Single driver full range speakers

[richidoo]

Heard back today from Ken McCarthy of Brentworth Sound Lab. He writes:

"Dear Rich:
Thank you for your interest in our products. However, I must apologize as you have contacted us at a most inconvenient time for us, but a most opportune time for yourself.  Let me explain.

At BSL we are in the midst of introducing our new line of loudspeakers which feature custom-made drivers in a new enclosure, a rack-mounted contour system, and above all, even better performance.  I can’t let everything out, but I will say that we have achieved
Single driver bass down to 16 Hz at 102 db!

I hope this intrigues you enough to stay tuned to our web site for the introduction, after which we would be glad to send literature.
Musically Yours,
Kenneth McCarthy/BSL
Ken McCarthy
Brentworth Sound Lab"

[jrebman]

So, does that mean the overall efficiency of the speakers is 102 dB or that it can pump out 16 Hz at 102 dB.  Whatever the case, I'm not even going to be asking the price tag .

I took a look at those Wright amps and they look interesting (I have to say that I'm really interested in SE triode KT-88s and how they will sound) but can't, for the life of me, figure out what they look like.  I don't get that "bronze mirror" thing at all.  The Lolita looks interesting -- wish that one came in kit form.

P.S. -- for those of you who may not have been to the seriousstereo web site in a while, it looks as if they may be coming out with a 12" version of their speaker that's less expensive, and may actually fit in a small living room like mine.  Sure hope that one will be at the show.

-- Jim

[richidoo]

Yeah, that serious website is great. Thanks for the tip. Looking fwd to hearing them this year.

The current Brentworth speakers are in the 100dB efficiency range, so I assume it is 102 overall, but could be just that freq. Given the delay in hearing back from him on first request, I don't expect to find out much about the new speakers for a while. I don;t even know where they're located, or the phone number to call. A dealer at Cadence magazine invites discussion about it. Google brentworth to find him.

The Wrights look like typical tube amps with input and drivers (rectifier maybe?) centered up front, and power tubes behind them, more off the the far sides, and a row of trannys along the rear, ala RM9 ish layout. Knobs on front vertical face. Chassis are tall, about 4 inches deep so room for knobs. All three look like that, with trafo covers reflecting the tubes like a mirror. The Lolita looks to be a little smaller than the other two. I looked for ther bronze mirror reference but couldn't find it.

[rollo]

Rich,
           If these babies don't beam at ya, could be the ticket. We shall see.

rollo

[richidoo]

Yup, they have great sales lit! But since they're relatively unknown a long listen would be in order Their previous models pictured on the website show only a hole where the sound comes out, no driver cone is visible, but he says there are either 1, 2, or 4 full range drivers in there somewhere.... Without the drivers firing directly at you, it probably won't beam, so the question is how much power can it put into the highs coming out in all directions when using full rangers which are notoriously low energy in the highs and usually require dead on alignment to hear them. Like you said, we shall see! I would love to hear them someday.

[richidoo]

Going to hear, maybe buy a pair of Feastrex D5nf drivers on Friday. My local dealer got his demo pair of them today, says "Wow, these are very special!" They weigh 10 pounds each!
Rich

[jrebman]

Rich,

Very nice.  I just heard that Joe Cohen has a pair and loves them.

As for me, they are a bit out of my league at the moment, but I just got a pair of modified TQWTs for the FE-127 driver from Tekton -- a semi custom job with no binding posts and only a small hole for the custom, yet to be built speaker cable to exit from.  Kind of like a pair of baby Abbys with no large oval baffle.

I've also placed an order for a Vaughn Carina amp, but probably won't have that until the new year.

I wonder how long the Feastrex drivers take to break-in?  I'm sure you'll find out .

Congrats,

Jim

[richidoo]

If the ones Joe Cohen has are the ones he's taking to RMAF I should say so, they are Feastrex's top o the line, D9e field coil drivers, in Feastrex cabinets about $25k, if I remember right.

