[esprits4s]

Hi,
  Anyone have the specifications for the Super Tower /R SE's that they could share.  I've searched high and low online and haven't been able to find them.  Info on the original /R's is available, but not the later SE's.

Thanks!
-Gary

[opnly bafld]

From a 1999 Stereo Review Buyer's Guide:
Super Tower/R Special Edition 4-Way Speaker
Two 15" and one 10" woven-carbon woofers, two 5" dynaribbon-planar midranges, two Focal 1" dome tweeters, and one 2" ribbon super- tweeter. Power handling 350W; FR 20-40khz; sens 90dB; imp 4 ohms; 100 lb
$3,400/pr
$2,800/pr kit

[esprits4s]

Thank you!!!

I love this forum:)

[esprits4s]

BTW, were the dimensions listed in that review?

Thanks!

[opnly bafld]

I checked several Buyer's Guides, no dimentions. 

[esprits4s]

Hmm, actually, this isn't the speaker that I'm asking about.  The ones I am asking about were probably older.

Here is a picture for reference:

[ZAKski288]

maybe this one. Zak

[opnly bafld]

1996 Stereo Review Buyer's Guide:

Super Tower/R Special Edition
Two 15" and one 10" woven-carbon woofers, two 5" woven-carbon cone midranges, two 1" Focal dome tweeters, and one 2" ribbon supertweeter. Bi-wire/biamp terminals. 100lb.

No other specs.

Edit
1996 Audio magazine's Equipment Directory

20-50k +0 -3; 94 dB; x-o 80, 600, 5k, 15k; 4 ohms; 18" x 18" x 52"; 175lbs; $3400/pair

[esprits4s]

Thanks, but what a tease!  However, it looks like the newer versions just replaced the mids with ribbons, so the specs were probably the same.

[opnly bafld]

The difference in sensitivity (90dB vs 94dB) is most likely 1w/1m vs 2.83v/1m, which is 2 watts into 4 ohms; 94-3dB = 91dB

[RSorak]

I have a pair like this with all the original docs including assembly instructions.

[RSorak]

I'm looking for a suitable 15" woofer replacement for these, preferably w the phase plugs. I've asked John and he has no suggestions.....He says he doesn't know if the 15's listed at the bottom the driver replacement thread will work or not, the GW-15PC-8

One of my woofers has started to crackle under high volume loads.....

Thanks
Rick

[Stimpy]

I'm looking for a suitable 15" woofer replacement for these, preferably w the phase plugs. I've asked John and he has no suggestions.....He says he doesn't know if the 15's listed at the bottom the driver replacement thread will work or not, the GW-15PC-8

Unfortunately, probably due to the car stereo Boom crowd, most 15" woofers are 4 to 2 ohms in impedance, and have a high Qts measurement, better suited for sealed or infinite baffle use.  An 8 ohm, low Qts woofer, like Brian designed and used for his ported speakers, is getting very hard to find.  As such, if you need replacement VMPS woofers, they'll have to be used, from another owner or eBay, or something new, and hope that it works!  So, looking at different drivers, I don't see too many possible usable choices.  Looking at the specs, I think these might work, but at this point, it's a trial and error, buy it and see how it sounds, situation.

In order of preference:

The Goldwood woofer that Brian appeared to be using in later Lager subs.

http://www.parts-express.com/goldwood-gw-15pc-8-15-heavy-duty-woofer-8-ohm--290-338

A similar Parts Express Dayton woofer, with a bit more low end extension.

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dc380-8-15-classic-woofer--295-325

A MCM Electronics woofer that has decent specs, and is cheap enough to try.

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/MCM-AUDIO-SELECT-55-2974-/55-2974

A Parts Express Dayton pro woofer, that has very good extension, but may be too efficient.

http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-pa380-8-15-pro-woofer--295-034

An Eminence pro woofer, that has slightly less bass extension, but again, may be too efficient.

http://www.parts-express.com/eminence-delta-15lfa-15-low-frequency-driver--290-417


Also, there's a pair of older 15" VMPS woofers for sale now on ebay.  They might work too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VMPS-SUPERTOWER-II-R-15-SUB-WOOFERS-PAIR-/182063304383?hash=item2a63d18ebf:g:A5EAAOSwuAVWwpFj

Good luck!

[RSorak]

That MCS woofer is real cheap and has a much higher Qts than its specs state according to one of the reviewers. around 2, I would try it in a heart beat but for its power handling....another reviewer says dont throw more than 75-100 watts at it.

The Used ebay woofers are interesting but the seller wants too much to ship them.....Could get 2 new GW's for little more.

