PETE RIGGLE CROSSOVERS FOR ALTEC MODEL 19
Altec Model 19 speakers have mid-sized furniture grade cabinets and grills. They use the same woofers, compression drivers, and tweeter horns as used in a number of other Altec speakers. A difference with the Model 19 speakers is that they use a crossover topology that allows some control of midrange output as well as tweeter output. The Model 19 speakers have a large following of satisfied users.
The following discussion is about 2-way high performance crossovers available from Pete Riggle Audio Engineering for use with Altec Model 19 loudspeakers. The circuit used is that of the Altec N1201-8A crossovers which were used by Altec for the Model 19 speakers. These crossovers use high quality components including Pete Riggle Personally Selected Loudspeaker Crossover Capacitors. In our opinion, the capacitors are the essential ingredient in obtaining musical and non-fatiguing sound from crossovers.
Also available as an option is a supertweeter control circuit for each of the crossovers. These control circuits include L-pads to control supertweeter level, blocking capacitors, which roll off the supertweeter at 6 dB per octave below 10 kHz, and supertweeter output terminals. The 6 dB rolloff allows the supertweeter to make contribution in the octave below 10 kHz. My experience with capacitor blocked supertweeters has been favorable. They improve the spaciousness of the sound.
At the time of writing, I have made one pair of these crossovers which were delivered to Guido Guarducci in Florence, Italy. Guido is a very credible audiophile who has an online presence as ANA[DIA]LOG which he refers to as The Dialog on Analog Reproduction. Guido did a youtube review of these crossovers which you can find at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZecqU6kQK8
When Guido first evaluated my version of the N1201-8A crossovers, he found them much better sounding than the stock Altec N1201-8A crossovers which he had carefully reconditioned, and somewhat better than other less expensive after-market crossovers which he has tried. Now, a few months later, we have an email in which he says the crossovers are getting better each month. Very nice to hear.
Before shipping the Model 19 crossovers to Guido I played them with my Altec A7500-8 speakers, which use the same woofers as the Model 19 speakers, and use compression drivers and horns similar to but not exactly the same as those used in the Altec Model 19 speakers. Despite the fact that crossover point is about 600 Hz with my version of Hiraga circuit crossovers and about 1200 Hz with my version of the Model 19 crossovers The A7 speakers sounded very little different (that is to say lovely) whether played with the Hiraga circuit crossovers or the Model 19 crossovers. It is a testament to the Altec 416 woofers that they play so well up to 1200 Hz. The control settings that sounded best on the A7 speakers are the same settings that sounded best on Guido's Model 19 speakers.
Here is the crossover circuit for the N1201-8A crossovers. I use this circuit for my version of the crossovers. For my crossovers with the supertweeter control circuit option I drive the capacitor blocked supertweeter directly from the amplifier input. This works well.
Altec Model 19 speakers have mid-sized furniture grade cabinets and grills. They use the same woofers, compression drivers, and tweeter horns as used in a number of other Altec speakers. A difference with the Model 19 speakers is that they use a crossover topology that allows some control of midrange output as well as tweeter output. The Model 19 speakers have a large following of satisfied users.
The following discussion is about 2-way high performance crossovers available from Pete Riggle Audio Engineering for use with Altec Model 19 loudspeakers. The circuit used is that of the Altec N1201-8A crossovers which were used by Altec for the Model 19 speakers. These crossovers use high quality components including Pete Riggle Personally Selected Loudspeaker Crossover Capacitors. In our opinion, the capacitors are the essential ingredient in obtaining musical and non-fatiguing sound from crossovers.
Also available as an option is a supertweeter control circuit for each of the crossovers. These control circuits include L-pads to control supertweeter level, blocking capacitors, which roll off the supertweeter at 6 dB per octave below 10 kHz, and supertweeter output terminals. The 6 dB rolloff allows the supertweeter to make contribution in the octave below 10 kHz. My experience with capacitor blocked supertweeters has been favorable. They improve the spaciousness of the sound.
At the time of writing, I have made one pair of these crossovers which were delivered to Guido Guarducci in Florence, Italy. Guido is a very credible audiophile who has an online presence as ANA[DIA]LOG which he refers to as The Dialog on Analog Reproduction. Guido did a youtube review of these crossovers which you can find at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZecqU6kQK8
When Guido first evaluated my version of the N1201-8A crossovers, he found them much better sounding than the stock Altec N1201-8A crossovers which he had carefully reconditioned, and somewhat better than other less expensive after-market crossovers which he has tried. Now, a few months later, we have an email in which he says the crossovers are getting better each month. Very nice to hear.
Before shipping the Model 19 crossovers to Guido I played them with my Altec A7500-8 speakers, which use the same woofers as the Model 19 speakers, and use compression drivers and horns similar to but not exactly the same as those used in the Altec Model 19 speakers. Despite the fact that crossover point is about 600 Hz with my version of Hiraga circuit crossovers and about 1200 Hz with my version of the Model 19 crossovers The A7 speakers sounded very little different (that is to say lovely) whether played with the Hiraga circuit crossovers or the Model 19 crossovers. It is a testament to the Altec 416 woofers that they play so well up to 1200 Hz. The control settings that sounded best on the A7 speakers are the same settings that sounded best on Guido's Model 19 speakers.
Here is the crossover circuit for the N1201-8A crossovers. I use this circuit for my version of the crossovers. For my crossovers with the supertweeter control circuit option I drive the capacitor blocked supertweeter directly from the amplifier input. This works well.
Here are photos of Guido's crossovers. Guido ordered these with 1/4" thick clear gloss acrylic tops. The tops were not included in the photos because the crossovers were shipped with protective paper on the tops. Tops are also available in a transparent bronze toned acrylic, gloss opaque black, and wood veneer.
