New Fonken pair is born.

[Netlist]

Some time ago I planned to build a pair of Fonkens (http://www.planet10-hifi.com/) and here are some preliminary views.
Burch plywood is used and the results are very satisfying.
Still have to stuff them with damping material, screw in the speakers and wire them before I can listen.
I’ll report when done.

/Hugo

 

[Netlist]

.

 

[Dumbass]

Really nice, clean work there.

Any plans for finishing? I have found that a light blonde shellac looks really good on both the veneer and the edges, but if you want a browner look, you have to be careful because the edges and birch both start looking blotchey (IMO).

 

[Netlist]

Thanks,

I prefer the natural look of the birch so I'll try to preserve that colour as much as possible. Here's another picture:

 

[loninappleton]

Yes very nice work indeed.


Who has the measurements and drawings for this and the larger
Fonken for the FE127?

Those threads have gotten really long.

 

[Netlist]

Planet10.

/Hugo

 

[widman]

Very nice work. I especially like the removable back. I made a pair and sealed them up, leaving the only access through the speaker opening in the baffle. That made it a real pain to lay in the damping material and wire up the speakers.

Enjoy them and be sure to report back after you have a chance to listen.

pete

 

[Netlist]

Well, I had a brief listen.
Unfortunately, the cabinet is still not stuffed with the correct damping material so they don't sound right.
I tried filling them with what you see on the picture (don't know the name) but that seemed to be a bad idea.
One of these days I'll find some wool felt as recommended and report back.

/Hugo

 

[Dumbass]

Look for polyester batting at your local fabric store.

 

[Netlist]

How would that look like?

/Hugo

 

[vinylkid58]

Unfortunately, the cabinet is still not stuffed with the correct damping material so they don't sound right.
I tried filling them with what you see on the picture (don't know the name) but that seemed to be a bad idea.
One of these days I'll find some wool felt as recommended and report back.

Excellent work Hugo!
I'm using cotton felt raided from a pair of old Sansui speakers. This is the same material used in furniture manufacturing. Cheap and easy to find.
I was advised to attach the felt before gluing the panels, as it is very difficult to do this after assembly.

Happy listening,
Jeff

 

[Netlist]

Hmm..nice work too. I swear I didn't copy from you.

How are yours sounding? Did you hear them before the felt was in?

/Hugo

 

[Dumbass]

How would that look like?

White and fluffy, it's used to stuff quilts and small pillows.

Wool has disadvantages (not least of which, price) and AFAIK no demonstrable advantages over poly in this application.

Or perhaps the greater price and inconvenience is the advantage, in that it allows one to prize one's speakers more . . . .

 

[vinylkid58]

How are yours sounding? Did you hear them before the felt was in?

For the first listen I didn't have felt on the back panel. The sound was very bright, the upper frequencies being reflected back in the box.
I now have the first box together with felt on the back panel. The sound is much better, still a little shouty as my drivers aren't treated yet. Bass output is quite good, with the room helping a little in this area.
I'm still assembling the other box BTW.

Jeff

 

[planet10]

Who has the measurements and drawings for this and the larger
Fonken for the FE127?

http://www.planet10-hifi.com/boxes-fostex.html

dave

 

[planet10]

Like all BR boxes the walls should be lined, the box otherwise let open. Cotton felt, wool felt are best in this ap as it is fairly dense, poly batting and fiberglass would also work but would be thicker.

dave

 

[loninappleton]

http://www.planet10-hifi.com/boxes-fostex.html

dave

Thanks.

I want to try one of these in the longer style which
would mean an overall length of 26 in. (13x2 if I'm
reading it right) with 1 in sticks placed every 3 inched or so.

Sides and stay consistent.


And the divider goes all the way through?

 

[planet10]

I want to try one of these in the longer style which
would mean an overall length of 26 in.

And the divider goes all the way through?

You mean BiFonkens. Except for the height of the port-lets, the BiFonken is identical to the bipolar miniOnken.

http://p10hifi.net/tlinespeakers/FAL/box-plans/bipolar-miniOnken-v08.gif

dave

 

[Akita]

Any update on how this fonken sound?

 

[Nanook]

Akita: how do these sound?

Any update on how this fonken sound?

er ,if the Fonkens, then I did a fairly indepth review of them for
Affordable$$Audio .

Do a search here as well (diyAudio) for other impressions. In a nutshell:

good tonality, PRAT (the Pace, Rythm, Attack and Timing thing), good imaging, excellent "disappearance factor", incredible amound of bass given their small enclosure size.

I would consider these as an only loudspeaker pair in most rooms upto approximately 12'X 20' (with 8' ceilings) or so. Any room larger and you may want to add a subwoofer, and/or do the bipolar versions depending on your musical tastes. I believe the miniOnkens (with the CSS drivers would be equally good, depending on your amplifier), and better suited for lower bass (Dave, help me out here ), and bigger high dampening factor amps.