The Tektons are sealed? Sonds very cool speaker from what I could learn about them in 5 minutes. Does he have a site with more info?

The Carina I have seen. That should be fun. Office system? Can't wait to hear about that! Congrats back atcha!

The feastrex surrounds are leather, not rubber, and the cones are paper, so I have no idea on break in. One post online suggested the glue used in assembly has to harden over time which changes the sound slightly.

[jrebman]

Rich,

Ah, didn't know he had the field coil version -- I suppose I would be very pleased with them as well.

The Tektons are not sealed -- at least these are not -- they are a vented, tall, skinny, tapered box very much like a scaled down pair of Abbys.  I think most of the smaller Tekton bookshelf speakers are BR and not sealed.  There is a web site:

http://www.tektondesign.com

But it appears to be mostly graphics, so I didn't get too much from it.  Search for his eBay store too.

Yup, this is the office system and will give me a place to experiment with drivers, and some various small tube amps, and also give me a quiet place to listen when the neighbor is home or Linda is in her writing studio.  It will mostly be the Bolder modded SB2 and eventually possibly a Minimax CDP.

BTW, I just ordered my Minimax phono stage, and that should arrive any day now -- getting closer to vinyl all the time.  Now we just have to get past this flu thing so we can get on with doing the renovations, and moving the system.  The Reality SCs are coming in nicely now and are a great match with the graphite Grovers. Modding the 3910 has been put off for a while -- decided the phono stage would be money better spent at this point, plus my Bolder Statement SB3 and Ultimate IV PSU are at Wayne's right now, and I should be picking them up at RMAF.  It's all coming together -- slowly, but surely. .

-- Jim

[richidoo]

I'll say! Nice work. You have an exciting couple of months ahead.

[richidoo]

I got the pair of the Feastrex D5nf's. Big price jump (66%) coming on Nov 1st when the promo ends.

I heard them in some rear horn type speakers which will OK, but when I listened a couple feet away from them I could hear the real magic. If you like NOS dac, these are along the same line. Easy, pure, real, gentle but exciting in their own way.

I first listened for treble extension, doubting that a 5 inch driver could play enough treble well enough to allow eliminating a dedicated tweeter. No problem. Listening to Kind of Blue, Jimmy Cobb's ride cymbal on "So What?" never sounded more real. Is it as extended as ribbon tweeter? Probably not, but the juice in the middle is so much better without 2 crossovers (mid to dome and dome to ribbon) in the way. They do beam highs, but not as much I as expected. The drivers were facing straight ahead while I sat in triangle 10 feet away, so I was 30 degrees off center beam, and the cymbals sounded extremely satisfying. 'Ive never heard a cymbal that real come out of a speaker, not even studio monitors. This was using Scott Nixon chip amps, his newest NOS DAC, and HCAT preamp and lots of vibe tweaks, acrolink wire, I think.

Bass extension was not very good, OK down to 100 maybe. I could not judge dynamics at that freq but could easily hear the notes. Below that was lame, to be expected. Dealer had a single JL f112 sub placed in the middle which added a lot of music, but it did not integrate well.

The most striking thing was of course the midrange. Microdynamic detail was hard to believe. I could hear timidity and reservation in the first notes of Miles' proudest solo on So what. Misplaced lip, first tune of the session, whatever it was, I never heard it before. What is the value of hearing Miles' nerves while he starts the most important solo of his career? To me it is important. Solo violin was equally impressive and expressive. John Lennon solo guitar, Respighi large chamber group, it was all incredible. The detail is amazing but the tone depth and realness factor is startling. The sound is organic, solid, touchable. That is the most impressive thing, the tonal rightness. Much different than what I'm used to. Paper cone, leather surround, efficient motor, whatever it is, it works! The online hype is true.

