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In the Forum: Horn-Loaded Speakers
In the Thread: The most promising “best” commercial speaker
Post Subject: Some guesses about modular construction of Cessaro line: Posted by NBC on: 3/11/2007
(Note: I've neither seen nor heard these speakers)
Cessaro ALPHA:
TAD TD-4001 2" driver on tractrix horn with 56cm bell (approximately 250Hz). TAD claims response from 600-20KHz. Given that the midbass is essentially a direct radiator (therefore no equalized upper knee via fronthorn loading) with backloaded horn augmented LF, and that the lowest recommended xover for TD-4001 is 600Hz, the MF is probably crossed between 600-1000Hz.
* http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/45/200/1083/TD-4001/index.html
TAD ET-703 .5" supertweeter, claimed response from 5-45KHz, not sure where HP rolls in
* http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/45/200/1083/ET-703/index.html
TAD TL-1601x series woofer in backloaded horn, with stated LF to 35Hz when used as 1 unit/channel
* http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/45/200/1083/TL-1601b/index.html
In the past, Bruce Edgar told me alnico TAD TL-1601x woofer sound quite sound nice in ~6cft sealed box, and can make nice living room friendly 2-way crossed around 1-1.2KHz. He and others have said TAD TL-1601x efficiency is actually lower than published ~97.5db/w (around 93-94db/w). Bruce, however, felt TAD TL-1601x are not the best woofers for midbass horns. (Because, for example, due to lower effeciency bandwidth product). (The only woofer TAD makes really suited for front horn loading is TM-1201).
I once heard 2-way Bruce made with TAD TD-2001 on 650Hz tractrix and (I believe) JBL 2220 in backloaded cabinet modeled (but improved over) the JBL C34 (http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/plans/C34.htm). Crossover was 1200Hz (*12db* LP / 6db HP). Effect of backloaded horns is mainly to increase efficiency of rear wave output from < 50Hz (although the penalty is lower bass is out of phase with rest of woofers' MF output). It sounded suprisingly good (to me, and several people, given my reference points 4 years ago).
I haven't personally attempted it, but if you look at the specs, TAD TL-1601x is less than ideal as (frontloaded) horn woofer, as compared to, e.g., EVM15L, JBL D130, JBL 2220 and Altec 515G. Since I havent heard it, I cant make any assessment how TAD TL-1601x sounds in backloaded horns. Since TAD TL-1601x in Cessaro Alpha is essentially still a direct radiator (albeit LF reinforced via rearloaded horn), upper range extension of the woofer should be same as if it were used in sealed or vented box.
Cessaro BETA
Appears to be exactly the same as Alpha (including height and style of cabinet, MF horn, TAD TD-4001, TAD ET-703 and TAD TL-1601x), accept for approximately 100Hz (90cm bell) tractrix horn mounted to front of what appears to be the SAME back-loaded horn used in Alpha. (The midbass section *may* be a frontloaded horn with sealed back, but given modular construction of Cessaro product line, I'm betting its BOTH front and rear loaded.) From an eyeball measurement, the throat appears to be about 6" diameter. As stated above, the TAD TL-1601x is not the best woofer choice for front loaded horns. But who knows, I have never heard one and it may sound good despite the phasing of the rear wave bass output.
Cessaro GAMMA
Taller main array cabinet than Alpha and Beta, and adds TAD TD-2001 (http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/45/200/1083/TD-2001/index.html) on approximately 400Hz tractrix (30cm bell) horn. In addition, the midbass tractrix fronthorn is 100cm, a bit larger than Beta.
I'm currently evaluating TD-2001 on 650Hz poplar wood tractrix and have not yet listened to TAD TD-4001. Bruce Edgar (and others) feel whereas TD-2001 has good depth presentation comparable to alnico JBL 244x, TD-4001 is more in your face, and not as extended and smooth up top as TD-2001.
I believe BACKLOADED BASS/MIDBASS horns used throughout Cessaro product line are EXACT SAME units throughout Alpha, Beta and Gamma...
* Alpha: 1 backloaded midbass horn per channel
* Beta: 1 backloaded horn with 90cm bell tractrix fronthorn + 4 backloaded midbass horns
* Gamma: 1 backloaded horn with 100cm bell tractrix fronthorn + 8 backloaded midbass horns
(Finally, there is one small metal horn + driver shown here (http://www.cessaro-horn-acoustics.com/viewer.html) which I cannot figure out where it integrates into any of the systems. However, I have not taken time to translate whole site into english.)
Neil
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