Audiophiles hifi appreciation thread old and new

So, where does the treble come from - are they not standard 2-way speakers?

@FatManOnAFixie

Those Fostex look beefy.
A good 4" driver can produce the most amazing sound. Don't know what it is but I've found them to be just right, sweet midranges. Back in aus, hidden in a box I have a pair of 4" drivers with kevlar cones (can't remember brand) and some ribbon tweeters that i plan to build into some speakers. Just need to find the specs for a compatible cabinet design - many maths to do and no idea how to do them! Maybe I'll ask you more questions....

They are fullrange

Nah, they're a Single Driver running FR in each cabinet Rod, no tweeter, no Xover. Maximum Phwwoooaar! The piccie of the 4 drivers above show 2 different tweaked variants of old FE126's.

I built a pair of FrugalHorn 3's to use up the 2nd pair, you and TRA seen them? A smaller but very good FR cab again. Want pics?

Does the treble not sound totally cack with full-range drivers like that? I've never heard a set like that in fairness.

Yes PLS!

@rodabod - best sound I have ever heard was a pair of 4", full range Boston Acoustic speakers. Soooo sweet and smooth, but still fast so you have the real dynamic feel. Of course there was detail loss and some confusion at higher volumes, and no real gut thumping but an eminently easy sound to enjoy and listen to.

Agreed, there's summat special about drivers around this size IMO. I have FE167's here at working in the workshop sound system cab's and they're fun too but a gimmie a good tiddler, cor! (sniggers).

I can't do the maths I'm afraid TRA, I copied the plans from the box plan library that was on DIY Audio and the Canadian Planet 10 websites. I'm OK at building speakers but designing them is a skill I lack. I've met the fella who designed the big cabs quite a few times, he's a clever 'un, Scott Lindgren.

I'm going to need to hear something like these, sounds very interesting.

I'm slightly less excited by the reported $4k price. (Each.)

They're a very different 'listen' to your much-beluvved LS3/5a's Rod but equally valid. They don't do super high or super low (even in a mahoosive cab) but as TRA suggests they do do something very special. A friend of mine loves Lowthers drivers, he was exposed to them early on in his life, often they're found in some behemoth corner horn from the 50's or some bizzare structure like this...

...and I only 'sorta' get them.

Single driver stuff isn't for everyone.

Save almost £3800 and buy this. Look familiar? :) If it wasn't for the fact I don't digitally archive my LP's (I actually listen to them one at a time, the horror!) and already own an SL1210mk2 I know I would've!

I actually have a pair of Gemini's which are fine for home use - paid £150 for them both and a mixer. Add a couple of Concorde's and it's all good.

(For one at a time listening, a Project (Debut Carbon) does the job.)

Yes PLS!

Here y'go, these are FrugalHorn 3's. These are my main system listening speakers at the moment. Not as dynamic as the big Saburo's but still very very good (IMO), smoother and more 'hifi' perhaps. They look easy to build but there's some trixy bits going on.

Under the appalling (my fault) wax finish is probably the most accurate woodwork I've ever done...

Others I've made are this pair of near-field FE127 (Fostex again I know) Fonkens...

And before them I made FE167 MLTL's...

And later for our Workshop Sound system I made...

which hang and fire down our workshop like this...

and were driven by this until the mains TX went pop..

I think we reached the ultimate workshop system when I started running Logitech Media player on a PC fed FLAC files from a ext HD into an I2S DAC feeding the Valve amp into them workshop speakers.

Lotta folk used to pop in just to listen :)

Wow, thanks for posting, bit blurry eyed right now so will have a proper look later.

The frugalhorns, so that is just one big baffle angled inside the cabinet, rather than a transmission pathway? Also do you line the cabs with any deadening material?

I really cant wait to be back in Aus and have a workshop.

The frugalhorns, so that is just one big baffle angled inside the cabinet, rather than a transmission pathway? Also do you line the cabs with any deadening material?

Yup, just one angled part thats sealed at the bottom of the internal 'pointy bit' of the horn. There's long discussuins about horn stuffing and damping over on DIY Audio, the FH3's have their own website if you want to read more about them and build a pair.

http://www.frugal-horn.com/index.html

I'd love a workshop where I can build increasingly more bonkers stuff too. My workplace 'workshop' isn't equipped for speaker making unfortunately, its geared up for Electronic equipment repairs to support Science at the place where I work, I'm an Electronics Tech by trade . At home I've got a shed though, thats where I convert the expensive sheets of plywood into dust for fun.

http://theghostinthemp3.com

Record players. Recommendations?

I like my Rega RP1 w/performance pack.

i've had 2 rega's planar 2 and planar 3 fantastic turntables but i since modded a old technics 1210 with a rega rb250 arm sounds amazing !

Plug n Play? = SL1210 + Denon DL110.

Tweak4lyf? = Goldring G99 + DIY Arm + Denon 103R.

dps3 / Aro / Urushi

Have been looking at Rega RP1 w/performance pack and SL1210s...

Also, my stupid amp doesn't have a phono input so that's another thing I'll skimp on.

Anyone up for possibly swapping some speakers?

My 602 S3s are officially too big so am after something a bit smaller but the same kind of quality. Been looking at PMC DB1s and the like.

RP1 with performance pack or Project Debut Carbon with the Ortofon Red.

Reply
2 days ago • #2000
TRA
^Sheesh, I must have issues if i think that's not much at all, been reading too many reviews of esoteric HiFi. Just looks like a good project to me! And, if made well they'll last for ages and provide years of listening pleasure.

Tis a thin line between esoteric and snake oil. Contemplated uber cables for my sennheiser 600 then decided copper strands do well enough.