[Mike82]

My speakers arrived last Wednesday, right as I was leaving for the airport to go out of town for 5 days.  Try as I did, I didn't have time to get them hooked up to break-in.

They look great with the black and brushed metal F120A basket. Needless to say, the cabinet construction and finish are first rate.

I set them up yesterday afternoon and started breaking them in with the JM Reynaud Magic CD, which I used when I had my shop and IME, decreases typical break-in time to about 25% of what playing regular music takes.  I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet.

This evening will be my first time listening to them. Hopefully, the Magic CD will have done it's work.

I don't expect them to be fully broken-in yet, but I'll post my early impressions tommorrow morning.

[JLM]

Ultimately cool!!  

I've heard the big brother F200A takes 2 - 3 years to break in!  

Keep us posted, pppppllllllleeeeeaaaasssseeee!!!

I'm having MLTL (mass loaded transmission line) custom built speakers using the F200A, but they're still in product development, so I won't be able to hear the finished product until I drive 14 hours each way to pick them up this summer.

[Bosh]

  Please keep us posted.  And congrats!  (but that mustive' sucked, being out of town like that.  I know it makes me nuts when FedEX and the car service to the airport--me in the back--pass each other in my driveway).

[Mike82]

Well, after 15 hours of break-in, they sound pretty muffled and broken-up.

The break-in continues. It may take longer than the stock driver as the F120A weighs in at 4.4 lbs vs. 1.3 lbs for the stock driver.

JLM:  Interesting design on the F200A.  I've seen a floor standing F200A design (either here or on Audio Asylum) that looked pretty nice. Maybe Louis will expand his product offerings to include floor standers.

[Louis O]

Hi Mike,

Great to to hear you got the speakers and thanks for the compliments. The break in takes a pretty long time. Your right it takes a little longer than the stock drivers.

I will be using the F200A in the near future as a floorstander. I just have to figure out how I want to finish them. I may have them leather wrapped with solid wood baffle and back.

Thanks again,
Louis

[Bwanagreg]

I may have them leather wrapped with solid wood baffle and back.

That sounds almost pornographic     I can't wait to see them.

[Louis O]

Hi Greg,

Your right it does. I can't wait too see them too. I sent the cabinets for the first set, a small bookshelf out to my friend who's doing the leather work. He does vintage car interiors and I just saw some work he did on a Bugatti with a full ostrich interior.

The cabinets will have full stitching on the corners and I'm debating on using cocobolo wood or a different color leather for the front and back.

Talk to you soon,
Louis

[dado5]

Cocobolo and leather?   Is this pair going to be for general sale or for display in an art gallery?

I have never heard of cocobolo being used in audio.  I know that it is very hard and heavy. How would these qualities relate to its use as speaker cabinet  or electronic chassis construction? Is it difficult to work with for routing, gluing, finishing, etc.?  I am considering it for an amp chassis myself.

Thanks much and please post pics of the finished pair.

Regards,
Rob

[Wayne1]

Forgive my hijacking the thread

dadoS, if you want to see Cocoblo used in audio, take a look at the turntables from Teres Audio:



Chris Brady also has a pair of Edgar Horns finished in Cocobolo as well.

I would love to see what Louis could come up with using Cocobolo and Leather

[Bwanagreg]

Oh

My

God


               

[dado5]

Wow!

It's enough to give ya a woody!

He certainly went against the grain with this one.

This definitely a different branch of audio design.

I am sure the lucky owner of this deck will log many hours playing all his favorite cuts.


I wood go on, but I have to leave.

Rob

[Bill Baker]

I have never heard of cocobolo being used in audio

  Cocobolo is a beautiful wood and yes, very difficult to work with but well worth the effort. I built a pair of speakers some time ago with a solid baffle made of this wood and Italian leather wrapped around the rest of the cabinet. We used the leftover leather for the driver gaskets. The customer I built the speakers for supplied everything. The speaker was a highly modified pair based on the Dynaudio Gemini with my cabinet and crossover design (1 1/2" thibk MDF). I wish I still had digital pictures but all I have left is a crapy polaroid. I should try and get ahold of the customer to see if he can send me some digital PICs!!

  Louis, make sure you post a picture as SOON as you have one of these speakers.

[Louis O]

I will definetly post a picture of these when they are ready.
Thanks Wayne for posting Chris' TT. I've met Chris and heard his TTs and they are fantastic. Chris is one of the nicest guys in audio too.

I want to get these ready in time for the HE2004. So I will try to get them set up ASAP. Phil is working on the cabinets right now and I will try the cocobolo or maybe granadillo if the cocobolo is too expensive. Granadillo is a great substitute.

Hi Bill,

If you can get the pics, please post them.
Your right about the glue. i think I will have to go with epoxy on these.
Can't wait to see your speakers.

Thanks again,
Louis

[Bill Baker]

If you can get the pics, please post them.

 
  I have sent out an email to the customer who has these speakers. It has been a while and I hope his email adress is still the same. (and that he still has the speakers)

Your right about the glue. i think I will have to go with epoxy on these.
Can't wait to see your speakers.

  I ended up using "Gorilla Glue" for the whole project. This glue works great with all types of wood, even oily woods.