New to full Range- Questions about Fostex

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crcook

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Joined 2009
I was at Burning Amp show for a while yesterday. Could not stay as long as I wanted to, but did see and hear some great stuff. I noticed several home brew Fostex based speakers set up. They were in bass reflex (?) type boxes, vent in the front. Although the listening environment was not the best, they sounded good to my ears. Doing some research, there seems to be a lot of stuff about FR speakers. Madisound has enclosure kits for folded type enclosures and plans for those and the br boxes I heard.

I am interested in a replacement for my ancient home brew Ariels and something to compare to my JBL 4406s. Small room which limits my choices. Also have spousal approval issues, so some of the weird and wonderful open baffle stuff I saw at BA show won't fly. I will be driving whatever I end up building with a 30wpc digital amp, an ST35 tube clone amp, and my recently build Pass F5.

Any good starting links for Fostex threads? Prefer more recent reviews, builds, or listening tests.

Thank you in advance.
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
a better place to start might be to ask if you have any idea which particular Fostex driver and type of enclosure you enjoyed

e.g. not all boxes with ports are "simple" BRs


Fostex makes a wide range of drivers for the DIY hobbyist field, and they are certainly a favorite of many, but I daresay most any of them would be considered to have more "personality" than something like a system engineered as a "Studio Monitor", which usually implies wider bandwidth, more neutrality and greater power handling capability than a lot of music loving hobbyists can be satisfied with.

But then all generalizations are inherently risky.
 
Jim Shearer

Jim Shearer

Member
Joined 2007
crcook,

There are lots of designs here for Fostex drivers.

But first: we need a clue as to what you are after. what music? what SPL? room size/shape?

Skipping the OBs, you might look at:
Metronomes: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/85410-metronome.html

BIBs: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full...anyone-have-those-fostex-craft-handbooks.html

Frugal Horn Mk3: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/172937-frugel-horn-mk3-builds-build-questions.html

My latest build, Pappa's TL: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/240874-pappa-s-tl.html (hey, I couldn't resist)

Many, many more out there. Just start searching/reading.

Cheers, Jim
 
C

crcook

Member
Joined 2009
Thanks to all for comments. Bit more info to help narrow down suggestions. I have a smallish room, 15'wide (glass on one side) x 20' long (opening into kitchen) and 9-10' high ceilings - some placement challenges. Neither speaker will be in a corner, both will be about 1 foot from a back wall. Spacing is about 8 feet apart. Driving with Pass F5 (when finished), homebrew digital amp, and ST35 EL84 clone, all with 25-30 wpc. Listen to classical, older rock, female vocals, and some jazz. Moderate levels, not blowing out the windows.

I am still digging through this site. More searching found Madisound site and saw the two flatpack kits with Fostex drivers. Also found dyi threads with comments and pictures of finished speakers. Very helpful.

Posts on the BK12m kit look good, may be what I can use. Size is good, could go a bit taller or wider. I could add sub, if needed. Only issue is aesthetic, not crazy about the front baffle opening of the BK12m style. Am looking at other designs to see options. Obviously, a minor point, as the sound for the buck is what I am most interested in.

I have access to some high end woodworking equipment (not cmc) and have basic skills to make something. Made a pair of Ariel ME2s 8 years ago. Still cleaning MDF dust out of things.

Would like to see speakers similar to BK12 or 16, with different cabinet styles. I appears that I am limited to 4-5 inch FR drivers. Suggestions and links welcome.

I hope to spend some more time Goggling this weekend.
 
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Jim Shearer

Jim Shearer

Member
Joined 2007
crcook,

FWIW, when listening to old rock (just finished playing Paul Simon's Graceland), I prefer to use either a 6" to 8" driver or add a sub if using 4" to 4.5" driver. The smaller driver can't really do justice to a kick drum at anything more than modest SPL, IMO.

In a small room with the cabinet near the front wall, I suggest looking at Metronomes--small foot print, high WAF. I made a Met with Fostex FE167e (now discontinued, but FF165wk would probably be even better), and find it a good all around speaker.

And since you need to be near a wall, why not right up against it? Thinking FF165wk in a BIB.

Cheers, Jim
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
+2 on the Alpair 10P - you've got more than enough power - I found them to be a great match with Tubelab SimplePP (pentode) - essentially same power range as an ST35 clone

As Dave says, the Pensil is a darn simple build, and for a bit more character, you might also want to consider the FH-XL, another design by Dr Moose and Professor Dlugos. A great performing rear mouth design, it does have a much larger foot print than the Pensil though.

If the aesthetics of any front vent / port design are a bother, (the Pensil's are at the bottom, but not for aesthetic reasons) I guess you could always vent rearwards, but you'd need a minimal clearance from the wall.

And I'd probably be remiss for not mentioning my personal favorite cute little floorstander - the Castle Microtower - dual 4" drivers.
 
