The "Vinc"horns
Hi guys,
This was my first incursion into DIY. I went for a pair of home-tweaked Brucehorns. I named them The Vinchorns. Some huge monsters that couldn't last long in the living-room (guess why...). Still waiting for some different drivers in Spain. Haven't applied any serious finish yet, just sprayed some white coating onto the MDF cabinet. Haven't completely given up on them -missus' opinion notwithstanding.
I moved to Denmark two years ago and will hopefully -with a bit of help, Dave
?- start pretty soon with a pair of Fonkens Classic Ratio sporting a Fostex FF165Wk driver.
Regards,
Vincula
Hi guys,
This was my first incursion into DIY. I went for a pair of home-tweaked Brucehorns. I named them The Vinchorns. Some huge monsters that couldn't last long in the living-room (guess why...). Still waiting for some different drivers in Spain. Haven't applied any serious finish yet, just sprayed some white coating onto the MDF cabinet. Haven't completely given up on them -missus' opinion notwithstanding.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I moved to Denmark two years ago and will hopefully -with a bit of help, Dave
?- start pretty soon with a pair of Fonkens Classic Ratio sporting a Fostex FF165Wk driver.Regards,
Vincula
Hi guys,
This was my first incursion into DIY. I went for a pair of home-tweaked Brucehorns. I named them The Vinchorns. Some huge monsters that couldn't last long in the living-room (guess why...). Still waiting for some different drivers in Spain. Haven't applied any serious finish yet, just sprayed some white coating onto the MDF cabinet. Haven't completely given up on them -missus' opinion notwithstanding.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I moved to Denmark two years ago and will hopefully -with a bit of help, Dave
Regards,
Vincula
Hi Vinc!
Beautiful looking cabinets. What type of drivers from Spain are you getting? Do you have a link to them that you could provide? I'm sorry your wife or GF made you take these gorgeous speakers out of the living room.
I'm listening to: Inside Out by The Connection
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
Thanks. They are indeed very beautiful, authentic sculptures. It's not that she doesn't like them, they just "dominate" the room so much... I KNOW I am gonna put them back again, but do not know when. LOL
I started with a pair of humble Beyma 8 AGN I had lying around and then I tried a pair of Sica lp 208.38. 1100 I got recommended on a German forum.
Maybe I should have tried a pair of Fostex Fe206 instead... or others recommended to the Brucehorn. Didn't have the funds back then, and somehow I sensed they were not going to be accepted. Well, it was my first project! So much to learn, mate.
The more I read here the more humble I become...
Regards,
Vincula
I started with a pair of humble Beyma 8 AGN I had lying around and then I tried a pair of Sica lp 208.38. 1100 I got recommended on a German forum.
Maybe I should have tried a pair of Fostex Fe206 instead... or others recommended to the Brucehorn. Didn't have the funds back then, and somehow I sensed they were not going to be accepted. Well, it was my first project! So much to learn, mate.
The more I read here the more humble I become...
Regards,
Vincula
Hi guys,
This was my first incursion into DIY. I went for a pair of home-tweaked Brucehorns. I named them The Vinchorns. Some huge monsters that couldn't last long in the living-room (guess why...). Still waiting for some different drivers in Spain. Haven't applied any serious finish yet, just sprayed some white coating onto the MDF cabinet. Haven't completely given up on them -missus' opinion notwithstanding.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I moved to Denmark two years ago and will hopefully -with a bit of help, Dave
Regards,
Vincula
Nice work on a tough build. Re: the WAF, I don't have that problem (very understanding wife) but if I did I think I'd bring her into the room blindfolded with music playing and ask her to listen first. Probably wouldn't save all speakers, but I bet some otherwise unacceptable builds would get to stay.
Very nice dear Vincula,
Remember:
1) There is no such thing as a "too big horn".
2) Corner loaded horns are less intruding and have better WAF.
If you consider the above, one possibility is to prolong the bass horns until the can be placed on corners and violá!: less troubles with your other half and much bottom end.
...I meant the low frequencies...
Regards,
M.
Remember:
1) There is no such thing as a "too big horn".
2) Corner loaded horns are less intruding and have better WAF.
If you consider the above, one possibility is to prolong the bass horns until the can be placed on corners and violá!: less troubles with your other half and much bottom end.
...I meant the low frequencies...
