New Alnico 15 Inches Full Range

FullRangeMan · « **on:** 15 Jan 2011, 07:09 pm »

There is a new release on Nirvana site: http://www.commonsenseaudio.com/an15alnicospecs.jpg
It is the 15 inches Super15 Alnico full range driver.
Gustavo

> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 07:20 pm »

Besides that datasheet, I don't see any other details. Anyone know the price?

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Jan 2011, 07:52 pm »

I see this datasheet yesterday, I feel more info and the price will come in afew days, as this is a very new release.
Gustavo

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #3 on:** 21 Jan 2011, 01:36 am »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 15 Jan 2011, 07:20 pm

Besides that datasheet, I don't see any other details. Anyone know the price?

The price appear today, $999 per pair.

> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #4 on:** 28 Jan 2011, 05:04 am »

New image from the 15 inches Alnico. Looks good...

> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #5 on:** 28 Jan 2011, 08:40 am »

For some reason I doubt that one will shout or get much past 12k but I could be wrong.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #6 on:** 14 Feb 2011, 04:19 am »

Quote from: Wind Chaser on 28 Jan 2011, 08:40 am

For some reason I doubt that one will shout or get much past 12k but I could be wrong.

Hi,
The freq. chart at the CommomSense site confirm your post, the specified treble are 14kHz.
I made a enlargement for better looking.

> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

JLM · « **Reply #7 on:** 14 Feb 2011, 07:59 pm »

According to bottom of their home page, the price for the "Super 15 Cast Frame" is $398/pair. But Xmax is only 1 mm. Wonder how it compares to the Fostex F200A drivers I use (currently $880/pair stock)? Bud Purvine says the EnABL'd F200A may be the best in the world (he did my pair after thousands of hours of use and found another ring of "dashes" were needed to make them sound even better).

https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=131&products_id=265

roscoeiii · « **Reply #8 on:** 14 Feb 2011, 08:05 pm »

I believe BudP has worked with some Audio Nirvana models, but don't recall if any of them were alnico.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 03:32 am »

Quote from: JLM on 14 Feb 2011, 07:59 pm

According to bottom of their home page, the price for the "Super 15 Cast Frame" is $398/pair. But Xmax is only 1 mm. Wonder how it compares to the Fostex F200A drivers I use (currently $880/pair stock)? Bud Purvine says the EnABL'd F200A may be the best in the world (he did my pair after thousands of hours of use and found another ring of "dashes" were needed to make them sound even better).

https://www.madisound.com/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=131&products_id=265

Hi,
The S-15CF small 1mm XMAX is usual and necessary in this type of classic fullrange design AudioNirvana sell, without the small Xmax of 1mm, there would no be treble, the large cone creates the bass freq.

The F200A also use this kind of classic project too, with a 2mm Xmax.
Fellow Mariusz was break in a Super-15CF in 2009, he said really liked the sound I think.
Regards, Gustavo

P.S.> I mean say if S15CF had a large Xmax there would be no hi freq.
> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

neobop · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 01:13 pm »

I've read that alnico magnets lose their strength, with time. Is this an issue? Can they be rejuvenated?

neo

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #11 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 06:30 pm »

Quote from: neobop on 15 Feb 2011, 01:13 pm

I've read that alnico magnets lose their strength, with time. Is this an issue? Can they be rejuvenated?

neo

Hi,
Any magnet can be re-charged, I already read this hypothesis before, but not read a corfirmation of this power loss.
As there is various types of Alnico magnets, and various kinds of magnet charge, I think a magnet life depends on these factors.

In the HTForum of my country, a member say he own a pair of vintage(1950s years) FR drivers with Alnicos and the sound are the same, he do not listen any change in sound quality over the years.

in small Alnicos used in guitar pick-ups the musicians refuse to re-charge his magnets or put a new pickup, cause they will loss that vingtage sound, associated with old blues guitars.
Regards, Gustavo

> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.

planet10 · « **Reply #12 on:** 15 Feb 2011, 06:43 pm »

AlNiCo will lose strength with heat exposure, physical shock and just age. It takes a seriously big magger to recharge them (so not everyone can do them).

I did note that in the 8" units, the AlNiCo magnet is seriously down in strength over the standard cast basket. Suggests to me that the AlNiCo is only there for marketing value.

Bud says that treated, the standard cast 8" is a seriously good loudspeaker. Not many designs for it (i'd not even consider any of Dick's designs)

dave

neobop · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 Feb 2011, 12:24 am »

Hi Dave,
Who's Bud?
Could you elaborate on this treatment?
I've been thinking about jumping in for awhile now, but haven't made a move yet. My speakers use crossovers, but I understand the advantage of not.
neo

roscoeiii · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 Feb 2011, 12:39 am »

Audio Circle and diyaudio.com user name is BudP. He is a bit more active over on diyaudio.com

The process is called EnabL. Long thread on diyaudio on the treatment. Not sure if much is written on this site.

planet10 · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 Feb 2011, 03:00 am »

3 really long EnABL threads and half a dozen on specific drivers.

