So many questions today
Here's some opinions:
I like both the 1808 and 1772, but the 1808 is a little closer to what I go
for, a little more excursion and Qts. This is very application dependent,
but if you're mating it with a woofer in an OB at 160 Hz like I usually do,
it doesn't matter much and the efficiency difference is not that much.
I like the Fostex drivers in general, but I've always felt like the 206E needs
a decent tweeter and a woofer, which makes it a decent midrange. Not
my favorite. The FE166E is better IMHO, if you are using a woofer also.
The FE208E-Sigma is a really nice unit, and also appreciates a tweeter. It
makes a very fine midrange, but I suggest you look at the FE168E- Sigma
if that is your use - equally good at the low end of the midrange and better
dispersion at higher frequencies. I really like this one, and you can use
it without a tweeter.
Feastrex? D9nf is what I paid money for, and I like it very much. The
others are very good also, but I considered the D9nf the best buy for me.
Lowthers? The PM6A is my go-to recommendation, although I like the
PM5A a bit more. If you are getting either, the Ticonal magnet and silver
16 ohm voice coils are worth the extra money, and are much less than
the price of the Feastrex.
Feastrex vs Lowthers? It's a horse race. I have a good relationship with
Jon Ver Halen at Lowther America, and also with Joe Cohen (Lotus Group)
who has distributed Feastrex, but in both cases the basis of the friendship
has been the quality of the drivers.
I have not had reliability issues with any of these products.
Thanks a lot Nelson for taking the time to reply to SOOO many questions and sharing your experience.
Some people say an 8 incher midrange is the best for authentic reproduction of deep male vocals...even if the simulated low end extension may be similar for smaller mid ranges....moreso for an OB where apparently beaming into the high-mid-range-low-treble is less offensive as the reflected back wave fills in and surrounds the front radiation ( per SL on the Orion site). That is why I started with the Fostex 208 E sigma and not the 168E sigma. But now I definitely have to try the 168 E Sigma too Wonder if it can make the ribbon redundant
Some people say an 8 incher midrange is the best for authentic reproduction of deep male vocals...even if the simulated low end extension may be similar for smaller mid ranges....moreso for an OB where apparently beaming into the high-mid-range-low-treble is less offensive as the reflected back wave fills in and surrounds the front radiation ( per SL on the Orion site). That is why I started with the Fostex 208 E sigma and not the 168E sigma. But now I definitely have to try the 168 E Sigma too Wonder if it can make the ribbon redundant
Back in the days I always wanted a fullrange speaker and listened to many of them but neither Frostex or noLow-there impressed me. Speed, attack, transient response yes - linearity, bass, highs no. I changed to full fullrange use only after Tangband and Markaudio emerged. In small to midsize rooms the TB W4-655 blows away every Frostex or no-Low-there hands down. Even classic music sounds good with these small diamonds.
I respect other peoples tastes but to understand...that's though...
If someone is happy with these problematic FR units (Fostex & Lowther) please feel free to enjoy your listening...yuck...sorry....
I respect other peoples tastes but to understand...that's though...
If someone is happy with these problematic FR units (Fostex & Lowther) please feel free to enjoy your listening...yuck...sorry....
fair and balanced post
you've heard every Fostex and Lowther in their appropriate enclosures? - no small feat that
I have been listening a lot lately to my iPhone using the standard Apple headphones. Over the weekend I listened to my big rig and it sounded a little dull. After a few minutes everything sounded wonderful... going back to the earbuds was not easy but now it's mid-week and they sound great again.
My question is if any of these very expensive drivers is actually doing something to make the music sound better?
My question is if any of these very expensive drivers is actually doing something to make the music sound better?
a couple of factors at play methinks, not the least of which is a corollary of the placebo affect - I'd call it expenditure justification phenomena ( a subset of machismo - "see, my wallet* is bigger than yours" ) used to see that a lot in the retail trade
* as Geoff Peterson would say " yup, that's code alright"
I can't see any justification for the Lowther prices. In comparison TB's W8 series is cheap. If you want to count the enclosure in...things get really worse for Lowther.
PM6A:
W8-1808:
Alpair 12:
PM6A:
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W8-1808:
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Alpair 12:
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My W8-1772 impression:
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Herb is a cool guy. Told me lots about SET amp / speaker compatibility and so fourth when i'd see him at the Philadelphia Audio Society year end extravaganzas years ago. I always liked reading his musings in Sound Practices too. Good to see him getting some love around here@Nelson Pass:
BTW, I just read that Herb Reichert is a friend of yours. I love this guy. He is bloody right about SE amps and silver cables "...don't buy clothes, go naked - don't buy food but do buy silver..."
So I built my first speakers using these drivers. My plywood enclosures are 50cm tall, 31cm wide and 37,5cm deep with internal volume without bracing and driver volume about 39 liter. They are dual ported - 48mm wide and 75mm deep tubes tuned to 45hz. They are heavy damped with loose cotton wool about 2/3 of volume.
First impressions - they are too bright and need some corrections. Could you please suggest how to equalize them with PC based parametric equalizer? I don't want any physical correction circuits because my only source will be computer.
I drive them by NAD C326BEE integrated amp and my sound card is Maya44.
Thanks!
First impressions - they are too bright and need some corrections. Could you please suggest how to equalize them with PC based parametric equalizer? I don't want any physical correction circuits because my only source will be computer.
I drive them by NAD C326BEE integrated amp and my sound card is Maya44.
Thanks!
Thanks, Horst, for telling the OP how to fix HIS speakers.
By disregarding the possibility of in-line passive components, you eliminate the possibility of fixing the speakers themselves. The 1772's need a BSC filter and and series RC filter in parallel with the driver. However....
Since your source will be a computer, you can easily create the digital equivalent of the required passive filters. Depending on the player you are using, you should be able to set the built-in equalizer to what ever you need. Probably a better solution would be to get a DSP module to go between the computer and the amp. You need at least a low step filter and a high step filter.
Bob
By disregarding the possibility of in-line passive components, you eliminate the possibility of fixing the speakers themselves. The 1772's need a BSC filter and and series RC filter in parallel with the driver. However....
Since your source will be a computer, you can easily create the digital equivalent of the required passive filters. Depending on the player you are using, you should be able to set the built-in equalizer to what ever you need. Probably a better solution would be to get a DSP module to go between the computer and the amp. You need at least a low step filter and a high step filter.
Bob
Thanks, Bob! I will use MEqualizer VST plugin within Foobar player.
At what frequency range should I look for? What are your suggestions for Q values for high shelf and low shelf filters?
Thanks!
At what frequency range should I look for? What are your suggestions for Q values for high shelf and low shelf filters?
Thanks!
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