which fostex for $250?

[mrybczyn]

So I've made some Tang Band Needles, and Dayton BiB's. Now I'd like to step it up a notch in full-range nirvana.

I gave myself a roughly $300 budget for speakers, which puts me in range of most of the Fostex line.

My woodworking skills don't extend much beyond a BiB.

I'm bewildered by the choices, any suggestions? 168EZ? 207E? 168E? 108EZ? 126E? In BiB? Fonken? Chang? Sachiko?

Whats the most fostexy fostex?

Cheers,
Mitch?

[planet10]

Originally posted by mrybczyn
Fonken?

Really deserves FE127eN

dave

[chops]

Originally posted by planet10


Really deserves FE127eN

dave

Ditto!

I can at least strongly vouch for the FE126eN's.

[rkevans]

Originally posted by mrybczyn

I'm bewildered by the choices, any suggestions? 168EZ? 207E? 168E? 108EZ? 126E? In BiB? Fonken? Chang? Sachiko?

Since you seem to have a collection of smallish (3 to 4" driver) designs already...

You just have to try the 206E + Sachiko combination next. Big. Really Big.

I have a pair of Half-Changs nearing completion (they're making music, need stained), but I REALLY want to build a pair of Sachiko.

Rick

[chops]

Originally posted by rkevans


Since you seem to have a collection of smallish (3 to 4" driver) designs already...

You just have to try the 206E + Sachiko combination next. Big. Really Big.

I have a pair of Half-Changs nearing completion (they're making music, need stained), but I REALLY want to build a pair of Sachiko.

Rick

Hey Rick, I notice you're in Orlando. That's hitting pretty darn close to home here!

[planet10]

Originally posted by rkevans
You just have to try the 206E + Sachiko combination next. Big. Really Big.

That's what Charles was going to do, but decided that if he put Sachikos in his room, he'd have to sit in the room across the hall to get far enuff out -- the intervening walls made that impractical

dave

[chrisb]

Originally posted by mrybczyn
So I've made some Tang Band Needles, and Dayton BiB's. Now I'd like to step it up a notch in full-range nirvana.

I gave myself a roughly $300 budget for speakers, which puts me in range of most of the Fostex line.

My woodworking skills don't extend much beyond a BiB.

I'm bewildered by the choices, any suggestions? 168EZ? 207E? 168E? 108EZ? 126E? In BiB? Fonken? Chang? Sachiko?

Whats the most fostexy fostex?

Cheers,
Mitch?

Having access to at least 8 quite different systems/rooms with a range of "Fostexy" systems, my first reaction would be that depends :
primarily on the room, then on the degree of your devotion to character of existing source and amplification components (which could change flavor with any of the Fostex drivers), and then your expectations & listening tastes/habits.

in other words, there is no singular right answer.

If your budget includes the cost of materials, and you estimate your personal woodworking skills would be taxed with some of the more elaborate enclosures, then the bewildering list could be streamlined quickly. To do justice to them, many of the drivers you listed would like to see enclosures more elaborate than a simple BIB or even BR (i.e. back-loaded horns or scoop-mouthed BVRs such as the Changs), and it would be hard to recommend the Fonken(Prime), Sachiko etc designs to someone unsure of their skillset.

The BIB is likely the easiest of all the builds; there are only 6 pieces per box, all them are simple square cuts. I have only heard one pair - with all due respect to the builder, they simply weren't my cuppa tea. Another fairly simple build that I did quite like (even though it was a different brand of driver) was the Metronome, but it would require a bit more joinery skill.

For a quick taste test, I'd suggest either the FE127E or FE167, which are much more flexible in terms of the range of enclosure designs in which they'll work well - i.e. starting with something as simple as the BIB or even a basic BR . My favorite enclosures for those are rather more complicated (i.e. the Fonkens) , but you might want to take a look at the Mileva for the FE127E. I have built two pairs of them, shipped several flat pack kits, and am still living with a pair in my TV system .

[Godzilla]

>>> Whats the most fostexy fostex

Lots of great choices for you. With respect to the other recommendations i agree with Rick about moving up in size to one of the larger Fostex drivers because that will give you an entirely different sound and scale compared to the smaller (but also very good) drivers you currently have. The larger drivers move more air and simply sound bigger and more relaxed. That said, i would recommend boxes that work well with either the Fostex 165k (which i love in a BIB), 168S (in BIB/Back horn), 206e (in a BIB), 207e (BIB/Back horn or bass reflex) or 225k (BIB). These are all pretty big speakers but most tuck nicely out of the way in corners.

IMO, once you hear a good sounding BIB or back horn it's difficult to go back to smaller sized speakers. The coherent midrange (no crossover), dynamics of sound, scale of sound, ease of presentation, all spoil the listener. I have a nice pair of 127e (not enabled) speakers but the larger Fostex drivers just sound more enjoyable and lifelike.

Enjoy the building process for whichever cabinet you choose! Take it slow and fuss over the details. Also, if you decide to build another BIB double up the front and back of the cabinet (making it 8 pieces, not 6) to reduce audible vibration.

Let us know what you decide to do.

Godzilla

[chrisb]

Jeff, thanks for reminding us about the 165K - TC was a big fan of this overlooked model. I was briefly listening to a pair of these last night in a buddy's Abbys.

He's recently moved to a small townhouse and divested much of his bigger system, including the FE206ESR in the biga$$ BLH / T90. For his current room and listening habits, it's hard to find fault with the FE126E in Hornshoppe Horns & Vaughn Audio Carina.

At a seated distance of less than 8 feet, the tilted front baffle of Abbys launch well over my vertically challenged listening orifices. They certainly fill the full space, but Frank finds that with ceiling bounce, the best imaging is heard at the dining table in an open area at least 10 feet behind the couch.

context

[rkevans]

Originally posted by chops


Hey Rick, I notice you're in Orlando. That's hitting pretty darn close to home here!

You're right. I think we need to arrange some sort of a show-and-tell meeting this spring for the locals.

Rick