Frugal Horns!
I've finally completed the set of frugel-horns I've been working on for... longer than I care to admit. Here they are, on top of the workbench were I built them, surrounded by the mounds of detritus which fills my garage. These pictures were taken while they played music for the first time.
The drivers were purchased on the swap meet forum here, and have been "modified." The speakers were constructed entirely out of 18mm birch ply (not baltic birch, but still 13 plys). I built them so that the binding posts are attached to the baffle, which can be removed from the rest of the speaker by removing 4 bolts. I hope that as I adjust the volume of the CC, this modification to the plan will prove convenient.
And they sound great! I haven't listened to them in their permanent location yet, so I'm listening without proper corner loading. I'm also using an unmodified T-amp, which I expect isn't ideal. Even given these limitations, I'm very happy with how they sound.
I've finally completed the set of frugel-horns I've been working on for... longer than I care to admit. Here they are, on top of the workbench were I built them, surrounded by the mounds of detritus which fills my garage. These pictures were taken while they played music for the first time.
The drivers were purchased on the swap meet forum here, and have been "modified." The speakers were constructed entirely out of 18mm birch ply (not baltic birch, but still 13 plys). I built them so that the binding posts are attached to the baffle, which can be removed from the rest of the speaker by removing 4 bolts. I hope that as I adjust the volume of the CC, this modification to the plan will prove convenient.
And they sound great! I haven't listened to them in their permanent location yet, so I'm listening without proper corner loading. I'm also using an unmodified T-amp, which I expect isn't ideal. Even given these limitations, I'm very happy with how they sound.
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My versions of Tony Gee's fantastic little Solo 103s (with Fostex 107s). They are green 😛
Dave, what do you think - would they benefit from a a pair of phase plugs? They sound about right to me though lack bass and really need a sub, but some painted green phase plugs may look great if nothing else..
Dave, what do you think - would they benefit from a a pair of phase plugs? They sound about right to me though lack bass and really need a sub, but some painted green phase plugs may look great if nothing else..
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I wonder what he has done the cone with?
When we were 1st cutting out the caps in these, cutting back to the glueline would have killed the driver... i wonder if they were cahnged when the baskets were updated?
dave
They look good. Might not fit in with everyone's decor, but they're very striking. Good to see someone else is using speakOn connections.
There's a section on Dave's website about phase plugs that might be worth a read, but the warning is that the wires for the voice coil pass near to where you'd be cutting the dustcap, so it's tricky.
planet_10 hifi (I assume the FE107s are similar in construction...).
Chris
Tang Band W8-1772 standmounts
Thought I'd post some pictures of my latest build. These are 40L BR design based on Bob Brines FB-20 for the Fostex FE206e but optimised for the Tang bands.
The internal volume and port arrangement was reached through correspondance with Bob. Many thanks for your help Bob.
Bob's original plan calls for a BSC but I have found with the TB driver and the speakers placed to within 6 inches to a rear wall the bass gain is sufficient without the need the BSC. I do so hate what a passive BSC does to the sound of a full range driver. However, after experiment to kill the sibilance and hF shrill a zobel is now fitted. I must say I like the sound of these speakers very much indeed and I believe Bob Brines will be adding something similar for the W8-1772 to his range of speakers soon. This is a very, very good sounding speaker if you prefer a standmount over the TT-2000 floorstander that Bob offers.
Thought I'd post some pictures of my latest build. These are 40L BR design based on Bob Brines FB-20 for the Fostex FE206e but optimised for the Tang bands.
The internal volume and port arrangement was reached through correspondance with Bob. Many thanks for your help Bob.
Bob's original plan calls for a BSC but I have found with the TB driver and the speakers placed to within 6 inches to a rear wall the bass gain is sufficient without the need the BSC. I do so hate what a passive BSC does to the sound of a full range driver. However, after experiment to kill the sibilance and hF shrill a zobel is now fitted. I must say I like the sound of these speakers very much indeed and I believe Bob Brines will be adding something similar for the W8-1772 to his range of speakers soon. This is a very, very good sounding speaker if you prefer a standmount over the TT-2000 floorstander that Bob offers.
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I have found that on the small drivers, phase plugs do not do anything that my treatment does, but that removing the air damper behind the dustcap does make pushing them beyond their limits in the bass happens a bit sooner and a bit more dramatically. I recommend phase plugs for these primarily when faced with an unrecoverable dustcap accident (Chris is getting a pair of FE126eN that has phase plugs for that reason)
With the FE103 we have run into no VC wire issues (or rather clients haven't)
dave
Hello Inputs,
I just wanted to tell you I think your Frugel-horns are absolutely beautiful! What a lucky fellow you are. Your speakers are not only aural, but also visual works of art. Keep up the great work!
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
I just wanted to tell you I think your Frugel-horns are absolutely beautiful! What a lucky fellow you are. Your speakers are not only aural, but also visual works of art. Keep up the great work!
Thetubeguy1954 (Tom Scata)
@planet10 I'm not sure what they've been treated with. It looks like it could be diluted wood glue, based on the color and texture. I'm happy with the sound, though I don't really have anything worthwhile to compare them with.
