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Exciting new line of fullrange drivers from Feastrex

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kmaier said:
I would be more inclined to say that Feastrex, as a company, probably owes you a debt of gratitude and more . . . [snip] . . . I think you've earned a pair of drivers . . .

I'm not sure my wife would want a pair of Feastrex drivers in the house even if they were given to me . . . she's got a thing about my love for audio that goes back to before we got married. My first big mistake was owning a huge DIY horn speaker system that had a WAF of less than zero . . . she begged me to get rid of those speakers and ever since she has had a real allergy to all things audiophile. My life might have been much different if I had gotten to know Feastrex first, but of course Feastrex didn't even exist back in the early 1980s.

But Mr. Teramoto has done some amazing things for me . . . he and one of his parts suppliers were instrumental in helping me do a DIY repair of a cracked cast iron plate in one of our pianos, which made a huge difference in our quality of life, and he also helped me install a new floor in one room so we could put the piano in there, and even donated the beautiful maple flooring that was sitting around his place gathering dust. Both of those things took a lot of time and effort on his part, and they really raised my wife's estimation of Mr. Teramoto, but I still have a zillion things to take care of around this house before she will put her seal of approval on getting an audiophile sound system back in this house. I'm actually making headway, but it's going to be a long way down the road, I suspect.

If it sounds like I'm complaining about my wife, I'm not. Objectively speaking I have to admit she's right. In the meantime I have to settle for enjoying Feastrex vicariously . . . and I realize that I have just revealed a major psychological motivation for my enthusiastic support of Feastrex online . . . I'm a virtual audiophile.

-- Chris
 
Ah Chris, Confusious says: ''Man who permanently closes window,has no fresh air"!! :clown:

Ok my two cents for Mr.T

I wish there was a way?, and I think it would bring much more business to Feastrex, if somehow the D5NF driver could be brought down in price to a more middle ground to compare with Lowther.

Looking at the Lowther USA pricing the most expensive unit is the PM4 A series at $2995 per pair, and the cheapest unit is the PM6 C series at $ 695 per pair. One of the most popular Lowther units out there in DIY land is the PM6A series at $1295 per pair..

When you look at the price of Feastrex's cheapest driver, it is still as expensive as Lowther's most expensive drivers, and also surpasses AER territory by a few hundred dollars.. Most DIY'ers will never be able to purchase Lowther's most expensive unit, or be able to purchase AER's cheapest unit ..

I think if Feastrex could bring the D5NF in line with the more popular Lowther's like the PM6A series, then more sales would take place and more people would be able to talk about them like what goes on with the Lowther drivers.. If Lowther only had that most expensive unit at $2995 as their entry model, then I believe you'd hardly hear anything about them in the DIY market place etc..

I think Feastrex needs to compete more with Lowther to really be able to shine in the market place and possibly even take it over in time if the drivers are really that good?

I look at it this way, if I have $3000 to spend on drivers ,which the vast majority of DIY'ers don't, whats to stop me from buying the most expensive Lowther or the AER instead of the new Feastrex brand, that hardly anyone has really heard?.. The Feastrex drivers need to be able to get to the masses to really get their rep up, think Henry Ford, and even at the PM6A price many DIY'ers will still be left out, but at least they would still be "obtainable" if they really are that good?

Anyhow that's about it:D

Dave:)
 
Hmm, a Feastrex 'Bugatti Royale' for the masses? This poses a major problem, one of manufacturing output capability due to limited resources, especially of the human craftsman variety, so probably not a viable marketing strategy.

Let's assume that there's no shortage of skilled labor and the $$$ to fund them though. What makes a Feastrex seem to outperform other premium (or not so premium) 'FR' drivers? Probably just the diaphragm for the entry level drivers, so how much cost can be squeezed out of the frame/motor and still control the diaphragm? I'm guessing not enough and switching to a more common diaphragm material forces a costly, complete re-design that could take months or even years to get 'close enough' to the Feastrex 'sound', so the DIYer is probably better off tweaking a Lowther/whatever than waiting around for a comparably priced Feastrex that may have no audible superiority.

As always though, YMMV.

GM
 
soongsc said:

We've memorized lots of Confusious sayings, but I don't recall this one.

:clown:


I made it up all by myself :cheerful:


GM, your probably right, I wish you weren't, but it makes sense!... The cones should always be the same though at least, not a new comparable or anything, those cones are their niche..

