Nagaoka designs / Drivers/ Help

[Monte Verdi]

I am a novice here with my first post. I have been involved with audio for a number of years and have a moderate system.

Anyhow, I am looking for recommendations on Nagaoka-Style Horn drivers etc. I am going to have a friend build cabinets for me and I will finish. I have done much research reading here and else where as well as listening and have found single point drivers to sound simply amazing. I have heard Lowther and Feastrex but not Fostex, Audio Nirvana, Hemp, Loth X and many others. Any of these drivers are probable, so I need a little guidance here in terms of cabinet anomaly's.

Choosing, Olson-Nagaoka designs because of aesthetic reasons (perhaps naive )and because at RMAF 2008 the speakers I liked for the most part had a similar cabinet design with single drivers. Such as Maxxhorn and Feastrex.
Sound wise, I would like a rich, warm textured midrange with as much extension in both directions, within reason of course with single drivers.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
Ramon

[Scottmoose]

AFAIK, Maxxhorns do not use the expansion you are refering to (i.e. an expanding cascade of straight manifolds approximating a given flare).

You're not giving us anything to work with; no budget, no room & system information, no size limitations etc. Remember too that a cabinet is designed for a specific driver (and preferably, the room, rest of the system and material is also taken into account at the design stage).

FWIW -Loth-X are defunct and have been for some time. The hemp drivers are not especially great for the kind of BLHs popular for FR drivers. Feastrex may be superb units (I haven't heard a pair, nor am I ever likely to have the opportunity) but are suicidally expensive, nor do their specs particularly favour such enclosures. Lowther & AER are more affordable but still expensive, and while excellent in many areas, their basic FR doesn't make a pretty site (although a horn should help bring the mids down into line). The Fostex units (FExx6E and FExx8ESigmas) are designed for this purpose & the AN drivers up to 8in are also suitable.

[rjbond3rd]

Hi Ramon,

Although I'm something of a newb, I have heard some of almost everything you list, and my faves ended up being one particular Fostex driver (FE166ES-R's) in a funky backloaded horn driven by a little Bottlehead amp. I live in Santa Fe so pop over if you want to hear 'em (click on my username to send email.)

In the meantime, flesh out your requirements because Scott will literally save you years of trial and error. Also, pop over to http://www.frugel-horn.com to check out the designs there. There are some Nagaoka-influenced enclosures but also many more.

[Monte Verdi]

Scottmoose, hopefully this will better serve your assessment.


1. Total budget for cabinet and drivers $700-$1,000.

2.. Room Size is carpeted rectangle 14x23 ft. This is a living room open into dining room. Room is filled with furniture and LP's. Magnepan 1.6 are currently 4 ft from back wall and 3ft from side wall. firing down towards living room and dining area.

3. System is,
75 watt Blue Circle BC2 Single ended class A monoblocks
Audible Illusions M3A preamp
Two NHT sub 2 cabinets with external crossover and 2, 8 inch drivers in each cabinet.

Thanks, Ramon

[Monte Verdi]

Thanks, rjbond3rd yes I know Flugelhorn, Spawn Family, Planet 10 and the others, great sites. I'm considering the Fostex FE103E 4" Full Range or the FR206E I'm sure there is likely a bevy of info on the web so I will research more, although any info helps.

rjbond3rd we have started the Santa Fe Audio Society and will have our first get together in November in town so contact me via email and I shall give you info.

Thanks, Ramon

[chrisb]

Originally posted by Monte Verdi
Thanks, rjbond3rd yes I know Flugelhorn, Spawn Family, Planet 10 and the others, great sites. I'm considering the Fostex FE103E 4" Full Range or the FR206E I'm sure there is likely a bevy of info on the web so I will research more, although any info helps.

rjbond3rd we have started the Santa Fe Audio Society and will have our first get together in November in town so contact me via email and I shall give you info.

Thanks, Ramon

Unless you're planning on changing amps, or eliminating the subs, power and bottom end is not an issue.

The very short list of drivers named above have quite different performance characteristics; as well, the range of proven enclosure designs vary substantially in terms of physical dimensions.

In a room of the given dimensions, and with the existing power and bass capabilities, you might well be satisfied with the performance of some of the intervening models in the Fostex line, specifically the FE126 / 7E, or the FE166 /7E. The latter model #"s of these series generally have more modest enclosure requirements.

As you're currently living with the sound of a larger panel / dipole system, you might also want to consider some of the interesting OB projects, particularly those very well documented by MJK.

[Scottmoose]

As Chris suggests, given that you've got the twin subs, and now having a rough idea of the room, I'd look at the 126 based boses -something like Saburo on the FH site will likely do what you want / are hoping for.

[Monte Verdi]

Thanks, Chrisb and scottmoose.
Funny you should mention the Saburo because that's what I was considering with the FE 126/ or 127E. Would the FE127E be a good mate with this cabinet, any advantages or disadvantages with this driver and the Saburo over the FE126E?

I mostly listen to LP classical and jazz. Medieval to present including heavy symphonic, avant garde, and rock. so I'm really trying to cover a lot of bases. Bleeding spl's don't interest me as much as quality in timbre, sound stage width, height, depth and stability. I could go on but I will spare you the indulgence.

Thanks, Ramon

[Scottmoose]

No, the 127 will not work. I designed it for the 126.

[chrisb]

Originally posted by Scottmoose
No, the 127 will not work. I designed it for the 126.

OTOH, 127 works very well in Brynn, and is a much simpler build. Since you already have 2 powered subs, if you relieve the heavy lifting by high passing the mains over between 100-120, their overall power handling and more importantly, dynamics and midrange clarity will improve dramatically.

Personally, I find the 127 smoother and more finely textured, although not so crisply dynamic or forward, i.e. "in your face" as the 126 can be, but, as always, YMMV.