Regards,
M.
Very nice dear Vincula,
Remember:
1) There is no such thing as a "too big horn".
2) Corner loaded horns are less intruding and have better WAF.
If you consider the above, one possibility is to prolong the bass horns until the can be placed on corners and violá!: less troubles with your other half and much bottom end.
...I meant the low frequencies...
Regards,
M.
The bottom end must "point" in the right direction though. You might know yourself how difficult that is
Otherwise, what a great you tube catch! I own every single record you play there -and a Lenco L75 as well, among some other decks. Great jazzzzz music.
The sound of those awe-inspiring horns I merely glimpse in the background speaks for itself, even though crappy Mac -speakers. The piano and the saxophone comes out lively, real and engaging.
Miss ma'horns
!Some pictures of yours could be great.
Regards,
Vincula
Hello again Vincula!
Before you purchase the Fostex FE206, let me tell you that about 6 years ago I had Cardersound ---{who I believe has since gone out of business}--- build me a pair of large Sachiko double-back-loaded horns. They came with FE206E drivers stock. However after awhile I had those FE206E cones replaced with the FE206ES-R drivers. It was immediately very easy to hear that these were much more realistic sounding drivers than the FE206E were!
To make a very long story as short as possible, I ended up ruining the FE206ES-R drivers by trying to apply a proprietary cone treatment on them myself, rather than wait for the creator of this process. Just to be clear every set of speakers except the FE208ES-R had this cone treatment applied, because it drastically improved the sound of the drivers. And the only reason I didn't apply it to the FE208ES-R was because of their rarity and high cost. I thought it might devaluate the drivers in the eyes of others!
So almost in tears because I destroyed the FE206ES-R drivers by applying too much of the cone treatment. I came here asking everyone to help me try and locate Fostex FE208ES-R drivers. And as luck would have it Dave of Planet 10 HiFi knew of someone who had a pair that I was able to obtain. Those FE208ES-R drivers sound incredible and have been in my Sachikos for a little over 3 years now.
By now you're probably wondering what this has to do with you, am I right? Well I'm telling you this because about 5 months ago I had a chance to hear a pair of Dayton PS220-8 full-range, 8 inch drivers in my Sachikos and those Dayton's literally blew away the FE208ES-R drivers I had installed. These Dayton's are only $256/pr. But need to have some sort of cone treatment applied to sound their best ---{I've done a side-by-side comparison of untreated and treated cone Dayton PS220-8 and the sonic improvement after the treatment is applied is amazing}--- I won't recommend my friend so I don't come off like a shill.
I believe if you applied something like the C37 lacquer, you might get similar sonic affects. But that's just a guess because I've never heard a paper cone treated with C37 lacquer and what kind of sonic improvement it makes. I can tell you that the PS220-8 when treated with this cone treatment sounds so good, one man took his Lowther drivers out of his Lamhorn 1.8 and replaced them with the PS220-8 with treated cones. I think it would be worth it for you to try experimenting with the PS220-8 in your speakers and you should further experiment with treating the cones with the C37 lacquer or something like it.
This link will show you my system in various phases of being upgraded: My Final Audio System
Good luck Vincula...
I'm listening to: Life As We Know It by Tim Timmermans
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
Thank you very much for the tip, Tom! Will have a look at them, but right now I am going to concentrate my efforts on a pair of Fonkens GR, since I haven't got enough room for a pair of horns -unless I can make them big enough to sleep in them once I get my a#€e kicked off!
Then again, I am looking forward to spending a long summer at my house in Spain and getting those BVB's back to life.
In passing, what an amazing system you got yourself there. I have actually admired your system before knowing it was yours, as I came across your listening room many times when building mines! Great Italian thermionic work of art sparking music into your beasts. I imagine a man with a big smile on its face listening and then listening some more.
Once again, thank you very much for your suggestions.
Regards,
Vincula
Then again, I am looking forward to spending a long summer at my house in Spain and getting those BVB's back to life.
In passing, what an amazing system you got yourself there. I have actually admired your system before knowing it was yours, as I came across your listening room many times when building mines! Great Italian thermionic work of art sparking music into your beasts. I imagine a man with a big smile on its face listening and then listening some more
.Once again, thank you very much for your suggestions.