I was just thinking that if it could work, things could really get going for Feastrex . I'd like to see the D5nf at around $1200 per pair, and a 8'' version called of course, the D8nf:D at $1400 per pair. But then again I'm not a wealthy dude in any way, shape or form and I think most DIY'ers are in the same boat.. Anyhow probably my own fault as I usually never ''window shop'' for items that I could never afford, so I guess I should have never looked in this thread in the first place:smash:

Perhaps with the D5nf the surround could be changed to a more conventional one without harming the sound too much? Instead of leather, just use the same as the Lowther and AER surrounds, cheap and easy.. Then that new driver could be coined the D5nfEL for ''Entry Level''.. Maybe if some small things like that could be done then that driver's cost could come down??

Dave:)
 
Well, ignoring the diaphragm, I imagine the cost of the rest could be brought down considerably, just not enough to offset the diaphragm's total cost. I mean if he could work a deal buying say 500 pairs of CSS basket/motor assemblies at the 'right' price, how much labor would it take to make 1000 diaphragms to Feastrex's QA level? This much capital outlay on a gamble it can sell them at an acceptable profit in a short period of time, especially in a world market that will probably take up to a dozen years to fully rebound, seems to redefine the phrase 'risky business'.

I'm hardly a marketing guru though, so could be full of $#^!, but for sure, if I were in the market for a good bang/buck 'FR' driver and could only buy based on published data, I'd spend ~$788 on a pair of F200As over comparable Lowthers or our hypothetical 'cost cutter' Feastrexs. Of course it might be different if I could compare such a trio in my home though.

GM
 
My first big mistake was owning a huge DIY horn speaker system that had a WAF of less than zero . . . she begged me to get rid of those speakers and ever since she has had a real allergy to all things audiophile.

that is perhaps the most saddenning thing I have read in a post.

before you were married, you loved audio. You also love your wife. But, she doesn't approve of your love of audio. and because of that, you relegate your love of audio to a mistake? (and yet, still love audio, even though you claim it as a mistake)

you are a conflicted man, Chris. Stick up for what you love with just as much passion as you would stick up for your wife, because truly, a compromise doesnt mean leaving it behind or dismissing it. If you truly love audiophile, show it.

obviously I'm not saying go get a huge horn system right now :D


-Jared
 
[o redefine the phrase 'risky business'.
I'm hardly a marketing guru though, so could be full of $#^!, but for sure, if I were in the market for a good bang/buck 'FR' driver and could only buy based on published data, I'd spend ~$788 on a pair of F200As over comparable Lowthers or our hypothetical 'cost cutter' Feastrexs. Of course it might be different if I could compare such a trio in my home though.GM [/B]


I think for many though including myself, the "deal breaker" for all those drivers is the low sens. F120A -89db F200A- 90db FE138 ES-R 91.5db

Anyhow I'm not a marketing person or business genius either, just would be cool to have more product in the hands of us ordinary music luvin folk ,and I'd like to see a small passionate company like Feastrex do well and live on even if I never could get a pair... Dave:)
 
defect9 said:

that is perhaps the most saddenning thing I have read in a post.

before you were married, you loved audio. You also love your wife. But, she doesn't approve of your love of audio. and because of that, you relegate your love of audio to a mistake? (and yet, still love audio, even though you claim it as a mistake)

you are a conflicted man, Chris. Stick up for what you love with just as much passion as you would stick up for your wife, because truly, a compromise doesnt mean leaving it behind or dismissing it. If you truly love audiophile, show it.

obviously I'm not saying go get a huge horn system right now :D

My wife does not have anything against my liking hi-fi audio equipment per se . . . it is just that she has the kind of realism that can only be held by a mother of seven children living in a tiny house in an expensive city like Tokyo, and she wants me to keep my priorities straight: the children's educational needs come first, and if there is sufficient time, space, and money remaining after their educational needs are taken care of then I can feel free to enjoy audio with a clear conscience, but not before. Tuition for two college-age kids (with five more coming up later), plus the need to budget for several expensive string instruments, means that realistically speaking I can look forward to enjoying audio only after a few kids have left home. There is an appropriate time for everything, and now is the appropriate time for me to be patient . . .

-- Chris
 
My first big mistake was owning a huge DIY horn speaker system that had a WAF of less than zero

A pity. My wife loves my (corner) horns. :D
Forza!

