50s - 60s Woofer/horn combo drivers

[toptip]

On eBay there are often amazing looking woofers or woofer/horn combination drivers, made by Altec, University, Electro-Voice, etc. Some have basket/magnets with those flowing lines of early 60s Detroit cars, in beautiful colors.

Sometimes these are shown in their original enclosures, which look flimsy, lossy (backs held with 4-6 screws!) and I presume they have not the best bass.

Question is, can these woofers be used in modern (read, Thiele-Small) design, reflex or closed enclosures and produce a tight, "modern" bass (with added midranges, tweeters...) or are their F(s), Q(s) numbers such that this cannot ever be done?

[Cal Weldon]

Lots of older woofers can be used as you would any other woofer. They may not extend as low as you might like but some are sought after for their sonic qualities such as the names you mentioned.