Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Altec 3184

This is topic Altec 3184 in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Antonio Marcheselli (Member # 373) on 04-17-2001, 06:34 AM:

Hello,

Anyone has tech information about ALTEC 3184 subwoofer?
I didn't found enything on Internet.

Thanks!

Antonio

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-17-2001, 10:41 PM:

Hello my friend....

What information are you seeking on it?

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

Posted by Antonio Marcheselli (Member # 373) on 04-18-2001, 06:43 AM:

Hi Steve!

I'm searching about power, sensibility (!), frequency response!

Can you help me?

Bye
Antonio

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-18-2001, 04:52 PM:

Ok...

The Altec 3184 is merely an 18" driver, it does not in of itself denote a subwoofer.

The 3184 has an AES (the figure you want to use for subwoofer in movie theatre applications) rating of 300 watts. It's frequency response is 30-2000Hz (in the appropiate cabinet). It has a SENSITIVITY of 97dB/watt @ 1 meter (from 100Hz-1KHz)

Typically, the 3184 was housed in the 8184 subwoofer system. This box measures 91.4cm x 76.2cm x 28.8cm. It is a boxy sucker with a HUGE port hole.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

Posted by Antonio Marcheselli (Member # 373) on 04-18-2001, 06:13 PM:

Steve,

I didn't know that 3184 is the speaker number. Let's suppose that the subwoofer I saw is the 8184: power and sensibility of the subwoofer are the same than the speaker?

About port hole: I'm not sure but the subwoofer I've seen hasn't a port hole.

Thanks for the info.

Bye
A

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 04-18-2001, 09:43 PM:

Antonio....when you say sensibility, you mean sensitivity...that is, how sensitive is it.

Perhaps you are seeing the driver in a non-Altec cabinet. The only system I am aware of that Altec made with the 3184 was in the 8000 series of cabinets. You can't miss the port on it since it is at least 6 inces if memory serves. This wasn't their biggest or best subwoofer system...Altec made a driver called the 3182 that goes down to 20Hz.

On the ratings...Altec published the ratings on the driver based on it mounted in an appropiate cabinet, therefore, use the sensitivity and frequency response as a mounted driver.

If the driver is in a custom cabinet then you would have to measure the system (and or consult the manufacturer) to determine it's overall response. If it doesn't have any ports, my guess would be that it would be much less efficient.

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"

Posted by Antonio Marcheselli (Member # 373) on 04-19-2001, 06:22 AM:

Steve,

Yes sorry, I mean sensitivity!! I have italian-english dictionary with me always but sometimes I miss something!!

Ok, thanks!

Bye
A