Re: wich model is mine?
Got a picture of the back? What numbers on it (likely 10RG11 or 5410182)? Mods consist of adding the phase plug, ductseal on the magnet/basket junction, puzzlecoating the cone, and adding the felt damper on the magnet. There are a couple other mods i often skip.
What is the big driver?
dave
Sylver300B said:
Got a picture of the back? What numbers on it (likely 10RG11 or 5410182)? Mods consist of adding the phase plug, ductseal on the magnet/basket junction, puzzlecoating the cone, and adding the felt damper on the magnet. There are a couple other mods i often skip.
What is the big driver?
dave
Re: Re: wich model is mine?
Hi Dave,
If you look at post number 21, you'll clearly see 10RG11 stamped on it.
As for the phase plug, any suggestion to make one?
Big drivers? hum.. well, these are my daily faithful companions. I listen music music on them for more than 10 years now. Cheap but great Tannoys. (Tannoys for the poor guy like me! )
Sylvain
planet10 said:
Hi Dave,
If you look at post number 21, you'll clearly see 10RG11 stamped on it.
As for the phase plug, any suggestion to make one?
Big drivers? hum.. well, these are my daily faithful companions. I listen music music on them for more than 10 years now. Cheap but great Tannoys. (Tannoys for the poor guy like me! )
Sylvain
Attachments
Phase plug on the 103
Hi Dave, me again.
Does the phase plug mod make a real improvement? and then, it means removing the nice perforated dustcap? Might be tricky, not to affect the voice coil integrity.
Last question, if this is the "real" Fe103, then, what is that driver on the Solen site, and named Fostex Fe103?
Please look at some drivers into this listing and let us know what you think.
http://www.solen.ca/fos.htm
Sylvain
Hi Dave, me again.
Does the phase plug mod make a real improvement? and then, it means removing the nice perforated dustcap? Might be tricky, not to affect the voice coil integrity.
Last question, if this is the "real" Fe103, then, what is that driver on the Solen site, and named Fostex Fe103?
Please look at some drivers into this listing and let us know what you think.
http://www.solen.ca/fos.htm
Sylvain
Greets!
If they are cream colored with a rusty red surround, has a dust cap with a little screened in vent and an AlNiCo motor, this is the earliest FE103 I'm aware of. I bought my first pair in '62 since they looked similar enough to Altec's LF horn drivers once air brushed matte black to make a 1/4 scale version of this http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/altec/specs/pro-systems/lf-horns/page1.jpg to hook up to a '40 RCA AM table radio that constituted my bedroom 'system'.
The ones in the Solen catalog are the latest iteration of these, but never having auditioned any, can't comment on how they sound compared to the originals. I'm betting not as 'sweet' as the originals though.
Dave sent me a doped/PP converted pair of the most recently available 'el cheapo' FE103 variant sold by RadioShack to load into a little folded pipe I designed and he has plans available for, where they were very favorably received at last year's Atlanta DIY Meet coupled to a Marantz? PP tube amp and 8 ohms series resistance,even though I didn't get around to making a proper stand/base, instead just supporting it on some unopened coffee creamer cups due to the bottom exit vent!
The difference between a well broken in stock RS unit and Dave's modded one wasn't subtle when I compared them at home before the Meet. I imagine the difference wouldn't be as dramatic between a stock and tweaked version of the Fostex unit sold at Solen, but frankly, I'm betting Dave's tweaked 'el cheapo' version sounds enough better than the Solen unit to not justify paying extra for them and modding them also.
As always though, YMMV.
GM
If they are cream colored with a rusty red surround, has a dust cap with a little screened in vent and an AlNiCo motor, this is the earliest FE103 I'm aware of. I bought my first pair in '62 since they looked similar enough to Altec's LF horn drivers once air brushed matte black to make a 1/4 scale version of this http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/altec/specs/pro-systems/lf-horns/page1.jpg to hook up to a '40 RCA AM table radio that constituted my bedroom 'system'.
The ones in the Solen catalog are the latest iteration of these, but never having auditioned any, can't comment on how they sound compared to the originals. I'm betting not as 'sweet' as the originals though.
Dave sent me a doped/PP converted pair of the most recently available 'el cheapo' FE103 variant sold by RadioShack to load into a little folded pipe I designed and he has plans available for, where they were very favorably received at last year's Atlanta DIY Meet coupled to a Marantz? PP tube amp and 8 ohms series resistance,even though I didn't get around to making a proper stand/base, instead just supporting it on some unopened coffee creamer cups due to the bottom exit vent!
The difference between a well broken in stock RS unit and Dave's modded one wasn't subtle when I compared them at home before the Meet. I imagine the difference wouldn't be as dramatic between a stock and tweaked version of the Fostex unit sold at Solen, but frankly, I'm betting Dave's tweaked 'el cheapo' version sounds enough better than the Solen unit to not justify paying extra for them and modding them also.
As always though, YMMV.
GM
Fe103
Yep, my drivers wear the 10RG11 number stamped on the Alnico magnet, it has a cream color cone, a redish textile (rubber coated?) suspension, and a vented dustcap (with textile in the center hole)
It sounds as if it would be a sacrilege to modify it, no?
Any suggestions to get the best performance out of those tiny drivers? I'm used to big Tannoys. These look like little liliputians to me. ;-)
The images I've sent, though not very clear, give you a good idea of the beasts..
