Hi Dave,
If I did two A26 in parallel should they both reach the tweeter?
And should the cab be sealed or open with a 100 liter enclosure and two A26?
And what effect does putting two A26 in parallel have? Deeper and louder bass?
2 in the same space sealed is what i would do. The A50s ran both drivers FR, but rolling the one furthest from the tweeter off at some frequency below the C-C quarter wavelength point.
I doubt you need the extra level of wiring in parallel, i would wire in series and use a big shunt cap. THen you can use any of the tweeter/XO combos people have contibuted or roll your own.
You have the same extension as a single A26 in 50 litres, but twice the cone area at LF for greater potential bass potential, less distortion, more potential dynamics. And more room for LF EQ.
dave
I doubt you need the extra level of wiring in parallel, i would wire in series and use a big shunt cap. THen you can use any of the tweeter/XO combos people have contibuted or roll your own.
You have the same extension as a single A26 in 50 litres, but twice the cone area at LF for greater potential bass potential, less distortion, more potential dynamics. And more room for LF EQ.
dave
Thank you very much. I’m such a novice that I have to ask: what is the difference and benefit of series vs. parallel?
Series maintains the sensitivity over the woofer(s) passband,impedance goes to 16Ω when the second woofer kicks in (making it an easier load for the amplifier), uses a big cap instead of a big inductor. XO frequency (cap size) is fairly flexible, below the quarter wavelength (of the centre-to-centre of the 2 woofers) and above the baffle step.
With parallel, the impedance drops to 4Ω instead, gives 6dB more level (usually even too much for a loudspeaker pulled way out in a big room, so too much low bass). Filter needs to tighly correspond with the BS frequency.
If you just wire them in parallel, like the A50, you will get combing and lobing above a certain frequency, the tweeter will need to play 6dB louder, but they will play 6dB louder (as long as your amp is happy with 4Ω), so “rock” more.
Take all the drivers out to 3 sets of terminals and try all the ways. Allows for easy playing with XOs.
dave
With parallel, the impedance drops to 4Ω instead, gives 6dB more level (usually even too much for a loudspeaker pulled way out in a big room, so too much low bass). Filter needs to tighly correspond with the BS frequency.
If you just wire them in parallel, like the A50, you will get combing and lobing above a certain frequency, the tweeter will need to play 6dB louder, but they will play 6dB louder (as long as your amp is happy with 4Ω), so “rock” more.
Take all the drivers out to 3 sets of terminals and try all the ways. Allows for easy playing with XOs.
dave
The bonfire! Those things are made from solid wood, no veneer, no mdf!
I put the Seas A26 kit in a pair of beautiful condition A25XL boxes and constructed a new front baffle for them. I ground down 1/8" from each side of those very expensive woofers to make the fit.
-Tom-
I took 6 A25 cabinets and made them into a packing bench with shelves. They eventually all burned preceded by many more.
They were all made of crappy particleboard. Never saw a solid wood one. Actually after liertally 1000s thru here i do not recall any that had “solid" enclosures.
dave
They were all made of crappy particleboard. Never saw a solid wood one. Actually after liertally 1000s thru here i do not recall any that had “solid" enclosures.
dave
Well they did a great job with the veneer, not only the front edge of cabinet but also the back. That's attention to detail!
-Tom-
-Tom-
Adding braces inside the box is easy, if front plate is off.
I have a pair of vintage Swedish Carlson/Sonab speakers - cheap board but lots of bracing and teak veneer
I have a pair of vintage Swedish Carlson/Sonab speakers - cheap board but lots of bracing and teak veneer
Thanks again. I'm debating with myself whether I should use two A26 per cab. or just one and then make a void like you said. I'm a bit worried about bass extension. With a bit of EQ how deep will a single A26 reach in a closed 70-80 liters cab.? And will it make any difference to use a port or passive radiator for SPL and bass with the A26?
At the moment I'm planning on following your advice and use a smallish fullrange driver to take over from, say, around 500-800hz. However, if I do that, there are a bunch of other nice bass-monsters that can comfortably reach that high. Something like the Scanspeak 30W/4558T00 or 26W/4867T00. Both of those I can get at near half price. Question: does it still make sense to go for the A26 if I don't use the natural roll-off and a suitable tweeter?