Probably gonna try the 1st GW 15 from Parts Exp. when I cant stand the rattle anymore. I dont play them loud enough to hear the problem very often. So I have time to look for a while.

Thanks
Rick

[James Romeyn]

Thanks, but what a tease!  However, it looks like the newer versions just replaced the mids with ribbons, so the specs were probably the same.

That's correct.

I never liked any of the so-called "Dynaribbons" which Brian got closeout from Just Speakers in San Francisco, long gone.  I would prefer the earlier WCF 5.25" mids.  The Dyna's sound kind of thin and plasticky.  I feel quite sure it would have worked much better w/a small low-pass pole added to the mids, but Brian was dead set against doing this till he finally added such pole to the Neo planars, a few years prior to the end. 

The worst of this series is the brief period with both the Dynaribbons and the metal domes.  This particular pairing had high fatigue factor.   

The best pairing would have been Brian's own poly 5.25" w/ the fiberglass Focal dome, but I don't think we made any such speakers. 

[James Romeyn]

The difference in sensitivity (90dB vs 94dB) is most likely 1w/1m vs 2.83v/1m, which is 2 watts into 4 ohms; 94-3dB = 91dB

Brian over stated sensitivity about 3-4 dB.  He added 3 dB for the PR and 3 dB for the mid bass, both completely wrong.  A PR acts as a port.  It extends cut off but does nothing to general sensitivity.  Ditto the mid bass, which increases extension.

This model is about 88 dB. 

15" and 10" both 8 Ohm.  There's a large value R (can't remember the value, maybe 15 R) on the mid bass.  Even though they are wired parallel, it's not 4 Ohm nominal, more like 6 Ohm.

What I think makes them current hogs is low-impedance (caused by the xo) coupled to moderately severe phase angles.     

[ST86]

Just for another data point I have the 15" Goldwood GW-15PC-8 (8 ohm) from Parts Express in my (original) Supertower/R and have been very pleased with them.

Ed

[Stimpy]

Just for another data point I have the 15" Goldwood GW-15PC-8 (8 ohm) from Parts Express in my (original) Supertower/R and have been very pleased with them.

Ed

Was the Goldwood 15" woofer physically a drop-in replacement?  No modifications needed to make it fit the existing cut out?  Also, no crossover changes required?  Plus, it's good to hear from someone that tried the Goldwood, and that it worked.  Thanks!

[ZAKski288]

I brought a pair of ST/R with all new drivers (drivers purchased from Brian) and they had the 15" Goldwood drivers in them. 12" Misco LC12W-8A     Morel MDT30s. Zak

[James Romeyn]

I love the ST/R.  I owned the earlier version, IIRC w/Brian's own mid range design, Morel MDT30s, and either the original Japanese JVC planar super tweeter or the latter Taiwan clone (one step down in performance).  Of all the more affordable used models, for me the sweet spot is a superb condition ST/R SE w/round over vertical corners.  The ST II/aR and ST III lean toward being ungainly and cosmetically, they simply over power the room, casting such an insanely huge shadow. 

The ST/R SE is just shy of too much, the larger speaker certainly beyond too much.  In anything approaching a normal sized room, the size to output ratio favors the "less large" model ("smaller" just doesn't work in this context).

ST/R came standard w/the WCF mid cone.  WCF did not catch on as a universal cone material for a very simple reason.  It's best and worst virtue is its self-damping quality.  Damping makes for an infinitely smooth natural roll off, never requiring a LP xo.  But the same quality also tends to over damp leading edge transients, minimizing dynamic snap and liveliness. 

I would search out four of Brian's own poly cone steel frame mids (can't remember whether foam or rubber surround), and install these where are now WCF mids.  To smooth top end response I'd add a small LP coil to the poly cone. 

The mid bass to mid range xo is QSO, and I might change this to a standard xo: 2nd order LP on the mid bass, first or second order for the mid range (all electrical slopes, acoustic would be different). 

With these changes I think performance would be solid, and something I could live with for a very long time (with our Space Generators behind it to boost reverberant field performance).

Probably ideal to replace the PR w/four rear firing ports, which can be run open or sealed, same as adjusting PR mass.  If I did this, I'd plug the pedestal front opening and seal the pedestal to the enclosure volume.  I can't remember why, but I recall learning that the PR works better side-firing, and Brian finally switched to this location in his last model.

One last neat trick would be to make a small sub enclosure to seal the 10" mid bass.         

It's a Frankenstein, but if you start w/$400/pr speakers who cares?