Shopping in Japan

[Beos]

Hello everyone,

I've known this site for quite some time and have been reading on and off.
Just signed up to join the DIY speaker enthousiast.

On a late notice, I will be travelling to both Tokyo and Kyoto and was wondering if one can suggest me a good set of fostex full range speakers for a backloaded cabinet. there is to much info and i don't have much time left, hence my for help

At this moment I play with a Yarland EL34 but will soon be going for Cayin 845 tube monoblocks. At 2000 euro including the pre-amp i can not let go.
Indeed, i live in China...

So, I'm looking for a Fostex full range which could be a good combination with a 845 tube. Living room is 30m2, I would discribe it as a hard room (stone floor) at this moment, but planning to make it a little softer (with capets, not a drilhammer...). I like bass, not to much highs and listen to all kinds of music, but mainly jazz, jazzrock, blunk, soul, rock, pop, classic...

Don't worry for the cabinet complexity. I have found a source who has next to the recomended fostex cabinets the ability to work according to provided drawings, hence i'm pretty flexible when it comes to construction.

Yes i know, im a lazy DIY'er

Michael

[Beos]

Hi again,

Wondering now, nobody with experience or recommendations for 845 tube amp with fostex speakers?

[thetubeguy1954]

Originally Posted by Beos

Hi again,

Wondering now, nobody with experience or recommendations for 845 tube amp with fostex speakers?

Hello Beos!

I can help you on both accounts. If I was traveling to Japan I'd look for these Fostex FE208SS drivers! Click on FE208SS scroll down to the second photo. It shows the FE208SS with it's HUGE magent in and out of a cabinet!

Now as far as an 845-based amp. I highly recommend checking out Mastersound Reference 845 I've been using this 40W/ch, Italian, Integrated, SET amp with my Fostex FE206ES-R drivers in Sachiko cabinets for the past 19 months and this combination has ended the amp/speaker upgrade train for me.

The amp is fairly expensive so buy it used "if" possible. I've been told by a friend I made in the audio forums the Mastersound Compact 845 integrated amp is very, very close sonically. Best part it's less than half the price of the Mastersound Reference 845 but, it's only 10W's less a channel at 30W/ch. Using either of these amps you'll have a lot of headroom for high efficiency speakers like the Fostex are!

Have you considered which enclosure you'll be using? May I suggest the Sachiko that's on Frugal-horn? It's the cabinet I'm using with my FE206ES-R drivers and I've never been happier with a speaker in my life! If you're good at woodworking it's a DIY project, if not you can hire a local cabinet maker to build one from the plans here on the Frugal-Horn website You build this system even with the inexpensive Fostex FE206E and you'll be very pleasantly surprised. Put in a pair of FE206ES-R drivers or possible even better yet those FE208SS and you'll have speakers to die for!


Thetubeguy1954

~Rational Subjectivism. It's An Acquired Taste!~

[Blues]

In Tokyo, everything hifi revolves around the Akibahara district...

[Beos]

Hi,

Thanks for the responses. Regarding addresses to shop (till you drop, its huge...) follow this link and enjoy, drool or visit it...
Parts in Asia

As I've posted on some other sites too, I will probably be heading towards a 206 model. Let's see what ill find on the market there.

Another suggestion i received was to go for a double speaker cabinet (with the option of choosing a woofer instead of a full range) based on the 206e's. Doable since their price, less for the weight ill have to carry hehe.

As i got quite some info now, ill be going for a 206 or 208 and buy some FE126E in addition to play around with my EL34’s. So lucky that i can have cheap but well build cabinets for peanuts here in china...

Regarding the amp you suggested i'll have to skip, 5k is way to much imho. Furthermore, living in china with access to good stuff at bottom prices it would be a little crazy to import here. Hell, they'll probably tax me heavily on them too.
Cayin is a reputed manufacturer, and know some audio lovers who play these exact same amps to their greatest satisfaction. If i don't like them, ill sell them in europe for the same price i bought them since i can trow in the pre-amp...
9084D mono block vacuum tube amplifier - Products Show - Products - Spark Electronic Equipment Co., LTD.

They have better looking models too but these are mainly for export and follow the 5K range…

Thanks for directing me, appreciated!!! Ill post some info on my return!

[planet10]

Originally Posted by Blues

In Tokyo, everything hifi revolves around the Akibahara district...

A visit i drool about.

dave

[bigjppop]

I like Akihabara but it can be a little overwhelming, especially if you don't speak Japanese. Plus, there is SOOOOO much stuff there it can be hard to find what you're looking for. It's still a cool place to go, but be prepared.

[Beos]

Yes, have that deep impression too.

But i have the very good guide i've posted before which gives me at least an idea where to look. Furthermore, i've been living in china for a couple of years; hence comprehension is similar as is the crowd

FYI, some things that keep sticking to combine with 845 tubes

http://homepage.mac.com/tlinespeaker...v01-220309.pdf

saxophon

posaune


Feedback very welcome!

[dantheman]

Stop by here in either Akihabara or Kyoto:
HiFi-Do McIntosh/JBL/audio-technica/Jeff Rowland/Accuphase

Cool place for vintage gear.

Another place I like a lot on Akiba is Yodobashi(sp?). It's a chain, but this one is special. It used to be and probably still is the largest electronics store on the planet and it's close to the train station by the Electric Town exit. I want to say the 5th floor is audio, but there are clear signs and I don't remember clearly. They have a great overall selection of Fostex at pretty much the best prices I found in Akiba, but there are other stores that have better selection and nearly the same prices on many units. There are plenty of cool little shops close to the train station but theres a lot of searching to find what you are looking for.

Have fun and report back,

Dan

[Beos]

Hey Dan,

Yes, came across these guys, have quite a lot of second hand fostex. Not sure if i would be buying second hand, prices for what im looking at are quite reasonable, and don't want to end up with speakers who have one or the other problem with them.

Before i buy, ill do the fostex dealers i know to see how prices are. We'll that is if i can find them in a reasonable time laps hehe...

M