Sorry for my ineptness and thank you all for you great help.
Kind regards,
Mads
Correct me if I am wrong, but the goal of the A25 and A26 is to make a uncomplicated speaker that is funny to listen.
Using complementary drivers simplify the crossover. Having no major dip in the impedance curve ease the load to the amplifier.
Therefore, the speakers are not fussy about amplifiers. So you can save on crossover parts and amplifier cost. Or you could spend the money on the few crossover parts and cabinet.
In my opinion, departing from that approach make the use of theses drivers pretty irrelevant, because you can do better with more complicated design, from a Lowther based folded horn or a 5 channels actively amplify Onken system. Just a question of having the time, money and place the put them.
Using complementary drivers simplify the crossover. Having no major dip in the impedance curve ease the load to the amplifier.
Therefore, the speakers are not fussy about amplifiers. So you can save on crossover parts and amplifier cost. Or you could spend the money on the few crossover parts and cabinet.
In my opinion, departing from that approach make the use of theses drivers pretty irrelevant, because you can do better with more complicated design, from a Lowther based folded horn or a 5 channels actively amplify Onken system. Just a question of having the time, money and place the put them.
^Ok by modern standards. But we must remember that these and LS3/5A etc. "classics" were designed about 50 years ago!
Compare that to the TVs or cars of 70s...
Compare that to the TVs or cars of 70s...
I looked at this listing for the O/96 damaged in shipping. One can't see all the way inside the cabinet in this photo, but it does answer a couple of the questions asked earlier:
1-the A26 looks to have the regular magnet
2-it does appear to be the Morel CAT 378
Also, interesting to see that there is no visible damping material at all, nor any bracing.
I heard these Devore O/96 just recently. They sounded pretty nice in the set-up. They would be good for ~$1000. Don't think I'd pay $12K.
1-the A26 looks to have the regular magnet
2-it does appear to be the Morel CAT 378
Also, interesting to see that there is no visible damping material at all, nor any bracing.
I heard these Devore O/96 just recently. They sounded pretty nice in the set-up. They would be good for ~$1000. Don't think I'd pay $12K.
^ Baltic Birch baffle glued to non-braced MDF cabinet via biscuits Seas mid-bass / regular magnet Morel CAT 378, can imagine what the X-over components look like, and $12,000 USD new 😳
I just scored a sealed cabinet in MDF for 100 bucks locally, and another pair of W26FX002 for 200 bucks from OllBoll in Stockholm. The W26 is like L26’s slightly stronger and damped bigger brother, as they measure so similarly. I plan to use them a not so monstrous subwoofer, playing 40-80Hz with second order crossovers. I might add a sub-subwoofer for 20-40Hz if needed.
Typo: I meant A26, not L26.
Borrowing some photos from the very skilled carpenter that made them, with alias OB-BB. It is the taller cabinets. 65L is on the small side but since I don’t need 25Hz I think they will be fine. I think many people kid themselves when they think A26 or W26 should be used all the way down to 25Hz.
Borrowing some photos from the very skilled carpenter that made them, with alias OB-BB. It is the taller cabinets. 65L is on the small side but since I don’t need 25Hz I think they will be fine. I think many people kid themselves when they think A26 or W26 should be used all the way down to 25Hz.
Attachments
Last edited:
Does a phase plug do anything for a standard A26RE4 ? Worthwhile trying ? Or a wave guide even, seeing how high it goes ?
I built these and have been listening to them for a week or so.
I copied the Devore in as much as there is no bracing, and I am only using a 2” thick piece of rigid fiberglass insulation on the back for damping.
Running the woofer full range, just a cap and resistor on the tweeter.
They are a very fun listen! Very good detail and dynamics.
For ~$700 in parts, I am quite pleased. (I have lots of scrap wood, and already had the fiberglass)
I copied the Devore in as much as there is no bracing, and I am only using a 2” thick piece of rigid fiberglass insulation on the back for damping.
Running the woofer full range, just a cap and resistor on the tweeter.
They are a very fun listen! Very good detail and dynamics.
For ~$700 in parts, I am quite pleased. (I have lots of scrap wood, and already had the fiberglass)