Sylvain
Yep, my drivers wear the 10RG11 number stamped on the Alnico magnet, it has a cream color cone, a redish textile (rubber coated?) suspension, and a vented dustcap (with textile in the center hole)
It sounds as if it would be a sacrilege to modify it, no?
Any suggestions to get the best performance out of those tiny drivers? I'm used to big Tannoys. These look like little liliputians to me. ;-)
The images I've sent, though not very clear, give you a good idea of the beasts..
Sylvain
Greets!
As I implied, I wouldn't mod them, at least not if you can't get the DCs off intact. If you want to experiment with doping and/or phase plug, then I recommend doing it to the inexpensive RS '103' tagged drivers (40-1197). Both it and the vintage units can be dialed into the same spec cab.
There are numerous designs on the net for these, so pick whatever suits your needs/woodworking skills, just don't expect much response below ~55-60Hz unless a big BLH is used, and of course they can't compete with a good Tannoy system.
GM
As I implied, I wouldn't mod them, at least not if you can't get the DCs off intact. If you want to experiment with doping and/or phase plug, then I recommend doing it to the inexpensive RS '103' tagged drivers (40-1197). Both it and the vintage units can be dialed into the same spec cab.
There are numerous designs on the net for these, so pick whatever suits your needs/woodworking skills, just don't expect much response below ~55-60Hz unless a big BLH is used, and of course they can't compete with a good Tannoy system.
GM
Re: Phase plug on the 103
GM covers it pretty well... there are probably on the order of 2 dozen different real FE103s. The 1 on Solen is just the latest -- the great, great granchild of the ones you have.
dave
Sylver300B said:
GM covers it pretty well... there are probably on the order of 2 dozen different real FE103s. The 1 on Solen is just the latest -- the great, great granchild of the ones you have.
dave
GM said:
Pretty good guess 🙂
The alnicos (as long as you have a good sample) are better than the current 103 (well at least the version just before the current one)
dave
Sylver300B said:
somehow i missed all but the 1st pic you posted when i commented this AM. This picture clearly shows that the surrounds need reattaching at the cone.
dave
Re: Phase plug on the 103
yes. despite the dust cap vent there is still a soup can resonance in the cyclinder formed by the voice coil that is most noticable as a chestiness in male vocals. This same charateristic is in other FE103 i've heard and in the 108 Sigma. (Not in 108ESigma)
If i am doing a phase plug for myself it is always in conjunction with the other mods.
dave
Sylver300B said:
yes. despite the dust cap vent there is still a soup can resonance in the cyclinder formed by the voice coil that is most noticable as a chestiness in male vocals. This same charateristic is in other FE103 i've heard and in the 108 Sigma. (Not in 108ESigma)
If i am doing a phase plug for myself it is always in conjunction with the other mods.
dave
Re: Fe103
Not at all... i've probably modded a dozen -- more of them than RS 40-1197.
dave
Sylver300B said:
Not at all... i've probably modded a dozen -- more of them than RS 40-1197.
dave
planet10 said:
Hi Dave,
Yes, the surrounds seem to have becomed partially unglued. What it is the best way to reglue them? what product should I use? I would like to make a clean job on them.
I'll probably start with the easy build of a Zigmahornet or something equivalent. The Swan is quite tempting though.
And I'll continue my search to save as many Fe103 as I can.
Sylvain
🙂
GM said:
Hi GM,
I like "vintage" hi-fi, so no, I won't modify these ones, I'll wait 'til I find less clean ones. In the mean time, the Zigmahornet might be my first trial (to match a nice 45Se amp in my bedroom) or if I feel a bit more self confident.. the Swan?
As for the Tannoys, this is a long long love affair. I bought a old wrecked pair 10 years ago, and I never had a dull moment with them since.. Wish love would be just as good all the time..
Fe103 mods
Hi Dave,
By the way, I saw a pic of your's yesterday on Ebay, and a driver was seen with some kind of "mastic" around the basket/magnet joint. What is it for? to reduce some ringing modes?
Sylvain
Hi Dave,
By the way, I saw a pic of your's yesterday on Ebay, and a driver was seen with some kind of "mastic" around the basket/magnet joint. What is it for? to reduce some ringing modes?
Sylvain
TQWT suggestions anybody?
While I'm among the TQWT gurus 😀 let's ask one more..
I have previously built a TQWT after Jean Hiraga's book, it is planned for 13cm drivers or so, and I it is well built, but I only had under hand a so so car full range driver.. but even then, it was sounding not bad at all, so, what would be a nice driver suggestion to buy for them??
I imagine the cabinets could accept drivers from 12 to 15-16cm..
Sylvain
While I'm among the TQWT gurus 😀 let's ask one more..
I have previously built a TQWT after Jean Hiraga's book, it is planned for 13cm drivers or so, and I it is well built, but I only had under hand a so so car full range driver.. but even then, it was sounding not bad at all, so, what would be a nice driver suggestion to buy for them??
I imagine the cabinets could accept drivers from 12 to 15-16cm..
Sylvain
Sylver300B said:
I use "outdoor" modge-podge. White wood glue would work as well. You need a small, fairly stiff paintbrush, and something to lift the surround with -- i use a little screwdriver.
Lifting the surround bit-by-bit, you paint the glue into the junction till you have done all the way round. As you go along you smooth down the surround with your finger, cleaning up any eccess glue as you go along. when all the way around, some "massaging" of the surround onto the cone. Watch for spots that want to lift. A tad more glue and more massaging.
.
dave
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