Fostex 167 on OB!

[vintage_dog]

forget it!

i tried it this morning and it's not a good baffle for these Fostex!

muddy and thin bass. shouty!

[ichabod]

When you get some text message how well the altec 403As do on OBs, you can't help but grin all day that your suspicions have just been confirmed by another. I love that airiness, and sense of space that makes music easier to follow on these speakers. After all these years, there's a better simplier way to enjoy music!

[vintage_dog]

i was (pleasantly) surprised to re-discover the Altec 403A and the 2459A. i had the 403As for over a year now and they were mounted on "bookshelves" with tweeters and didn't quite impress. in open baffles, they were "liberated" from incarceration and just bloomed. i guess for these vintage Altec drivers,

Box Baffle = boxy sound

Open Baffle = open sound

none, yes none of the 10 pairs of "box" speakers in my house have the "openness (in sound)" of the Altec OBs

[setup1]

forget it!

i tried it this morning and it's not a good baffle for these Fostex!

muddy and thin bass. shouty!

Hi Francis,

Years ago Steve of Angela Instruments loaned me a pair of Lowther PM7Cs to try on the OB. I arrived at the same conclusion as above.

Since Fostex has a wide range of FR drivers. It is best to avoid those with qualities that have been patterned after Lowther [rear horn loading]. Those that are potential OB drivers are the ones designed for a bass reflex type cabinets.

Regards,

JE

[ichabod]

Just a question if you've tried JE? Are the 8 inchers the only ones good on OBs? How about a 10, 12 inch full range?

[arnoldc]

ichabod, look here at the original thread that started it all... viewtopic.php?t=4220

here's the pic of the 406-8Y (10") and 2459A (8") on top of the OB

[setup1]

Just a question if you've tried JE? Are the 8 inchers the only ones good on OBs? How about a 10, 12 inch full range?

Hi James,

Not necessarily, I've spent countless hours listening to Ding's system with OB/604-8G speakers. The 604-8G is a combination of a co-ax mounted 1.5khz horn driven by the 802 driver + a 15", 515 woofer. In a way this is quite similar to what you heard at Joel's [12", 414 woofer + 511/902 horn].

Back in the days when I was very active in DIY developing my circuits, after listening to my designs in my 2 systems, I'd bring them up to NYC to double check at Ding's.

With regards to other drivers I've used or tried as well as potential candidates check these links at my site. I think I've posted them in another thread but here they are again:

http://members.myactv.net/~je245/spktips.htm
http://members.myactv.net/~je2a3/open.htm
http://members.myactv.net/~je2a3/vintag ... rivers.htm
http://members.myactv.net/~je245/homebrewer.pdf
http://members.myactv.net/~je245/755sonic.htm
http://members.myactv.net/~je245/vintagebudgetspks.htm

The only drivers I would not recommend are Lowthers or derivatives of that design [some Fostex?] which are intended for back loaded horn type cabinets.

Regards,

JE

[ichabod]

Thanks for the ton of info on drivers. I share your views about direct and reflected sound. To me, that's like living and breathing, natural. Can't imagine listening in dead space!

Brilliant JE!