Tips needed for improving a Fostex FE103 Recommended horn cabinet

Black Squirrel · 31st October 2011, 12:08 PM

Hello to you all,

I own a pair of the Fostex recommended horn enclosures for the FE103 driver. The former owner keeped them in a farm shed and they look like that has happend to them. They are muddy, full of scratches and I even had some straw removed out of them. On the other hand they are nicely carpented from 15mm plywood and the best thing: I got them for free.

I want to use them with a Akai/Panasonic version of the FE103A family since I have this drivers laying around.

There is a catch though. The experiences with this particular horn are not that good. I know that there are better enclosures but, since I've got this cabinets for free I want to give them a chance.

Is there a trick, patch or 'hack' by which those cabinets will perform better? Ofcourse I cannot break them open to alter pathways or something like that but small changes like special stuffing are possible. All tips are welcome.

Regards,

Paul

Godzilla · 31st October 2011, 01:03 PM

You must have something like this:

http://myhifisite.50megs.com/Godzill...oShack1197.htm

Just because many don't think these are the ultimate cabinet doesn't mean they don't do plenty right! They will give you some insight into the back horn sound. I think you should clean them up (inside and out) the best you can and stuff them both behind the driver and up into the horn mouth until they give you the best overall sound. Unstuffed they might sound a bit 'hollow' so buy some Acousta Stuff and experiment. I think you will like them... and the price is right!

Black Squirrel · 31st October 2011, 01:34 PM

actually, it is this cabinet:

Thanks for the tips Godzilla, I will buy some stuffing materials and do some listening tests.

Regards,

Paul

Black Squirrel · 1st November 2011, 01:11 PM

Another question in the same leage. I want to add a tweeter with a high X-over (about 10k hz) to the set. I happen to have a set of two small Mivoc Tweeters, type Mivoc HG 258 FN see http://www.mivoc.com/downloads/de/mi..._Datasheet.pdf

Would that be a good kandidate to do the job in combination with a FE103A? I know that you should work with things that you need instead of things that you have, but stil...

regards,

Paul

Black Squirrel · 15th November 2011, 08:27 AM

Everybody likes pictures. Here's one of the first cleaned horn with the Akai/Panasonic driver installed. The phase-plug is from Planet10hifi.

I did not have any experience with the horn sound, but I am certainly impressed.

regards, Paul

holdent · 17th November 2011, 01:34 AM

I built an pair of these cabinets for FE103Es. I worked on them forever before finally giving up on them. I tried a variety of things without success including:
- adding varying degrees of stuffing to the compression chamber (CC)
- felt-lining various parts of the horn
- reducing the size of the CC
- adding stuffing to the mouth
- and so on
I never got anything close to satisfactory sound and they went to the dump.

I also built the recommended bass reflex enclosure with much better results.

Black Squirrel · 06:03 AM

That does not sound very promessing...But thanks for sharing your experience. For me this is a low-cost experiment and therefore it is easier to give up on them finaly. Being happy with them would of course be my preferred result.

On more thing... you did not try another driver did you? I have some Realistic 1210dc and Akai 12F-35 drivers to try in them.

Regards, Paul

p.s. I like the full range idea very much but nothing has beaten yet my quick and dirty three-way system with Philips units you see in the corner to my suprise (and regret).

planet10 · 17th November 2011, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by holdent

I built an pair of these cabinets for FE103Es. I worked on them forever before finally giving up on them.

We ended up burning ours...

dave

Black Squirrel · 17th November 2011, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by planet10

We ended up burning ours...

dave

I've saved these from feeding a campfire. Don't tell me I should not have done that...

talaerts · 17th November 2011, 12:04 PM

It is about realistic expectations. Horns are cool but with a small speaker you will never get the full deep bass as you get from a proper woofer.
I do not think that you need an extra tweeter with the fe103, but, since you have them, do try anyway!
Personally i would rather put the 103 in a small br box, and possibly adding an active woofer.

