Fostex 207E tricks

[DimZ]

I ordered the 207's, thinking of the half chang or Bob Brine's LT2000 to be their home...

Most probably I'll put Dave's phase plugs.... what else can I do to improve their sound ?

Should those tricks take place right out of the box or after break in ?

[Scottmoose]

I'd do whatever you want to with them straight off & then it's done & one less thing to worry about.

Plugs = big upgrade generally. Varies between the drivers; actually the FExx6E series benefit more from them, but the FExx7E series also show what I consider to be a substantial improvement. Get the basket & motor damped as well with duct-seal, blu-tak or similar (just make sure you don't impede the airflow). Some people find that grounding (it's not really grounding, more polarising, but you get the idea) the frame to the negative terminal worth doing, at the price of a couple of db sensitivity & a slight alteration in the driver's electrical behaviour as a result.

WRT cone mods, I can't really speak for the 207 as most of my experience with it is with unmodified units a few years back. EnABL is the current flavour / fashion (funnily enough, a mate of mine has just discovered his newly aquired Leak Sandwich speakers have a similar pattern embossed into their (original 1960s) cones, so as per usual, 'what once was old, is again new' ), and there are other things you can do too -for e.g. find the break-up areas & selectively damp.

[DimZ]

ok for the phase plugs and the basket & motor damping

didnt fully understand the WRT (?) cone mods

the groundig you refer is like this (http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Solo206.html) ???

[Scottmoose]

That's one way, yes. Not something I like myself, but YMMV.

WRT = with regard to

[planet10]

I'd get at least 100 hours on them on the test bench before anything at all. This weeds out any driver that has a premature failure -- once you start modding any warranty goes out the window.

Phase plugs are a given. People talk about them transforming the whizzer cone drivers.

The shaping of the rear exit when you are basket damping is just as important as the damping itself. The fanatic will use something like Silent Running SR500 to also stiffen the magnet-basket join (as well as shape & damp). SR500 can also be used to stiffen the hollow on the back of the bezel.Ref: Extreme Basket Tricks

Grounding the basket is, i believe, closely related to adding a grounside electron pool. Make sure you have an amp with a ground (ie not a BTL amp). If grounding the basket you are best to run a separate lead to the amp.

As to cone treatment, there are 2 steps. pre-treat (worth doing all by itself) and then EnABL

Pretty much everything is covered in this thread: Coating+phase plugs to FE167. FE207 is actually easier, because it is bigger and it is easier to get at the cramped bits (ie rings under the whizzer).

dave

[planet10]

During the pretreat phase it is also possible to change the colour of the cone.

Scott's (now Dave the Bass) early guniea pigs:



And attached are the black 207s i did for Marc England;s Curvy Changs.

dave

[DimZ]

Originally posted by planet10
I'd get at least 100 hours on them on the test bench before anything at all. This weeds out any driver that has a premature failure -- once you start modding any warranty goes out the window.
.....
dave

you got a point (serious one) ...., thanks

and I'll read the threads that you posted

[DimZ]

I order some mod podge, whats the procedure ??

thin it with water and maybe some ink and then ??

do the whole cone and the whizzer ?? 2 hands is ok?

can I use it on my 126E's too??

[DimZ]

I also ordered Dave's phase plugs ...

[strider75]

WRT to the puzzlecoat pre treatment on an FR driver, is the back of the cone done? Should be 2 coats on the front of the cone, including the whizzer (or dust cap on the FE127e), correct?