I am helping a friend do a first time full-range build (being a noob myself 🙂) and can only locate Fostex FE103en, FE166en, FE206en drivers. It looks like the older tried and tested FE126e, FE127e, FE167e, FE206, drivers have truly disappeared from the face of the earth 😡 BTW, have found FE207E albeit at a steep price.
My friend's listening space is modest (11' x 13') - probably too small for somthing like a FH MK3? I saw some very nice builds using FE166EN...
Listening tastes - jazz, acoustic, instrumentals, soft rock. Amp will be Miniwatt N3 SET. I was thinking Fonken but alas no drivers...
Any suggestions on cabinets appreciated.
My friend's listening space is modest (11' x 13') - probably too small for somthing like a FH MK3? I saw some very nice builds using FE166EN...
Listening tastes - jazz, acoustic, instrumentals, soft rock. Amp will be Miniwatt N3 SET. I was thinking Fonken but alas no drivers...
Any suggestions on cabinets appreciated.
If you can get theose En drivers you should be able to get FE126En. Even with the small room FH Mk3 should work. The only issue might be its depth. FH Mk 1 Level 0 is shallower, (expanded) Buschhorn Mk1 (last page of FH1 document) smaller yet. Both a step up in complexity a step down in performance.
dave
dave
Without going into the whole story, Fostex is partway through manufacturing and distribution streaming of their revamped 2011 product line. The new FE126, 166 and 206 En series have been available through most distributors for many months now, and all new models of FF should be theoretically later this spring.
Based on the described room, power levels and listening tastes, Id suggest that the FE126En would be quite suitable, but without bass support it wouldn't deliver its best performance in a Fonken or any type of BR enclosure. There are several formats of small BLH that are known to work well, including some that require less floor space than the FH3 (more of a question here would be - could enough space be available for a rear exit mouth?):
downward or forward facing mouth:
(inverted) BIB, Metronome, Mikasa, Saburo
rearward facing mouth - these require some breathing room behind, the first 2 models like corners;
Buschhorn Mk I (not II) - plans for stretched version to fit 126 on P10 site, this is the smallest footprint rear mouth BLH for this driver that I've heard, but not to be overlooked - it's essentially the same form factor as a very popular commercial product
FH3
Woden Valiant
No doubt you'll get other recommendations, but of all that I've heard, my only caution would be to avoid the Fostex "hybrid - BLH" - not one their stellar accomplishments.
Of course if you don't mind holding your breath, it could be many months before any builders get their hands on any of the new FFxxxWK series to validate by real world builds designs based on modeling with published / measured TSP.
Thanks Dave and Chris. Alternately I have already started looking at other drivers like smaller Mark Audio models. However I see that those are mostly ~85dB SPL while Fostex ones are >90dB. The Miniwatt N3 is 3.5 watt/channel - will that be a mismatch with MA 85dB drivers?
not really, they just won't play very loud or with much dynamic headroom
The Alpair 7 in Pensil or pair of CHP/ EL70 in Castle micro-tower would be my suggestions.
edit: as Dave says below, "conventional wisdom would say" - but stranger things have happened
and FWIW if the Singapore shop is an authorized Fostex reseller, it shouldn't take long for them to restock the 126
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Sorry, I forgot to mention earlier Dave, the shop where I have found the drivers in Singapore do not have the FE126En 🙁.
Convential wisdom would say 3.5w is not enuff... But check out some of Don Austin's (aka doorman) posts. He is using the least efficient MA (CHR70en gen 1) with 3.5 w. Happily, in a room MUCH larger than yours.
dave
Yup. I find that my low powered amp driving a pair of eNA chr-70's provides more than enough volume for me.
I also have a "Virtue-1" T-amp at around 30 something wpc, but swapping back & forth, while of course noticing the increased spl's at the same settings, never leave me feeling I'm missing anything with the lower powerd amp.
Don
Don, What cabinets are you using? Sorry if I couldn't pick that up in your post (could not decode eNA..).
-Zia
-Zia
Hi Zia: These
They're a Onken style cab, designed by Dave (Planet-10)
(Chr-Ken's to be exact)
Lovely, full (for me) well controlled bass too!
Best, Don
They're a Onken style cab, designed by Dave (Planet-10)
(Chr-Ken's to be exact)
Lovely, full (for me) well controlled bass too!
Best, Don
Hi Zia,
I am from Dhaka. I have a pair of cab for 126 drivers, it is A126 designed by Ron Clarke.
I do not use it anymore. Surely you can try it
Regards
I am from Dhaka. I have a pair of cab for 126 drivers, it is A126 designed by Ron Clarke.
I do not use it anymore. Surely you can try it
Regards
Minhaj,
Very good to see a DIYer from Dhaka at the forums 🙂, and my - you joined in 2004!
Thanks for the offer on the cabs - the A126 is an imposing looking cabinet 🙂. How do they play?
Availability of drivers is a major concern... I was gung-ho about Fostex, but looks like they are changing their product line and none of the older drivers can be found. Even on the new range En range I couldn't find the FE126EN.
If I may ask, where did you buy your drivers from? AFAIK not available here...
