What is a good replacement speaker for the FE126E???

[djn]

I am using the FE126E at the moment and I find it a little bit too shouty. The highs are clean and all, but just a little higher volume than the mid. I would like to keep the same size. Cheers.

[planet10]

You want to lose the 7k peakiness in other words. You can treat your current FE126e, get FE126eN. As well the new FE126En is very close spec wise to the older FE126e, but they seem to have taken some care to deal with that nasty peak. My treated versions of these will likely not need the step i take to deal with the peak on the FE126eN.

Also considered to be broadly useful as a drop-in for the FE126e is the discontinued (but Madisound still has stock) FF125K. It doesn't have the peakiness, but the metal dustcap has a taste of the same kind of high frequency anomalies that made me take a disliking to my 1st pair of Jordan JX92S. I was unable to fix that in the pair of FF125k i worked with. Since many find no issue with the JX92 that anomaly seems to be subject to users -- you may be one of those that have no problem with it.

What enclosure(s), amplifier(s)?

[vinylkid58]

Originally Posted by planet10

Also considered to be broadly useful as a drop-in for the FE126e is the discontinued (but Madisound still has stock) FF125K.

Although OOP, the Hemp Acoustics FR4.5 could be another alternative, but will be difficult to obtain.

Originally Posted by planet10

It doesn't have the peakiness, but the metal dustcap has a taste of the same kind of high frequency anomalies that made me take a disliking to my 1st pair of Jordan JX92S. I was unable to fix that in the pair of FF125k i worked with.

Do you hear any of this listening to the FX120's?

[planet10]

Originally Posted by vinylkid58

Do you hear any of this listening to the FX120's?

No. Not the FF85 either

dave

[Bigun]

Not everyone likes the results, but it may be worth trying some passive correction, a.k.a baffle step correction. I ended up using this on my 127s but it does need to be applied carefully because if over-done it tends to reduce the special sound that you liked in these cones to start with.

[tubelectron]

Hi - I used for years Triangle T17FL2 (1990) - they sounded smooth and good but needed 45L in BR to give bass to treble balance.

[Scottmoose]

Originally Posted by Bigun

Not everyone likes the results, but it may be worth trying some passive correction, a.k.a baffle step correction. I ended up using this on my 127s but it does need to be applied carefully because if over-done it tends to reduce the special sound that you liked in these cones to start with.

Largely, I suspect, because you're clobbering efficiency, thus increasing excursion & potential for FMD, while reducing the undistorted dynamic range. It's a useful tool to have, but as you note, it needs to be applied with moderation.

[djn]

These speakers are niether fish nor fowl so some of the standards do not apply. I am sure you have seen these on this site from time to time and the more I listen to them the more I like them. It is just that 7khz peak (as pointed out by Dave) that is driving me crazy. I turn the volume up or down just for that peak and the rest of the music seems muted except for the "H" woofers which I have an another amp.

I am running the horns with an Adcom SS amp and just finishing my GM70 amp which might have an effect.

[rjbond3rd]

Ahhh, conical horn with open back. I have a similar setup with a LeCleac'h horn (different Fostex driver) and a Khorn bottom, active crossover.

My unscientific guess is that it's not the 7k peak that is the biggest challenge at the moment, but rather, an overall rising response. In other words, it's out of balance well below 7k so you actually have two issues.

Here's what I would do (speaking strictly as a newb) and in the order I'd try:

0. If using active xover, raise the xover to see if this helps a bit. I'm using 200Hz.
1. Digital EQ, by ear listening to the human voice (using a PC, if only to find what works)
2. Simulate in MJK, Hornresp or AJ Horn -- this should probably be step #1
3. Lots of toe-in
4. physical treatment (pieces of felt)
5. If none of those work or are options, build a simple passive circuit with an L-Pad and dial it in by ear. Yes it takes a long time but you'll hit it eventually

P.S. cheap SS amps on Fostex never worked for me. Personally, I've never been able to try high-quality SS though.

[planet10]

Originally Posted by djn

It is just that 7khz peak (as pointed out by Dave) that is driving me crazy.

EnABL How-To for Fostex FE127e and other speakers

dave