Just got the 8ohm version(the bass is fuller than 16ohm version for my existing BLH in simulation)
VERY live, open sounding driver. It even made my Fountek ribbon monitor sounds dull. Up tilted sound, voice a little bit too dry, but nevertheless very interesting/eye opening experiences. The sound reminds me of a STAX headphone system, not quite balanced, but always caught your attention!
I have many fullrange drivers, Alpair6p, A10p, A10.3, A7.3, FF85WK, FE83en, and some less famous one. I have to say this is among the most live sounding driver. FE83en is also "live", but with far less sparkle and is congested in the midrange(but warmer). FF85WK have very nice highend, but is darker and cooler than the SOL in my memory. This is probably as bright as A10.3
VERY live, open sounding driver. It even made my Fountek ribbon monitor sounds dull. Up tilted sound, voice a little bit too dry, but nevertheless very interesting/eye opening experiences. The sound reminds me of a STAX headphone system, not quite balanced, but always caught your attention!
I have many fullrange drivers, Alpair6p, A10p, A10.3, A7.3, FF85WK, FE83en, and some less famous one. I have to say this is among the most live sounding driver. FE83en is also "live", but with far less sparkle and is congested in the midrange(but warmer). FF85WK have very nice highend, but is darker and cooler than the SOL in my memory. This is probably as bright as A10.3
Hi racingpht,
Do you notice differences in dispersion between the SOL and your other drivers? To me, the 103 seems to have the widest dispersion (and an uncanny "realism" which occasionally freaks people out). I like the other drivers on your list and they are all excellent, but for some reason, I keep using the 103 (even though it's not perfect).
Do you notice differences in dispersion between the SOL and your other drivers? To me, the 103 seems to have the widest dispersion (and an uncanny "realism" which occasionally freaks people out). I like the other drivers on your list and they are all excellent, but for some reason, I keep using the 103 (even though it's not perfect).
Hi rjbond3rd, do you mean original 103EN or the SOL? I don't have the regular version.
I listened to this driver off axis about 10-15 degrees, and I never feel I have to(or should?) listen on-axis. I guess this driver have more treble power response than average full-range drivers, for example I prefer listen to FF85WK on-axis.
I like your description about "realism"
Well, a test might be how they are selling to the domestic Japanese audio tweaker "collector" market?
There are "collectors" as in "gee honey, haven't you collected more gear than you can actually listen to at any one time" - of course the answer to that is a sheepish, "yes, dear, but not as many shoes / scarves, etc as I see in your closet?"
- then there's the obsessive completists "I must have pair(s) of every model, hermetically sealed in original packaging - but why would I want to actually use them? -that would despoil their value?"
I exaggerate of course, and there's probably a gradual continuum between those two.
There are "collectors" as in "gee honey, haven't you collected more gear than you can actually listen to at any one time" - of course the answer to that is a sheepish, "yes, dear, but not as many shoes / scarves, etc as I see in your closet?
"- then there's the obsessive completists "I must have pair(s) of every model, hermetically sealed in original packaging - but why would I want to actually use them? -that would despoil their value?"
I exaggerate of course, and there's probably a gradual continuum between those two.
Thanks for posting your impressions. A few questions: What cabinets are you running them in? And, are you using bass support? Also, update us on how it sounds after a few months of use. Thanks.
Thanks for the review hope someone performs a similar review on the Markaudio new paper 4" driver, CHP 7P, a comparison between the the two would be even better.
Both are similarly priced. Good for consumers so many full rangers to choose from.
Do you mean the new CHN-70 or the new Alpair 7p?
We will be trying these 2 and the FE103SOL in Frugel-Horn Mk3 to start.
dave
I mean Alpair 7P, not CHN-70(cheaper version), looking forward towards reading your impressions of both drivers. A single on-axis frequency response curve from both drivers would be most welcomed.
Actually, what you want is a 10-15* off-axis FR plot. It is unlikely that you will use these on axis, but toe'd in or out. I like my A7.3's and A10.3's toe'd out 15*.
BTW, my A7P's are still a week or so away from critical listening. Current impression is very good low level detail, but still a bit too bright. I report back later.
Bob
BTW, my A7P's are still a week or so away from critical listening. Current impression is very good low level detail, but still a bit too bright. I report back later.
Bob
Too bad. How does it help to make them as collectors item
Even the 10x price FE208ES-R was made in China.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
A small BLH turned at 60hz or so similar to this
I run them full-range. With corner loading it has some useful output at 45hz, but overall it's bass shy. Some EQ would be useful.
That's not the actual picture of my enclosure, just a very similar one. The tunnel is about 1.5m long.
~60hz valley between two peaks can be seem in the impedance curve. "tuned" is probably not a precise word for such enclosure, but anyway that's what I feel
How big is the mouth. Floor loaded the mouth, if untruncated, should have a perimeter of approximately 1/2 the w/l of the cutoff
~60hz valley between two peaks can be seem in the impedance curve. "tuned" is probably not a precise word for such enclosure, but anyway that's what I feel
A characteristic of the underdamped TL that it more closely reembles.
dave
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