On a similar but unrelated subject, I have a few thoughts about speaker drivers. That's something near and dear to your heart, I think.

If I remember correctly, you use Fostex drivers in your speaker systems, maybe Lowthers too. They're a couple of favorites for single driver enthusiasts. Personally, I really like the sound of the Fostex speakers I've heard.

I wonder what you'd think about having Eminence make a high-quality part tuned to work in your cabinets. Something with electro-mechanical specs suitable for your cabinets and a low-distortion symmetrical flux stabilized magnetic structure. Eminence makes drivers having various cone shapes and materials, so you have a good choice there as well. I'm not talking about a budget model here - I'm talking about a statement product. If you could have Eminence pull out all the stops for a high-end full-range driver, would you give it a go?

I ask this because I can't help but think it's viable. They have a lot of experience and they are capable of doing some really high-quality work. Ever since they started making speakers with shorting rings, they've become a top-quality player, in my opinion.

Another thing that makes me think about it is the JBL 2115. It was a wonderful little 8" full-range driver that was capable of great sound from 30Hz all the way up to 10kHz. All you really needed was a super tweeter and you had the basis for an excellent little speaker system. I used them in high-quality one π loudspeakers in the 1980's. They were 93dB/W/M and handled 50 watts, so they were suitable for studio monitors. Not real high output, but very good sound.

It occurs to me that the Fostex F-220A speaker is almost exactly the same thing as the JBL 2115. They look so much the same, I can't tell them apart from the front. And the specs are very similar too. The thing is that I'd love to have a similar part made by Eminence, and I think they're capable of it. I've also considered having something made that's tuned like the Alpha 10 but with a symmetrical flux stabilized motor, so that's another thing on my wish list. I'd love to have one or two specific high-quality full-range 8" and 10" speakers. I'm guessing you'd probably add a 6" driver or two to that list.

So I'm just thinking aloud here. What do you think?

Wayne

>>I wonder what you'd think about having Eminence make a high-quality part tuned to work in your cabinets.

==I'd prefer to do it the other way around. There's far far more at stake building drivers. If Eminence had a driver I like I'd use it in my products.

>>Another thing that makes me think about it is the JBL 2115.

==It is a very fine driver.

>>It occurs to me that the Fostex F-220A speaker is almost exactly the same thing as the JBL 2115. They look so much the same, I can't tell them apart from the front

==Like Datsun engine blocks of the 70's that mimmicked Mercedes to the gnat, Many Fostex aspects look like JBL only more refined if you look closely. The first thing I look at is the basket. CNC die, spun cast aluminum, as beefy as they make it gives an insight into the start of the engineering in these drivers.

>>So I'm just thinking aloud here. What do you think?

==I think it's time for some real work....

TC

You wrote:

>> If Eminence had a driver I like I'd use it in my products.

What would you like?

I ask because there are a couple drivers I'd like, and I think I've mentioned them to you. What I'm looking for is pretty well defined. So I'm sort of wondering what your requirements might be, because our requirements might be similar. If that's the case, we may be able to have something made that we both would want to use.

>> Many Fostex aspects look like JBL only more refined if you look
>> closely. The first thing I look at is the basket. CNC die, spun
>> cast aluminum, as beefy as they make it gives an insight into the
>> start of the engineering in these drivers.

Fostex parts do look nice. But the machining done on JBL parts is pretty tough to beat. Either way, I'd say they're both very fine drivers. I wonder if we got out the micrometer and the flux meter, which would be made to more exacting tolerances. Honestly, I'd place my bet on JBL on this one. But then again, it's probably part specific, and if we started doing the one-upmanship thing, we'd most certainly find that each plant was capable of outdoing themselves with each new project. So I think probably we'd also find that both factories were capable of doing top-notch work. And I'd say both make excellent parts, so a person probably wouldn't be disappointed either way.

>> I think it's time for some real work....

Whatcha up to?

Wayne

>>What would you like? I ask because there are a couple drivers I'd like, and I think I've mentioned them to you. What I'm looking for is pretty well defined. So I'm sort of wondering what your requirements might be, because our requirements might be similar. If that's the case, we may be able to have something made that we both would want to use.

===Drivers for me are a given. For now the Fostex line offers plenty of challenge to *keep up* with as far as cabinet design. I firmly believe that cabinet design and fab can always be optimized further, so I choose to focus here.

As far as driver design goes, I am very happy to leave that to the experts, of which I am not and happy to admit. So my focus is on drivers (current) application.

>>Whatcha up to?

==making sawdust.

TC

What I was thinking of was a very high quality part tuned for a specific application. Not so much designing the motor structures, cone materials and geometries 'cause I agree with you there. I was planning to leave that part to Eminence. But they'll build parts to spec, if the specs are possible for them to build. Now that they are building Magnum's, they're able to make some really good parts, like the JBL SFG series. So I thought it might be nice to have them make something like the JBL 2115, which is no longer available. They could make it with a machined cast frame, symmetrical flux stabilized motor structure, and one of a variety of full-range cone designs. Might be worthwhile to see what they could do; Maybe it would be something really special.

One "generalization" about asian cultures in general (esp Japanese & Korean) is that they are very prone to herd behavior, to deifying humans, and to following a trend almost fanatically. I suspect some folk figured out that top of the line vintage speakers sound better than medium and low priced modern speakers (though probably not as good as top of the line new speakers) and bought a few with their tube amps. This started a maniacal trend. To read some "zen" philosophy into this would be a mistake in my opinion. I suspect the "Japanese masters" who meditate before building their tube amps (filled with vintage western tubes i might add) are just making a sales pitch. Unfortunately, the audiophile community is also very prone to herd behavior (enthusiasts by nature are, i thnk).

Having said that, i have to admit that i love my SET amps, and my vintage american drivers....:-)

And yes i do drive my Klipschorns with SETs.
However, in all fairness, i have never owned a high end setup by modern standards. I have heard one or two that didn't seem to sound that much better than mine, but that was just my bias probably...one always loves what one builds, right?

well off to designing a passive preamp for my latest SET...
-akhilesh