31st October 2011, 12:08 PM	#1
Black Squirrel diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: The Netherlands GMT+1	Tips needed for improving a Fostex FE103 Recommended horn cabinet Hello to you all, I own a pair of the Fostex recommended horn enclosures for the FE103 driver. The former owner keeped them in a farm shed and they look like that has happend to them. They are muddy, full of scratches and I even had some straw removed out of them. On the other hand they are nicely carpented from 15mm plywood and the best thing: I got them for free. I want to use them with a Akai/Panasonic version of the FE103A family since I have this drivers laying around. There is a catch though. The experiences with this particular horn are not that good. I know that there are better enclosures but, since I've got this cabinets for free I want to give them a chance. Is there a trick, patch or 'hack' by which those cabinets will perform better? Ofcourse I cannot break them open to alter pathways or something like that but small changes like special stuffing are possible. All tips are welcome. Regards, Paul

31st October 2011, 01:03 PM	#2
Godzilla diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New York	You must have something like this: http://myhifisite.50megs.com/Godzill...oShack1197.htm Just because many don't think these are the ultimate cabinet doesn't mean they don't do plenty right! They will give you some insight into the back horn sound. I think you should clean them up (inside and out) the best you can and stuff them both behind the driver and up into the horn mouth until they give you the best overall sound. Unstuffed they might sound a bit 'hollow' so buy some Acousta Stuff and experiment. I think you will like them... and the price is right! __________________ www.zillaaudio.com/bib/bib.asp www.ZillaAudio.com

17th November 2011, 06:01 AM	#7
Black Squirrel diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: The Netherlands GMT+1	That does not sound very promessing...But thanks for sharing your experience. For me this is a low-cost experiment and therefore it is easier to give up on them finaly. Being happy with them would of course be my preferred result. On more thing... you did not try another driver did you? I have some Realistic 1210dc and Akai 12F-35 drivers to try in them. Regards, Paul p.s. I like the full range idea very much but nothing has beaten yet my quick and dirty three-way system with Philips units you see in the corner to my suprise (and regret). Last edited by Black Squirrel; 17th November 2011 at 06:03 AM.

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31st October 2011, 01:34 PM	#3
Black Squirrel diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: The Netherlands GMT+1	actually, it is this cabinet: Thanks for the tips Godzilla, I will buy some stuffing materials and do some listening tests. Regards, Paul

1st November 2011, 01:11 PM	#4
Black Squirrel diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: The Netherlands GMT+1	Another question in the same leage. I want to add a tweeter with a high X-over (about 10k hz) to the set. I happen to have a set of two small Mivoc Tweeters, type Mivoc HG 258 FN see http://www.mivoc.com/downloads/de/mi..._Datasheet.pdf Would that be a good kandidate to do the job in combination with a FE103A? I know that you should work with things that you need instead of things that you have, but stil... regards, Paul

15th November 2011, 08:27 AM	#5
Black Squirrel diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: The Netherlands GMT+1	Everybody likes pictures. Here's one of the first cleaned horn with the Akai/Panasonic driver installed. The phase-plug is from Planet10hifi. I did not have any experience with the horn sound, but I am certainly impressed. regards, Paul

17th November 2011, 01:34 AM	#6
holdent diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Ontario	I built an pair of these cabinets for FE103Es. I worked on them forever before finally giving up on them. I tried a variety of things without success including: - adding varying degrees of stuffing to the compression chamber (CC) - felt-lining various parts of the horn - reducing the size of the CC - adding stuffing to the mouth - and so on I never got anything close to satisfactory sound and they went to the dump. I also built the recommended bass reflex enclosure with much better results.

17th November 2011, 12:04 PM	#10
talaerts diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	It is about realistic expectations. Horns are cool but with a small speaker you will never get the full deep bass as you get from a proper woofer. I do not think that you need an extra tweeter with the fe103, but, since you have them, do try anyway! Personally i would rather put the 103 in a small br box, and possibly adding an active woofer.

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