Frugel-Horn Mk3 Builds & Build Questions

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#381
First time poster from Austin TX here, I've been lurking for awhile just trying to soak up all the knowlege I can. I'm a novice speaker builder but I have a fair amount of woodworking experience.

I'm in the middle of building a set of the Frugal 3's loaded with the 126en's. If i like they way they sound I'll build more so I've set up a jig for the sides; the nest set will be faster and easier for sure.

A quick question, would shifting the center line of the speakers down a half inch or so significantly affect them and would I need to lower the front of the baffle the same amount?

I'll post up some pictures anda few build comments when I'm down the road a bit. Thanks a again for all the info here, I hope I can contribute in some way in the future.
 
#382
Welcome to the forum, Wingman. I have the opposite problem- my woodworking skills/equipment are something south of rudimentary, but have a lot of speaker design and measurement capability. Drop me a PM if you're interested in combining some skills- I'm in NE Austin.
 
#383
SY said:
Welcome to the forum, Wingman. I have the opposite problem- my woodworking skills/equipment are something south of rudimentary, but have a lot of speaker design and measurement capability. Drop me a PM if you're interested in combining some skills- I'm in NE Austin.
Click to expand...

I'm up in the Lago Vista Area, I'll catch up with you at some point.

Still wondering what the effect of lowering the speaker some would be, if any.
 
#384
wingman03 said:
First time poster from Austin TX here, I've been lurking for awhile just trying to soak up all the knowlege I can. I'm a novice speaker builder but I have a fair amount of woodworking experience.

I'm in the middle of building a set of the Frugal 3's loaded with the 126en's. If i like they way they sound I'll build more so I've set up a jig for the sides; the nest set will be faster and easier for sure.

A quick question, would shifting the center line of the speakers down a half inch or so significantly affect them and would I need to lower the front of the baffle the same amount?
I'll post up some pictures and a few build comments when I'm down the road a bit. Thanks a again for all the info here, I hope I can contribute in some way in the future.
Click to expand...


If you mean the horizontal center line ( driver height from floor), I'd doubt that lowering by 1/2" would have little effect on internal loading characteristics, and no other changes should be required. As referred to a couple of times, we made a set of mules with removable mounting plates to allow for quick testing of a range of drivers, some of which ( e.g. TB W5-1611) ended up with a different mounting height, with no apparent problems.
 
#393
I have said something like this before, but not in this thread;

The FH3's and in my case the CHP-70's are a culmination of excellent design by dedicated enthusiasts. Just occasionally something occurs that takes a design out of the ordinary into the extraordinary. This combination of a simple and elegant cabinet coupled with a drive unit designed with DIY in mind becomes something far more than the sum of its parts.

One of those happy accidents that illuminates our lives with so much pleasure.

Jim
 
#394
I know this is a bit of a cheeky question , so I apologise in advance.

I'm planning on building these and at least trying my FE127en in them. But a buddy of mine is also going to do a pair and he needs to buy drivers.

So my question is: What are the best drivers?

I ask because there are a bunch of options, I can go with him on shipping and buy a set as well .... etc etc

TIA,

Fran
 
#395
You will get different opinions based on people's tastes & amplifiers. My personal favorite is the Alpair7eN. Chris (and those with flea watt amps) like the FE126eN. Our local opinions are based on EnABLed drivers.

If he is rocker, i'd suggest EL70. If he has an amp that he wouldn't really like to hear have all its warts exposed then EL70 or CHP70. No one has heard the new CHR70 but it is also a candidate.

Of the other drivers that we know work fine (FE108, TB W5-1611, more) i have no opinion not having heard them.

dave
 
#397
Fran - I played with a few drivers in a pair of test mule FH3s a few weeks back, including:

FE126En (EnABLed) - even stock, Fostex's latest version is great bang for the buck in this enclosure - certainly my favorite for in your face party/rocking (as long as you're partying at under 100dB)

FE127E (EnABLed) - definitely works well enough, but lacks the jump/snap of the 126

TB W5-1611 (stock) - my first listen to this driver - big surprise - very nice indeed

Alpair 7 (EnABled) - saving the best for last - not much else to say, other than that power below that of 300B (or in my case 6CA7 in triode mode) might not be enough for some folks. (well, and that I've yet to hear this driver sound less than glorious in any enclosure, and there's been more than a few)


It's been almost a year since I heard the EL70 or CHR70 in this enclosure, but I can recall preferring the FE126E at the time. In Dave's very large space the dynamics offered by the Fostex's higher sensitivity worked for me, although lacking corner reinforcement, they definitely suffered from thinner bottom end compared to the EL70 and Alpair7.

OTOH, Colin (Toppsy) and several other builders in the UK have been more than happy with CHP70 in their FH3.
 
#398
Seems like the alpair 7 is the way to go then..... and if I make some alternate front baffles I could try the FE127 as well.

Dave: would it be possible to get the dxf file for the FH3 - I'm assuming you're using a cnc machine? I understand completely if you don't want to give it out.

Fran
 
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