I am starting this thread for people to post their pictures of their miniOnken/Fonken builds. I'll start off with some of our more recent builds.
There has become a confusing array of family members, i have another thread where i try to keep up with all of them. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/plan...-style-box-nomenclature-what-those-names.html
dave
There has become a confusing array of family members, i have another thread where i try to keep up with all of them. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/plan...-style-box-nomenclature-what-those-names.html
dave
I'll start with the latest.
Bernie (doesn't post here) came by today with his Mar-Ken12 to get my help detailing them and wiring in the drivers. This is the 1st set i've heard (Chris has had our (unfinished) build at his house, but with stock drivers (they are now veneered awaiting time in the spray booth). Bernie's build is of solid Douglas Fir with some dark exotic or semi-exotic vent spacers (the fir used to be his floor). The aged "orangish" colour of the fir goes really well with the copper drivers.
Even with few hours on them, i get the impression that these do some things (imaging) much better than the Classic GR Mar-Ken12 that i've listened to extensively.
This is the 1st of the trapezoidal miniOnken (irregular octagons if you count the champhers) -- the configuration will spread thriout the line. The tapered shape was the solution to fitting the wide bezel A12 into the small volume it wanted (same as A10.2, FE127e, and EL70 (A10.2 will also go nto a larger version))
dave
Bernie (doesn't post here) came by today with his Mar-Ken12 to get my help detailing them and wiring in the drivers. This is the 1st set i've heard (Chris has had our (unfinished) build at his house, but with stock drivers (they are now veneered awaiting time in the spray booth). Bernie's build is of solid Douglas Fir with some dark exotic or semi-exotic vent spacers (the fir used to be his floor). The aged "orangish" colour of the fir goes really well with the copper drivers.
Even with few hours on them, i get the impression that these do some things (imaging) much better than the Classic GR Mar-Ken12 that i've listened to extensively.
This is the 1st of the trapezoidal miniOnken (irregular octagons if you count the champhers) -- the configuration will spread thriout the line. The tapered shape was the solution to fitting the wide bezel A12 into the small volume it wanted (same as A10.2, FE127e, and EL70 (A10.2 will also go nto a larger version))
dave
Stranded neopolitan bamboo plywood dMar-Ken7 with Alpair7eN.
This, along with FonkenPrime and the uFonken, is my personal favorite
Chris gets all the credit for the boxes. Here is a picture that shows the grain matching.
dave
This, along with FonkenPrime and the uFonken, is my personal favorite
Chris gets all the credit for the boxes. Here is a picture that shows the grain matching.
dave
Mmmm. Nice finishing (on both cabs. above). 🙂 My little uFonkens still get compliments whenever anyone sees them.
Hi Dave,
In terms of the mid-range where these speakers shine, there are no comparison, when I listen to some music for vocal, I can pretty much smell the performer, feels like it's standing closely right in front of me, cannot be more impressed with that.
They were also really good when I listen to lighter less complex music, vocal, jazz, strings, etc, were very good.
When the music gets really complex though that's when the focal come through, music that has authority like big orchestral,etc ... focal handles it better with more details.
Bass wise obviously focal is much stronger being so much bigger with multiple drivers. I do not feel much is missing from the fonken though, it's mostly there maybe only missing some of the lowest of notes, I feel these are just what the speaker emphasis on and providing a different presentation.
It's very interesting that depending on my mood, I can get very different experience by hooking up different speakers.
Looking forward to the other ones that's coming dave ... 🙂
-Ced
In terms of the mid-range where these speakers shine, there are no comparison, when I listen to some music for vocal, I can pretty much smell the performer, feels like it's standing closely right in front of me, cannot be more impressed with that.
They were also really good when I listen to lighter less complex music, vocal, jazz, strings, etc, were very good.
When the music gets really complex though that's when the focal come through, music that has authority like big orchestral,etc ... focal handles it better with more details.
Bass wise obviously focal is much stronger being so much bigger with multiple drivers. I do not feel much is missing from the fonken though, it's mostly there maybe only missing some of the lowest of notes, I feel these are just what the speaker emphasis on and providing a different presentation.
It's very interesting that depending on my mood, I can get very different experience by hooking up different speakers.
Looking forward to the other ones that's coming dave ... 🙂
-Ced
Thanx. About what would be expected. Be an interesting experiment to biamp using the Focals as helper woofers (XO-100-300 Hz)
dave
dave
Cerdric,
Not related to to the thread, but have to give my love to the Podspeakers. Such a beautiful object.
Not related to to the thread, but have to give my love to the Podspeakers. Such a beautiful object.
Dave,
Very pretty speakers - the natural finish is simply super!
Whatever you have on further listening impressions will be appreciated.
Btw, this orangish color was/is very popular for teak finishing in our country.
-Zia
Here;s some photo to add to the picture gallery of my Fonken style builds.
Twin MA Alapir10 and Fostex Fe167eN.
Twin MA Alapir10 and Fostex Fe167eN.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Hi Topsy: Curious how the 167 Fonken's w/helper tweeter compare to the MA10's in that cab.
I built a pair of the Fonken's (sans tweeter)
and am currently really enjoying the Alpair 10.2's in the Mar-Ken cabs.
The bass output from a pair of them per side must be considerable.
Very nice work indeed!!
don
I built a pair of the Fonken's (sans tweeter)
and am currently really enjoying the Alpair 10.2's in the Mar-Ken cabs.
The bass output from a pair of them per side must be considerable.
Very nice work indeed!!
don
Don,
They are not the same cabinets.
The Fostex ones are the Fonken167 floorstanders buy with a false base to aid mass loading the cabintes. The twin A10 are based on 2 x Marken10 stacked and merged into a single volume. Adjusted the spacing of the slots, and merged some together - merging the 6 slots/side into 4 slots - and stuck onto a false base. Base pairs of speakers are skinned in Oak veneer. I believe DaveD will be featuring this design as the Marken10^2 as part of his Plans offerings?
Difficult to compare both, chalk and cheese really, other that the Fostex (to my ears) really does benefit from the super tweeter whereas the A10 don't need any HF support.
The Marken10^2 where built for my son who likes modern rock type music and in this role they perform very well. The MA drivers are far more suited to this genre of music than the Fostex. He loves them. The top A10 is rolled off.
They are not the same cabinets.
The Fostex ones are the Fonken167 floorstanders buy with a false base to aid mass loading the cabintes. The twin A10 are based on 2 x Marken10 stacked and merged into a single volume. Adjusted the spacing of the slots, and merged some together - merging the 6 slots/side into 4 slots - and stuck onto a false base. Base pairs of speakers are skinned in Oak veneer. I believe DaveD will be featuring this design as the Marken10^2 as part of his Plans offerings?
Difficult to compare both, chalk and cheese really, other that the Fostex (to my ears) really does benefit from the super tweeter whereas the A10 don't need any HF support.
The Marken10^2 where built for my son who likes modern rock type music and in this role they perform very well. The MA drivers are far more suited to this genre of music than the Fostex. He loves them. The top A10 is rolled off.
Thanks for your impressions, Toppsy!
I was aware the cabs were different, having built the Fonkens, and Dave's Mar-Ken cabs for the Alpair 10.2
I agree, the Fonkens would benefit from a tweeter, also agree the MA 10's/10.2's seem to require no hf help, though my hearing is not what it was!
I can well imagine the Marken's would do justice to rock.
Great job, they (both) look terrific!
Best, don