Small Full Range driver selection

[Abelma]

Hi
Looking for a driver selection, Full Range with this specifications:
- Max budget 300 U$S for a pair of drivers (US market)
- Avoid the use of BSC or other passive components between the amplifier and the driver.
-Max exterior diameter of 140 mm

Here my first selection:

- Mark Audio Alpair 7.3
Markaudio Alpair-7-Gen3 Grey Cone 4" Full Range: Madisound Speaker Store

- Fostex FX120
http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_components/pdf/fx120.pdf

- Fostex FE108ESigma
http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_components/pdf/fe108ez.pdf

- Tang Band W4-1879
http://www.tb-speaker.com/detail/1230_04/w4-1879.htm

- Tang Band W41320 SJ
http://www.tb-speaker.com/detail/1230_04/w4-1320sj.htm

- Tang Band W4-1337 SD
http://www.tb-speaker.com/detail/1230_04/w4-1337sd.htm

I will appreciate some feedback from other audiophiles which one could be the one. My tastes are for a sound dynamic, detail, and natural with good bass extension (I know, everyone is looking for that)

The Alapair 7.3 with the Fostex FX120 seems the best for me, but, never heard them.

Thank you in advance

 

[Scottmoose]

I'll qualify this by first stating that it rather depends on what you'll be doing with them, & what the amplification will be. There are merits to all of the drivers you mention, so I'm sure you'll get a raft of different views.

The Tang Bands are good units; the 1337 has some HF breakup / peaking above ~10KHz, which you might need to filter. The other two are solid for what they are; I'm not fond of the looks of the 1879, but the spec. is solid. The Alpair 7 is very popular, & also a good unit, but unforgiving of source and amplification, and it's got a bit too much on the top end for my own taste (I prefer a gentler HF). The FE108ESigma is a bit of a wild-card amongst the other units you mention, since it's more of a mid-tweet. It does those duties well, but it has little linear displacement, & struggles to produce much in the way of LF, so I suspect it's unlikely to match your requirements.

Personally, I'd go with the FX120. Although it's often forgotten, it's a very nice little unit & my favourite wideband driver in the 4in - 5in size region. Reasonably low distortion, modest Xmax (for a Fostex), it's got a nicely linear response, decent efficiency, & it can be easily used in a wide variety of boxes. Nice looking unit too.

 

[norman bates]

I have the 4" bamboo's (sd). They are clear, their resonances are not where shout nor silibance is. They add some clang to cymbals, but that's about all they do wrong, especially with the neo, shorting ring, and underhung. But don't expect too much bass (qts low, fs = 75hz).

I can't speak for any of the others.

Norman

 

[Abelma]

Hi Scott, thanks for your feedback.
To add more lines to my specifications, the amplifier will be a Tripath based and later I would like to try a mosfet ClassA.
The room for this project is not big, 5 x 5 meters (16 x 16 feet), so not need for high sensitivity.
The FX120 is a 5", so, it should have some advantage in the bass response ?
The TB 1879 has a Fs of 55 Hz and Xmax of 5 mm..If the specs are right, this could give a very good potential for bass performance? But, how on mids and highs.
The Alpair7, upon your comments, mean that they are very detailed? Or forwarding sound ? This one seems also with good bass potential because its 4 mm Xmax?

 

[Abelma]

Hi Norman. The TB are nice drivers I think too. But your point with that high Fs could be a minus for my choice between others drivers. The TB 1879 version has very good specs and graph....if all that data is accurate indeed

 

[Abelma]

Scott,

I will do a project with a enclosure, the size of this box is not a problem (No WAF vote) but to put in that room.
Then it is possible that it will go for smaller enclosure for whatch TV HT system, that is why the 140 mm diameter max.
Do you think that the FX120 has good highs over the 10K? Means not feeling to add a tweeter for them
Thx

I'll qualify this by first stating that it rather depends on what you'll be doing with them, & what the amplification will be. There are merits to all of the drivers you mention, so I'm sure you'll get a raft of different views.

The Tang Bands are good units; the 1337 has some HF breakup / peaking above ~10KHz, which you might need to filter. The other two are solid for what they are; I'm not fond of the looks of the 1879, but the spec. is solid. The Alpair 7 is very popular, & also a good unit, but unforgiving of source and amplification, and it's got a bit too much on the top end for my own taste (I prefer a gentler HF). The FE108ESigma is a bit of a wild-card amongst the other units you mention, since it's more of a mid-tweet. It does those duties well, but it has little linear displacement, & struggles to produce much in the way of LF, so I suspect it's unlikely to match your requirements.

Personally, I'd go with the FX120. Although it's often forgotten, it's a very nice little unit & my favourite wideband driver in the 4in - 5in size region. Reasonably low distortion, modest Xmax (for a Fostex), it's got a nicely linear response, decent efficiency, & it can be easily used in a wide variety of boxes. Nice looking unit too.

