Help required for a Fostex FE208ESigma project

[lsfarzo]

Hi all,

I'm quite new to this forum as, up to now, I've never built a full range louds.
After having built some years ago a couple of Proac 2.5 Clone now I would face the challenge to build something new for my valves.

Reading on the NG and looking around on the net I decided to start with a couple of Fostex FE208E Sigma with the Fostex standard enclosures. Maybe I will add the T900 E Supertweeter.
I would ask you just two questions:
1) Can you suggest me a good (CHEAP ) place to buy the fostex speakers? I live in Italy so, due the dollar/euro exchange, I would prefer a place in the USA or in Germany (where, usually, sellers are cheaper).
2) The standard fostex enclosure is really a good enclosure? Or, for your experience, there could be some other projects that could give me better sonic performances (i.e. play music better?).

Best regards,
Luca Sfarzo
Italy.

My components:
1) Vinyl: Thorens TD160 + SME 30009 Rewired with VDH MCS150 & with bronze knife + Benz ACE Low
2) Pre: diy world audio design with Jensens PIO caps & Lundahl Step Up TXs
3) Power: diy world audio design 6550 PP with BG Caps, Bridge Rectifier mod, Jensen coupling PIO caps, Tung Sol 6550 & Siemens phase splitters
4) CD: Philips DVD963 SA
5) Louspeakers: Proac 2.5 Clone

[MaVo]

If you can live with a subwoofer (and since you posted in loudspeaker, not in fullrange, i think its ok to suggest that), you could put them in a straight front loaded horn, maximising the output thus minimizing the distortion. something like the oris.

the standart fostex is a backloaded horn, isnt it? its rather small in size, so a bigger horn will be better, if its well done. but the fostex design will probably sound very well compared to a unlucky diy attempt.

[Scottmoose]

You'd be better off posting in the fullrange part of the Loudspeakers forum, but FWIW, the Factory 208ESigma design isn't bad: depending on how big a room you've got and how large a cabinet you can cope with, you can do much better though. Have a gander here: www.frugal-horn.com -the Spawn boxes in particular might appeal. Also here: www.zillaspeak.com/bib.asp That latter is ludicrously simple and equally ludicrously effective, providing you can corner load them.

Re a place to get the drivers, in Germany, try www.spectrumaudio.de (run by an all-round good-bloke, by all accounts), or in the US www.madisound.com

Note that the FE208ESigma is their range-topper, occasional Special Editions aside, so it's never going to be bargin-basement priced. It's my all-time favourite WR drive-unit, and I count myself lucky to own a pair.

[lsfarzo]

Hi MaVo,

thanx for your reply.
I was just thinking to start building the std Fostex enclosure w/o the subwoofer, at first.
Then, if I feel unconfortable w/o a deep bass I will try a subwoofer though, I have to admit, I do not like very much this option.

My first problem, anyway, is to find a cheap vendor.. some suggestions?

Thank you,
Luca

[MaVo]

I dont know cheap vendors of it, since its a rather rare driver. Perhaps get used ones on ebay or the Market Place Forums. Google is your friend here :-)

[Scottmoose]

True. Alternatively, see my above post, which are probably about as cheap as it gets (not massively).

[wixy]

Originally posted by Scottmoose
You'd be better off posting in the fullrange part of the Loudspeakers forum, but FWIW, the Factory 208ESigma design isn't bad: depending on how big a room you've got and how large a cabinet you can cope with, you can do much better though. Have a gander here: www.frugal-horn.com -the Spawn boxes in particular might appeal.

I'm interested to know the advantages of the spawn designs over the factory 208ESigma design? Do they go just as low?

I just love the look of the curvy chang and bruce and want to convince myself to build one as an upgrade to the 208ESigma design, which I use for my FE206E's. Does this frequency plot you did of the FE206E in FE208ESigma cabinet show it going lower than the spawn cabinets? http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/attac...amp=1173605149

[Scottmoose]

Depends on the design & driver, but they have roughly the same extension. The 206 will need some series resistance to work properly in the BVR cabinets, which are specifically designed for the higher Q drivers with the low Q units as alternates (with the aforementioned series resistance to Eq them ~flat). None will be required in the longer path boxes & most of the cabinets will eventually have the option of a curved front.