What's with the flickering video? Sounds a little better than what I had.
jeff
It was YouTube's Image Stabilization ... I reverted it back to the original video.
thanks for the video. I see you have a 8 inch fostex too? how do they compare?
As Scottmoose said, the Alpair is a 6.5", but my Fostex are the FE167E which is also a 6.5". As far as comparison, there is none!
The Alpairs are in a different league (read better) based on my comparison of the 2 speakers.
As Scottmoose said, the Alpair is a 6.5", but my Fostex are the FE167E which is also a 6.5". As far as comparison, there is none!
can you please give a bit more detailed comparison of the Fostex 167 and Alpair 10. I suspect the difference in the difference in bass extension in a BR box (as the fostex is actually designed for horn loading). Have to tried to cross both to a bass unit below say 100Hz and then compare the sound qualitiy. The Fostex sure can generate more peak SPL and likely would give cleaner transient peaks at same wattage.
Thanks.
To be clear, I am comparing the Alpair 12P with the Fostex FE167E.
Having been a sound guy in a previous life, I have a lot of experiences with "live" instruments and what they sound like. So, here are my observations:
Cymbals/Bells - Fostex hits the fundamental but does not have the ringing sustain and sounds shallow. Alpair has the "ring" and a metallic accuracy.
Drums - Fostex sounds good, Alpair sounds great. I can almost hear fingertip brushes and individual mis-aligned finger contact on bongos and djembes.
Piano - the MOST difficult instrument to reproduce! Again, Fostex is good, but the Alpair has a depth and body to it the Fostex does not possess. I hear resonance and foot pedals bottoming out on the Fostex. On the Alpair I can hear the strings resonating in the wood body and the strings singing when the pedal is pushed and sends a vibration through the piano body.
Vocals - this is the key for me. Fostex has some inherent aggressiveness that some CD's I can't even listen to. Blues Traveler is one. His vocals are like taking a cheese grater to my eardrums. I do not get that at all with the Alpairs.
Again, the Fostex is not bad and much better than speakers I have heard costing thousands of dollars, but the Alpair is in a different league in balance, smoothness, transparency and accuracy.
Alpair 12P, not Alpair 10.
The FE167E was not designed for horn loading.
Are you certain about that? Per the Factory published data for both drivers, SPLMax for the FE167E is 107.029 dB. SPLMax for the Alpair 12P is 106.534 dB (take as SPL 1m/w + [10*log10[nominal power handling]]). I'm not entirely convinced that 0.495dB difference qualifies as 'sure can generate more peak SPL.' It's more, granted, but a relatively minor amount well within production QC tolerance of many drivers.
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I am sorry...not for front horn loading, but for BLH as is recommended on the Madisound site.
SPLmax may be the same for both the Alpair 12 and Fe166EN. However due to higher efficiency, much lower amplifier power (hence at a lower amp noise and distortion) will be needed to get the same SPLmax on the Fe166EN. As a corollary, loud transient peaks have a higher likehood of being reproduced cleanly with lower amp distortion on the Fe166EN than on the Alpair which will need almost twice the amp power. Not to mention the Alpair 12 costs twice the Fe166EN.
Initially I had the Alpair 10 in mind which has even lower efficiency when compared to the Fe166EN.
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Thanks for pointing out the typo Dave. I was always referring to the Fe166EN. The FE167 does not even come up when searched on the Madisound site. I have edited my previous post
The FE167E is from the old FExxxE model range, and has been defunct for several years. The 6 1/2in Fostex units in independent measurements frequenly come out at a lower efficiency than the manufacturer claims, placing them at around 1/2dB - 1dB greater sensitivity than the A12P for a given input. There isn't a great deal in it in practice, if anything, and since the A12P has substantially greater linear travel (however you like to measure it), it can handle LF dynamic peaks more effectively than the Fostex. I've had both through here, and like both for different reasons, but the checks & balance sheet generally comes down in favour of the Alpair.
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It's designed to be either vented or BH loaded since these are two sides of the same 'coin'.
GM
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