@thetubeguy1954 Thank you very much for the compliment. I'm a little surprised, but my wife even likes them. 🙂
@thetubeguy1954 Thank you very much for the compliment. I'm a little surprised, but my wife even likes them. 🙂
Saburos
Building the Saburos were a bit of a leap of faith for me. It all started as a search for speakers for my office. I tried several different sets of speakers until finally borrowing a set of FE127eN based Milevas from Dave at Planet10, as by this time I wanted to build my own speakers. The sound of the Milevas was definitely what I was looking for, but the Milevas just didn't fit in my office. After listening to some FE126 based Frugal-horns, also thanks to Dave, I decided to build the Saburos. I hadn't listen to a set of Saburos but they used the FE126eN which I liked, they would fit into my office space (see pictures), and they reviewed well.
The Saburos are not complicated to build, however they do require 4x8 sheets of birch ply which is more expensive than the standard 5x5 sheets, and you need a bit more than two 4x8 sheets for the build. Also the plans are drawn for 19mm material but birch ply comes in 18mm so the plans have to be converted. There are a lot of pieces to cut and assemble so these speakers are not something you whip together in an afternoon. Mine took a little longer as I decided to veneer the baffle with cherry to contrast all the birch.
How do they sound? Well if nothing else was to change I would be very satisfied. IMO they sound better overall than the Milevas. To me the Saburos have more bass, and what I would call more open (invisible?). However, the Planet10 EnABLed drivers are not broken in yet, and the 120w Sansui I'm currently using is probably not the best amp for these speakers -- should have transformers in a couple of weeks for a SE tube amp build. I'm sure the speakers are also somewhat compromised by their position in my office. A little further apart would probably widen the sound stage, and of course a bigger room would also help🙂 But as I said before, I am already very happy with these speakers, so thanks Dave for once again sending me down the right path, and thanks to Scottmoose for the design of the Saburos.
Building the Saburos were a bit of a leap of faith for me. It all started as a search for speakers for my office. I tried several different sets of speakers until finally borrowing a set of FE127eN based Milevas from Dave at Planet10, as by this time I wanted to build my own speakers. The sound of the Milevas was definitely what I was looking for, but the Milevas just didn't fit in my office. After listening to some FE126 based Frugal-horns, also thanks to Dave, I decided to build the Saburos. I hadn't listen to a set of Saburos but they used the FE126eN which I liked, they would fit into my office space (see pictures), and they reviewed well.
The Saburos are not complicated to build, however they do require 4x8 sheets of birch ply which is more expensive than the standard 5x5 sheets, and you need a bit more than two 4x8 sheets for the build. Also the plans are drawn for 19mm material but birch ply comes in 18mm so the plans have to be converted. There are a lot of pieces to cut and assemble so these speakers are not something you whip together in an afternoon. Mine took a little longer as I decided to veneer the baffle with cherry to contrast all the birch.
How do they sound? Well if nothing else was to change I would be very satisfied. IMO they sound better overall than the Milevas. To me the Saburos have more bass, and what I would call more open (invisible?). However, the Planet10 EnABLed drivers are not broken in yet, and the 120w Sansui I'm currently using is probably not the best amp for these speakers -- should have transformers in a couple of weeks for a SE tube amp build. I'm sure the speakers are also somewhat compromised by their position in my office. A little further apart would probably widen the sound stage, and of course a bigger room would also help🙂 But as I said before, I am already very happy with these speakers, so thanks Dave for once again sending me down the right path, and thanks to Scottmoose for the design of the Saburos.
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now that's a different twist on the concept of "bookshelf" loudspeaker 🙄 - c'mon, someone had to say it
IMHO you gotta try a little EL84 PP amp to reveal more of the magic in this system - IINM something like that should be easy for Dave to arrange.
IMHO you gotta try a little EL84 PP amp to reveal more of the magic in this system - IINM something like that should be easy for Dave to arrange.
Flemming,
Thanx for the review. Those look lovely.
I have trouble getting Chris to part with the little EL84 PP wonder, it is quite an advance on the cobbled together RH84 i lent you (althou less power)... take advantage of Chris' offer.
The TubeLab SE will also be very interesting... Chris's best amp is also an SE EL34 (if i remembered that right) althou his is designed & built by Eddie Vaughn.
dave
Thanx for the review. Those look lovely.
I have trouble getting Chris to part with the little EL84 PP wonder, it is quite an advance on the cobbled together RH84 i lent you (althou less power)... take advantage of Chris' offer.
The TubeLab SE will also be very interesting... Chris's best amp is also an SE EL34 (if i remembered that right) althou his is designed & built by Eddie Vaughn.
dave
I was waiting for it 😀
A tube amp is already in the works. I have all the parts except the transformers which I should have in a couple of weeks. As this is my first tube amp I decided to build a Tubelab SE as it allows me to try different tubes, UL/triode mode, cathode feedback, etc.
I thought he said you would arrange 🙂
I would like to hear the EL84. Maybe when I get my SE finished something could be arranged, swap amps for a few days....
alpair 10 near field monitor, port open, box stuffed, average listening room(furnishings) 6" from wall
I've been wrestling with some stuffing and come to the conclusion that I like 10 ltrs, very much.......I ended up with 75% porous wadding and 25% lhw in the bottom........these things are awesome to my ears and after a few re-mixes I have to say I much prefer them to both the tannoys and the mackies.....
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Fleming: in my haste to make a bad joke, I neglected to compliment you on the very pretty build
PM me for further conversations re amp etc.
cheers
PM me for further conversations re amp etc.
cheers
With the demise of the well-loved FE127 (i have at least the NA supply all here) we decided to make some special builds of mFonken & FonkenPrime for our archives. Here is the mFonken build. Corian top, specially coloured drivers. Chris did an excellent job.
dave
dave
