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Message started by johnnycopy on 03/21/06 at 03:09:53

Title: who's going to be first
Post by johnnycopy on 03/21/06 at 03:09:53

Well, who is going to be first to try Steve's new modded fostex driver for their HDT's?

John




Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 03/21/06 at 04:03:59

I would think Zygi.

I may send my drivers in for a mod. It's cheap enough and given what the alt-tuning mod did, I know based on what Steve said this is going to be a good step up.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by franksmith on 03/21/06 at 17:17:40

I got mine not so long ago,

They where the new fostex who melt if the wax coating is applied.

I've been told the where coated with smething else but I don't have any clues that it's the case.

So what would be the new modifications ?

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Rap on 03/21/06 at 17:28:01

the double ´dohnut´surounds along with a diffrent phase plug I think

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by franksmith on 03/21/06 at 17:29:12

Arf, I missed the new page.

Interesting, I would like to listen to them first since my pair of fe206em doesn't do at all the 38hz to 20khz in the hdt as told on the site. Would the newer be closer to theses specs ?


Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Rap on 03/21/06 at 17:47:23

how long have you had the drivers playing? and do you have the alt tuninig mod? These play a big part in getting them to 38-20.000 hz :) Oh I do suspect a little help from the room in the lowest octave ;D

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by franksmith on 03/21/06 at 18:25:48

I had the driver in december. They have the new phase plug of the  dfr-8, the felt on the back of the cone. Except for the suspension they seem identical to the dfr-8.

I had them play 10-15 hours a day for 3 months (there is always music at home) so they are probably over a thousan hours.

The cabinets are with the alternate tuning.

I heard a pair of hdt made by someone else with about the same result but in a very small room. Slightly more bass but still not flat to 38hz.

From 100 hz and down there is a constant reduction in spl, the highs almost disapear after 16khz.

I made the measurement at 1m in my big room.

The measurement where made only to confirm the listening impression.

The bass is very fast, clean with a lot of impacts and pleasant but in no way flat to 38hz.

I'm actualy boosting them with a pair of OB 12" drivers.


Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Rap on 03/21/06 at 18:35:37

LOL flat is not a term that springs to mind with the fostex. But it looks like you are in prime position to pull a D.I.Y job on the cones and apply the surround youre self ;D. I think you can get them of the Dec-site look´s like the G08A  ???

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 03/21/06 at 18:42:44


franksmith wrote on 03/21/06 at 18:25:48:
Except for the suspension they seem identical to the dfr-8.


But the suspension probably makes more difference than anything else! (the other two main ones being cone coating and phase plug change)

Yeah, no way the driver goes 38-20K with any resonable output.  That said, what it does in the 80-16K range is VERY good for the price of admission.

Someone else besides me REALLY has to try using the Aurum Cantus G2Si ribbon tweeter with the HDT's (running through a good 1uf cap).  I don't think you will be disappointed and this is a cheap, and reversible tweak. And I'd like to hear others opinions of this..


Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by crazy bill the eel killer on 03/22/06 at 01:54:39

Hello Gnat leader,

Our contract finally settled ( three YEARS overdue ), so I've got a FAIR amount of backpay coming, of which I will be spending a good portion. I will be buying the new drivers and adding the ribbon. Best estimates are 3-4 months, but I will take the plunge and give you my thoughts. I have heard the ribbon in another loudspeaker, and I think it's fabulous. I have NO DOUBT it will do great things to my HDTs, which I will also do with the alternate tunung.

Cheers,                    Bill                      :D

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by msa on 03/22/06 at 14:58:36

I'm using Radioshack's now discontinued supertweeter (96db sensivity), that looks a lot like a Fostex. A definite benefit in my space. They pop up occassionally on Ebay.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by franksmith on 03/23/06 at 20:00:37

I'm using the lcy100k at 96db eff.

Having more extention in the high mean a need for bass extention too...

