Fostex Fe103 combined with woofer.

[jim]

Hi,

I'd like to build a speaker with a Fe103e in a small sealed enclosure combined with a larger woofer (17-20cm) in a bassreflex enclosure but I don't have a clue which woofer I could use.

Any recommendations ?

Thanks,
Jim

[navin]

try the 6-8" seas papaer cone drivers.

[planet10]

Originally posted by jim
I'd like to build a speaker with a Fe103e in a small sealed enclosure combined with a larger woofer (17-20cm) in a bassreflex enclosure but I don't have a clue which woofer I could use.

Any recommendations ?

To get a good blend you need a fairly extended range woofer (given the small size you are looking for that shouldn't be a problem). Something paper cone probably (althou i 've used some plastic Peerless 8s that work pretty well and go pretty low). What kind of budget?

dave

[jim]

Dave,

To get a good blend you need a fairly extended range woofer (given the small size you are looking for that shouldn't be a problem).

Do you mean I could use first order filters or why do you need a woofer with an extended range ?
Should the sensitivity of the woofer be higher (91-92db) to compensate for baffle step ?

Oh, the budget is around 50-70 euro.

Jim

[smbrown]

Jim, I've been doing something similar to what you proposed. There is a good post on the fullrange forum just this weekend on this subject. You didn't say if you want to use one amp for both the FR and the woofer, but based on your question about relative sensitivity, it sounds like that is your plan. Personally I went for the bi-amp route and use a pro sound amp on the woofer. That way I get an inexpensive way to drive it, I have a L&R volume adjustment on the bass amp, and I have plenty of power to drive. It also opens the door for lots of experimentation and the ability to have woofers that don't match the FR. It also leaves the top end free to use some nice tube equipment. Right now I'm using Fostex FF85Ks in an open baffle on top and crossing to a woofer at about 200hz. I've used both a Shiva sub in a 60L sealed cabinet, and also tried an old Utah 12" woofer I had in the same cabinet (which modeled well for it). Both integrate very nicely. I have also tried a similar setup with FE166Es in sealed cabinets on top, similar results, though I like the OB better for depth of sound stage and imaging.

[planet10]

Originally posted by smbrown
bi-amp

By far & away the best route.... even if you just use some plate amps (gainclones are pretty appealing too)

a Shiva sub

I could never get my Shivas (Mk 1s mind you) to go hi-enuff to make me happy. Even with a 4th order XO at 125 Hz i could still hear them getting rough at the top of their passband.

Due to my frugal-phile(tm) situation/temperment, i have been mostly using old extended range 10s & 12s from speakers i recycle... i've a set of 4 12" Fosters in the queue at the moment. If my experiments with subtractive XO on another project turn out well, i'll use that.

dave

[navin]

Originally posted by smbrown
Right now I'm using Fostex FF85Ks in an open baffle on top and crossing to a woofer at about 200hz. I've used both a Shiva sub in a 60L sealed cabinet

u mean to say u are using a FF85K XOed to a shiva at 200hz. how does it sound? can the FF85 really got that low? that too in an open baffle? how wide is the baffle.

[smbrown]

I am using it in what would more accurately equate to an open back box. Since I had on hand Dick Olsher's Basszilla plans, I used the same crossover he suggests for the Fostex version (platinum?). I think those points are about 220 rolloff for the full ranger and 190 roll in for the bass. My thought here was that if it worked for a Fostex with a much lower Qt, and same impedance, the crossover as designed might just work for the FF85K. So far, I'm very pleased with the sound. I have measured the response in my listening room with my trusty RS SPL meter and I get a pretty flat (+/- 2db) response from the 80's through the top end, with a bit of a dip (-4db?) around 200. The open box they are in is about 8.5" wide and 11" deep. I did have to add some stuffing along the walls to keep down some resonance. I have also tried the FF85K in a more traditional OB - 14" wide with 2 or 3" side wings. Similar results. I just like the looks of the box better and I think they image better, too. Given some time I will probably go to an OB with angled sides and see how that does.

[navin]

Q1: are u using only 2 FF85K per side?
Q2: what are u driving the 85K with?
Q3: what kinda SPLs are u getting at say 2m with the RS meter?
Q4: what is your application (audio only or HT or both)?
Q5: how big is yor room?

Sorry for being so inquisitive.

[navin]

and so seriosly off topic....