dave

chrisby · « **Reply #16 on:** 17 Feb 2011, 05:48 pm »

Quote from: planet10 on 17 Feb 2011, 03:00 am

3 really long EnABL threads and half a dozen on specific drivers.

dave

try not to get trapped in the "theoretical / scientific" threads - this is one of those totally "out of the box" things that are fuel for master debating

for a lot of folks the short stroke results are that it works

neobop · « **Reply #17 on:** 20 Feb 2011, 07:26 pm »

About a year ago I started looking at AudioNirvana drivers. The frequency response plots looked scary, at least to me. The ones at the top of this thread look better though. Only the 10" and 12" cast looked doable, but I thought I still might need a tweeter, and it might be needed down to 2K. Some of the other drivers look like they have peaks and valleys of 10dB or more. Hope I'm not offending anyone, but using drivers with a FR like that, without correction, is beyond my realm of experience.

Quite a while ago, I inquired on this circle about the 8" Tang Bands. I was directed to a TL designed for the more efficient one. It looked nice, but I noticed there was a filter of some sort used. Not sure what it was because you had to buy the cabinet plans. Maybe it was something in parallel with the driver and didn't have caps or coils in series. But avoiding filters is kind of the point of this for me. Those 8 inchers look good though, and I suspect the one with the higher Qt would be nice in a reflex cab without correction.

I see MarkAudio drivers now that also look good. Of course Murphy's law has reared its ugly head. Now that I have some time, it's just not feasible. So I'm still an outsider, but some day I'll probably jump in. I thought you guys might find the perspective of someone who's interested, but not hostile, interesting. Thanks for the advise and indulgence.
neo

JLM · « **Reply #18 on:** 20 Feb 2011, 07:53 pm »

Neobop,

Good questions.

There is no perfect speaker. You lay down your coin and pick your medicine. That's the "fun" of single driver designs.

All drivers have or need some sort of help - like additional drivers to cover the frequency extremes and the accompanying (evil) crossovers, cabinets (even open/infinite baffles are cabinets of sorts), or baffle step and/or zobel circuits (or full blown EQ).

And none of this address the basic design flaws/compromises that every driver has - like not being made of the ideal materials (whatever that could be), not having zero mass (for infinite control and dynamic capabilities), not being the ideal size for all frequencies (darn those laws of physics), etc.

If you want it all, open up your wallet very wide and hope your tail is long because you'll be broke and chasing it for a very long time.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #19 on:** 20 Feb 2011, 09:32 pm »

Quote from: neobop on 20 Feb 2011, 07:26 pm

About a year ago I started looking at AudioNirvana drivers. The frequency response plots looked scary, at least to me. The ones at the top of this thread look better though. Only the 10" and 12" cast looked doable, but I thought I still might need a tweeter, and it might be needed down to 2K. Some of the other drivers look like they have peaks and valleys of 10dB or more. Hope I'm not offending anyone, but using drivers with a FR like that, without correction, is beyond my realm of experience.

Quite a while ago, I inquired on this circle about the 8" Tang Bands. I was directed to a TL designed for the more efficient one. It looked nice, but I noticed there was a filter of some sort used. Not sure what it was because you had to buy the cabinet plans. Maybe it was something in parallel with the driver and didn't have caps or coils in series. But avoiding filters is kind of the point of this for me. Those 8 inchers look good though, and I suspect the one with the higher Qt would be nice in a reflex cab without correction.

I see MarkAudio drivers now that also look good. Of course Murphy's law has reared its ugly head. Now that I have some time, it's just not feasible. So I'm still an outsider, but some day I'll probably jump in. I thought you guys might find the perspective of someone who's interested, but not hostile, interesting. Thanks for the advise and indulgence.
neo

Hello Neobop,
I post about Nirvana drivers because I like then, there is no other 15inches FR like these 15CF/15Alnico(by what I aware), Nirvana are honest drivers for a small price, the vendor do not hide info, do not hide T-S parameters and even show freq.chart and impedance chart, so these drivers are what they are for a low price.

By my tests with others FR drivers brands(Beyma/Eros), I think this hi dB level in treble can be treated passively with stuffing the box and the driver itself.
Mr.David are a honest guy with huge patience to adress the public, for this he in the business all this years, of course, I agree you the Alpair10/12 are best sound than Nirvana drivers, but they are low SPL drivers(no good for tube amps) and do not have the beautiful paper cone tone/timbre in music.

About the Nirvana Freq.Chart, I think they are in general good and even usual in classic paper cone FR as these.
Few FR brands have nerve to show it, even the expensive AER drivers from Germany hide the range under 200Hz in his freq.charts, worst than this are famous UK Lowther brand, that do not publishes anyone freq.chart(because they are awful, very low bass indeed, suited to horns only, even the impedance cone breakup are faulted).
Also Lowthers are very low power handling drivers, under 10Watts continous/music, I think, all this by a premium price.

I read afew time ago Lowthers are just midrange drivers with extended hi's, look this Lowther graphics below:
http://fullrangedriver.com/singledriver/response.html

> Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a cat or dog from the street. On the streets pets live only two years average.