Altec 816 copies with different woofer and wood?

[djlivex]

Hi all, New post here I really want to build the old Altec 816 (portability) midbass cab. I plan to use the Tuba 30 under since it has the same width and output down to 35Hz for playback dance music. The woofer I plan on using since the orig Altecs are too expensive either the 18Sound 15MB700(18 lbs) or the Sovereign Pro 600N(11.5 lbs) neo back saver but expensive.

I heard these 816(2 cabs) when Scott was still around in Coney Island around 2004(El Dorado Bumper Cars) and they sound amazing with the nice kick for dance music and very detailed midbass (vocals) and loud!!! The closest I could find to help my back since there is me and my 17 yr old to move it around is the Sovereign pro light cone, high BL, low Qts. Your thoughts???

I also plan on using Arauco 18mm plywood since it is light and seems dead soundwise (have not used these yet but a sample piece from a distributor 8X8X8") I also plan to put metal handles on each side but will build the braces and 2X4 inside supports on each side of the cab as per plans. The Baltic Birch is $63 each 4X8'(70lbs ea.) and the Arauco $23 4X8'(35lbs?) with exterior glue, BB regular glue (can't get exterior glue here in Florida as per distributor). So Tubas 35-100Hz then 816's 100-1kHz, Altec 945 1kHz-9kHz,and 9kHz-18kHz 2 small horns 80X40 Dayton H07E 6X6" with CDX1-1745 one on top of the other about 10" apart (plan on building a skeletal plywood frame to house the large Altec horns with a piece of plywood on front top for the HF.

Please help me with your thoughts on this subject (large scale dance stack), all replys are greatly appreciated thanks everyone!

[DaveCan]

Not sure if the prices compare?, but you can get get the real McCoy brand new for what you want to build here: Great Plains Audio's Homepage

http://www.greatplainsaudio.com/products.html

[djlivex]

Thanks for the reply DaveCan, but I would like to try a different driver that would sound better at less price and the fun of building a copy 816 is a challenge. I guess no one has experience with Arauco ply from South America Pine? Anyone? Anyone?

[GM]

Interesting, I didn't know Scotty was out of business.

I've used it quite a bit around the house and it's probably fine for a prosound app, but I wouldn't use it for a HIFI/HT one. Since you're building from scratch I highly recommend you use a shortened 825 or 828 cab horn section as the 816's parallel walls have strong eigenmodes in its pass-band.

WRT drivers, you need one that has the same stepped response as the Altec drivers to extend the horn's usable on axis output out to > 1 kHz, so look for a response that ~matches this one for the 816 horn: http://www.lansingheritage.org/image...421a/page2.jpg or this one for the 825/828 horn: http://www.lansingheritage.org/image...15b/page02.jpg

GM

[djlivex]

Whats eigenmodes??? The 825/828 is bigger heavier??? Couldn't I just add an angled piece on the bottom horn mouth from the throat??? Thanks GM!

[DaveCan]

Originally Posted by djlivex

Thanks for the reply DaveCan, but I would like to try a different driver that would sound better at less price and the fun of building a copy 816 is a challenge. I guess no one has experience with Arauco ply from South America Pine? Anyone? Anyone?

I mentioned GPA because #1 you're building an Altec cab, and #2 the 18Sound driver you mentioned is approx the same price as the real deal from GPA (from a price I saw at US Speakers), maybe even a bit more expensive than GPA, and #3 it probably will be hard to find a driver that sounds better in an Altec cab for about the same $$$ as the GPA drivers... Just going by all I've read and heard from Altec users etc..

Cheers and Happy New Year

[weltersys]

Originally Posted by djlivex

I guess no one has experience with Arauco ply from South America Pine? Anyone? Anyone?

Arauco works well, not as stiff as Baltic Birch but fine with some extra bracing.

It is probably superior to the wood used in the original cabinet.

I think your estimate of a 4x8 sheet 18mm at 35 pounds is low, my muscle memory says at least 50 pounds.

[djlivex]

Thanks DaveCan, I can get the 18Sound at $124 ea. brand new from a distributor in Miami, I also seen on ebay 421's for $124 and $165. I like what I heard in 2004 for what I remember and would not hesitate to use 15MB700 the Fane may be a good substitute being neo and I can get that at $224 from a distributor in New Jersey. I am going to call GPA for pricing as I think they still produce the 515 and 421 brand new this week.

weltersys, thanks for the help do you think it is a good idea to use 15mm BB on the exterior with battens then use interior 3/4" Arauco and Baffle 18mm BB??? Would this save a considerable amount of weight? These cabs will be finished in Duratex rolled on, thanks!