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Cogent horns

Count me among those who have to say that the Cogent field-coil horn system is the single most realistic (and satisfying) speaker system I have heard. The system at RMAF 2006, powered by Welborne 45 (top) and 300B (bass) SETs, was *literally* jaw-dropping (for me).

(For whatever reason - I was not impressed to the same level the next year, in the very large conference room. Perhaps there is something about near(er) field listening these things. By all rights the Welborne room was *way* too small, but they sounded fabulous to me and many others.)

They are far beyond my price range.

How do the Classic Audio speakers with field coil drivers compare? And how come I see no mention at all of field coil options on Classic's site, including no pricing info? (I'm sure they're beyond me as well but just curious.)
paulfolbrecht

Showing 3 responses by weisselk

weisselk
48 posts
 
Hello Paul,

There are several reasons why your experience with the Cogent's differed from 2006 to 2007.

The system in 2006 was set up as a Cogent system by Cogent. The system in 2007 was owned and operated by Teres, and Chris Brady made his own crossover, which was completely different from the Cogent, and added a plasma tweeter, and pretty much completely changed the sound of the system. Another thing that is important to understand- when you heard the system in 2006 it had adequate power, being in a small room. In 2007 an impressive looking amp built by Chris Brady nonetheless produced only 3 watts output and the system was not multiamped. If you want to produce adequate SPL without going into distortion in a 2000 square foot ballrom, 3 watts is not going to cut it.

If you want to hear the kind of sound you heard in the room at RMAF in 2006, OMA is producing a four way system using the Cogent driver, as well as a version of the AC1 with a Cogent driver.

As far as DIY- you heard the Cogent system in 2007. I don't think I need add anything.

Jonathan
weisselk
48 posts
 
Well, Paul, you never know what is out of your reach until you ask....

There is a big thing (tempest in a tea cup) right now with people from LA to Germany and Japan taking Altec and JBL large and medium format vintage compression drivers and hot rodding them as field coils.

Several things are cogent (pun intended) to this driver transformation- the actual structure of the permanent magnet driver and whether it can properly be converted to a field coil motor given its pole piece and the room within the casework for an adequate FC motor. The other issue is the diaphragm design and compliance, phase plug, and how that sounds unto itself. In other words, if you never liked an Altec 288, no matter what diaphragm it had, do you really think you will like the field coil version?

These are issues I do not usually see addressed.

Jonathan
weisselk
48 posts
 
There is a discussion on the sound of conical horns vs. LeCleach, which is a kind of extreme version of the tractrix, so you might find it of interest, at the OMA Forum under General Speakers.
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