FOSTEX FE208ES-R

[pengesluk]

Desperately seeking a pair (preferably new or mint cond.). Yes, you can take me to the cleaners on this one..

 

[rjbond3rd]

Hi pengesluk, out of curiosity:

1. If you're willing to pay a lot for an exotic 8" fullranger, why not just get AER's?

2. What's your enclosure?

 

[pengesluk]

!. Up to my knees in AER already
2. None. OB.

 

[Saturnus]

The -R version has a Qt=0.16. It's not really suited for OB but for a BLH.

The SEAS X1 is much better suited for OB. So be a patriot, and try those.

 

[Scottmoose]

I would imagine the plan is to run them down to their mass-corner (-3dB should be ~475Hz judging by the claimed Fo & Qo) & cross to dedicated LF drivers.

 

[pengesluk]

Scott, you're spot on as always. Good to see someone thinking outside the box for a change. And why is it that people always try and talk you out of a fixed thing WHY??

 

[rjbond3rd]

Because the FE208ES-R is very hard to find!

 

[Saturnus]

Scott, you're spot on as always. Good to see someone thinking outside the box for a change. And why is it that people always try and talk you out of a fixed thing WHY??

Probably because it's seems the primary improvement of the -R version is improved bass performance. Appearantly there's very little difference from midrange and up over the standard version.

Also, according to some people at Audio Asylum, the x-1 is a better performer (of course it's also about 50% more expensive that the current asking price for the 208ES-R).

 

[pengesluk]

Saturnus, I just happen to have all the different Fostex 8" "fullrange" drivers of any interest, including a pair of FE208ES-R and I know for a fact that there is no other Fostex with a midrange like this driver. I need another pair for two reasons, I would like to try and make them sing even more beautiful in an all OB system, and I fancy the idea of a back-up pair in case something should go wrong with the pair already giving stellar performance in a maxed-out BLH system. They are THAT good, and I hate the thought of not having this sound around. There you have it. As for SEAS, yeah, right...

 

[thetubeguy1954]

Saturnus, I just happen to have all the different Fostex 8" "fullrange" drivers of any interest, including a pair of FE208ES-R and I know for a fact that there is no other Fostex with a midrange like this driver. I need another pair for two reasons, I would like to try and make them sing even more beautiful in an all OB system, and I fancy the idea of a back-up pair in case something should go wrong with the pair already giving stellar performance in a maxed-out BLH system. They are THAT good, and I hate the thought of not having this sound around. There you have it. As for SEAS, yeah, right...

pengesluk I agree with you 100%! I also own the FE208ES-R drivers. I use my in Sachiko cabinets from approx 80Hz to 10Khz. I then have a pair of 16 ohm, alnico magnet, Pioneer HW-7 horns coming in at 8Khz and covering up to 25Khz. Below that I have a pair of Hawthorne Audio "augies" 15" drivers on OB, powered by a a pro solid-state amp covering from 100Hz and below, down to 28Hz. I can honestly say there's no other speaker I'd rather have. Like you I'm looking for another pair of FE208ES-R drivers in case one of these ever gets damaged!

Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)

 

[talaerts]

Interesting discussion... and somewhat surprised at the high-end Seas being quickly dismissed, as it is a very experienced company. I've not yet heard the speaker though, but read very positive comments.

 

[thetubeguy1954]

Interesting discussion... and somewhat surprised at the high-end Seas being quickly dismissed, as it is a very experienced company. I've not yet heard the speaker though, but read very positive comments.

Hi talaerts!

I don't think anyone is just dismissing the SEAS fullrange driver. It just has a different characteristic sound ---{like Lowther, Audio Nirvana, AER etc}--- and different requirements than the Fostex FE208ES-R drivers do. These FE208ES-R drivers are just so damn tonally and harmonically correct, it's amazing. I could say a lot more, about the FE208ES-R drivers, but I feel sometimes like it sounds like I'm trying to toot my own horn. So I'll stop for now...

Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)

 

[pengesluk]

Interesting discussion... and somewhat surprised at the high-end Seas being quickly dismissed, as it is a very experienced company. I've not yet heard the speaker though, but read very positive comments.

It is not about dissing the SEAS as such; I have toyed with SEAS (after all, I live some 30 miles from the factory) since my first speaker built some 40 years ago. I just get surprised when people force these products into settings the were obviously not made for. Like horns. Or, like many do, also here in Norway, trying to get the sound of ALTEC A7 outof a pair of 6" floppy rubber-surrounded wannabe-woofers....

As for reputation, I don't really care. I care about evidence, personal experience and natural sound. And in this case, the SEAS is NO match for the FE208ES-R.

 

[Godzilla]

I remember how surprised i was when i heard the Fostex 168Z for the first time in a simple box. It had a naturalness and realism that i'd never heard before with other drivers.