Allison Nine and CD-9 funny story

[Chaz]

A friend moved a few years ago and gifted me his old Allison's. I brought them home and they've been in a spare bedroom ever since.  I finally got them downstairs and set them up next to my Boston Acoustic A100's, which I got new about 35 years ago or so. I quickly found out both woofers needed new foams, as usual. No problem, I've done them before, so eBay sent me a new pair, and I got them up and running, but one of mid-ranges had broken wiring to the coil. Played around with it, but they weren't repairable.  Took a while, but eBay also came thru on a new mid-range. Started hooking everything up, and discovered I have one CD-9 and one Nine.  I asked the guy I got them from and he says he got them new and never had them in the shop. He never knew he had 2 different speakers!  I can only imagine he bought them, and the guy at the store said "Hey Jimmy - go in the back and get me 2 Allison Nines".  So Jimmy grabs the first 2 boxes he sees and my buddy goes home none-the-wiser.  After a while it dawned on me.... this means there has to be another dude out there with the other mis-matched pair!  In case you are wondering, they sound identical to me since I didn't bi-amp the one. The only difference I can hear is that the Nines sound a few DB's louder than the CD9, so I have to set the balance knob a little to one side.  

[newandold]

I have both specs. here.

Long time since I looked, and curious about the output difference.

Are the EBay woofers OEM and matched? If not could easily account for the discrepancy.

 

Bill

[newandold]

According to the Spec. sheet data, the newer (CD9) has slightly higher 90 db. SPL  over the older version, that's rated at 87.

So, the CD 9 SHOULD  be the louder of the two. 

Yours is a somewhat negligible difference and even loudspeaker placement could have the other appear to play louder.

 

Bill

[Chaz]

The woofers were not changed - just the foam surrounds. It's a pretty symmetrical room and I positioned myself smack in the middle, and listened to a bunch of different songs, and it is certainly louder. It could also be my 35 year old Marantz P700 that has differing output channels, but I don't notice it using my other speakers.  I used the attenuating levers on the back to try to balance them out, but still needed to swing the balance off-centre a bit.  These speakers sound fantastic and now make my trusty Boston Acoustics sound a bit muddy in comparison, so balancing them out was well worth it. 

[newandold]

4 hours ago, Chaz said:

The woofers were not changed - just the foam surrounds. It's a pretty symmetrical room and I positioned myself smack in the middle, and listened to a bunch of different songs, and it is certainly louder. It could also be my 35 year old Marantz P700 that has differing output channels, but I don't notice it using my other speakers.  I used the attenuating levers on the back to try to balance them out, but still needed to swing the balance off-centre a bit.  These speakers sound fantastic and now make my trusty Boston Acoustics sound a bit muddy in comparison, so balancing them out was well worth it. 

Using the balance control is a small compromise indeed!

The drivers in the two versions are identical, and that’s really all that matters.

Over the years, many changes occurred in the build of the Allison Midrange and Tweeter....most of those to protect the drivers from getting mashed in, but the raw performance remained the same.

 I use 3 pairs of Allisons in my Music/Movie system, and all the drivers, (except the woofers) have the factory protective screens.

 

Bill