Very good to see a DIYer from Dhaka at the forums 🙂, and my - you joined in 2004!
Thanks for the offer on the cabs - the A126 is an imposing looking cabinet 🙂. How do they play?
Availability of drivers is a major concern... I was gung-ho about Fostex, but looks like they are changing their product line and none of the older drivers can be found. Even on the new range En range I couldn't find the FE126EN.
If I may ask, where did you buy your drivers from? AFAIK not available here...
Thanks Dave, but my source does not have 126EN 🙁 how frustrating.
I got sucked ino this thread "Terry Cain's BIB -why does it work and does anyone have those Fostex Craft Handbooks?" started by Scott and been through the first 39 pages of it and checked out Zilla's page on BIB.
BIBs look quite simple to build - Chris also mentioned them in his reply to my first post. Would the FE166en or FE103en work nincely in a BIB? My friend actually wanted to build the Lowther Club of Norway Pipe as he loved the tall profile (aka Voigt Pipe by many), but have discouraged him to so.
In case a BIB is too big for 11' x13' I have a larger room where I can use it.
Should I go for a BIB to start off with?
I got sucked ino this thread "Terry Cain's BIB -why does it work and does anyone have those Fostex Craft Handbooks?" started by Scott and been through the first 39 pages of it and checked out Zilla's page on BIB.
BIBs look quite simple to build - Chris also mentioned them in his reply to my first post. Would the FE166en or FE103en work nincely in a BIB? My friend actually wanted to build the Lowther Club of Norway Pipe as he loved the tall profile (aka Voigt Pipe by many), but have discouraged him to so.
In case a BIB is too big for 11' x13' I have a larger room where I can use it.
Should I go for a BIB to start off with?
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Just downloaded the BI calculator and entered FE1xxEn paramters... I get the numbers for the build.
That's it?
That's it?
Zia,
I have a pair of spare voigt pipe also. Pls note I do not sale my cabs, these are for give away, I do not have enough space to store them.
You asked me how a126 play.....look, listening is most personal experience and mostly ones liking/style does not match with others.......I request you not to make purchase decision without listening session.
Right now I play modified 206 in hc before that I played CC....without mod 206 is not listenable. I sourced 206 from Singapore. We (a tight diy team here in Dhaka) know most of the audio vendors in Singapore and many in Thailand.
Few good drivers are locally available....if you know where to search.
I also played BIB for sometime. I am not sensitive to ripple so it was a great experience. If simple construction is important BIB is the best cab, period. If you are serious do not believe factory spec for fostex or other driver, Dave knows what I am talking about. Measure it yourself then consider your cab.
Regards
I have a pair of spare voigt pipe also. Pls note I do not sale my cabs, these are for give away, I do not have enough space to store them.
You asked me how a126 play.....look, listening is most personal experience and mostly ones liking/style does not match with others.......I request you not to make purchase decision without listening session.
Right now I play modified 206 in hc before that I played CC....without mod 206 is not listenable. I sourced 206 from Singapore. We (a tight diy team here in Dhaka) know most of the audio vendors in Singapore and many in Thailand.
Few good drivers are locally available....if you know where to search.
I also played BIB for sometime. I am not sensitive to ripple so it was a great experience. If simple construction is important BIB is the best cab, period. If you are serious do not believe factory spec for fostex or other driver, Dave knows what I am talking about. Measure it yourself then consider your cab.
Regards
Minhaj, you are right - I'll go by factory spec for now 🙂 - driver measurements will come later 🙂.
BTW, I checked in Singapore and FE126EN is "no stock". Cannot find it on Madisound website either. 🙁 Guess you were running you A126 with older FE126 driver?
HC = Horn Cabinet? (forgive my igorance)
My friend's budget is more in the FE103En space (he wants low cost 🙂), but he is willing to move up to Fe166En if there are qualitative upsides. I mention these two frequently in my posts because these are the 2 drivers I have been able to track down.
BIB sounds like a lot of fun.
BTW, I checked in Singapore and FE126EN is "no stock". Cannot find it on Madisound website either. 🙁 Guess you were running you A126 with older FE126 driver?
HC = Horn Cabinet? (forgive my igorance)
My friend's budget is more in the FE103En space (he wants low cost 🙂), but he is willing to move up to Fe166En if there are qualitative upsides. I mention these two frequently in my posts because these are the 2 drivers I have been able to track down.
BIB sounds like a lot of fun.
Fe166en available in spore. then go with it in a BIB. pls consider new calculator for BIB, GM's v2 is also ok.
HC=Half Chang
CC=Curvy Chang
Construction cost for a126, BIB, HC, CC is Tk. 5000.00-7000.00 with 18mm plyboard in cluding carpenter's fee- I think it is small money.
I did not use fe126e in a126, something else. Sometimes we use some diy driver made with alnico magnet.
Regards
HC=Half Chang
CC=Curvy Chang
Construction cost for a126, BIB, HC, CC is Tk. 5000.00-7000.00 with 18mm plyboard in cluding carpenter's fee- I think it is small money.
I did not use fe126e in a126, something else. Sometimes we use some diy driver made with alnico magnet.
Regards
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