Fane 12-250TC or 15-300TC?

Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.
I'm curious to hear if anyone has done any comparisons between the Fane 12-250TC and the 15-300TC?


I have been looking around for short while for a larger wide range speaker (10"-15"), as I rather like the effortless and easy going/easy listening presentation that they can have. The Fane 15-300TC seems to be getting some good comments recently, but I was curious if the 12-250TC is comparable, sound quality wise? The 12" version is considerably cheaper, hence the question.


A pair of Rythmik subwoofers will be taking over the bottom end, so the wide range drivers do not need to do very low bass. I also have MiniDSP and a measurement mic, but it would be nice to do without the DSP if possible.


There are a couple of long threads that I have started wading through on each of these two drivers, but not a lot of subjective reviews. I will be listening to music through these :) so was wondering what they sound like, if anyone has had the experience.


Any thoughts appreciated!


Cheers,


Matt.
 
Fanatic
Joined 2009
Paid Member
I have not done any direct comparison, never listened to the 12-250TC.
But from what I understand, it seems the 15-300TC is a little bit better off axis(!).
And the only thing needed to make it sound acceptable is a roughly -5db dip centered around 1.8-2.2khz somewhere (adjust F and Q to taste).

Other than that, one is a little bit bigger than the other, not much more to say.
I think you'd be happy with either, depends on your room and a whole list of other stuff.
 
OK, I'm one of the handful of odd ones out. I haven't heard the 15in model, but I really don't like the 12in. After all the positive comments, & knowing Fane's deservedly good reputation, I wanted to like it. [Relatively] inexpensive large widebander? Not many of those about, so a welcome addition. Trouble is, it nearly took my head off. Even well off-axis, there was way too much at the top end for me, especially at higher SPLs when I started to find it physically quite painful to listen to.

To be entirely fair, I thought the pair I heard did a solid job (again, well off axis) at lower levels on a Tinariwen album, but that was really the only thing I could personally cope with. I should stress however that I appear to be very much in the minority, although I note another member had a similar experience with one of their coax units that he heard, although in that case application was probably at fault. I do not believe the 12in widebanders I heard were applied badly -they just don't suit me at all, so as ever, no such thing as universal applicability (alas).
 
I've heard plenty of FR units that did not suit me. Like the 10" (or 12"?) AN units I had some years ago was really bright on axis, and then dropped like a rock off axis. Sweetspot was within +/- 15cm about 2.5 meters away. Maybe the newer ones are better, I don't know.

I think the 15" fane is decent, it's a bit hot in exactly on center, but from about 3 to 35 degrees off axis is pretty good.
Agree with Scott here though, no such thing as "The perfect solution for everyone".
 
I have both sizes mounted on open baffles and am alternating between them. As they are PA drivers they need a good number of hours to sound their best. The 12's are a little more forward in the mids. You will need eq to suit your taste, room and speaker type. I have bass drivers on the same baffle. I love them for the effortless, full bodied, tacile sound they produce. Can't go wrong with either. Accept their origins as pro audio drivers where durability is number one. I think they are great bargains.
 
I have been looking around for short while for a larger wide range speaker (10"-15"), as I rather like the effortless and easy going/easy listening presentation that they can have.

I'm another useless poster because I haven't heard either of the Fane drivers. But I do agree with reasons for looking at such drivers. I have the AN15" Super and it is really superb - fantastic off-axis dispersion and it doesn't take my head off. The AN15" Super achieves it's great dispersion with a whizzer cone - forget the AN Classic series if you want wide dispersion. Unfortunately, the only version of the AN15" Super in production has the expensive AlNiCo magnet; I have the now obsolete Ferrite version. It really is superb but I have only a single mono set-up using it. It requires no sub-woofer support, just one big gorgeous speaker driver.

I have been planning for some time to make a stereo pair of speakers based on the AN drivers and my first choice will be the AN 12" Super Ferrite. It is the driver that shares the most of it's characteristics with the AN15" Super Ferrite and is really well priced. I was about to order a pair in January but I've postponed my plans to April. My second choice would have been the AN 10" Super AlNiCo which is not as good value but looks on paper to be capable of providing the same performance as the AN12" Super Ferrite if a slightly smaller driver is desired. Note that I don't recommend the AN10" Super Ferrite or any of their other drivers due to what I consider flaws in their size/FR response/value for money etc. The two I mention are the two I recommend at present unless you just have to have the AN 15" Super AlNiCo!
The AN Super drivers have phase plugs - they embody the changes that some folk have been making to their Fane drivers to tame their hot treble.
 
Last edited:
I've not heard the 15" driver but I have just finished first speaker of stereo pair on Wednesday using the 12" unit and a couple of faital pro 15" drivers in an open baffle set up.


Straight out of the box and listening full range the bass is a bit light but as pointed out these need time to run in. But with 2 15" drivers working with them, bass is just fine.


But the treble - wow. I am listening in a large room (which is why I wanted a big full range) and I sit about 3.6m from the driver. There is good integration of the sound at this point and I don't hear beaming or a treble peak, but the extension is extraordinary. The Fane 12" has replaced a 8" full range which was helped along with a small Dayton AMT tweeter. I can't say the Fane is better, maybe the older driver still has a nicer mid range but I reckon that the Fane by itself is extending further than the previous set up. I need to install REW and run some sweeps to confirm if my hearing is really telling the truth.


Sorry I can't help with any comparisons but since you are using sub woofers I reckon the 12" is all you will need based on what I am hearing. I imported mine from Thomann.de and total price with shipping was very reasonable.
 

Attachments

  • 20190306_181309[1].jpg
    20190306_181309[1].jpg
    777.2 KB · Views: 902
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Fanatic
Joined 2009
Paid Member
The AN Super drivers have phase plugs - they embody the changes that some folk have been making to their Fane drivers to tame their hot treble.

