Something different

[Bob Brines]

I just finished up these on commission for a gentleman in NJ. I think that they came out rather well.

Fostex F200A/FT7RP. The finish is Madagascar ebony with a gloss urethane finsh. The veneer alone cost $530!!!

[Scottmoose]

Blimey.

Nice one Bob, those look excellent. Relatively damped BR alignment I presume? Lovely finish you've got on it too. What do you make of the ribbon, out of interest?

I believe it, my friend Colin was telling me about some of the veneer prices over here a few weeks back. He was building a set of speakers for a chap who asked about a veneer which Rolls Royce use -he changed his mind when he learned it would have cost about double the rest of the speaker components (including the cabinet materials) combined.

[Bob Brines]

Originally Posted by Scottmoose

Blimey.

Nice one Bob, those look excellent. Relatively damped BR alignment I presume? Lovely finish you've got on it too. What do you make of the ribbon, out of interest?

Right. The FR starts a slow roll-off ~100Hz. F10~35Hz. I used the FT7RP because the customer wanted it. The high end is very good up to at least 15kHz where my hearing stops. I like the off-axis integration of the FT17H better, hough. Integrating a ribbon with a wide-range driver is almost as difficult as trying a dome. I'll stick with the horn-loaded FT17H for my own use.

Bob

[rjbond3rd]

Wow, very striking! And an interesting, unusual choice. I wonder what inspired that cab to be a bookshelf vs. a floorstander with such a robust 8 incher.

Did you recess the flange? I'm guessing maybe not because I don't see that oval-shaped second layer that is your trademark.

[Bob Brines]

Originally Posted by rjbond3rd

Wow, very striking! And an interesting, unusual choice. I wonder what inspired that cab to be a bookshelf vs. a floorstander with such a robust 8 incher.

Well, my choice would have been these:



The customer wanted stand mounted speakers. We started the discussion with the FF225WK/FT17H and wound up with the F200A/FT7RP. The customer started out with zebrawood, but not satisfied with the stripe pattern, settled on Ebony!

Did you recess the flange? I'm guessing maybe not because I don't see that oval-shaped second layer that is your trademark.

Both drivers are recessed. Obviously, my trademark oval would not work on the ebony. I thought about not recessing the F200A, knowing what a PITA that was going to be, but as this is a high dollar build, I felt forced to. I cut the hole for the F200A, mounted the driver and marked around the frame. Then I free-handed the recess with a router, cleaning up with a chisel.

Bob

[Scottmoose]

I don't envy you that task Bob.

[Jim Shearer]

If I may be so bold as to ask:
If you were to use a horn tweeter w/ the F200A, isn't that a pricey enough driver to deserve something like the FT96H rather than the FT17H?

I am contemplating a build next year with the FE208eS, which I thought might be well complimented by the FT96H.

Cheers, Jim

[Bob Brines]

Originally Posted by Jim Shearer

If I may be so bold as to ask:
If you were to use a horn tweeter w/ the F200A, isn't that a pricey enough driver to deserve something like the FT96H rather than the FT17H?

The FT17H never got into the discussion once the F200A was chosen. The customer want a ribbon. I agree that one of the better horn tweeters would be better on a number of fronts. I made the ribbon work, but in general, I don't think that a tweeter mounted on the baffle with a full-ranger is a good idea. The comb filter in measured in mm.

Bob

[Scottmoose]

If you're going the 208ESigma route Jim, I can thoroughly recommend stretching the budget if possible and pitching for the T900a, which is probably the best supertweeter I've heard, bar none, including the more expensive T500a. Granted, it's a lot of money, and a top-mount too, so if you want internal, you'll have to get the local tame metal worker to turn you a couple of mounting flanges. Worth it though IMO.

Groan. Ribbons. I blame the magazine hifi mafia for their gushing waffle. Most of the time, they don't measure as well as a quality dome. That said, I'm listening to a pair of planar tweeters at the moment partnering 8 CHBW-70s (4 per channel) and they aren't making a bad fist of it, so I'm probably not one to talk.

[Jim Shearer]

Scott,

Thanks for the suggestion. I have heard good things about the T900a. I think I want better than the FT17H, and can manage to get FT96H, but... Alas! if I have to spend $1K on just the tweeters, then the project will be DOA.

Cheers, Jim