Regards,
Vincula
Vincula,
Thanks for the kind words about my system. I turned 60 on 1/23 and I've been involved in audio for 47 years. It was just a little over 13 years ago that I heard my first SET amp powering a Lowther single full-range driver in a Hedlund BLH. I was so impressed with what I heard. I started selling off my old system and buying what you now see, one-by-one until I changed my old system to this new ---{parts of it are 13 y.o}--- audio system.
I can honestly say I've never been happier since I finally found the correct path in audio for me to take to reach audio nirvana. That Great Italian thermionic work of art you spoke about will be with me until either it dies, I die or I become filthy rich. Thanks again for your kind words. I wish you all the best in whatever audio project you start...
I'm listening to: Elixir by Fourplay
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
Thanks for the kind words about my system. I turned 60 on 1/23 and I've been involved in audio for 47 years. It was just a little over 13 years ago that I heard my first SET amp powering a Lowther single full-range driver in a Hedlund BLH. I was so impressed with what I heard. I started selling off my old system and buying what you now see, one-by-one until I changed my old system to this new ---{parts of it are 13 y.o}--- audio system.
I can honestly say I've never been happier since I finally found the correct path in audio for me to take to reach audio nirvana. That Great Italian thermionic work of art you spoke about will be with me until either it dies, I die or I become filthy rich. Thanks again for your kind words. I wish you all the best in whatever audio project you start...
I'm listening to: Elixir by Fourplay
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
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Thank you very much, dear Vincula, for your kind words about my humble system.
I was about to add that I varnish all my "paper" transducers with Dammar varnish, which is rather inexpensive to buy on violin related shops and not so difficult (many recipes online) to make. The last time, I applied the third and fourth hands (after the youtube videos) to my Beyma coaxials and I was scarred during 8 weeks for, though very clean sounding, they lacked bass. Then, the varnish dried and the sound returned bigger and better.
It can transform even cheap speakers into decent ones.
Best wishes,
M.
I was about to add that I varnish all my "paper" transducers with Dammar varnish, which is rather inexpensive to buy on violin related shops and not so difficult (many recipes online) to make. The last time, I applied the third and fourth hands (after the youtube videos) to my Beyma coaxials and I was scarred during 8 weeks for, though very clean sounding, they lacked bass. Then, the varnish dried and the sound returned bigger and better.
It can transform even cheap speakers into decent ones.
Best wishes,
M.
Think I liked them better naked. Sorry.
It would have been much simpler to leave them unfinished but I wanted to try veneering--so I did.
They sound pretty good with about 50 hours. I can listen to them without being critical. This was not true with the previous speakers I built (4 pairs that included FE 126En drivers that sounded awful for the first hundred hours or so and CHP 70's that were "tight" sounding for to begin with). In other words, I am very pleased and optimistic that these new speakers will be even better than they already are as time goes on. The imaging is very good even now, in my opinion. I have "noticed" things that hadn't caught my attention before in music I have listened to quit a lot.
I agonized about spending the time and money to build these speakers; My conclusion is that I should have done this much sooner.
Roger
wrong forum, Jeff - but you're probably already well served there as well
I think he meant the architectural look of the unfinished plywood - which can look quite tasty with lacquer or varnish clear top coat
Roger: your photos suggest these are tight to the back wall - with a rear port is that causing you any issues?
I think he meant the architectural look of the unfinished plywood - which can look quite tasty with lacquer or varnish clear top coat
Roger: your photos suggest these are tight to the back wall - with a rear port is that causing you any issues?
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You are right. I moved the speakers out from the wall 12" and the sound is more expansive. However. . . . now one shelf is also intruding into the doorway to to my 10' x 12' listening room/bedroom. This setup is just temporary until I dismantle my shop so that the space can become a living room again. For the time being the arrangement is satisfactory as a place to run the speakers in.
A side note: I have found that a nice finish is appealing but isn't worth the effort it takes unless there is something to apply it to (in this case Walnut veneer). The finish was accomplished by wiping on twelve coats of a flat oil based finish, sanding between every other coat. This is what it took to fill the grain and level the surface. Final sanding was done "wet" with 600 grit paper. A "naked" box is just not worth this attention (I have tried; I did a pair of boxes with a piano type finish and the amount of work it took was double the veneer finish, and the cost for lacquer and sandpaper ended up about the same as the veneer).
Roger
