My shortlist is below. I'm leaning towards either Faital or Alpair 10.3. The Alpair 10P is about $60 more per speaker which seems unjustified.
The Karlsonator didn't get WAF. I guess the look is not for everyone - quite industrial.
FrugelHorn maybe problematic so close to the wall.
The Pensil is pushing it size wise but OK.
I'm not convinced by the Faitals look when front mounted but maybe it will grow on me. I had read that someone was going to try to rear mount it which would require cutting a profile into the back of the baffle. I also prefer the aesthetics of the speaker mounted closer to the top like the Pensil. I am attracted to the lower cost, higher sensitivity and good reviews though.
I might sleep on it... Or make them both 😀
Either way I'm convinced that I will get an introduction to a decent full range so I can evaluate the sound and see if it is to my taste and suits Class A. My overnight sensations are very insensitive (83dB I think) so not really suited to low power Class A. My 50W AV receiver even struggles a bit.
Thanks for all of the advice and opinions.
MA CHR-70 $120AUD (Castle) 840 x 140 x 180 85.4dB (currently out of stock locally)
Faital 4FE32 $150AUD (TABAQ) 832 x 124 x 152 91dB
MA Alpair 10.3 $200AUD (Pensil) 1092 x 241 x 356 88dB
The Karlsonator didn't get WAF. I guess the look is not for everyone - quite industrial.
FrugelHorn maybe problematic so close to the wall.
The Pensil is pushing it size wise but OK.
I'm not convinced by the Faitals look when front mounted but maybe it will grow on me. I had read that someone was going to try to rear mount it which would require cutting a profile into the back of the baffle. I also prefer the aesthetics of the speaker mounted closer to the top like the Pensil. I am attracted to the lower cost, higher sensitivity and good reviews though.
I might sleep on it... Or make them both 😀
Either way I'm convinced that I will get an introduction to a decent full range so I can evaluate the sound and see if it is to my taste and suits Class A. My overnight sensations are very insensitive (83dB I think) so not really suited to low power Class A. My 50W AV receiver even struggles a bit.
Thanks for all of the advice and opinions.
MA CHR-70 $120AUD (Castle) 840 x 140 x 180 85.4dB (currently out of stock locally)
Faital 4FE32 $150AUD (TABAQ) 832 x 124 x 152 91dB
MA Alpair 10.3 $200AUD (Pensil) 1092 x 241 x 356 88dB
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Good luck with build gilera!
So which cone color are you settling for - Copper (Gold) or the Grey?
Please note that the Alpair 10.3 have thick bezels (9-10mm IIRC) and you will need to create a rebate to get them flush-mounted (required for optimum performance).
Do you have the tools for that?
So which cone color are you settling for - Copper (Gold) or the Grey?
Please note that the Alpair 10.3 have thick bezels (9-10mm IIRC) and you will need to create a rebate to get them flush-mounted (required for optimum performance).
Do you have the tools for that?
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An easy way to "hide" the bezel, from the uber thick Alpair to the wings of the Faital, is to make a beauty baffle.
Something like this, which can either be made out of wood (harder to shape) or XPS foam (very easy to shape). Both can be painted to colour match or design
Something like this, which can either be made out of wood (harder to shape) or XPS foam (very easy to shape). Both can be painted to colour match or design
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The wood I have is 20mm veneered particle board so thickness is enough to rebate. I have.basic tools but have a friend that has more. Because the end grain does not blend in with the veneer as well as plywood, I am tempted to mitre the edges. I only have a circular saw which can be set to 45 degrees so that might be fun.
Another way to get the basket flush is to glue a thin piece of MDF onto the front panel, cut out to surround the driver edge. It also has the advantage if done with PVA, of thickening the baffle, and having a damping layer of PVA in it.
Indeed, though this is what speaker grill [or any open weave] cloth and open cell foam is for, just let her choose. 😉
Use the driver with the most mids, HF 'shout' to pierce the thicker/denser ones. Instant 'vintage' sound, especially if tube driven.
GM
Yeah, not having a router during my DIY speaker building 'career', I Velcro'd a 'false' baffle to cover/recess the frames of front mounted drivers or be the grill 'frame' since the traditional 'stick' frame was way too time consuming just to save a few $$$.
GM
With a grille cloth over the aperture to look like a rectangle, it will look like any other prismatic rectangular speaker box.
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In hindsight, my biggest mistakes were a) not practicing my skills adequately on scrap materials first, b) going cheap on tools, drivers and materials instead of stretching for something I would be really happy with long term. Would my younger self have listened to the advice of my elders, but such is youth.
If I go with the Alpair i'd choose grey. But am now leaning more towards the Faital in a TABAQ. These little speakers do look very good on paper and are quite well priced even including shipping from the US and the size of the enclosure would suit the small better.
The TABAQ enclosure seems to suit 3" and 4" without any changes which seems unusual. So that means that 3FE22, 3FE25, 4FE32, 4FE35 could all be used.
On paper the ferrite magnet version look very similar in performance and they are cheaper. Is there any real benefit to the neo versions? (Price difference is small).
3" versions seem to also perform similarly to the 4" versions but I'm guessing there is a small increase in bass performance with the 4" that would make them the preferred choice in this enclosure.
The Faital's have higher sensitivity and get recommendations from folks like X and Perceval who have done their fair share of listening; so hopefully you will be happy with the TABAQ once you build it. 🙂
No experience with the Faital's myself, can't comment on the Neo vs Ferite magnet difference.
Keep us posted on your progress.
No experience with the Faital's myself, can't comment on the Neo vs Ferite magnet difference.
Keep us posted on your progress.
If you can spare it, the 4fe32 is a little better, and smoother, where the 4fe35 has a small break up at 8kHz.
Also yes, since both 3 and 4 Faitals have very good high reach, I'd favour the 4" version for the extra meat on the bass.
All my latest TABAQs were done with 3.5 or 4" drivers.
Also yes, since both 3 and 4 Faitals have very good high reach, I'd favour the 4" version for the extra meat on the bass.
All my latest TABAQs were done with 3.5 or 4" drivers.
Either are at the builder's discretion.
I have never heard a driver that was perfect as is.
So, for me, I will often add a filter, whether passive or active.
But others will live with the driver without any filter and call it character.
To each his/her own.
It's different for every driver, and for every listener according to room dynamics.
I have never heard a driver that was perfect as is.
So, for me, I will often add a filter, whether passive or active.
But others will live with the driver without any filter and call it character.
To each his/her own.
It's different for every driver, and for every listener according to room dynamics.