Guys
I'm looking at the possibility of building the "ultimate" full range speaker. I've got some FE127E's that I quite like but these are fairly cheap.
I know that cost doesn't mean "better" but who else makes really good, well made full range drivers?
I've heard that Lowther's are the best money can buy (although I've never heard of any)
Anything better out there to try to audition?
Cheers
Chris
I'm looking at the possibility of building the "ultimate" full range speaker. I've got some FE127E's that I quite like but these are fairly cheap.
I know that cost doesn't mean "better" but who else makes really good, well made full range drivers?
I've heard that Lowther's are the best money can buy (although I've never heard of any)
Anything better out there to try to audition?
Cheers
Chris
It entirely depends on what you mean by 'good'; 'best' and 'better.' There is no one criteria, just a myriad of compromises from which to chose whatever most closely meets what it is you value, and what you want to do with it.
Lowther make some excellent units to be sure, and usually are very helpful in terms of supplying data for a given pair of units. You may also wish to consider Supravox, PHY, the range-topping Fostex units (FE208ESigma, F200a etc), AER and the Alpair 12 from Mark Audio. There are quite a few others of course, although they tend to be extremely expensive. Feastrex for e.g. have a cult following, although as they steadfastly refuse to supply any useful data on their drivers whatsoever, I generally ignore them, and other companies of this kind.
Lowther make some excellent units to be sure, and usually are very helpful in terms of supplying data for a given pair of units. You may also wish to consider Supravox, PHY, the range-topping Fostex units (FE208ESigma, F200a etc), AER and the Alpair 12 from Mark Audio. There are quite a few others of course, although they tend to be extremely expensive. Feastrex for e.g. have a cult following, although as they steadfastly refuse to supply any useful data on their drivers whatsoever, I generally ignore them, and other companies of this kind.
Hi Chris,
nearly every fullranger of "some" quality on the market will have
its fans.
This is because fullrangers have tradeoffs and demand the listener
making a desicion of what to let go and what to get for it.
No one can make this decision for you. Maybe some in here are willing
to share their auditive impressions with certain drivers.
IMO using a FAST configuration, there is a greater veriety of fullrangers
available, which can do a very good job. You can also use a smaller
full-/wideranger then, which might help to achieve a midrange to presence
region having low coloration.
Kind Regards
nearly every fullranger of "some" quality on the market will have
its fans.
This is because fullrangers have tradeoffs and demand the listener
making a desicion of what to let go and what to get for it.
No one can make this decision for you. Maybe some in here are willing
to share their auditive impressions with certain drivers.
IMO using a FAST configuration, there is a greater veriety of fullrangers
available, which can do a very good job. You can also use a smaller
full-/wideranger then, which might help to achieve a midrange to presence
region having low coloration.
Kind Regards
That last FR driver i collected close experience with
is CSS FR125 S.
I would prefer it in a FAST concept using an active
crossover or a PLLXO with crossover frequency 80-140 Hz.
The driver is IMO well balanced and has good resolution
in the highs.
Depending on serial tolerances there can be a slight nasal
character. (Serial tolerances often make individual
fullrangers sound different - buy 10 select 2 of them ...).
In most listening environments there is too less energy
in the brillance region radiated into the room, especially
at higher angles, so an equalization in the brilliance
region will be desirable.
is CSS FR125 S.
I would prefer it in a FAST concept using an active
crossover or a PLLXO with crossover frequency 80-140 Hz.
The driver is IMO well balanced and has good resolution
in the highs.
Depending on serial tolerances there can be a slight nasal
character. (Serial tolerances often make individual
fullrangers sound different - buy 10 select 2 of them ...).
In most listening environments there is too less energy
in the brillance region radiated into the room, especially
at higher angles, so an equalization in the brilliance
region will be desirable.
This is from my own subjective opinion..
And I haven't played or heard a Feastrex yet..
But I haven't heard a wideband give the purity and emotional attachment that the Lowther provides. But this has only been OB or even better dipole, keeping in mind that a woofer of sorts is augmented for bass in these applications..
And I haven't played or heard a Feastrex yet..
But I haven't heard a wideband give the purity and emotional attachment that the Lowther provides. But this has only been OB or even better dipole, keeping in mind that a woofer of sorts is augmented for bass in these applications..
>>> I've got some FE127E's that I quite like...
