread/722839.aspx

Jeremy

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Hey Jeremy. Glad to see you working on that. Yes I was building them and got tied up in a move. I have the mount for one of them started and now it is in storage. I'm not sure when I'll finish or if I will finish.

Your dimensions are just like mine. Same length and horn mouth. We must be thinking alike.

Please show us your results.

jc

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George,

A year or two ago I built a set of the 300 hz Edgar Mid-Horns with the 2" throat. The mouth is approx. 18" x 10". I have an extra set of CNC'd blanks(pair tops/bottoms), 1/2"(metric equiv.)Russian Birch. They have not been sanded or beveled but they would give you a quick jumpstart on your project. They are yours if you would like them. Shoot me your addy and I will send them.

post-9114-13819338655438_thumb.jpg

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Jordan:

Sent you couple of emails but ... I am too trying to either build or buy a pair of 300Hz Tractrix raw wood horns for Khorns. My plan is to make a midrange horn and CP25 on top and have it stand away from the bass bin and the front wall.

If George doen't take the CNC cut pieces, I would certainly like to get them. For that matter, if George does use them, if I can get a set of template to get them made, it would be very nice.

I am also wondering...is there commecially available 300Hz Tractrix horns wood or cast aluminum other than what AL K offers (which I bought a pair).

Ki

in Seattle

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... My plan is to make a midrange horn and CP25 on top and have it stand away from the bass bin and the front wall.


Ki, I had the same idea, to keep the bass bins in the corner and move the mid horn towards the middle. Unfortunately, I do not have my Altec horns yet to try, but I am very interested to know what you think after yo have a chance to try it, of course.

Kudret

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Hi Kudret:

Past weekend, I drug up a pair of old speaker cabinets that are about the same height as the Khorns to my upstairs listening room where the Khorns live.

The top section of Khorns with Trachorn 400, CP25, and BEC AA were detached and the woofer connection was extended to the bass bins in the corners.

The Khorn top sections were placed on top of the old speaker cabinet about 1' away and pointing to back of my head in the listening position.

My first impression of the sound was... it was awful! The upper mids and the highs were just as good but the lower mids where the woofer kicks in was howling and not smooth at all. The top sections were moved further way and closer to the bass bin in various positions... They all sucked!

The clear problem was; by removing the top section, the bass bin had open top and it seems to behave as if I had placed the bass bin in the middle of the room.

At the end, I declared defeat and decided to close the back of the bass bin as discussed in the 2-Ch forum.

The goal is to create more convicing depth in my sound stage from the Khorns. I am very happy with the rest of the Khorns performance.

Ki

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Kudret:

I am thinking of closing the backs of the Khorns like the 60th Anniversary models instead of building the false corners.

Not having the full false concers, the bass may be sacrificed a bit but having the backs closed would be more practical in my room. OTOH, as long as the Khorns stays near the corners, the difference wouldn't be too huge IMO. In addition, I have discovered the Revel B15 power sub to have most seamless integrated bass than all the other power subs I have tried. I think with the closed backs and Revel 15 helping out, it might be the end of Khorn tweaking for me... I hope.

Ki

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  • 1 month later...

Ki, I decided to do the same and close the backs like the 60th Anniversary models. I never liked the appearance of the false corners. My biggest obstacle is how to make the cuts!

Neil, I ended up buying George's 290-16K drivers and also looking for a pair 311-90 horns.

Kudret

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