Now I gotta build something to hold them up where I can here it. Probably start with a simple OB like the Visaton, then just tweak it from there.  I would like to avoid a passive crossover, so I'm looking at some active systems/biamp with the 15" Hawthorne Augies. Lots of ideers to try.
Rich

[jrebman]

Rich,

Any updates?  I've got an appointment to talk with Joe Cohen later this afternoon, and I'm going to plead with Linda to let me get a pair of these before the price hike.  I may also have a buyer for my JBL L-300s, so that will go a long way to a pair of the D5nf's.

Just curious, what amp are you using?

-- Jim

[richidoo]

Glad to hear you're so interested Jim! You're still on honeymoon, you can get away with anything! hehe

I am convinced their popularity will increase rapidly after RMAF and after a year's more rumor mill. The D9e finished speakers will be at the show, as you know, and I'm betting it will get some good press.

I found a used Altmann amp, waiting for pictures and details from seller, but it's a good price. I also still have the Cary SLI-80, which should work good too.

I have not played them since I got them home, I'm ashamed to say they've been sitting idle here for a week while I fart around with real life.

I am working on another anechoic chamber specifically for the feastrex that is more purposed designed than the previous slap together experiments. I think it will be pretty cool. Reading Loudspeaker Cookbook about crossovers, time alignment, port tuning and all that speaker voodoo. Cool stuff, but mostly I just look at the pictures  There is so much to learn about speakers. Yikes, no wonder the good ones cost so much.

I am also gathering bits to make a pair of OB speakers same as Dick Olsher's OB2 project, but with active crossover and biamp instead of his 2nd order passive X. Using the Hawthorne augies and Elliott project P09. Olsher was a little surprised that I actually bought the drivers and now is very interested how the active xover works out - me too! He has been very helpful, a very nice guy.

The Feastrex have 7mm displacement (pp) so it is recommended not to play loud bass in OB mount. I guess I have been worried about that enough to hold off sticking them in a piece of plywood until I get a system assembled, but that is stupid. I will try to get some baffles rigged to be able to play them tomorrow. I don't wanna waste time building a box cabinet yet. My wife is dying to hear them too, find out what all the blathering is about.

[jrebman]

Rich,

While talking to Joe this afternoon, he said that he thought the D5nfs would be very nice in a TL.  Another alternative he mentioned was a sealed box with a passive radiator -- specifically, the D9 passive radiator, but at $1900 a pair for passive radiators, I will have to pass on that idea.  He didn't think the horn loading would be a good idea, or at least he said you won't get much bass out of them.

Looks like the JBL buyer is serious -- says he'll make me a good offer once he sees some pictures.

The only bummer about the Feastrex is that the Carina amp will probably not do very well with a 16 ohm load.  I wrote to Eddie about this and suggested that with his design and operating points, that it may be necessary to go to a pair of paralleled EL84s and different output transformers in order to work, but we'll see what he says about that.  I just can't see taking an amp and a driver like those and putting an autoformer between them for impedance matching.

Joe will be using the Lamm ML2.1 18 watt single-ended 6C33C amps and the Lamm reference preamp, and all Prana wire (natch), so it should sound pretty amazing.

It's going to be very interesting hearing that vs the Serious Stereo stuff.

I already broached the topic of the Feastrex drivers, and when Linda asked where they would go, I said my hope is that they would be good enough to replace the Adagios in the main system (with some bass augmentation, of course.)  But there's a long and winding road between here and there .

Later,

Jim

[canyoneagle]

These popped up the other day on 6Moons (referenced by Paul Candy as his SD of choice) and certainly look NICE.  http://www.rlacoustique.com/aer.htm

I have JUST replaced my Omega Hemptone 8's (precursor to the compact hemp) with a pair of used MaxHemps, and I am VERY pleased with what I am hearing thus far.      You can read my musings on AC, if you're curious about these speakers.
My newly acquired Red Wine Signature 30 is on its way to me now, fresh from Vinnie's shop with the 30.2 mods.
I look forward to hearing the combo!