 

[Abelma]

Here two nice projects with the FX120
Fostex FX120 DIY Bass Reflex Bookshelf Speakers
Fostex FX120 DIY ML-TQWT (Transmission Line) Speaker Project

In the first there is a freq response measurement that shows a very good sensitivity over 10K.

The big advantage over the others is that is a 5" for my 140 mm max diam specifications.

 

[Chaz H]

All of the projects I've seen with the FX120 seem to reinforce its reputation as a solid driver, and probably one of the smoothest fostex drivers made. One of the reasons I purchased the tangband W5-1611 for my speakers was that it looked like an FX120 on the cheap: 5", usable xmax, (reasonably) smooth and extended FR.

 

[planet10]

Perhaps we can get Jeff to comment, He has both FX120 and Alpair7 in similar enclosures.

Note that the FX120 is a 4.5" (120mm) driver, same size as FE126/7 and not a 5". It is a very good driver, very smooth, i found it a bit dynamically constrained vrs the FE127. It has been a long time since i have heard it, so can't compare to anything i've heard more recently.

dave

 

[vinylkid58]

Perhaps we can get Jeff to comment, He has both FX120 and Alpair7 in similar enclosures.

At this point, it's a tough call. I'd give the nod to the A7 for top end detail, but this can be a double edged sword, depending on the source. They are a little more subdued thru the mids, but bass extension is pretty close, although you could probably push the FX120's to go louder without fear of damage.

Dave, maybe we'll have to get together for a "shoot out" when the rains start.

jeff

 

[Abelma]

Thanks Dave for the information.

Looking also, if people tried the TBW4-1879. It is possible to have so low Fs at 55 Hz and high freq response for a 4"? I cannot find any review of that driver.
I saw the 126en, but, the graph response show clearly the need for some equalization or Bsc.

 

[Abelma]

Hi Jeff,

Interesting your opinion of the Alpair 7..Do you have the Gen3 version?
It is a "forward" driver or it is just transparent that it shows a bad source or amplifier?

Dont understand very well. You said that the FX120 or the A7 is more subdued thru the mids.

At this point, it's a tough call. I'd give the nod to the A7 for top end detail, but this can be a double edged sword, depending on the source. They are a little more subdued thru the mids, but bass extension is pretty close, although you could probably push the FX120's to go louder without fear of damage.

Dave, maybe we'll have to get together for a "shoot out" when the rains start.

jeff

 

[vinylkid58]

Interesting your opinion of the Alpair 7..Do you have the Gen3 version?

Pretty sure my 7's are not Gen3, but they have the P10 treatment.

It is a "forward" driver or it is just transparent that it shows a bad source or amplifier?

Yes to the second part.

Dont understand very well. You said that the FX120 or the A7 is more subdued thru the mids.

A7.

jeff

 

[planet10]

Jeff has a pair of FX120 & a set of original A7 both treated by me. The difference in midrange balance likely stems from the different philospies of the 2 manufacturers.

I have no pictures of the FX120

dave

 

[vinylkid58]

I have no pictures of the FX120

They're sooooo pretty, I can't believe you didn't take a pic.

jeff

 

[chrisb]

They're sooooo pretty, I can't believe you didn't take a pic.

jeff

well he can snatch this one now for his collection

of course he might well have (misplaced) one or two pictures of this already - wanna try and sift through that one time?


While not as pronounced as with the FE127E (or the new FF125WK) the FX 120 will definitely have that signature midrange presence/dynamics that I've not found in Alpair7.

Dave - you should try to fully break-in the WKs for a session with all 3

 

[planet10]

They're sooooo pretty, I can't believe you didn't take a pic.

They are, I should, they should be in the kermit thread.

dave

 

[planet10]

well he can snatch this one now for his collection

done

of course he might well have (misplaced) one or two pictures of this already - wanna try and sift through that one time?

Unfortunately true. Sometimes easier to find stuff i know i have onmy HD out on the internet than on my HD.

dave

 

[Abelma]

I think is not fair to put on the arena the cheaper TB 1320 and 1337, so I will think about them in other project. Having a budget of 300 U$S.
So, the FX120 vs Alpair7.3 vs TB W4-1879 would be a better 2nd selection for me.

Nobody tried the W4-1879? Now is cheaper at Parts Express and is right on my budget limit. If not what do you think its specifications with a Fs of 55 Hz for exemple?
It would have better bass response than the others?

The Gen3 Alpair 7 driver seems it has a better sensitivity response, flatter, that would say that the new genereation is less agressive for people that found a little bright on mid top?

Jeff, what kind of enclosure is that for the FX120? Is there plans available?

Thx

 

[planet10]

I was considering W4-1879, but i find it kinda ugly, so on recommendations of a couple people i got W5-1611.

dave