After upgrading compression drivers to Radian 950's and redesigning the electronics chain with new amps and a passive preamp for volume control I feel I have achieved a really believable and well balanced sound that can be enjoyed even in a room with no acoustic treatment. It's great to have the controlled directivity of horn loaded compression drivers in such a case.Logitech TransporterminiDSP 2x4 balanced 2x 2XLRKhozmo 6-channel balanced attenuator 2x 2XLRicePower 500ASP connected to a 15': Beyma 15B100R-GHicePower 250ASP connected to a Radian PB950-16 + TAD TH-4001 horn clone.
Welcome to the JBL Professional Store at Parts Express. JBL has become one of the most respected names in professional sound reinforcement. With a large selection of raw drivers, fixed installation speakers, PA live sound speakers, and commercial ceiling speakers JBL is sure to have the professional audio products you need. New JBL 2446H 1' Titanium Horn Driver 8 Ohm 4-Bolt By Harman See more like this. 2 product ratings - JBL 2446 2447 2450 2451 Factory Diaphragm D16R2450 for 16 Ohm.
Just a quick comment.I have been using a pair of old JBL 2446h CD bodies with Truextent Be replacement diaphragms in them for the last few years with great success. These CDs are bolted to a pair of IWATA 300 waveguides.This combination has provided my wife and I many splendid hours of music and theater sound tracks. The JBL 2446h bodies can be purchased cheap. You could probably have a pair up and running with Truextent Be phragms for the cost of a single new Radian Be CD.Best RegardsCarl Huff. Above 105db is loud IMO.
I used the DNA360 to 950hz on a seos 12 (very little horn gain) and had them at a GTG where I could just hear distortion listening to a classical track at silly stupid loud levels. I dont know how loud it was, but Im sure it was over 105db.
And it was a very dense musical track full of strings and brass. Other than that one time I havent had issues with it. I just wish there was a Be 1' exit, 2' phragm compression driver like the DE550. For under $600 pleaseCan you get a Be replacement phragm for the DE550? Sounds like the DNA360 isn't quite doing it for you.
Just a quick comment.I have been using a pair of old JBL 2446h CD bodies with Truextent Be replacement diaphragms in them for the last few years with great success. These CDs are bolted to a pair of IWATA 300 waveguides.This combination has provided my wife and I many splendid hours of music and theater sound tracks. The JBL 2446h bodies can be purchased cheap. You could probably have a pair up and running with Truextent Be phragms for the cost of a single new Radian Be CD.Best RegardsCarl HuffDoes the separation between the woofers and horn throat cause any issues at crossover? Great looking build.
I could live with those IWATAs.Stupid PhotobucketCarl Huff's IWATA 300 & JBL Midwoofers. Can you get a Be replacement phragm for the DE550? Sounds like the DNA360 isn't quite doing it for you.Unfortunately you cant.
And that and the BA750 are the only 2' phragm 1' exit CDs I know of.The dna-360 is doing it for me just fine. It only gave me trouble that time listening stupid loud. But Id like to cross over at 800 or 900 and never have to remotely wprry about it. Unfortunately I dont think that exists for me. Though the iwata 600 will give me some gain that the seos does not.
So I will start with the dna-360 and go from there. This is also a unique project for me and Im kind of willing to spend money on compressions drivers just for the sake of having something 'nice' and unique. The Radian Bes would be exactly that. But a little more than Id like to spend and a little unsure. If I had a better handle on their capability and measurements Id bite.
Does the separation between the woofers and horn throat cause any issues at crossover? Great looking build. I could live with those IWATAs.I had expected it to be a problem when I built them. I am using a bog stock JBL bracket to hold up the IWATAs. I made mental plans to shorten the height of the bracket. However measuring at the listening positions that are 12 to 14 feet from the loudspeakers (they are toed in to converge in front of the listener) everything measured magically smooth, suddenly modifying the bracket became a low prioity and has remained that way for the last 5 years or so.
But who knows, the mood may strike me.Best Regards,Carl Huff. The Altec forum measurements(fig 1) match data from several other sources. Aluminum and Titanium diaphragms have break-up modes between 10KHz and 15KHz, but beryllium does not typically break-up until above 18Khz, and usually only above 20Khz. This SPL data shows the more extensive break-up of titanium over aluminum diaphragms.The general viewpoint on the Altec forum is that a beryllium diaphragm has little value with a 2' exit compression driver because the 4' mechanical diaphragm plus phase plug frequency limit is below 10Khz, especially when distortion is also considered. Aluminum diaphragms typically do not start break-up until above 10Khz.The general viewpoint on the Altec forum is that the $400+ expense of a Be diaphragm is probably only justified for a 1.4'-1.5' CD to remove Al/Ti 10K-15Khz break-up distortion, or marginally valuable for a 1' CD to avoid break-up distortion until over 20Khz(example: TAD 2001). High frequency boost compensation can now extend a flat response to near 20KHz.Today there are plastic compression driver domes, as well as robust plastic suspensions with aluminum domes.
