Pics baby Fostex FE83 2-inch driver on large Yuichi horn

[atilsley]

For fun, I swapped out my Faital Pro HF200 drivers and added in the baby 2 inch Fostex FE83 paper cones I had lying around.

The existing system consists of:

Tweeter: Faital Pro one inch CD with matching FP alloy horn

Mid horn: Azura 340 Hz horn with Faital Pro HF200 CD

Mid bass: 12 inch Kappalite in sealed birch box (hidden behind the large Walnut cabs)

Bass: Bill Fitzmaurice Table Tuba, with 8 inch Tang Band driver. (To be veneered.)

Amps: six channel Holton Precision audio power amp, plus separate pro amp for sub

Xover: MiniDSP 2x8

Source: Spotify, I-phone, Pure docting station, digital to xover.

Great sound, very 'big', and wide/high sound stage.

With the baby Fostex drivers, the sound is more laid back, more 'analogue.' I'm very impressed...and with tuning, I think these would/could make for a great start into horns. We're comparing $100 of drivers vs $600.

A fun project.

 

[atilsley]

A few more pics, including CNC'd stands in Walnut ply. CNC routered hole for Faital Pro tweeter.

 

[Scott L]

excellent !

Now, this is what I call a great idea !
Taking advantage of the entire flare rate !

I have often wondered why [very] large horns are constructed with only
2 inch throats (?)

 

[planet10]

2 inch Fostex FE83 paper cones

Andrew, it is a 3" driver (80mm).

A good use for the driver. What about trying FF85wk?

dave

 

[atilsley]

Andrew, it is a 3" driver (80mm).

A good use for the driver. What about trying FF85wk?

dave

Thanks Dave....I had the FF83 spare, so they got a look in initially.

I realised it was 3 inch after I posted...interetsinglly, the size of the actual cone is exactly 50mm (2 inches)...that's how I made the mistake.

With the FF85wk, what would you suggest are the main advantages...the power rating is ismilar...but seems to have more xmas. The high freq range is impressive...but isn't that academic as I'm only using the bandwidth of 700Hz to 3,500Hz? I guess if someone wanted to build a two way, then this drver owuld be a good contender.

Kind regards.

Andrew

 

[planet10]

The main advantage … at least in a box/baffle … is that it sounds better. They get really good when treated.

In a box they can reach about an octave lower than the FE83.

dave

 

[atilsley]

OK, thanks Dave...that's very intresting.

Do you hear from many folk about using paper cones in horns, isntead of CD's (generally speaking)? The difference in price, for example, is huge.

 

[planet10]

I don't pay much attention to front-loaded horns, but i have heard about many using cones, and domes horn loaded.

dave

 

[atilsley]

OK, thanks again.

All the best.

 

[Bare]

Thanks Dave....I had the FF83 spare, so they got a look in initially.

I realised it was 3 inch after I posted...interetsinglly, the size of the actual cone is exactly 50mm (2 inches)...that's how I made the mistake.

Andrew

Hardly a mistake.
A 2" diameter Cone is a 2" Speaker, even (especially IMO) in Aus.
Complete unadulterated 'Brochure Babbles'.. no more .. no less.
Why not add in the Bezel diameter while at it ? Or the box it came in.
Reads too much like a braggart in a Bar telling a hapless woman about the size of his 'apparatus'.
Think she might Laugh when faced with the reality?

 

[planet10]

Industry standard nominal size is more related to bezel size than cone size… how big are your tannoys?

dave

 

[xrk971]

Try an SB65WBAC25, it might just go all the way up to 20khz with a little high shelf EQ.

 

[atilsley]

Try an SB65WBAC25, it might just go all the way up to 20khz with a little high shelf EQ.

Ooh, nice...and massive(!) xmax of 2.5mm one way.

I'm keen to try another one like what Dave suggested, and the SB is another good choice....thanks.

Here's a new question -

Dave, others, these drivers have roughly Fs of 115Hz. With the horn being 340Hz....would you run the freq response below 340Hz, down to the Fs? (I understand the horn won't be loaded below a certain point.)

 

[xrk971]

Ooh, nice...and massive(!) xmax of 2.5mm one way.

I'm keen to try another one like what Dave suggested, and the SB is another good choice....thanks.

Here's a new question -

Dave, others, these drivers have roughly Fs of 115Hz. With the horn being 340Hz....would you run the freq response below 340Hz, down to the Fs? (I understand the horn won't be loaded below a certain point.)

It starts to fall of very rapidly below the horn loading frequency, unless you did tricks of using backside bass reflex redirect into horn walls like in some synergies. That will extend it to fs but with sensitivity of driver only (84dB).

My experience with a 22in wide 400Hz tractrix and 3FE22 and TC9FD showed I got nice 104dB to 108dB sensitivity from 400Hz on up and it went to 20kHz. Below not much, had to use woofers.

More here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full...-trynergy-full-range-tractrix-synergy-29.html

 

[atilsley]

It starts to fall of very rapidly below the horn loading frequency, unless you did tricks of using backside bass reflex redirect into horn walls like in some synergies. That will extend it to fs but with sensitivity of driver only (84dB).

My experience with a 22in wide 400Hz tractrix and 3FE22 and TC9FD showed I got nice 104dB to 108dB sensitivity from 400Hz on up and it went to 20kHz. Below not much, had to use woofers.

More here:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full...-trynergy-full-range-tractrix-synergy-29.html

Great, thanks...very interesting. I forgot about the low SPL output. On my current rig, the Fostex is about 15-20dB down on the Faital compression drivers. It's academic with MiniDSP, PROVIDED I don't run them to hard.

I guess I always held the view that if you're using a horn, you might as well keep the band bass within the loading of the horn...don't push boundaries too much.

My mid bass is Eminence Kappalite 12 inch...so no issue running this a lot higher.

 

[planet10]

these drivers have roughly Fs of 115Hz. With the horn being 340Hz....would you run the freq response below 340Hz, down to the Fs? (I understand the horn won't be loaded below a certain point.)

You want to XO to the dictates of the horn.

dave