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 03/24/06 at 03:12:40


franksmith wrote on 03/23/06 at 20:00:37:
I'm using the lcy100k at 96db eff.

Having more extention in the high mean a need for bass extention too...


A pair of  YAMAHA YST-SW215 Powered Subwoofer in the above picture has done right by me.  Not the last word in extension or output/volume level, but adds authority without messing things up - especially for the rediculously low price of $200 for a pair.  I recommend two unless your room is extremely small.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by adwsail on 03/28/06 at 13:11:47

For better or worse I have the new drivers and the cabinets (HDT) are nearly done with glue up. I say nearly because I just came across these version 2 mods??? Longer port tubes, foam here and there, etc., I'm debating on doing the cabinet mods now while it is easy to do so. There was no mention in the plans of these mods so I'm a little uneasy about it. This is my first venture into audiophile level speakers so I don't want to make any silly missteps if possible.

To mod or not to mod, that is indeed the question....

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Rap on 03/28/06 at 16:17:45

The mod was made for the fostex so I´d do the mod now ;D

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 03/28/06 at 23:40:41


adwsail wrote on 03/28/06 at 13:11:47:
To mod or not to mod, that is indeed the question....


There is no question, one must only put the Nike slogan into action... ;-)

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by adwsail on 03/28/06 at 23:56:46

LOL, indeed, ... it is done!!! Now on to the veneering...

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by redrock on 03/29/06 at 17:22:03

Brad, what kind of caps did you use? I may want to give this a try. I agree with you on the benefits of the alternate tuning mod all the way.
Mark

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 03/29/06 at 18:38:18

I'm still using two paralleled Auricap's (sum is around .98uF ~ equivalent 1uF), but I intend when I get around to it to try a 1uF Mundorf silver/oil.  I really liked what the Mundorf's did in my preamp and amp.  

Btw, as an experiment, in an attempt to get the Aurum Cantus tweeters closer to the Fostex driver (without cutting a hole in the baffle - yet), I duct taped the tweeters to the outside side of the cabinet.  It looked like crap but sounded allot better this way.  It probably has something to do with the way these tweeters have great horizontal dispersion, but restricted verticle dispersion.  I'm hoping when I finally cut a hole in the baffle and mount the tweeters directly above the Fostex that it will retain this improvement (and I'm expecting it will).

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Yoda on 03/29/06 at 19:32:04

Several considerations:

Time alignment?  In HDTII"s, and variations of the Radial, the ribbon is placed in nearly the same plane as the dust cap (recessed from the baffle face)

and is

Decoupled:  the tweeter is isolated from the cabinet so that it doesn't react to vibrations created by lower frequencies and resonances in the cabinets.  Maybe the duct tape lets your tweet be decoupled.  

I thought I read somewhere Steve D saying that with higher x-over frequency of supertweeters, the less critical it is to have drivers right next to each other.  

Also might have to consider how your tweeter will perform with a wide baffle around it vs floating.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 03/30/06 at 01:31:55

Well, maybe it could be considered half floating since there is no baffle to the outside of it (side placement) or above it (top placement). Also, the front-back alignment with cone is the same.  I also do not agree that a drive with such low x-max and low mass cone is vibrating the extremely heavy HDT cabinets to any degree which is affecting the tweeter.  It's clear to me that the dispersion characteristics are playing a large part, in addition to it just being at least 4" closer to the Fostex.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 03/30/06 at 22:47:20

Well, I don't know if I'm first. But I placed a purchase for the new DFR8 drivers.  I decided against upgrading my existing FE206EM's, what with the cost of shipping, potential for damage, etc.  I'll prob try to sell them used locally.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by johnnycopy on 03/31/06 at 02:11:17

Brad,

I couldn't start the thread without also ordering. I ordered last week but no word yet on shipping date.

John

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Yoda on 03/31/06 at 19:28:15

I'll be sending my 206e's off for modification in the near future.  They're just hanging around in some BR cabs.

