[floobydust]

 Well,

 I did it... purchased a pair of the Feastrex D5nf drivers and got in under the wire for the wholesale pricing. I decided to set the D5nf next to a Fostex F120A (packaging first) to show the differences... took lotsa pics... need to weed thru them, but here's a basic feel for what I found as I opened them up.

 1- They both start with F, end with X and have STE in the middle.
 2- Boxes are from the same cardboard stock with the D5nf being larger and double thick... it weighs twice as much too.
 3- They are both made in Japan, hmmm, how odd is that? (ie, not China or Eastern Europe).
 4- Fostex includes a sealing gasket, mounting hardware and some nice spec sheets with full data and recommended enclosures.
 5- Feastrex includes a driver, wrapped in saran by the Egyptians like a Mummy, which is about right, they did cost the Mother-load!
 6- Unwrapping the F120A is simple, lift from the box, pull from the bag... the D5nf, almost a sin to unwrap the Mummy. It's heavy too!
 7- The Fostex unit is very well made, very well finished and very solid. It's current price around $230 and I really like these, truly a bargain.
 8- The Feastrex build quality, fit/finish and materials are superb if not over the top, literally built like a tank! Attention to detail is obvious. Is it in tune to the $1995 price? That has to be a personal matter IMHO.
 
  So... I'll get some pictures cropped and uploaded soon and post a link here. The obvious test of the D5nf drivers will be listening once I get an enclosure built. That will be quite a while yet sad to say. So I have to re-wrap Mum and put her back in her box for the time being.... guess I should check her twin to make sure she's alright.

 Time is going to define the company's history and I have to believe they have some serious faith in their product to literally offer pairs of driver (with virtually zero information) to the DIY community in the hope of gaining credibility in the marketplace and eventual success. If their sound quality comes close to their build quality and attention to detail, it will be nothing short of amazing. We'll see!

 Regards, KM

[miklorsmith]

It looks like tasty vittles are to come!

[jrebman]

KM,

I just met a guy here in my town who also bought a pair and we'll eventually be working on enclosures together.  I've decided for now to put off building the Harveys for the F120A until warmer weather and a time when I can take it at a more careful pace.

Eventually though, we'll have the opportunity to do some side-by-side listening comparisons of both.

We're going to get our feet wet this weekend by building 2 or 3 pairs of Zigmahornets, which should get me through the winter.

Any more ideas on what kind of enclosure you are going to try first?

Let the games begin...

-- Jim

[floobydust]

 Okay, as promised... link to a webshots album:

http://community.webshots.com/album/561454797HMqgje

 Regards, KM

[floobydust]

KM,

I just met a guy here in my town who also bought a pair and we'll eventually be working on enclosures together.  I've decided for now to put off building the Harveys for the F120A until warmer weather and a time when I can take it at a more careful pace.

Eventually though, we'll have the opportunity to do some side-by-side listening comparisons of both.

We're going to get our feet wet this weekend by building 2 or 3 pairs of Zigmahornets, which should get me through the winter.

Any more ideas on what kind of enclosure you are going to try first?
Let the games begin...

-- Jim

 Hi Jim,

 I've been kicking around some ideas on enclosures and have concluded I'd prefer a TL long term and have already done a preliminary (TL) design that is floor standing. For more immediate gratification, I just sent my Dad a board list for Scott's Frugal-Horn Spawn enclosure which was adapted for the D5nf. I figure he can whack those together for me PDQ (he's retired) and give me a reasonable reference which others are also using... Richidoo for one. That will also give me the time to work on the 300B SET prototype which will ultimately drive the D5nf... ie, Westrex and Feastrex meet? I'll also get the drivers broken in and settled before trying them in a TL prototype.

 Sounds like you're in for some fun yourself... however, I would encourage you to quickly build some basic 10-liter ported cabs for the F120A using the Fostex recommended design... can't take much time at all and you'll have yet another good speaker to add to the mix. Do you have a link for the Harvey design? I'm also thinking a floor-standing TL design for the F120A could be an interesting experiment.

 Regards, KM

[JLM]

Both these drivers have been successfully used in open baffle.  Adding a Hawthorne Auggie to the baffle and plate amp and you'd have a killer sound.

[revs]

Hi JLM,

Do you have any links for F120A open baffles?

[JLM]

Hi revs,

Sorry I don't have links for F120A in O.B.  As I recall the F120A has rather good bass in raw form, so it should do well in O.B.  Note that O.B. is mostly a season by taste proposition.  IMO bass is foundational to good/balanced sound, so any single driver (excepting the Hawthorne co-axials that I don't consider a single driver) in an O.B. needs help.  It's just a matter of chosing what frequency you'd like to crossover to a woofer/sub versus baffle size.  BTW the 15 inch Hawthorne Silver Iris do amazingly deep bass (40 Hz) in small baffles.  Their downside is some beaming around 2500 Hz and lack of detail compared to the F120A/F200A.  OTOH they are very well built and highly efficient.  Between the diffused O.B. soundscape and lack of detail, the Silver Iris have some of the lowest listener fatigue you'll find.

Former poster here, Tom Z., (sorry can't recall his handle or spelling of his last name) was really into the Fostex F200A in various cabinets, including O.B.

[jrebman]

KM,

Just wondering if you have built the improved version of the ported cabinet for the F120A yet?  If so, how's it sounding?

-- Jim

[floobydust]

 Hey Jim,

 Boxes are shells with 1/4-inch MDF fitted inside and the fronts and backs are also fitted. A bit more gluing and finishing yet. Hope to have them done within the next couple weeks. Need an extra hole saw size that I don't have and none of the local stores have it either. The F120A drivers continue to sound great BTW.

 Regards. KM