Which fostex driver for BLH?

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boonedog

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Joined 2005
I'm thinking about building set of fostex BLH's to replace my Adire HE10.1's and am wondering which fostex driver's are recommended. My location doesn't give me the oppurtunity to hear different speakers so I'm quite dependent on internet research and opinions. Having searched this and other sites I am looking at the following models

FE 166e
FE 166 es-r
FE 168ez
FE 206e
FE 208ez

Any opinions or comparisions of these models is welcome and much appreciated. I am kinda leaning toward a pair of the limited edition 166 es-r which I have the oppurtunity to purchase but havn't read any complete reviews.

I'm thinking I will stick with one of the Fostex recommended designs but am open to other suggestions.

Also if anybody can give me heads up on what differences I'm going hear between the HE10's and a Fostex BLH it would be great. I'm thinking this will be an upgrade in speakers for me but perhaps I'm wrong.

These speakers will be used with bottlehead foreplay and paramours I have just recently ordered.

Any info or opinions is greatly appreciated

Thanks, Chad
 
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kazoo

Member
Joined 2005
I am building the recomended enclosure right now for the 166es-r. I hope I will have them done in a week or so. I am going to be running them with the foreplay and the parabees. So if you can wait a couple of weeks I will let you know how they sound with the bottlehead setup.

John
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
burn in

It's not clear from this thread if you're familiar with the legendary Fostex break-in, to which I can attest from personal experience with my recent FE108EZ horns, as well as a buddy's C&C Abbys.

Unless the 166ESRs are radically different from all current Fostex offerings, a week or two just ain't gonna cut it - so don't be too crestfallen if they aren't transcendental within the first hour or so.
 
T

TC

Member
Joined 2004
cain-cain.com/audio
Unless the 166ESRs are radically different from all current Fostex offerings, a week or two just ain't gonna cut it - so don't be too crestfallen if they aren't transcendental within the first hour or so.
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They are radically different. The pole piece and magnet are completely new technology never to be repeated until Fostex feels like it. ANyway it's some special alloy and process that is radically new and different, sounding too. Bass is totally free, as in detatched from the system who needs woofers bass. Room filling. Mid/highs are smoothest I have heard from a single. Very similar sound to my cryo'd 208's. I was actually in awe. You forget about break-in in a few minutes.

TC
 
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boonedog

Member
Joined 2005
Well I think I will go ahead and order a pair of the 166ESR's. Although quite a bit more expensive ($410 a pair here in Canada) it sounds like they might be worth it. Now I just have to get to work and build some cabnits. I remeber someone in another thread saying they had a 166ESR cutting plan for Baltic Birch. I'd be interested in copy of this if anyone wants to share it.

Also has anyone tried making round baffles like Terry's Cain & Cain speakers for the Fostex enclosures? Asthetics wise they look nice but without Terry's radius's or expertise I'm thinking a novice like myself might end up making things sound worse.

John
I'd be very interested in how your set of 166ESR horns turn out. Please let us know when you are finished.

Thanks everyone for your opinions.
 
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Badwater

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TC said:



..... I was actually in awe. You forget about break-in in a few minutes.

TC
Click to expand...


I am in agreement with TC. I have had my ES-R's running in the recommened BLH for about 2 months and they sounded wonderful from the get go. Some nights I just sit with my mouth open listening to these wonderful speakers. I am just amazed at the big clear sound that is produced; it is like nothing I have ever heard before.
 
zobsky

zobsky

Member
Joined 2002
zobsky.blogspot.com
TC said:



They are radically different. The pole piece and magnet are completely new technology never to be repeated until Fostex feels like it. ANyway it's some special alloy and process that is radically new and different, sounding too. Bass is totally free, as in detatched from the system who needs woofers bass. Room filling. Mid/highs are smoothest I have heard from a single. Very similar sound to my cryo'd 208's. I was actually in awe. You forget about break-in in a few minutes.

TC
Click to expand...

any idea how the 166 ESR's are compared to
1. the standard 166e
2. the 166 e sigma

wr.t.
1. fostex "shreik" - due to peak in mids
2. bass / mid / treble performance


thanks, V
 
T

TC

Member
Joined 2004
cain-cain.com/audio
The esr compared to the 166e?

Massive increased motor design yeilds much better overall performance in every area. There is absolutely no shout. BTW I get no shout with my systems. You have to address every aspect of a system. "Shout" is the result of mediocre amps, cables and AC. Grunge and noise manifests itself as shout, but starts at the wall outlet 95% of the time IMHO. Fostex simply reveals this problem better than most spkrs. This includes "shriek". You should see the factory Fostex guys at CES and thier 60lb tungsten power cords!

The fe168 is a contender in some ways especially the high end. I think overall the sigma probably is better here. The esr is very good, smooth, but the sigma has better extension and clarity. Sigma does not have the bass that the esr has _until it is properly loaded_ ie: horn.

TC
 
apassgear

apassgear

Member
Joined 2002
Badwater said:



Some nights I just sit with my mouth open listening to these wonderful speakers. I am just amazed at the big clear sound that is produced; it is like nothing I have ever heard before.
Click to expand...


Just for the record, which is your preferd amp gear for your ESR's?

The reason I ask is that I hear a lot for diference driving Fostex (not ESR's mind you) with different amps.

Cheers....
 
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