Field Coil Alpair 12?

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imfree707

imfree707

Member
Joined 2010
From Antiquity...

_henry_ said:
i wonder if anyone notices this

AFFIRM AUDIO - Elation Loudspeaker

i had privilege to listen their early light gold alpair 10 prototype last year.

but this is BIG NEWS!!!

as i notice FIELD COIL being choose for the ultimate options from FEASTREX, VOXATIV & LOWTHER now.

I wonder what would be the effect on ALPAIR 12?

cheers
henry
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I'm 55 and when I was a young guy in elementary school, I think I read that electromagnet-field speakers sounded great because a field coil can produce a more powerful magnetic field than a permanent magnet. Now days we have the ability to produce plenty of low ripple, regulated DC to run a field coil, so such speakers should be able to produce great results. The option of adjustable magnetic field strength in a speaker sounds pretty interesting to a tweak like me!:D
 
S

steviedon

Member
Joined 2009
otto88 said:
the initial production run (10 pairs) of the Alpair 12 will be in 2011.
Field coil manufacture and final assembly is for Affirm Audio by Dave Slagle and Jeffrey Jackson

Price is expected to be c $2500 per pair. :(
Though FCs are never chaep . .
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The use of field coils has always perplexed me. If the expected price is reasonably accurate that is approximately an 800% increase in price over the standard alpair 12. I'm just a skeptic I guess.....but for the small or negligible increase in performance the increased cost will likely not be worthwhile for all but the most wealthy DIYers.
 
planet10

planet10

frugal-phile™
Joined 2001
planet10-hifi.com
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steviedon said:
The use of field coils has always perplexed me. If the expected price is reasonably accurate that is approximately an 800% increase in price over the standard alpair 12. I'm just a skeptic I guess.....but for the small or negligible increase in performance the increased cost will likely not be worthwhile for all but the most wealthy DIYers.
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A question i asked too... but in the form of how would an Alpair12FC compare to an Alpair 12eN.

dave
 
BudP

BudP

Member
Joined 2007
A field coil will not solve the problems that an EnABL process will solve.

I did provide a field coil to Romy, to experiment with on his horn loaded drivers. The diff between 1.1 and 1.4 tesla, as measured in the gap, made a large difference in tonal and transient character. Romy was never satisfied with any position in between, nor the extremes. His comments were that the alnico magnets, with a proper charge, still provided what he found interesting in sonics.

Jon Ver Halen is eagerly awaiting a pair of field coils to attach his beloved EnABL'd Lowther PM6A 16 ohm silver voice coils on to. Hopefully with an adjustable field strength.

I would personally expect improvements in fine detail and added color contrasts in both inner note gradient and transient decay. Both of these would be characteristics that an EnABL'd radiating surface would aid in expressing into the room.
 
H

_henry_

Member
Joined 2002
The Affirm/Impact field coil is based on the Alpair12, not the 10.
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i was actually referring to the alpair 10 they used on their maxxhorn/affirm before.

mark mentioned to me that it was design to be more "revealing" or tendency for the high freq region. i guess to compensate their design which put emphasis on the bottom end.

I have not heard any field coil drivers, but the trend now seems that is the " ULTIMATE " driver.

probably for its versatility to suit the listener taste? (by adjusting the voltage and current?)

cheers
henry
 
R

rjbond3rd

Member
Joined 2007
Hi _henry_,

I've only heard two field coil drivers (Alpair 12, Lowther) and once the current / voltage is adjusted, they sound excellent but not really "different" than other excellent drivers. But definitely, the Alpair 12's were tight, bright and very snappy. Pinakamabilis!
 
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_henry_

Member
Joined 2002
hi rjbond3rd (bob?)

if mark decide to release for DIY, i definitely want to try that one. as FEASTREX is overly expensive $27k /pair ....

rjbond3rd/bob, "Pinakamabilis!" are u in a way related to filipinos?, btw i saw your projects for a long time already, i think u made one of the most beautiful (furniture-wise) fostex speakers out there.

cheers
henry
 
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rjbond3rd

Member
Joined 2007
Hi _henry_,

Oh those beautiful Fostex speakers (in my signature) are actually built by Bob Brines. I'm just the other "Bob" who put the web page together :) His work is indeed beautiful and I have a pair of his speakers.

My wife is Filipina from Dumaguete. We have a very little farm there (one hectare). Are you anywhere near there?

Regarding the field coils, while the Lowther benefits -tremendously- (less peaky), I actually thought the Alpair 12 benefits less than the Lowther (except of course it's great to have the adjustability which definitely made them tighter and brighter). I have been looking at the Alpair 10's for a while now...

(I did once hear the Feastrex field coils but was sitting very far back in a big room, and there were also big woofers, so I don't think I really got to hear their true sound as much as I wanted. Wow those are expensive!)
 
H

_henry_

Member
Joined 2002
hi rjbond3rd,

actually im in manila now. love to have a farm someday :)
Wow, didnt know u had listened to the fieldcoiled alpairs. Please tell us more.
i might suspect the sensitivity will go higher with field coil, so hence will be even more flexible on choosing bass / sub bass driver with prob super tweeter, to improve dynamics.

cheers
henry
 
R

rjbond3rd

Member
Joined 2007
Hi _henry_,

I hope your farm will be bigger than mine :) Yes, I was very excited to hear the Alpair 12 field-coils at the Lone Star Audio Fest 2010.

I remember hearing acoustic and electric guitar on these speakers, and it was remarkably sparkly and clear. (The room was playing cowboy / Johnny Cash type music.) You could really hear every last bit of detail in the recording. The soundstage was really wide. I really wanted to hear some piano but did not have the chance.

I wanted to play with the power supply, to learn what the range was (lower power, perhaps more bass vs. higher power, perhaps less bass but tighter transient response?) Of course that was reserved for official personnel only :) There is a picture and some more information here:

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/166956-lone-star-audio-fest-2010-reports.html#post2188577

_henry_, I hope you get to hear these soon!
 
H

_henry_

Member
Joined 2002
hi otto88,

i've never had the chance to listen to SUPRAVOX, unfortunately its not widely available here in asia countries.

when i choose THE ALPAIRS, its because i had JORDAN JX92S before, so i know pretty much how will they sound, and i like it very much. I welcomed mark's alpair step up from jx92s in terms of highs and details.

cheers
henry
 
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