Wide-banders, Fostex, and Back Loaded Horn Enclosure Designs

I'm planning on building speakers for my Studio B in late winter... was contemplating:

• Easy - Caintuck style open bezel with Li-Audio Fast 10 drivers (read alot about them over on the decware forums)
• Moderate effort - Seas A26 (read alot about them here)
• A little more than moderate effort - BK16 (can't find much info, but some recent posts here made me look at them)

Knowing the amp that I'm driving, I'm curious of your opinions (@tommytakis @purr1n and anyone else). The effort part really doesn't matter much... but I don't really want to cycle thru building all three to see how they sound. Room is roughly 12x24 - speakers would be on the short wall with a large (9') wide window behind them (not ideal). Books on opposite short wall.

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of course, if BK16 works, then I'd be interested in your drivers

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FWIW, low/moderate listening volumes - seating area would be roughly 10' from the speakers

 

https://www.fostex.jp/products/fe168ss-hp/

Had to import it from Japan, not sure if you can purchase these in USA

 

not sure about the OB or SEAS but you can buy the BK16 kit from madisound if im not mistaken. All you need to do is glue some panels with clamps and minor tweaks if needed

in terms of drive-ability I’m sure the studio B will be fine. These fostex are high eff and easy even with a 45 SET i had long time ago which have less power than 2a3 or 300b. I have a pretty large listening room and no issues.

 

I own the F15 (which I love) and some of my friends own a few other drivers from Lii. These drivers have their strengths and kick ass in some aspects. But are no Voxativ killers.

 

you can mitigate the honk by not using the stock angled wooden stands and instead setting the BLH slightly higher than ear level on top of a small coffee table (I use Ikea lack table + concrete slab on top) I learned this trick from @Jh4db536 's BK20 setup who has them on top of a pair of subs.

 

Yeah... if I went the A26 then I would probably bring my Crown down from the shop and use that as the amp. I prefer not, which is why I started thinking about going the Li Audio/OB route... until I read the SET and Fostex BLH Speaker thread.... then this FS thread...

Clamps aren't a problem (the shop is a wood shop, I have plenty of clamps). If there are plans available for the cabinet then I'd just build it myself (probably out of some hardwood for the sides and plywood/MDF for the internal bracing and back). Otherwise I'll get the flatpack and veneer it.

Question, if I go the BK16 route and the FE168 isn't the optimal driver, then is there a better BK cab that is a better fit for the FE168?

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mods, please move these posts to the SET/Fostex BLH or Two Channel Advice threads if those make more sense...

 

<debbieDowner>Just a heads up, the BK16 flat packs have been out of stock at madisound for a good while.</debbieDowner>

 

I haven't posted much about these but I'm a fan of the Woden Victors which could also fit these drivers. I snagged the Victor cabinets from @Cspirou a few years ago. Compared to the BK16 Tommy has (which I've heard a few times at Tommy's and also at Marvs), they give up a bit of HF extension and bite for a bit better LF extension, and seem to fill the room a bit more than the BK16. I never got the chance to directly A/B so take it with some salt, but I can imagine the extra clarity in the highs the Sigmas have over the other 6.5" Fostexs could be a nice complement.

(Edit - yep, those are them!)

 

I saw that... which is one reason I contemplate making my own if I can figure out the plans/dimensions

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FWIW, I assume that they will not be in stock until the baltic birch supply chain normalizes (hopefully sometime in 2022) or Madisound changes to MDF construction for the flatpack. When the pandemic began, baltic birch quickly skyrocketed in price (more than 2x) and then basically disappeared in the US. My kitchen remodel awaits Baltic Birch's return so I can build the cabinets...

 

Just googled Victor cabinets... if you're talking about this:

then those don't have the appropriate WAF to make it thru the front door.

If you're referencing another cabinet, can you share a link?

 

Took some digging on Fostex's site, but found plans for the Fostex recommended enclosure for the FE168ex drivers that @tommytakis has FS. Quite different than the BK-16... more complex. I need to study, but the link above should work for anyone else that is also interested in the drivers...

 

131300JPY - over $1k for an MDF cabinet? That can't possibly be right, can it?

 

you can also do a Nagaoka build that I think JK47 did long time ago
http://www-eng.diyloudspeakers.jp/2000html/2500speakerseisakurei/2521d-37-1.html

 

Don’t use Fostex plans. There’s a lot of discussion at diyaudio that the Fostex plans are not optimal. Better to find plans by Nagaoka, Planet10 or Woden Audio

 

Plywood seems to be fucked lately. Caintuck audio says he only makes solid wood baffles now because the quality of plywood has gone down so much

 

LOL... I had read the recent posts at the end, then started at the beginning and had gotten to page 3 and saw your photos over everything clamped up... then immediately went to google to look for plans... when all I really had to do was go to page 4. smh

Thank you!