I think you're mixing the Eminence 12LTA and the Fane's?
The most trouble I see is the around 2khz and the 4somethingkhz bump, the top end of the spectrum behaves quite well if you go just a tiny little bit off axis (We are talking about a 15" FR after all).

... Anyway, I found the horrible in-room 0-15-25-35 degree measurements I did a while back. It was in response to a request from Adason. Page 40 here:
New 15" full range- FANE

Adason: Here's what I think might be 0-15-25-35 degrees measurements.
Again, this is in-room, noise floor is ca 36db, and there might have been stuff rattlin'. I was wearing ear protection so couldn't tell.
And this is just the FC152 going solo btw.
702118d1536340786-15-range-fane-fc152-v0-15-25-35-degrees-pc-noise-jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I hope folk will enjoy the Fane whether the 12" or the 15". I happen to go with the Audio Nirvana but you do pay a little extra.

I'm building some boxes for some Mark Audio 10.3's because I just happen to have a pair of the drivers from a friend - but really, once you've lived a with large full range driver it's hard to imagine ever going back to a smaller driver unless you need a small speaker because of space constraints. I think a single large full range drier is the best way to realize the 'dream' of full range - simple, no cross-over components, no BSC, no filters or whatnot, just one amp and a wire.

After building speakers with Fostex and Mark Audio (CSS) smaller drivers I was all but going to give up on full range and move on to multi-way. The AN15" rescued me from that fate! Forget FAST, get yourself a large cone full range and sit 3 deg off centre !
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I'm building some boxes for some Mark Audio 10.3's because I just happen to have a pair of the drivers from a friend - but really, once you've lived a with large full range driver it's hard to imagine ever going back to a smaller driver unless you need a small speaker because of space constraints. I think a single large full range drier is the best way to realize the 'dream' of full range - simple, no cross-over components, no BSC, no filters or whatnot, just one amp and a wire.

After building speakers with Fostex and Mark Audio (CSS) smaller drivers I was all but going to give up on full range and move on to multi-way. The AN15" rescued me from that fate! Forget FAST, get yourself a large cone full range and sit 3 deg off centre !

Absolutely agree.

I’ve played around with a number of smaller wide range drivers, including Seas FU10RB, Vifa TC10FD and Alpair 7.3 amongst others. I like what they do and continue to use the Vifas in a NOLA Brio clone on the work desk, where they are superb (EQ’d with MiniDSP).

Then I came across some Richard Allan CG10Ts, and while they are not perfect, they opened my eyes to what a larger, higher sensitivity wide range driver can do, particularly in regard to dynamics and effortless presentation, all while running on 8 watts that is the ACA. I have literally never listened to as much music in my life :) I first listened full range, and then applied some gentle EQ, which measured better but somehow didn’t sound as good as running wide open, so I’ve removed the EQ, have been running without it ever since, and am loving it.

A pair of the Fane 12” 12-250TC has now been ordered. It was a very tough call between the 12” and 15”, gut instinct wanted to go for the 15” but in the end WAF prevailed as the 12” is more likely to allow a “smaller” enclosure and therefore more likely to last in the living room.

It is still very tempting to also order the 15”, but I’ll try the 12” first and go from there...

Regards,

Matt
 
Last edited:
The North American distributor for Fane, Solen.ca, has 4 12-250TC in stock. Get them while they are hot.

I did have a look at Solen but shipping from Canada/USA to Australia is ridiculously expensive. Purchasing from Europe, total cost (including drivers) was $200 AUD cheaper! Approximately half the difference was the additional shipping cost from North America.
 
After building speakers with Fostex and Mark Audio (CSS) smaller drivers I was all but going to give up on full range and move on to multi-way. The AN15" rescued me from that fate! Forget FAST, get yourself a large cone full range and sit 3 deg off centre !

Exactly mirrors my path, except that I am basicly using an oversized FAST/WAW setup now... Still, going from 4way setup to 2way setup, with more frequency extension, and more dynamics, this hobby can be a blast.
 
I have a pair of the Fane 12's in a sealed box and they sound good.
Maybe a little light on bottom end.
I put a 15 in a folded horn cabinet and liked that too.

Best supplier for Fane in UK is Blue Aran - The UK's no.1 Loudspeaker Component Stockist

Thanks for that Nigel.

What size of enclosure do you use for the 12”, and would you mind perhaps giving a subjective description of the sound, imaging, staging etc?

Cheers!

Matt.
 
Last edited:
I have a couple of dipoles with fane 15-300 TC, and I am very happy. For little money, you have two very efficient and well sounding transducers. High dynamics, if you like live sound, sound real as you hear it from real. If you like smooth sound, this is not a speaker for you. Excellent piano and air instruments. A little less female voices. To strengthen the bass I also put eminence 15 alpha woofer up to 200hz.I use them with conrad johnson ev2000 hybrid power amp. Pre valve ev 20. C.J. I live happy now.
 
Last edited:
I have played both Fane 12" and 15" on wide 30" X 50" baffles assisted by 15" bass woofers, crossed at 120Hz.

The 12" has better HF extension than 15" but 15" has better off axis response particularly on HF. However I liked mid of 12" much more than 15". I enjoyed 12" for over an year and 15" played for a couple of months. May be not enough time for 15" to break in well.

Both drivers were driven by SE tube amps. Both sounded fabulous. Incredible bang for buck.

I even toyed with an idea of placing a phase plug on the 12". The experiment remained unfulfilled as I sold both to a friend. (Big stupid mistake, had two pairs of 12" and one of 15").

He installed them in Telefunken Open Baffle and they amaze him every single day !
 
Last edited:
Status
This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.