What I really want with this upgrade are plans to build the ULTRAFLEX Cabinet!

and a CSP2 kit...




Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Corey on 03/31/06 at 23:12:11


gnat leader wrote on 03/30/06 at 22:47:20:
...with the cost of shipping, potential for damage, etc. ...


Yup, that's smart.

Corey

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Brian on 04/03/06 at 19:28:09

Hello Yoda,  I found the page for the ZSP-1 kit and the SE84CSP preamp.  What is the CSP2 kit?  Do You have a link for it's page?  
Thanks

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Yoda on 04/03/06 at 20:27:42

Brian,

CSP2 is on the boards-- see this thread for SD posts:

https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=General;action=display;num=1143077581;start=15

Matt

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 04/03/06 at 20:31:10

Yoda, as per a discussion I had with Steve, he says the HDT with the new DFR8 driver is now on par with the Ultraflex in the midrange.  His words were that he used to lose sleep over how the Ultraflex sounded better than the HDT particularly in cabinet colorations and pulling the disappearing act.  But with the DFR8's in the HDT, he's sleeping fine now ;-).  However the HDT goes lower (~35hz vs. ~58hz).  So you may want to reconsider your building endeavors, or at least wait for a few of us HDT owners to get our DFR8's in and give our opinions.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Rap on 04/03/06 at 20:44:02


gnat leader wrote on 04/03/06 at 20:31:10:
Yoda, as per a discussion I had with Steve, he says the HDT with the new DFR8 driver is now on par with the Ultraflex in the midrange.  His words were that he used to lose sleep over how the Ultraflex sounded better than the HDT particularly in cabinet colorations and pulling the disappearing act.  But with the DFR8's in the HDT, he's sleeping fine now ;-).  However the HDT goes lower (~35hz vs. ~58hz).  So you may want to reconsider your building endeavors, or at least wait for a few of us HDT owners to get our DFR8's in and give our opinions.


This is paramount to torture :) I have to wait until summer to get the DFR8´s :( must be strong.. :'(

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 04/07/06 at 06:10:15

Has anyone heard when the DFR8's will start shipping?  I may have to call Steve again and ask.  Zygi, I assume you will be putting a pair in your HDT's?

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Zygi on 04/07/06 at 06:43:41

Brad,

Steves sending me one to compare. I guess I'll have to make the second if I like it.  I know I'm using the same treatment on some 6 1/2" Fostex drivers, and the difference is amazing.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by johnnycopy on 04/07/06 at 14:38:45

Brad

I ordered the new drivers March 21st and they have not shipped yet. I called Devon yesterday and she thought by early next week.

John

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 04/07/06 at 23:51:47


Zygi wrote on 04/07/06 at 06:43:41:
Brad,

Steves sending me one to compare. I guess I'll have to make the second if I like it.  I know I'm using the same treatment on some 6 1/2" Fostex drivers, and the difference is amazing.



What cabinets are the 6.5's going into?

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Zygi on 04/08/06 at 00:26:06

Brad,

  It looks much like the MG cabinet

              BobZ

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by gnat leader on 04/08/06 at 03:05:53


Zygi wrote on 04/08/06 at 00:26:06:
Brad,

  It looks much like the MG cabinet



  BobZ



But with just one driver? Interesting.  And will it be a PR terminated  TL like the MG?

that last sentence sounds funny with the abbreviations :)

I always liked the looks of that cabinet. Not necessarily the color - though that is fine too.  But the elegant shape - tilted back and the way the base combines openings for venting the bass which also function as built in feet.

Title: Re: who's going to be first
Post by Corey on 04/08/06 at 05:44:37


johnnycopy wrote on 04/07/06 at 14:38:45:
Brad

I ordered the new drivers March 21st and they have not shipped yet. I called Devon yesterday and she thought by early next week.

John


Steve probably does these drivers himself. Looks like these guys are worth waiting for.  :)

Corey

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