Fonken Prime driver replacement?

[jheridan]

I've been working on some Fonken Prime cabs for awhile and finally got around to finishing them today, so I went online to purchase the FE127e only to discover they had been discontinued.

However, I really don't want to give up on my hard work. Can I put the FE126e in the Fonken Prime? Is there a driver that would be a better replacement?

Thanks y'all, I'm about to pull my hair out over not buying them sooner.

[planet10]

No you can't install FE126.

I do have a small stock of FE127eN. (i'd, biased as i am, suggest going for the best driver you can install).

Depending on where you are in the build (or how skilled at patching), you can convert FE127 FonkenPrime to Mar-Kel70 for the EL70/EL70eN.

dave

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by planet10

No you can't install FE126.

I do have a small stock of FE127eN. (i'd, biased as i am, suggest going for the best driver you can install).

Depending on where you are in the build (or how skilled at patching), you can convert FE127 FonkenPrime to Mar-Kel70 for the EL70/EL70eN.

dave

While the FF85K is a knockout in the little "milli" Fonken, I'd nix the idea of the FF125K in the prime.

Unless you can score a pair of 127's from an aftermarket reseller , I'd second the above suggestion of the paper coned EL70 . This driver doesn't have quite the sensitivity of the Fostex, but at 4ohms impedance many solid state amps will deliver more power than at 8, so all is not lost.

It also digs a bit deeper in the bass, and has a less forward presentation than the Fostex, and while my own bias is to low powered tubes, it sounds great on conventional and digital SS amps.

[Highef]

Dave,
I read in a post somewhere you saying that Fonken Prime with 127 En+trifoil is your favorite speaker.
Now that 127 is no more available, what would be your favorite?

thank you
HF

[planet10]

We are making a special set of personal Fonken for my long term collection. And i still have some stock of FE127eN so if anyone wants a set for their own collection...

The Mar-Kel70, PrimeSize but with EL70eN is every bit its equal, but different, more bass, and top, and less forward in the mids. At 1st i gave the edge to the FE127eN for midrange magic, but with 500+ hrs on the EL70 any gap is going to be re-evaluated.

The Alpair7 also holds promise. dMar-Ken7 (deciSized) is almost made. Need to evaluate stock & then turn them into A7eN.

There is also a miniOnken for the A12 in the works. Net volume needs to be the same as primeSize, but the outside has to be bigger to accomodate the larger driver. This is leading to some interesting tricks on the inside. I'm thinking of mating them with a woofer conceptually similar to the FonkenWoof, but using push-push CSS SDX10s.

All the new boxes require more power, fortunately i am now using a killer Gregg-the-Geek DynaMutt.

dave