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crcook

Member
Joined 2009
Did some research, and the Pensil 10p looks like it would fit the bill. Raw speakers are a bit more than I would have liked but that is OK now.

Cabinets look pretty straightforward. I have a good friend with a great table saw, and an endless supply of clamps!

Any additional comments from current users? Again, I would be driving these with a 30wpc digital amp, an EL84 PP tube amp, and eventually, a Pass F5.

No decision yet, and hope to dig in more this weekend. Got to also price BB ply locally. Probably not cheap....
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
yup, a Pensil , or any of Bob's MLTLS are a pretty straight-forward builds, and have a pretty decent WAF foot-print compared to a rear mouth BLH. .

For the 10P, I don't think you'd be disappointed with any EL84PP - which digital amp? I have yet to hear an EL84 that I couldn't live with, but as for digital (class T) amps, they have varied quite a bit more in long-term ease of listening.

I keep on threatening to pick up a TP60, but just spent that much on new iron for my overheating Tubelab SimplePP (hint - always use separate filament transformer)


Try to resist the temptation to scrimp on the cost of plywood for these - at $220 pr & taxes/shipping, I think the drivers deserve the best material you can find.
 
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C

crcook

Member
Joined 2009
yup, a Pensil , or any of Bob's MLTLS are a pretty straight-forward builds, and have a pretty decent WAF foot-print compared to a rear mouth BLH. .

For the 10P, I don't think you'd be disappointed with any EL84PP - which digital amp? I have yet to hear an EL84 that I couldn't live with, but as for digital (class T) amps, they have varied quite a bit more in long-term ease of listening.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. My EL84 amp is from Sheldons' Dynaco 35 clone board, diyTube site, and the transformers are from Triode Electronics, also Dynaco clones. Excellent product, great PCB workmanship.

Digital amp is a TDA8920 I think. Not a mainstream chip. Bought board on eBay for like US$35, and put in a surplus case with a small toroid power transformer. Honestly sounds as good as my tube amp, but the limit may be my current speakers.
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
Once fully broken in, it won't take long for any of the Alpairs to reveal the true grit / idiosyncracies of the associated equipment - but even then, it's often easy enough to adapt to any you find - after all it's all about the music, and as long as you can groove to it man, it's all good ;)

get that man some coffee
 
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andya

Member
Joined 2012
Madison BK-20 Kit

I posted this a few days ago in a different section because Jeff had built the BK-16 some years ago. I came across this thread today and thought I might learn something. To add info to my earlier post, these speakers would go completed but unfinished into enclosures at either end of a book cabinet we are having built. The enclosures are about eight feet apart and a bit larger than this kit, in case I want to change out later. I haven't decided if I should close in the back of the enclosure. Then the opening would be covered with removable speaker cloth.

Here is my early post. Any and all comments appreciated.
.......................................................
JeffG...I know your post is pretty old, but Madison sent it to me today because I am considering building the BK-20 kit. It has no reviews at their site so I called and received a non responsive, almost rude, response. He was probably just having a bad day and next time I will ask for Tom...if he is still there.

I wonder if you would be willing to project what you would expect from the BK-20 kit, based on your experience with the 16?

Any comments would be appreciated and I would certainly not hold you to them. Or if anyone out there has tried the BK-20 or have views I would love to hear of your experiences and thoughts.

Hope this request is not too much after the fact and it finds you well and still enjoying the music.

Sincerely,

Andya
 
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chrisb

Member
Joined 2002
Andya - probably so obvious that it could easily be overlooked, but the BK20 is designed for the 8" Fostex drivers such as FE206E or 208Sigma, both of which many folks would find need a tweeter, so total system cost can escalate quickly, but a more important consideration would be available space.

With all respect to Terry Cain and fans of a design so named, but "Bigger is not always Better" ;)
 
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toobhed

Member
Joined 2010
...can't comment on the BK20 as I've never heard them. But I have built and listened to the BK16, A7 Pensil and A12P Pensil....I'd strongly recommend Alpairs in a Pensil cabinet.

Only if you were to state that SPL/sensitivity be the determinitive factor strongly dominating all other considerations would I say go for the BKs.

Mario
 
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andya

Member
Joined 2012
Thanks to both of you for the response and info. I know the BK-20 uses Fostex 8 inch, and had even considered adding in the tweeter. I've allowed for sufficient room for the BK-20 cabinets in each end of the cabinet/bookshelf...which by the way is not yet built. And that may be a good thing. But when built it will go in a rather large room with 14 foot high coffered ceilings...if that means anything.

I guess I'm just grasping and wanting a really first class set of speakers for this set up. Would use them some for HT but my main interest is music, classical and vocal...virtually everything except hip hop and nasal country.

I thought the 20s might be special mainly based on the good reviews I've read about the 16s. But maybe I better just keep looking. And I'll certainly follow up on your suggestions.

Thanks for your help,
Andy
 
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