Jbl 2446h Vs Radian 950 1
This allows a 1' compression driver to be used at low home SPLs down to 700Hz, and cover up to 20Khz. For my home DIY experiments, these wide BW 1' CDs are the most interesting.Those IWATAs are hard to find and rather spendy. I wonder if I could put an inexpensive CD in them and get by until a later Be upgrade? I found this interesting postThose IWATAs are hard to find and rather spendy. I wonder if I could put an inexpensive CD in them and get by until a later Be upgrade?I suggest that you snag a pair of JBL 2446 CDs with stock phragms off of EBay and then later replace the phragms with Truextent Be. Just my thoughts.Incidentally the comment by LineSource tells me that he has never listened to a well done 2 inch Be system.
Tux, please correct me if I am wrong but I think that you would agree with me that it is easy to hear a difference when using Be on CDs with 2 inch throats. That's especially obvious when using IWATA waveguides.Best Regards,Carl Huff.
I suggest that you snag a pair of JBL 2446 CDs with stock phragms off of EBay and then later replace the phragms with Truextent Be. Just my thoughts.Incidentally the comment by LineSource tells me that he has never listened to a well done 2 inch Be system.
Jbl 2416h Specs
Tux, please correct me if I am wrong but I think that you would agree with me that it is easy to hear a difference when using Be on CDs with 2 inch throats. That's especially obvious when using IWATA waveguides.Best Regards,Carl HuffYes it is easy. I have a video of me describibg the difference on youtube. Also easily measured.I would say its ok to run them stock until a time ready to spend the money on Be, just know that you have a lot of performance sitting on the table until you do.I think linesource may have been sayibg the 2' exit drivers arent normally used above 10khz due to beaming so why bother with Be. But I found the Be improved the SQ from about 6khz and up, and I did not find the 2' beaming to be an issue. Anything 15kHz on up are lost on my ears.
My family doesn't care and my cats will be happier too if we lose most of that last half octave. My left is 10kHz, my right 14kHz.IWATA: 200 is freakin' huge. 300 takes a 2' CD. 600 takes 1'. Does the IWATA help lower the CD's xover limits?With the IWATA's already narrowing dispersion angles plus the natural HF beaming of the 4' JBL 2446H CD, how small is the sweet spot? Hopefully not the width of just one human.SEOS: Other than just size, what do the 15, 18, 24 do differently?
Anything 15kHz on up are lost on my ears. My family doesn't care and my cats will be happier too if we lose most of that last half octave. My left is 10kHz, my right 14kHz.IWATA: 200 is freakin' huge. 300 takes a 2' CD. 600 takes 1'. Does the IWATA help lower the CD's xover limits?With the IWATA's already narrowing dispersion angles plus the natural HF beaming of the 4' JBL 2446H CD, how small is the sweet spot?
Hopefully not the width of just one human.SEOS: Other than just size, what do the 15, 18, 24 do differently?The bigger Seos waveguides and the bigger IWATA'a can hold their directivity pattern lower. Each size up the scale holds this pattern lower and lower. Steve, I would say, every system has a compromise.
Even mega systems. Theres just no defying physics and that system did have a narrow listening area. It wasnt nearly as bad as the graphs and forum talk would have made me think. King pin said right off the bat, if we need a super tweeter let me know and Ill send a TPL150 over asap.
In the end it wasnt necessary as far as I was concerned. Super tweeters bring their own set of issues to. The beaming was quite tolerable.Having said that? If you plan on sitting 10ft away and want to enjoy music or movies with a group of people or while doing chores around the house, its not a good choice.
But who listens critically while doing chores or talking with guests.I recall a time when I was in the basement with the tunes going walking around doing odds and sods and I walked out of the direct sound field and instantly the speakers sounded like they were on the back wall. I took a couple steps back and they were back in position. My brain, no matter how much I tried to consiencously tell it the speakers were on the front wall, thought the speakers were on the back wall. What was happening was the reflection off the back wall was so much stronger that the offaxis sound from the speakers next to me that my brain interpreted to come from there. That is despite having to travel the length of the room twice to get to me.
Just an anecdotal story of how quickly the spl drops off axis. That can be a good thing though. No need to treat that room! Just a quick comment.I have been using a pair of old JBL 2446h CD bodies with Truextent Be replacement diaphragms in them for the last few years with great success. These CDs are bolted to a pair of IWATA 300 waveguides.This combination has provided my wife and I many splendid hours of music and theater sound tracks. The JBL 2446h bodies can be purchased cheap. You could probably have a pair up and running with Truextent Be phragms for the cost of a single new Radian Be CD.Best RegardsCarl HuffCarl, I know you had a BG RD75 setup in the past.
Jbl 2446h Vs Radian 950 2
That is what I use now and I think they sound fantastic. Are the Iwata waveguides with the JBL CDs with Be diaphragms the next step up?