[krikor]

Just stumbled across these at Madisound:
http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/fostex-p1000e-diy-kanspea-4-full-range-speaker-kit-pair/

$169 for a pair of 4" single-driver speakers including a small 5W amplifier, under $130 without the amp! (Note that the listing says "Each" at the top, but that means per package not per speaker.) No idea how they sound, but at this price I might just take the chance. Two driver choices which I doubt have much if any bass below 100hz in that box, so you need a sub as well. But could be a fun way to fool around single-driver sound and a quick search showed a few people already digging these kits. You could even spring for a couple inductors/resistors and play around with some baffle step correction.

There is also a 3" driver version starting at about $110 without the amp.

Here's the Fostex page:
http://www.fostex.jp/kanspi_eng/

[JLM]

Look like good desktop/computer speakers (F3 around 78 Hz, 88 dB/w/m, can handle 10 watts).  Hopefully Dave (Planet 10) will check in (he's a small Fostex driver guru).

[planet10]

1 box for 2 very different drivers? Unlikely to be optimum for either. FE103 & FF105 are both nice drivers.

Assumming 12mm box material, they are just over 3 litres, a bit on the small size for either driver.

I have seen the 3" driver, you'd be much further ahead starting from scratch with FF85wk.

dave

[JLM]

Many of the Fostex factory cabinet designs are real sleepers (sounding better than you'd think).  Interestingly these cabinets are originally intended to go with P800K and P1000K drivers.  Seems like these drivers are cheaper than FE103 or FF105 (which are indicated to be upgrades) and marketed mostly in Japan.

Overall the Madisound deal looks good (the drivers alone are about $90/pair).  How many speaker kits (30 minute stated construction time is hard to call them a kit) do you know that offer two pre-finished cabinets for $40?  Or finished speakers that put 2/3rd's of the cost into the guts (drivers)?  Hopefully the cabinets are oversized for the drivers and you can just fill the extra space.

[johsti]

How comparable are the FE and FF drivers?  Is it worth the extra $6 to go for the FF105?  Which one has the best midrange?

I'm looking at this kit for a small bedroom setup. 

[JLM]

How comparable are the FE and FF drivers?  Is it worth the extra $6 to go for the FF105?  Which one has the best midrange?

I'm looking at this kit for a small bedroom setup.

Hopefully Dave (Planet 10) will answer in open forum (if not message him).

[planet10]

Is it worth the extra $6 to go for the FF105?  Which one has the best midrange?

I can't really say yet, haven't broken the FE103 in yet. FF is certainly capable of more bottom. The FE would need to go into a BR with tuning i's not do, or something big like Vampr-V

dave

[greyhamster]

how does the Fostex Kanspea Speaker Kits compare to the Overnight Sensations from parts express?
and how do they compare to the Pioneer SP-22BS22-LR  which are on sale for $90 at amazon and best buy.

[Folsom]

The trouble with the Pioneers and Overnight's is that they aren't very efficient, but two of the Fostex units are.

Lower wattage is much easier to achieve truly good audiophile watts for, price wise. Like under $100 is possible for sound that compares to over $1k for an amplifier, DIY (easy skill). But once you get an inefficient speaker you are talking closer to $500 for an easy DIY amplifier. Those would be pretty bare-bones though. Retail for inefficient speakers you probably are talking no less that like $600 for a Class D studio amp (being maybe the cheapest sub $1k amp that produces enough power for some speakers, while being quality to take a run at anything out there).

It's the only reason Fostex sells an amplifier with the kit.

