zbigb
New Member
Posts: 22
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AE IB15
Jan 3, 2006 20:19:25 GMT -7
Post by zbigb on Jan 3, 2006 20:19:25 GMT -7
Hello All,
Can anyone tell me if the IB15 is still available? AE has an AE15 listed but the specs look different from the IB15. Is this a replacement for the IB or is the IB just made periodically?
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AE IB15
Jan 3, 2006 20:54:19 GMT -7
Post by ThomasW on Jan 3, 2006 20:54:19 GMT -7
They're out of stock until a new shipment of parts arrive.
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Post by chrisbee on Mar 9, 2006 1:04:30 GMT -7
Can you reassure me that if I could find a set of 4 AE IB15s for sale privately they would still be worth buying?
I keep thinking about the thread on the mismatch between specs and reality. Yet these drivers were once a popular TIB choice.
There is an absence of suitable drivers in Europe. The US drivers considerable weight with matching freight charges and even heavier European import taxes has turned my wannabe TIB into virtual vapourware!
Are the present owners of AE IB15s TIBs still happy with their performance?
Would a set of four AE IB15s easily flatten a big SVS cylinder on sound quality and performance?
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brady
Full Member
Posts: 238
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Post by brady on Mar 9, 2006 6:25:14 GMT -7
chrisbee, I swapped out my AEIB 15s with Avalanche 18's. I actually liked the sound of the AEIB better. I think it is an excellent driver for small-medium rooms. BTW I just sold the 15s to my wifes cousin. He's finishing a room downstairs for HT, I showed him this site now he's stoked
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Post by ThomasW on Mar 9, 2006 9:18:20 GMT -7
As with anything in life there are compromises in drivers. One usually sacrifices something when the price is low. Since most of the IB builders haven't chosen to focus on absolute best SQ over price, we tend to recommend bargain or 'best-buy' for the money drivers.
Were someone to request the highest SQ drivers available for their IB, people would see a completely different set of drivers being recommended
Regarding the suspicious AE IB15"s, some of the specs were out spec. In the end however things like operator failure on the part of the complaining tester were equally problematic....
The Vas is too high for them to be used in any realistically sized box. There certainly are US made drivers available that would humble the big SVS cylinders. None are cheap and they would weight 50lbs.
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AE IB15
Mar 9, 2006 10:11:23 GMT -7
Post by bri1270 on Mar 9, 2006 10:11:23 GMT -7
Just out of curiosity, what would be the best SQ drivers?
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AE IB15
Mar 9, 2006 10:40:04 GMT -7
Post by ThomasW on Mar 9, 2006 10:40:04 GMT -7
Jon's just ramping up his new Praxis testing rig The current low distortion champions we've actually tested, are the 12" TC-Sounds TC2+, and the new 12" Parts Express RSS315. (Hint: one trick is to find drivers with a low Le and lowish Qms.... ) Unfortunately using 12"s in an IB presents a new set of problems, since one needs bunches of them to get the Vd up. Now before anyone asks no we haven't tested any 15"/18"s. On paper none currently look all that great in absolute terms. PE will be introducing a 15" version of their new RS series drivers in the next few months. That has the potential to be a very interesting driver
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AE IB15
Mar 9, 2006 11:07:24 GMT -7
Post by frodaddy on Mar 9, 2006 11:07:24 GMT -7
They're out of stock until a new shipment of parts arrive. How long ago did they become unavailable?
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AE IB15
Mar 9, 2006 12:10:01 GMT -7
Post by chrisbee on Mar 9, 2006 12:10:01 GMT -7
Sorry Thomas.. I meant using the IB15s in a manifold TIB not in a conventional speaker box. I was just looking for reassurance really. I need to be confident in the TIB's ability to stomp on our big SVS to be able to sell the idea of change to my wife. We already get a remarkable performance from the SVS in our 30 feet long, attic listening room. The TIB would have to have something special to impress my audio-critical wife. She's had lots of practice at criticism! ;D
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AE IB15
Mar 9, 2006 14:36:46 GMT -7
Post by ThomasW on Mar 9, 2006 14:36:46 GMT -7
Chris this discussion has been going on for months and I though the final decision was that you needed downfiring drivers and the AE drivers can't do that.
So what's changed?
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AE IB15
Mar 9, 2006 15:31:51 GMT -7
Post by chrisbee on Mar 9, 2006 15:31:51 GMT -7
Thomas
Patience will be rewarded! ;D
I have been unable to find 4 affordable 15" IB-suitable drivers in Europe until now. Importing drivers from the US was seriously expensive given the combined weight plus packaging and 25% taxes on everything including freight.
I have scoured the internet and audio dealers for months within Europe to no avail. Lousy TS parameters regardless of price and hype.
But now I'm just waiting hopefully for confirmation of freight charges on a set of 4 x IB drivers. More details later.
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AE IB15
Mar 17, 2006 2:06:10 GMT -7
Post by chrisbee on Mar 17, 2006 2:06:10 GMT -7
brady
Sorry, I should have responded to your post earlier.
It might be useful information to find out what has changed in your IB and why.
May I ask how the sound quality altered in changing from AE IB15s to 18" Avalanches?
This wasn't due to the new drivers just needing some more exercise to "break them in"?
Did you alter the old 15" manifold to match the bigger drivers? Or did you build a new manifold?
Thanks
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brady
Full Member
Posts: 238
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AE IB15
Mar 17, 2006 7:12:13 GMT -7
Post by brady on Mar 17, 2006 7:12:13 GMT -7
chrisbee, when I first listened to the 18s they seemed to lack the punch I got with the AEIB 15. Well, it turned out one of the new drivers was bad I discovered it while running test tones, it was making a scratching sound, pushing on the driver you could hear and feel it. Chad at Ascendant Audio was very surprised as he could only remember two or three ever being returned for this problem, not counting some punk kids blasting test tones till the coil fried Chad is a GREAT guy to deal with, he sent out a new driver without even looking at mine, trusting that it wasn't abused As an aside he sent out a 15 instead of an 18 by mistake, but I bought it because I was looking to build the wife a sub for her b-day, serendipity! Back to your original question, by the time I got the new driver in and eq it was hard to remember exactly how the 15s sounded, so it was harder to compare. Also, for movies I didn't have the 15s in long enough to really compare, but as far as output, not even close, the 18 inch avalanche can move air ;D The manifold wasn't altered except cutting bigger holes and instead of routing a recess I simply cut 4 pieces of 1/2 inch osb and made holes the size of the recess I needed and glued em on. Did all this make sense? It didn't to me either
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AE IB15
Mar 17, 2006 12:26:40 GMT -7
Post by chrisbee on Mar 17, 2006 12:26:40 GMT -7
Quote: Did all this make sense? Completely, thanks.
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