Oops!…I did it again…
You know the story…”idle hands do the work of the devil”…blah blah blah…too much time on my hands…yadda yadda yadda
Somehow…I ended up with yet another pair of speakers and some backhorns that I really don’t need for a few Ben Franklins.
The drivers are some pretty nice condition original Fostex 168 Sigmas. I don’t have too many 6” fullrange drivers in my collection so I figured WTF. I don’t know how or where I’ll try them yet.
The backhorns passed through more than one pair of hands. The guy I got them from apparently had NO intention of using them. I think he just got this stuff very cheap with the intention to flip it.
No matter how much I grilled the seller about the horns, and their origin or design, he had no real information…”They’re good for 4” and 6” fullrangers…”. Okaaaay.
This, I assume, was based on the fact that he had a pair of baffles with them that someone cut for 4” drivers. There was a second pair of baffles that were obviously cut for some 8” drivers.
He was pretty arrogant, aloof and had a problem making eye contact. At some point when discussing my interest in fullrange drivers and back horns he made some kind of comment that I “probably don’t listen to orchestral music” and that speakers like this were “good for little girl type listening”. 🙄😒
He fancied himself as being “the number one source for vintage tubes in Connecticut”…🥱🥱🥱
Anyway, after looking the boxes over it was pretty apparent that they were built well and with 3/4” Baltic Birch and not bad looking at all.
My feeling was that they were meant for something more like an 8” fullrange just based on their scale.
Since I have plenty of different 8” fullrange drivers to play with, I decided to take them.
Upon getting them home, I took a few pictures and their dimensions and started poking around online.
As best as I can tell, these look like some version of a Fostex backhorn design.
The picture I took of the back chamber seems to resemble how a BK-20 would be built…but I’m not 100% sure because they don’t appear to be assembled exactly like a Madisound BK-20 kit would be. Also, the dimensions don’t quite jibe.
I came across some mention of an earlier Fostex BK-201 design…the information on them seemed vague and to not match up exactly with the dimensions of these back horns as well.
Maybe I just got a screwed up home built version of a Fostex back horn?…or with one with modified dimensions?
I’ve read plenty of criticism here and elsewhere of the old Fostex designs that pre-date computer modeling.
I’m not sure what I’ll do with them beyond trying some of my Fostex and other 8” fullrange drivers in them to see what kind of sound they make. Maybe they’ll just become garage speakers eventually. 🤷♂️
Pics galore…
You know the story…”idle hands do the work of the devil”…blah blah blah…too much time on my hands…yadda yadda yadda
Somehow…I ended up with yet another pair of speakers and some backhorns that I really don’t need for a few Ben Franklins.
The drivers are some pretty nice condition original Fostex 168 Sigmas. I don’t have too many 6” fullrange drivers in my collection so I figured WTF. I don’t know how or where I’ll try them yet.
The backhorns passed through more than one pair of hands. The guy I got them from apparently had NO intention of using them. I think he just got this stuff very cheap with the intention to flip it.
No matter how much I grilled the seller about the horns, and their origin or design, he had no real information…”They’re good for 4” and 6” fullrangers…”. Okaaaay.
This, I assume, was based on the fact that he had a pair of baffles with them that someone cut for 4” drivers. There was a second pair of baffles that were obviously cut for some 8” drivers.
He was pretty arrogant, aloof and had a problem making eye contact. At some point when discussing my interest in fullrange drivers and back horns he made some kind of comment that I “probably don’t listen to orchestral music” and that speakers like this were “good for little girl type listening”. 🙄😒
He fancied himself as being “the number one source for vintage tubes in Connecticut”…🥱🥱🥱
Anyway, after looking the boxes over it was pretty apparent that they were built well and with 3/4” Baltic Birch and not bad looking at all.
My feeling was that they were meant for something more like an 8” fullrange just based on their scale.
Since I have plenty of different 8” fullrange drivers to play with, I decided to take them.
Upon getting them home, I took a few pictures and their dimensions and started poking around online.
As best as I can tell, these look like some version of a Fostex backhorn design.
The picture I took of the back chamber seems to resemble how a BK-20 would be built…but I’m not 100% sure because they don’t appear to be assembled exactly like a Madisound BK-20 kit would be. Also, the dimensions don’t quite jibe.
I came across some mention of an earlier Fostex BK-201 design…the information on them seemed vague and to not match up exactly with the dimensions of these back horns as well.
Maybe I just got a screwed up home built version of a Fostex back horn?…or with one with modified dimensions?
I’ve read plenty of criticism here and elsewhere of the old Fostex designs that pre-date computer modeling.
I’m not sure what I’ll do with them beyond trying some of my Fostex and other 8” fullrange drivers in them to see what kind of sound they make. Maybe they’ll just become garage speakers eventually. 🤷♂️
Pics galore…
Attachments
Definitely built in the era when Fostex and back loaded horns were all the rage.
I forget what they were called, but also remember those rubber pads with the circle patterns.
That were supposed to be the most magical things in the world.
Would be fun to own and have a listen.
Thread not to long ago had numerous measurements from a German magazine.
Was interesting to see real measurements. Remembering how awful they sounded for the money.
But post after post always claimed amazing sound.
There was a 8" model with horn, which did have impressive measurements.
Was actually about the size of this one, seems like the baffle was modified at one point for different driver.
Looks like vented dust cap and foam around the dual cone/whizzer.
Might not be too bad. Good candidate for a 2 way or WAW whatever people call them.
I forget what they were called, but also remember those rubber pads with the circle patterns.
That were supposed to be the most magical things in the world.
Would be fun to own and have a listen.
Thread not to long ago had numerous measurements from a German magazine.
Was interesting to see real measurements. Remembering how awful they sounded for the money.
But post after post always claimed amazing sound.
There was a 8" model with horn, which did have impressive measurements.
Was actually about the size of this one, seems like the baffle was modified at one point for different driver.
Looks like vented dust cap and foam around the dual cone/whizzer.
Might not be too bad. Good candidate for a 2 way or WAW whatever people call them.
I’m definitely gonna give them a whirl…I’ve got several 8” fullrange/widebands I collected over the past few years that were good enough deals that I couldn’t pass them by…Fostex 208ez, 206esr and some 206nv came with my Kirishimas that I swapped my modified 206e into.
I’m not sure it would be worth it or not to try Lowther dx3, dx4 or the pair of PM6a I’m still working to fix. They usually require very different alignments.
I do have Supravox 215 bicone and a pair of 8” L Cao alnico I’d like to try as well.
Not sure if any of my 10” drivers will fit or work well.
A sub for low frequency support is always an option for sure.
I doubt there will be any science involved…unless I decided to pull out my UMIK and run some sweeps with each driver.
I’m not sure it would be worth it or not to try Lowther dx3, dx4 or the pair of PM6a I’m still working to fix. They usually require very different alignments.
I do have Supravox 215 bicone and a pair of 8” L Cao alnico I’d like to try as well.
Not sure if any of my 10” drivers will fit or work well.
A sub for low frequency support is always an option for sure.
I doubt there will be any science involved…unless I decided to pull out my UMIK and run some sweeps with each driver.