FE206E v. FE207E bass reflex

[DavidLewis2]

My friend wants me to help him build a pair of bass reflex speakers (he will not have his arm twisted to have BLHs or BIBs !). His driver choice is FE206E or FE207E. Can anybody help with the following questions please ? Thanks -
1. FE207E seems to be the preferred choice for BRs. Is that because it produces lower bass ?
2. Does the FE206E have any advantages over the FE207E in the BR configuration ?
3. I've read that 20l is a better bet than 45l. Is that true for both FE206E and FE207E ? What port diameter/length would be optimal ?
4. I've read that non-parallel internal sides help reduce standing waves. Is this worth doing ?
5. Is the Fostex recommended FE207E double bass reflex a good thing to try ?
He listens to general rock and pop, very little classical/jazz. He has an SS amp. Thanks in advance for any advice proffered.

[Scottmoose]

FE207E would be my choice. It's a higher Q driver so it'll need less correction in a resonant enclosure. The 206 has a whisker more detail perhaps, but there's plenty to spare, and the 207 does indeed go a touch lower. Go to the Projects section here: www.quarter-wave.com -virtual project for both these drivers. Streets ahead of any BR box, fully documented & CAD plans. My top choice if you want a simple to build box.

[vitalstates]

Hi David

Get out more!..meet some new friends!

lol

Ed

[larkinrulez]

I have the 207E in a 35l BR.
I tried the Martin King-MLTL but it dosen't work for me...theres a biiiig hole in the mid-base!
I tried the DBR...don't know why, but I didn't like it.
I tried a 20l BR...maybe the best choice, but I prefere the 35l BR because of a little deeper base.
BUT!!!
If rock and pop would be "my" music, I never would buy a Fostex...or any other fullrangedriver

[DavidLewis2]

Thanks Scottmoose, I'm now reading up on the Quarter Wavelength design stuff. A lot better final sound than BRs ?
Vitalstates, Thanks for the advice but I can't get out much because I keep wanting to listen to music on my new speakers ! New friends means new people saying "....can you make me a pair of those ?" !!! From his point of view, he came round my house and listened to my FE206E loaded BRs and my FE206ES-R loaded BLHs. The cheap/easy BRs were still streets ahead of anything he'd heard before. It was a "I want some, I want some ...." situation. Us full range chaps sometimes forget how great these speakers (even in a BR) sound on first hearing. Bye for now.

[vitalstates]

Hi David

Thanks for taking my post in the humourous way it was intended. I'm so glad you're not closed to the possibility of 1/4 wave,as in my experience its a world of improvement....There is always an alternative to SS as well, can we lure you to have a look at the dark side.....check out my website, it details my voyage away from BR and SS.

Regards

Ed

[Scottmoose]

Ah yes... Ed's Vofos are well worth looking into as well. How did I forget those? They certainly beat the MLTLs on dynamics, although they aren't as easy to build. Not that difficult either of course.

Big hole in the midbass? That's exactly what Martin's MLTLs shouldn't have! Sounds like something went pear-shaped with your build (no offense or reflection intended, but they shouldn't have that). None of my five pairs did.

Rock / pop & FR drivers. Thorny one. No FR unit will ever do dynamics as well as a good multi-way, even horn-loaded but then, there aren't many good multi-ways. The problem isn't extension (if I see one more drivelling remark saying that FR drivers can't do bass... I'm sure we've all seen plenty of those comments, usually from people who haven't heard one loaded right, or stuck in a simple BR box or duff horn design) but excursion. Max excursion occurs an octave above Fc, and in most 8in resonant cabinets like the MLTLs this is about 35-40Hz. Which puts max excursion right in the 70-80Hz zone, where most of the energy in rock etc. music occurs. The 206/7 aren't as bad as some in this respect as they've got a decent amount of travel (for FR units) but less than most midbass drivers. They can still do it pretty well though and they can kick like mules in the right cabinet. Ed's Vofos in particular seem to enjoy belting a few things out, probably because they're tuned slightly higher, which pushes the max. excursion point out of the hot-zone.

[lovechild]

Hi

Fostex' do work for Rock Music if releaved from the lower 2 octaves. Put the FE206E in a small (ca 10 liter) closed box and add somthing like a Eminence 12 LF in BR, playing from 180Hz down. The easy way is using two poweramps and a active xo, but passive xo will also work.

F.A.S.T. -- Fostex And Sub Technology

Result will be a 80 - 100 L floorstander that can look like this.

[Scottmoose]

Ah yes. Nothing beats a goodly sized woofer for when you need that juicy hit of bass.

I'd prefer to horn load it though, if that's OK?

[larkinrulez]

Ed's Vofos???

The midbass:
I have a sampler of th jazzlable dmp with a great version of "chain of fools"...there is a tom-kick, that really kicks a....
With the MLTL it was almost not listenable