Those are good but there are better full range drivers imo. The 127e is a great compromise on sound, efficiency and flexibility. They work in lots of different boxes. You can really just plop them into a smallish ported box and get really good sound.
The Lowther's i heard were in Rethm back horns and they did not seem to do anything better than my Fostex 168s (without directly comparing them). But i remember going home and being happy with the Fostex later that day. The Lowther's sounded great tho!
There are so many really enjoyable full range drivers out there these days like the Fostex Sigma line, Lowther of course and I really like the new TB 8" driver too. I've not heard them all but many seem to like the new Alpair's and the little Jordan has many fans. A good full range driver with bass and treble support has been my preferred speaker for many years... but i am still sorting out which cabinet style works best for me, open baffle, back horn or ported.
Good listening!
Godzilla
Those are good but there are better full range drivers imo. The 127e is a great compromise on sound, efficiency and flexibility. They work in lots of different boxes. You can really just plop them into a smallish ported box and get really good sound.
The Lowther's i heard were in Rethm back horns and they did not seem to do anything better than my Fostex 168s (without directly comparing them). But i remember going home and being happy with the Fostex later that day. The Lowther's sounded great tho!
There are so many really enjoyable full range drivers out there these days like the Fostex Sigma line, Lowther of course and I really like the new TB 8" driver too. I've not heard them all but many seem to like the new Alpair's and the little Jordan has many fans. A good full range driver with bass and treble support has been my preferred speaker for many years... but i am still sorting out which cabinet style works best for me, open baffle, back horn or ported.
Good listening!
Godzilla
Yo choky...
more promotion for sonido........but are they still in business.....I've sent 8 emails to 2 different addresses in the past 3 months, no replies at all....
I've tried sonido@interware.hu
and info@sonido.hu
have you got another address?
Ed
As you can see, there are lots of choices, and has been rightly said, you need to choose your set of full-rangers... but after being eclipsed by multi-ways for a long time, the best full-rangers today have moved on par and ahead of classics of the past when full-range knowledge peaked.
You choice should also be informed by the rest of your system, amplification in particular.
Now, what i was going to say... think about getting an EnABL kit and treat your FE127e... there is a WAY better driver lurking there. It will spoil you for many of the more expensive drivers mentioned.
Adding a pair of active woofers (ie FAST) also helps to bring out the best in them.
dave
You choice should also be informed by the rest of your system, amplification in particular.
Now, what i was going to say... think about getting an EnABL kit and treat your FE127e... there is a WAY better driver lurking there. It will spoil you for many of the more expensive drivers mentioned.
Adding a pair of active woofers (ie FAST) also helps to bring out the best in them.
dave
I wonder why there's never much said about the smaller Lowther drivers, the 17.4 cm versions??. Seems like they could be very special, and a new model in the DX line too with 97+db sens..
And why is the sky blue? Okay I know that one
Because the big ones already are way too bass-shy and most fullrange enthusiasts don't want subs?
Yeah maybe so, however if one is living with a single small fullrange driver exclusively, no matter what magic cab you have it in you're still missing out on the depth of low content in much music.. A small full ranger mated to a low frequency helper is the way to go imo.. But it ain't the pure single driver ideal I know ..
I've been living with 108sigmas for some years now, but since adding some quality low frequency helpers it has transformed things dramatically.. Even seems to make the 108's sound kicked up a notch more in sq than before...
Anyhow the price of admission on the C series Lowthers isn't so scary, just wondering why none have seemed to try out the smaller ones etc...
So many choices , so little time and funds lol..
I've been living with 108sigmas for some years now, but since adding some quality low frequency helpers it has transformed things dramatically.. Even seems to make the 108's sound kicked up a notch more in sq than before...
Anyhow the price of admission on the C series Lowthers isn't so scary, just wondering why none have seemed to try out the smaller ones etc...
So many choices , so little time and funds lol..
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well - not exactly promotion , because I'm just satisfied ( thrilled ? ) customer ...
anyway - I didn't contact Sonido boyz in last few months , so I can't tell you more
mail address from their site was functional to me before
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I had a pair of Lowther PM4As, which I believe are supposed to their best drivers for front horns such as the Oris 150s I use. I replaced them with AER BD-3s. In my opinion and the opinions of audiophile friends the AERs are dramatically better. They have all the immediacy and excitement of the Lowthers but are very much less colored by frequency response problems.
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