Visaton FRS8M 30 Watt 88 dB any good?

[owenhamburg]

Looking at the full range speakers available in Germany the Visaton FRS8M looks interesting from a sensitivity and power handling perspective.

Either as a full range, or I might actively cross it over with a sub woofer or as a mid range. Does any one have any experience with it?

[goldorak]

Hi Owenhamburg,

I am not the expert here, but recently in my country i have seen the FR10 from visaton, they dont seem (i.e. the FRS8M and FR10) to compete with Fostex or Mark Audio but they seem to be a good brand and have some other high end drivers. The FRS8M seems to handle more power. I will paste the picture of the FRS8M here, it might help.

[Scottmoose]

I have a pair here. They're OK for the price (and they're certainly built down to one). Something like an FF85K or Alpair 6 stamps on them from a very great height.

[chris661]

I like them. Decent efficiency, does well paired to woofers. I am listening to a pair now, backed up (each) by a pair of W130S 8ohm, XO at 300Hz, and I really like the sound.

I'd say you could get bass from them with an elaborate horn loading system, but adding a woofer means much greater SPL on offer. The treble isn't perfect either. It's pretty good, just lacking in presence. So, add some woofers, a super-tweeter and you might be better off finding something else, but if you're stuck with them, they're not bad for what they are. Visaton makes some good stuff. The basic FRS8 will do OB pretty well (Qts >1), but these are bigger motor, meaning mounting can be an issue - the magnet is 73mm dia, the cutout is 75mm diameter.

I find that, for general easy listening, they're good. They sound pretty realistic. Drums are very good, as are pianos. If you want to be picky, they need some kind of tweeter, and a woofer/horn system to get them at their best.

Chris

[InclinedPlane]

Hard to tell from the pic- is that a rubber surround or a foamed rubber?

[goldorak]

FRS 8 M 8 OHM


8 cm (3.3") HiFi fullrange speaker with high force factor and good sensitivity. Special developed for use in column-speakers and small bass-reflex cabinets, e.g. in miniature subwoofer / satellite systems.

Typical applications :
- Column speakers
- Mini hi-fi systems

Attributes :
- Moisturised cone
- Metal basket

Technical Data:Rated power30 WMaximum power50 WNominal impedance Z8 OhmFrequency response100–20000 HzMean sound pressure level88 dB (1 W/1 m)Angle of sound emmision147°/4000 HzMaximum cone displacement+/−2,5 mmResonance frequency fs125 HzMagnetic induction1,2 TMagnetic flux225 µWbHeight of front pole-plate3 mmVoice coil diameter20 mmHeight of winding4 mmCutout diameter75 mmNet weight0,5 kgD.C. resistance Rdc7,2 OhmMechanical Q factor Qms3,24Electrical Q factor Qes0,58Total Q factor Qts0,49Equivalent volume Vas1,1 lEffective piston area Sd29 cm²Dynamically moved mass Mms1,8 gForce factor Bxl4,0 TmInductance of the voice coil L0,3 mHHeat resistance−25 ... 70 °C

[hm]

Hello,
i made the trombone double horn,
bass 34 Hz, soundstage, enough for 20 sqm.

[chris661]

The surround feels like foamed rubber - it's too smooth and frictionless to be rubber.

As previously mentioned - the likes of fostex will blow these away, but cost a lot more.

What sort of application are you looking at? Small 2.1 system, larger, multi-way system?
I suppose you could use them in a small ported box, tuned to around 80Hz. That should get you somewhere.

[owenhamburg]

My thoughts are to improve upon my main system or make a suitable for my bedroom, if it does not go to well.

My thoughts where, to try

1) As a wide band midrange
* I converted an Linn Helix speakers (50 Pound second hand bargain) to an active set up.
* I have an adjustable active cross over and 3 quad 303's, 92 of them I have replaced all the capacitors)

2) As a stand alone speaker for bedroom to replace rather boomy Logitech Speakers.
* I have a MythTv/Music NFS share computer.

I am thinking about a system trying to get good stereo imaging. (I miss my now dead Quad ESL 57's again a 50 Pound bargain 15 years ago) and some thing that sounds natural. I remember I once had a pair of 2 way Castle speakers (A 25 Pound bargain) that had good imagining, which I put down to well matched small drivers. to my ears these where better than the Linn speakers until the Castle bass units foamed surrounds rotted away.

Bass is some thing I like, but realistic mids and stereo imaging are my priority. Bass is later more costly experiment, as my last experiment (15 years back) in motional feedback (infrared based sensor) led me to conclude that was a good plan until the speakers blew up when I hooked the feedback up the wrong way.

Im not tempted to spend more than 100 Euros per speaker, for the midrange and treble, as I am sure one day I will get a pair of electrostatic speakers again (waiting for the next bargain) but then I have owned only speakers new to me not the world, with the exception of a rather nice Bass reflex system (which only had bass to about 120Hz) I built for about 50 pounds the pair about 20 years ago and gave away about 15 years ago.

[Scottmoose]

I really would spend the extra on the Alpair 6 or FF85K. The Visaton is good for the price, but it's still a £10 driver.