A cheap ribbon you guys may be interested in

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The Australian electronics company Jaycar has these and it's in Australia dollars, said to be made in Japan by Foster very well regarded. go for it (hope you can read it this 102k limit is a pain)

Cheers george
 

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Good move. Thanks. I saw them too and it got me thinking. Is it a conventional ribbon or is it one of those funny "Isodymanic" membranes where the magnet is enbedded in the membrane I think? I recall that "FOSTER" marketed a couple in Aust' in the mid 1970's and they were not a metal ribbon in a magnetic field. I don't want to be pedantic and the earlier ones had a good reputation. The other people who used this principle were Warfedale and Peerless who both used then in headphones;got some of the latter myself.
Cross overs a tad high at 6,400 Hz. I'd like a good drive that goes from around 700c/s up to 7 or 8 k. Any ideas in Aust' George?
 
I think it might not be a "true" ribbon. The yellow color is a strong sign that there is a Kapton plastic membrane. True ribbons (almost?) always have aluminum ribbon elements. A true ribbon that small would also need a matching transformer. I don't see anything that seems to have space for a transformer. My bet is that it's a magnetic planar with a Kapton membrane and multiple aluminum foil conductors attached.
 
Certainly a "leaf ribbon" tweeter.

Foil on plastic of some sort. The yellowish color indicates a Kapton like material.

Probably Chinese manufacture - although maybe not.

Look similar to a number of tweeters being made these days including some offerings from "Hi-Vi" (also out of China).

Much depends on price and suitability to a given application if they are to be considered a "bargain" or not.

All imho, of course.

_-_-bear :Pawprint:
 
I know these exact drivers and have some in my office system. They worl fine from 3lHz up and are very clear & low distortion sounding.

they are made by foster in JAPAN on the late 70's and are Isodymanics - NOT ribbons as such. Where they came from who knows?

But for $Oz39 they'd be a good deal to spice up a low cost sysyem - way better than a cheap dome pr cone tweeter!

Allen
 
you tried them yet george?

ive fired one up today, makeshift arangment ina small off oem bookself speaker , in place of the dome need to work more on xover and such, but first imrpessions are good, very detailed, bordering on harsh, but i cant be sure as the sensitivity is too high atm and needas an lpad. ill report back.

the off axis response in the vertical plane is shocking, but i think that could be normal for ribbons of this shape?? correct me if im wrong im new to ribbons

let us all know when youve tried them then if not allready

;)
 
Nuh, just put them on the geny and listened, very clean, I'm into esl's i only bought them because they were so cheap, one day I'll do something with them.
They remind me so much of the old no longer available Infinity Emmit planer ribbon, they extend out very clean with the geny, and are very sensitive. For that price you could do a very cheap 4 or 8 times line source, that way they'd be idling at big volume and the vertical dispersion will be heaps better.

Cheers George
 
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