Back when I was searching for high frequency driver for Macondo, I went over huge amount of all imaginable drivers, which exception of some exotic Japanese, RCA, WE and Klangfilm. When Vitavox dropped to my laps I got hooked on it and after years of working with this I learn how to get it to do what I need. I had 2 large format Altec drivers, one early version with Alnico and one more recent with some kind of contemporary magnet. I did not find them remarkable, It was years ago and I do not remember the details but it was no cigars.

The last week I spent a couple of hours in a listening room of a guy who use 288 in context of 15 section corn, loaded at 550 with first order. I would like not to mention anything besides the high frequency section as it was completely different what I expected. The first order at 550 is very obnoxious use. It would considerate rather for 18 sections. The guy had very good turntable, excellent needle, interesting phonostage. The most important he did not fuck on high frequency with a different HiFi gizmos as audio people typically do. He drive his custom speakers full range from some kind of Macintosh amplifier. I never own MacIntosh and I have no idea what it is. I am simple person and I would like to see a vintage Lamm ML2 to drive any horns but it was what it was. 

I was extremely surprised the HF the results of the system produced. I was not even surprised but I was kind of shocked as it was unexpectedly good. The owner of the system told me that it is not stock 288. He found on Ebay some kind of Russian guy from Sebiria who reportedly custom made diaphragms from pure paper and copper coil. I never heard about it but I'm telling you the result was sensational. 

Purely objectively his twitter produced better result than mine. My system is very specifically tuned to produce very deliberate quality of tone. I spent substantial amount of the efforts to make sure that it will be is ask chromatic as possible without having I permanently dominating coloration. By doing this, I use kind of artificial inseminated my upper frequency with slightly excessive second harmonics which brings very important coloration but something that I would call "adaptive coloration". Here is to have a dedicated indirect heated DSET shrines, and splitting tweeders by vitalvox S2 and Tanoy Red Is truly shies, if it's need to throw colors it is capable but if does not need it, then it plays very faithfully. I do feel it is slightly in color flamboyance department, very very subtle but at the level which is perfectly in agreement with my personal listening preferences. 

What I heard from this guy's 288 driver and his custom diaphragm was exceptionally neutralitu. What is very interesting that it feels like cartridge he has, his final stage and cabling and anything else are not color blind and they were able to demonstrate quite good chromatics. My high frequency can demonstrate deeper density of chromatics but in my view his HF are more accurate in terms of fidelity to neutrality.  Bravo Altec 288

After hearing this result I'm very seriously elevating my respect to 288 driver.