New Fonken pair is born.

[woodturner-fran]

Short version:


Sonics are excellent!

Longer version:


These sound great and are a great build - just don't do what I did initially and leave yourself wondering how so many think these sound great!

They have a good freq response and great soundstaging - this is really first class. Overall they don't sound as "full" as my esl 57s but they probably beat the quads in other areas. They fulfill exactly what I wanted - a counterfoil to the quads. In a smaller room they may even sound better. They deserve good sources and amps - I've used aikido preamps with EL84 and pass aleph power amps. Valves probably have the edge with their sweetness.

They can break up a bit if you push them hard and sound a bit harsh, but thats at higher volumes than I will ever listen to. A much more important point for me is that they sound good at low volumes - I mostly listen at night when others are in bed so this is critical for me. jkeny: Probably your jordans in the 3D horn are smoother and more couth (!) but I'd need both for longer to really compare better. I've listened to the fonkens now for over a month and they've pleased me with just about everything that I've thrown at them from all the sources and music types. In that month I didn't really miss the quads at all - which I think is a huge indicator of the SQ from them.

So a major thumbs up from me to anyone thinking of building these. I don't think you could be too unhappy with them. I haven't finished painting them yet - but when I do I'll post some pics.


Fran

[SCD]

Good for you Fran:
I am glad to learn that you figured it all out.
I have been running my Aikido through my F4 and things just keep getting better. I chose 6sn7=>6sn7. All sounds very good. I have to now build the chassis.

With the right amplifier these cabinets and their brethern bring out the music from Fostex drivers. For massive sound stage I still go for the bipole version, it is breath taking in the right room.

What is next?

[gychang]

Originally posted by woodturner-fran
Short version:


Sonics are excellent!

So a major thumbs up from me to anyone thinking of building these. I don't think you could be too unhappy with them. I haven't finished painting them yet - but when I do I'll post some pics.


Fran

Fran: considering Fonkens with FE127E, may drive with 80W/ch solid state or amp32 (t-amp) clone in a smallish room.

Will I need a sub?

I will try to read the whole thread later...

gychang

[chrisb]

Originally posted by gychang


Fran: considering Fonkens with FE127E, may drive with 80W/ch solid state or amp32 (t-amp) clone in a smallish room.

Will I need a sub?

I will try to read the whole thread later...

gychang

I'm not Fran, but do have a fair bit of experience with this design. While my personal taste would lean towards a DHT (or EL84 SEP) for this application, with 30 or so watts, and perhaps some BSC, you could very well be quite happy without helper woofers.

My main listening space is notoriously small (220ft^2, long and narrow L-shaped) former basement bedroom. After a short period of "recalibration of expectations" I can enjoy the Fonkens, Brynn or Mileva with FE127En or Brynn with FF125K without any additional support.

OTOH, in a much much large space such as Dave's high-lofted great-room, the Fonkens by themselves almost border on "polite", but become quite spectacular when actively crossed over somewhere around 100 or so to a pair of SDX-7s per channel, powered by a fairly generic 70's Japanese power amp.


FWIW, in this room the F120A / "Fonkensteen" can really survive without any bass help - surprisingly enough, even with just 7w from the Wright Sound Mono7 300Bs. If Jim is reading this, I'm starting to look for excuses to keep them around..... the cost of admission to this club is more than I presently have in my discretionary spending account

[woodturner-fran]

Hi gychang,

I must have missed your post - sorry for not posting sooner.

Like Chris says, it really all depends on what your listening requirements are. Personally they go low enough for me - but they can sound a little thin, so they are best partnered with warmer components. Something like a pass aleph or similar would match well. I can't see a t-amp doing them real justice (although I haven't ever heard the one you mention). I have run them with my mini-aleph and an EL84 amp both with about 10WPC and they go plenty loud. They are fairly sensitive so you won't need all those 80W, but it will hardly do harm.

The soundstaging is very good - amazingly so - on this I can't see you being dissappointed. They are a genuinely good set of speakers - hard to see you finding much better boxes for these drivers I would think.

All my comments are referenced against my ESL57's and speakers I have heard at friends places. Also I do have a BSC in place. I think the details are back up the thread a bit. I think its a 0.68uF cap, 1.5H inductor and 8R as far as I know. I think I just plugged the data into Martins spreadsheet and those were the values I got.

If theres anything else I can answer, let me know.

Fran

[jrebman]

Chris,

Just stumbled on this one more or less by accident and was glad to see another mention of the fonkensteens.

Looks like this coming weekend they'll be making their big public debut. Then Bud's going to do some of his magic polka dots to the boxes when he gets them home, and one of these days... they might even land in my living room . So far it all sounds good and I'm thinking the RWA Signature 30.2 is going to drive the hell out of these, and sound damned fine in the process.

If all comes together as I'm anticipating, there will be a number of system changes that will happen after the 'steens arrive, and hopefully before RMAF.

Take care,

Jim

[kmaier]

Hi Jim,

I'm expecting a full report once you have a chance to listen to them

Regards, KM

[planet10]

Originally posted by jrebman
was glad to see another mention of the fonkensteens.

[Andrewbee]

Madagascar Ebony?
They look gorgeous.

[chrisb]

Originally posted by Andrewbee
Madagascar Ebony?

They look gorgeous.

Slightly different species of the genus, actually - Macassar* In this case, paper back veneer for "ease" of working around the recessed driver and port slot cut-outs. Took the best part of a full 4x8ft sheet to get reasonable grain matching on all 6 sides.

4 coats of 25 satin (25`)water-based lacquer

thanx for the compliment

* there are over 300 species in this genus, but relatively few commercially viable.

http://science.jrank.org/pages/2238/Ebony.html