I think the two main reasons that forbid me buying Feastrex (apart cost, probably) are inability to predict response on a (front and rear) horn loaded enclosure and the decision to make that horn (at least front horn and front baffle/chamber) from transparent acrylic :D because there is no way I could allow myself to hide such beautiful drivers from public aesthetic admiration!
That would be a sin...

Cheers,
M
 
Chris,
There's gotta be some kind of award for living and coping with so much estrogen, and I can't even imagine the never ending mood swings with all those ladies about!! At least the "Brady Bunch" and "The Waltons" had an even mix of boy's and girl's lol.. I hope you at least have a good set of headphones to retreat too?, even if the only peace you can find is on the throne!!
Dave:)
 
All joking aside I must say I have deep respect that your holding it all together as a father with a clan like that, you should be very proud!!..

Me and my daughter had a really good relationship when she was younger, like peas and carrots.. Then at about the age of 12.6 years old things really started to change, now she's going to be 16 on Oct28 and I swear it's like Aliens have implanted a chip in her or something:gnasher: Anyhow I don't think I could go through it x7 plus the wife also, no way:bawling:

Dave:)
 
DaveCan said:



I made it up all by myself :cheerful:


GM, your probably right, I wish you weren't, but it makes sense!... The cones should always be the same though at least, not a new comparable or anything, those cones are their niche..

I was just thinking that if it could work, things could really get going for Feastrex . I'd like to see the D5nf at around $1200 per pair, and a 8'' version called of course, the D8nf:D at $1400 per pair. But then again I'm not a wealthy dude in any way, shape or form and I think most DIY'ers are in the same boat.. Anyhow probably my own fault as I usually never ''window shop'' for items that I could never afford, so I guess I should have never looked in this thread in the first place:smash:

Perhaps with the D5nf the surround could be changed to a more conventional one without harming the sound too much? Instead of leather, just use the same as the Lowther and AER surrounds, cheap and easy.. Then that new driver could be coined the D5nfEL for ''Entry Level''.. Maybe if some small things like that could be done then that driver's cost could come down??

Dave:)
I knew Confusious couldn't have come up with something so easily translated.:D

I think the leather surround is one important factor in sound quality. It has good characteristics if the displacement is small (probably +/-1~2mm depending on size.
 
DaveCan said:
Then at about the age of 12.6 years old things really started to change, now she's going to be 16 on Oct28 and I swear it's like Aliens have implanted a chip in her or something:gnasher: Anyhow I don't think I could go through it x7 plus the wife also, no way:bawling:

Dave:)

Well, at our house, I'm the one the Aliens have implanted the chip in. My wife and daughters are like eight peas in a pod. When I need male companionship I take the dog out for a walk and we go pee on a few fire hydrants. At least Fido understands me . . .

Seriously, recently space has become a major sticking point. These kids keep getting bigger, and recently I have been hearing rumors around the house that we might need a harpsichord. :bigeyes: Even without something like that, the smallest of the standard Feastrex enclosures would still occupy floor space that I'd need to negotiate for. Last night I had a dream that my kids had all moved out and gotten married and I had all this space to myself, and just as I was getting ready to lower the needle on the record player, the door burst open and in poured a vast horde . . . of grandchildren. I awoke in a cold sweat . . .

-- Chris
 
defect9 said:
instead of a harpsichord, could you just get one of those nice music programs and a midi controller, and a harpsichord velocity layered virtual instrument? or would that not work so well?

-J

I would be lynched if I did that . . . there are actually situations where professionals will use such a solution, but for students who are learning, their teachers insist that they avoid such things like the plague. My older kids in conservatory can practice at school, and space is tight around here, so the demand is not so great at the moment, but if one of my younger kids gets grabbed by the idea of becoming a harpsichordist, you can be sure that an equivalent volume of "Dad's junk" will end up going out the door. "I must decrease in order that they may increase."

I have a few ideas up my sleeve for justifying the creation of a compact Feastrex-based stereo system here at home, but I need to bide my time and play my cards carefully. After 20+ years, my wife has me all too well figured out . . . :D

-- Chris
 
Chris,

I don't envy you with 7 daughters... I have 2 plus a son, all in their 20's now... one graduated college 2+ years ago, a second graduating in December and the 3rd sometime next year, so in many ways it's more my time now (okay, divorce helped). Either way, you will have earned your audio floor space once some of them leave the nest. Do keep the information flowing on the Feastrex arena, whether intended or not, you have become the de-facto voice of Feastrex on the forum.

Regards, KM
 
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