Ed of "The Horn" fame is quite excited about an improved FE126E model. Sensitivity is bumped up to 94db, but the big thing is a new center plug/dust cap that is giving it extension out to 25khz while retaining the smoothness of the 126/127 FE drivers.
Has anyone heard anything about an upgraded 126 ? The Fostex site still has the old driver FR plot with the early rolloff. If extension really goes out that high, it may be the new full range champ. Sensitivity, smooth but dynamic, good extension, and small size to reduce beaming may make it hard to beat. Just figure out your bottom end solution like with any fullranger and you're done, forget the tweeter.
Has anyone heard anything about an upgraded 126 ? The Fostex site still has the old driver FR plot with the early rolloff. If extension really goes out that high, it may be the new full range champ. Sensitivity, smooth but dynamic, good extension, and small size to reduce beaming may make it hard to beat. Just figure out your bottom end solution like with any fullranger and you're done, forget the tweeter.
126/127
http://www.zillaspeak.com/fostex127eStraightPipe.asp
I enjoy my 127e in a pipe. I may put them into a smaller mltl in the future tho... for now they sing. Not rated as high eff as the 126 (91 vs 94) but the 127 is flatter when used in a typical ported box. Ed's horn reinforces the low end of the more eff 126 and probably balances everything out nicely im sure based on early listening impressions by folks who have heard them.
The 127e is fast, open, detailed and clear. Im sure the 126 is pretty great too... but needs the back horn to really shine.
I hope Ed doesn't buy them all!
Peace,
Godzilla
http://www.zillaspeak.com/fostex127eStraightPipe.asp
I enjoy my 127e in a pipe. I may put them into a smaller mltl in the future tho... for now they sing. Not rated as high eff as the 126 (91 vs 94) but the 127 is flatter when used in a typical ported box. Ed's horn reinforces the low end of the more eff 126 and probably balances everything out nicely im sure based on early listening impressions by folks who have heard them.
The 127e is fast, open, detailed and clear. Im sure the 126 is pretty great too... but needs the back horn to really shine.
I hope Ed doesn't buy them all!
Peace,
Godzilla
Fostex new FE126 seems really good. Ed seems very excited about it and for good reason:
- Half the price of the FE108EZ
- Twice the efficiency (94dB)
- Twice the power (40 some watts compared to 24 w)
The 25 kHz HF extension seems a bit optimistic since it's -12dB or so, following a 10kHz peak, but still quite good.
Considering the price, efficiency and power, it seems hard to justify buying a FE108EZ (except for the nice cast frame).
I'll get a pair and report back.
- Half the price of the FE108EZ
- Twice the efficiency (94dB)
- Twice the power (40 some watts compared to 24 w)
The 25 kHz HF extension seems a bit optimistic since it's -12dB or so, following a 10kHz peak, but still quite good.
Considering the price, efficiency and power, it seems hard to justify buying a FE108EZ (except for the nice cast frame).
I'll get a pair and report back.
From what I can see, the driver is a stock FE126E (which is quite new by the way).
On axis, 0dB is around 15kHz and drops fast off axis.
HF extension is relative to hearing capacity, and some people won't notice the difference, but some people will. I would surely mate this driver with a ribbon on top, cause what's below 10kHz seems really good on paper.
On axis, 0dB is around 15kHz and drops fast off axis.
HF extension is relative to hearing capacity, and some people won't notice the difference, but some people will. I would surely mate this driver with a ribbon on top, cause what's below 10kHz seems really good on paper.
Did this driver ever materialize? I'd built a great pair of FE127 based fullrange speakers, but sadly now one has a warped voice coil due to a power amp failure (they don't like 55vDC..!) , and Fostex have discontinued the FE127.
I am close to purchasing a pair of FE126 as a replacement..
Any thoughts?
FE126e is not a suitable replacement for the FE127. And now we have the FE126En which, from the specs, wants to see a horn even more so than the FE126e.
I still have some FE127eN which would be a significant upgrade to your existing speakers (if i do say so myself)
If you want to change drivers, and you have sufficient power, the CSS EL70 can be retrofitted into some of the FE127 boxes (ie Fonken Prime is doable)
dave
I still have some FE127eN which would be a significant upgrade to your existing speakers (if i do say so myself)
If you want to change drivers, and you have sufficient power, the CSS EL70 can be retrofitted into some of the FE127 boxes (ie Fonken Prime is doable)
dave
I am intrigued by your comment about the FE126.
The specs and parameters of the 126 and 127 are very close.
Why do you say that it's not suitable as a replacement for the FE127?
Note that the dates on the original posts in this thread are almost 5yrs ago, and the "new" driver ( Ed effused at the time about the "IT" driver) has since been superceded as part of a complete revamping the FE series.
So far, it's not certain whether the revised T/S parameters on the the new FExx6EN series will have a deleterious effect on enclosure designs optimized for the previous drivers.
As Dave has noted, the OLD FE126E could certainly not be considered as a drop-in replacement for the FE127E.
During the past 5-6 years, we've played extensively with both in a variety of enclosures (perhaps more types of designs than Ed?), so this is not idle conjecture.
Frankly, if you like the sound of the FE127E, you might want to consider the new Mark Audio EL70 paper cone driver. It has lower sensitivity and 4 ohm impedance, and there's certainly a difference in the presentation stage, but it offers some definite advantages. It's been found to be quite flexible in terms of enclosures in which it works.
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OK, I just looked at the T/S parameters, don't know why I thought the 126 and 127 were similar.. must have been reading from two copies of the same datasheet... 
Looks like I'll be redesigning my speaker around a different driver...
Back to the original topic: No 'improved' FE126 ever materialized from Fostex, did it?
Looks like I'll be redesigning my speaker around a different driver...
Back to the original topic: No 'improved' FE126 ever materialized from Fostex, did it?
OK, I just looked at the T/S parameters, don't know why I thought the 126 and 127 were similar.. must have been reading from two copies of the same datasheet...
Looks like I'll be redesigning my speaker around a different driver...
Back to the original topic: No 'improved' FE126 ever materialized from Fostex, did it?
If I may,( an exercise in pendantry?):
While I participated in the evolution of the aftermarket mods resulting in the driver Dave pictured above, and am firmly convinced of the benefits thereof, I'd feel remiss in not noting that we never heard an earlier FE126 (i.e. before the "E" designation).
In fact a quick Google search of the Fostex International site suggests no such model existed, or was widely distributed. Fostex is known for limited volume release or restricted geographic distribution of special edition drivers that may or no show on this list.
Discontinued Models - Speaker Components
In any case, how much of an improvement might have been effected by the FE126E over its putative predecessor is perhaps best assessed by others.
As said a couple of post back, the latest iteration by Fostex of this model designation ( i.e. FE126En)
http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/pdf/FE126En.pdf
has some differences in several T/S parameters that may or not have a negative impact on performance in enclosures optimized for the previous model:
http://www.madisound.com/catalog/PDF/fostexdrivers/fe126e.pdf
Note that both these spec sheets by Fostex include "suggested" enclosure designs (including a small BR) that have, to be polite, accrued mixed reviews by many builders.
Now of course, none of this really answers the question about how to resolve the issue of "which Fostex driver to replace damaged FE127E" in an existing proven design? The suggestion I made in a previous post was based on recent experience.
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