Help with info on fostex fullrange drivers?

[Cross Reference]

Originally Posted by rjbond3rd

Hey, I have those same drivers

Out of that entire list, I found the FE103En to be the best if listening (at times) at close range. They are part of our living room computer/mini home theater setup (with sub) and I've never been happier.

F120A and FX120A are beefier with more whomp and have many fine qualities.

The FE168E-Sigma is also good but peaky (~7k) so you have to be off-axis and sitting further back. They are indeed fantastic in the Austins once off-axis.

So do you need the "beefy" performance? Are you using a sub? How far back are you sitting, and in how big a room?

And if you don't mind sharing, what made you set aside the FE103En? Its only flaw (to me) is the lack of mid-bass weight even when using a sub, but on balance, lots of charming qualities.

Thanks for the info. It is all very helpful. C.R.

[Cross Reference]

Originally Posted by planet10

It should be noted that the A7.3 has way fewer (almost none) issues out of the box, whereas the FF series all have things that need fixing beyond matching & EnABL. Seems the smaller they are the less the issues (still plating with FF165, and the FF225 awaits)

dave

Hello Dave. Thats great to hear that the Alpair 7.3's have almost none issues out of the box. Also is there a basic box drawing or a helpful post that will help me study about this fullrange and helper woofer speaker? Also I used the silver flute 6 1/2 woofer and coming up on 9 years for my dads two way speakers. Still going strong and they are built very well for the money . So I was thinking of crossing over the 7.3's at 200hz and the helper woofer at 300hz? Is this correct? Do I use a 6 db or a 12 db or a 18 db or a 24 db crossover? It's been a 9 years senc. I built my last crossover been fullranging senc. then . Also dave what does the treatment you do to the Alpair 7.3 drivers that helps it that I can't get straight out of the box? Is it worth Double the money if I read it right on your website? Thanks again . C.R.

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by Cross Reference

Hello Dave. Thats great to hear that the Alpair 7.3's have almost none issues out of the box. Also is there a basic box drawing or a helpful post that will help me study about this fullrange and helper woofer speaker? Also I used the silver flute 6 1/2 woofer and coming up on 9 years for my dads two way speakers. Still going strong and they are built very well for the money . So I was thinking of crossing over the 7.3's at 200hz and the helper woofer at 300hz? Is this correct? Do I use a 6 db or a 12 db or a 18 db or a 24 db crossover? It's been a 9 years senc. I built my last crossover been fullranging senc. then . Also dave what does the treatment you do to the Alpair 7.3 drivers that helps it that I can't get straight out of the box? Is it worth Double the money if I read it right on your website? Thanks again . C.R.

Out of the box (and after a couple of hundred hours of break-in) the stock A7.3s are a very good drivers, particularly when supported as you propose by decent mid-woofers (i.e. those capable of reasonably smooth response to at least 1K) - of numerous candidates for that service, the Silver Flutes should be high on anyone's short list.




Probably no surprise to read that of the dozens of models of drivers I've heard in the last 5 years with and without the polka-dots, there's not been one in which I didn't hear subtle to substantial improvements in inner detail, texture, "timing", sense of space etc resulting from the polka-dots. There have been a couple that even treated I probably couldn't live with (TB W5 1611 for one, and Fostex FE138ESR for another)

[rjbond3rd]

Originally Posted by Cross Reference

Thanks for the info. It is all very helpful. C.R.

But you didn't answer any of my questions. Can you try again?

[Cross Reference]

Originally Posted by rjbond3rd

Hey, I have those same drivers

Out of that entire list, I found the FE103En to be the best if listening (at times) at close range. They are part of our living room computer/mini home theater setup (with sub) and I've never been happier.

F120A and FX120A are beefier with more whomp and have many fine qualities.

The FE168E-Sigma is also good but peaky (~7k) so you have to be off-axis and sitting further back. They are indeed fantastic in the Austins once off-axis.

So do you need the "beefy" performance? Are you using a sub? How far back are you sitting, and in how big a room?

And if you don't mind sharing, what made you set aside the FE103En? Its only flaw (to me) is the lack of mid-bass weight even when using a sub, but on balance, lots of charming qualities.

Hello Sorry for being so short. Now for the questions? About the Beefy Performance no but, its gotta handle every type of music. Now for the subwoofer no but, I could do the fast type speakers and cross over the fullrange at 200 or 300hz. How far am I sitting back 7 feet from the speakers toed in. The room has a 8 foot ceiling and is 10 feet wide by 10 1/2 feet long. Well I bought the Fe103en to build a box and I had changed my mind. The driver was never used band new and nothing wrong? I just never got around to using them in a box but, I am looking at a project for them in the fall . I have the box design and would love to make a pair for my wife and one for my daughter. Then I can move on and do my own projects . Also I know alot of people I meet at the A.K. FEST of 2012 who enjoyed sleepless nights with the org. 103 drivers over the fe 126 drivers any day. So I hope I answered you questions. C.R.

[rjbond3rd]

Aha! Okay, terrific. My dedicated room is near that exact size.

So given the room, and need to play all types of music, it's a slam-dunk for a FAST using the smallest driver you can (of that bunch). That way, it will have wide dispersion and a sweeter treble, but you'll still have plenty of slam for rock and good dynamics for classical.

In that size room, I'd do a sealed or ported bass, and put the smaller driver on an open baffle. Crossover can be either active or you can try a first-order passive series (very easy to calculate).

That way, you can place them as close to the walls as needed, but still get that (open baffle) spacious, airy and delightful soundstage. A very straight-forward build.

The only thing easier would be satellite-subs but that would lack mid-bass slam (thus would not play every style of music).

[Cross Reference]

Originally Posted by rjbond3rd

Aha! Okay, terrific. My dedicated room is near that exact size.

So given the room, and need to play all types of music, it's a slam-dunk for a FAST using the smallest driver you can (of that bunch). That way, it will have wide dispersion and a sweeter treble, but you'll still have plenty of slam for rock and good dynamics for classical.

In that size room, I'd do a sealed or ported bass, and put the smaller driver on an open baffle. Crossover can be either active or you can try a first-order passive series (very easy to calculate).

That way, you can place them as close to the walls as needed, but still get that (open baffle) spacious, airy and delightful soundstage. A very straight-forward build.

The only thing easier would be satellite-subs but that would lack mid-bass slam (thus would not play every style of music).

So how do you use your fostex fe103en driver? Is it a ported or sealed design? I have had other drivers not saying and always a limited supply with every driver. Never could figure that out any who. I have always enjoyed fostex drivers no matter how bright or raw they sound. To me they sound live which I really enjoy. They get things right for my ears. So again thanks for the post and helpful hints. C.R.

[rjbond3rd]

I use it in the standard 6-liter ported box tuned to 83Hz, with a sub, on either side of a 36" TV.

Of all the Fostex, this one is the most neutral (at least in my experience). The tone of sounds is more correct than any driver I've ever had. It's eerie and we're often spinning around wondering if that doorbell was on the TV show vs. real life (and we don't even have a doorbell).

Other drivers can be more flattering and exciting, but with the FE103En, an oboe sounds like an oboe, etc.

But a sub-sat setup like this doesn't have the mid-bass "whomp" for rock but that's where a FAST would excel. I did have a FAST for a while (the bass units were Klipschorn-style Khorns) with a crossover at 200Hz and that worked perfectly (for me) but I grew tired of not being able to move the cabs out of the corners.

P.S. Since you like the raw, "live" sound of the larger Fostex, the neutrality of the FE103En might be a step away from what you like. The 103's don't sound like characteristic Fostex -- they don't sound like anything.