Hello all,
I was able to sell 95% of hi-fi stuff laying around
.Now I have the money and I am looking to buy a very good and well made pair of fullrange drivers I can live with for a long time.So here is the question? Is spending more money on one line vs another line of fostex worth it? How much more micro details am I going to get spending the extra cash vs not spending the extra cash on the drivers? So here here are the 3 Fostex drivers I am looking at for my next project,
1. FX 120
2. FE 168 ez
3. F 120 A Would have to save up more money?
Here are all the fostex drivers I have had;
Fe-103en, FE-126en, FE-208e, FE-108ez, FF-85wk, FF-105wk,FF-125wk, and a older foster 103 with a Alnico magnet. So I have had a few fostex drivers and I am looking for a very live and natural sound. I am a voice person so voices have to come out sounding real. I guess I am asking due to me only being able to make one last big buy for awhile and I really want to make this one count. Thanks C.R.
I was able to sell 95% of hi-fi stuff laying around
.Now I have the money and I am looking to buy a very good and well made pair of fullrange drivers I can live with for a long time.So here is the question? Is spending more money on one line vs another line of fostex worth it? How much more micro details am I going to get spending the extra cash vs not spending the extra cash on the drivers? So here here are the 3 Fostex drivers I am looking at for my next project,1. FX 120
2. FE 168 ez
3. F 120 A Would have to save up more money?
Here are all the fostex drivers I have had;
Fe-103en, FE-126en, FE-208e, FE-108ez, FF-85wk, FF-105wk,FF-125wk, and a older foster 103 with a Alnico magnet. So I have had a few fostex drivers and I am looking for a very live and natural sound. I am a voice person so voices have to come out sounding real. I guess I am asking due to me only being able to make one last big buy for awhile and I really want to make this one count. Thanks C.R.
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All those have there assests, but they are all quite old designs. In many cases some of the newer drivers have surpassed them in most respects,
Personally I'd choose FF85wk (actually my modded version) and add helper woofers for a true FR loudspeaker.... i have 2 such beasts in my room now with a 3rd in process (and 2 precursor prototypes with happy owners).
Of the 3 listed (all quite decent), FX120 plus helper woofer. F120A might have more microdetail but seems a bit lacking in dynamics -- with the money saved spent on woofers and releived on the bottom the micro-detail gap gets mostly closed, the dynamic gap increases even more, and bottom can reach as low as you are willing to spend. FF85wKeN still out-details them both.
FE168eS has some problems that are hard to tame. Load them into Austin A166 and they wouldn't be a hardship thou
dave
Personally I'd choose FF85wk (actually my modded version) and add helper woofers for a true FR loudspeaker.... i have 2 such beasts in my room now with a 3rd in process (and 2 precursor prototypes with happy owners).
Of the 3 listed (all quite decent), FX120 plus helper woofer. F120A might have more microdetail but seems a bit lacking in dynamics -- with the money saved spent on woofers and releived on the bottom the micro-detail gap gets mostly closed, the dynamic gap increases even more, and bottom can reach as low as you are willing to spend. FF85wKeN still out-details them both.
FE168eS has some problems that are hard to tame. Load them into Austin A166 and they wouldn't be a hardship thou
dave
I restricted myself to Fostex. I like to use the A7.3 as i do the FF85wk (but is even better, and capable of some bass on its own)
dave
All those have there assests, but they are all quite old designs. In many cases some of the newer drivers have surpassed them in most respects,
Personally I'd choose FF85wk (actually my modded version) and add helper woofers for a true FR loudspeaker.... i have 2 such beasts in my room now with a 3rd in process (and 2 precursor prototypes with happy owners).
Of the 3 listed (all quite decent), FX120 plus helper woofer. F120A might have more microdetail but seems a bit lacking in dynamics -- with the money saved spent on woofers and releived on the bottom the micro-detail gap gets mostly closed, the dynamic gap increases even more, and bottom can reach as low as you are willing to spend. FF85wKeN still out-details them both.
FE168eS has some problems that are hard to tame. Load them into Austin A166 and they wouldn't be a hardship thou
dave
Hello Dave
,So which is the better driver? The Fostex FF85wk or the Alpair 7.3's? Is there plains for this speaker you speak of ? I have only $400.00 U.S. to spend on drivers and that is all I will have. So I can buy the fullrange and the helper woofer if you have them from you so the drivers are matched? I am using a modded Dayton DTA 100a t-amp for now. Also I am in the middle of fixing a older 1969 sansui stereo receiver. It was my dads. Also If I plan on getting anything in the future it will be a tube amp kit. So that's the low down. I hope this helps. Thanks C.R.
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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.
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.
The Alpair 7.
Plans for the FF85 FASTs are a mix of released (Tysen, EL166 MTM) but with hard to get woofers. The uFonkenSET + woofT is part of the FF85wk planset (comes with my drivers), and the Silver Flute MTM is still under test (built but i need some XO parts so hasn't played). The other FF85 & the A7.3 FASTs are still at the secretive stage, because they might not work out (and will challenge woodworkers, including Chris & Bernie)
dave
Plans for the FF85 FASTs are a mix of released (Tysen, EL166 MTM) but with hard to get woofers. The uFonkenSET + woofT is part of the FF85wk planset (comes with my drivers), and the Silver Flute MTM is still under test (built but i need some XO parts so hasn't played). The other FF85 & the A7.3 FASTs are still at the secretive stage, because they might not work out (and will challenge woodworkers, including Chris & Bernie)
dave
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
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.
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.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
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)
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.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 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.
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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.
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.
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