[Folsom]

Also the capacitors in the Overnight Sensation are going to make it seriously lack in some areas the Fostex won't. They're about $84 away from a capacitor good enough that you wouldn't care. (Obbligato Gold's, not perfect for bass, but these speakers don't do much bass)

[Bemopti123]

I got the smallest Kanspeakers with the upgraded drivers to be used in an academic setting.  I partnered them with a Fiio A1 digital amp and a Macbook Pro as the source.  At first, the sound while detailed, it was a little light.  As I have been using it for about 2 weeks, the sound is opening up and more volume is achieved.  Having heard that it takes hundreds of hours to truly break these drivers, perhaps sometime at the end of the school year, I will learn what they truly sound like.  For all that I know, I invested about $125 shipped without that amp and $80 on the amp.  I am satisfied.  Now, I am getting this itch of ordering some drivers of their own  and having a friend do the cuts to produce a double BR cabinets as they are recommended with the FF83 drivers.  I am not willing to invest $850 for the same drivers on some nice BR cabinets from a somewhat known maker.  Sorry. 

[planet10]

Which drivers did you get in your Kanspeakers?

FF83 drivers

FF83?

The factory FExx6En BR alignments leave somethig to be desired. The FFxx5wk ones are closer to optimum. http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/full-range/243314-fostex-factory-br-alignments.html

I'm a big fan of the FF85wk.... my personal set of uFonkenSET (in solid Yew) with FF85wKeN.



Some more examples start here: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/planet-10-hifi/214897-minionken-fonken-gallery-pictures-only-3.html#post3067777

dave

[Bemopti123]

Fostex FF85WK.  They sound gorgeous at normal volumes.  No low end whatsoever but I miss it not. 

[planet10]

The speakers i pictured get to about 85 Hz. Scott Lindgren has been playing with some designs thatpotentially get maybe another 15 Hz out of them 

We have also done a number of systems with FF85 as mid-tweeter and gotten some fantastic results. The lastest with 4 x Peerless 4" is quite a challenge cabinet-wise but really good. Here is the system that inspired them, the uFonkenSET + a separate "woofer-stand" (2 of the same 4").



dave

[wushuliu]

how does the Fostex Kanspea Speaker Kits compare to the Overnight Sensations from parts express?
and how do they compare to the Pioneer SP-22BS22-LR  which are on sale for $90 at amazon and best buy.

Haven't heard either but would believe the OS to be the better speaker as diy typically gives more performance for the money. In other words the OS if sold retail would be in $500/pr or even higher commercial range and the feedback has been stellar for several years now. Tough to say though; Pioneer has priced theirs very aggressively and speakers - like dacs - are getting cheaper and cheaper whilst performance is getting better and better.

[greyhamster]

The trouble with the Pioneers and Overnight's is that they aren't very efficient, but two of the Fostex units are.

Lower wattage is much easier to achieve truly good audiophile watts for, price wise. Like under $100 is possible for sound that compares to over $1k for an amplifier, DIY (easy skill). But once you get an inefficient speaker you are talking closer to $500 for an easy DIY amplifier. Those would be pretty bare-bones though. Retail for inefficient speakers you probably are talking no less that like $600 for a Class D studio amp (being maybe the cheapest sub $1k amp that produces enough power for some speakers, while being quality to take a run at anything out there).

It's the only reason Fostex sells an amplifier with the kit.

The FE103 are 89 DB 1W/1m sensitive and the FF105 are 88. So I really don't understand why they are efficient?
Can I drive them using a single ended triode amp with 2 watt/channel? I won't be more than 3 feet away from the speakers and my room is pretty small. 

[greyhamster]

Haven't heard either but would believe the OS to be the better speaker as diy typically gives more performance for the money. In other words the OS if sold retail would be in $500/pr or even higher commercial range and the feedback has been stellar for several years now. Tough to say though; Pioneer has priced theirs very aggressively and speakers - like dacs - are getting cheaper and cheaper whilst performance is getting better and better.

I'm so confused now.
Should I get the OS and a amp like this
Or buy the Fostex Kanspea and this 2 watt/channel amp

[planet10]

The FE103 are 89 DB 1W/1m sensitive and the FF105 are 88. So I really don't understand why they are efficient?
Can I drive them using a single ended triode amp with 2 watt/channel? I won't be more than 3 feet away from the speakers and my room is pretty small.

At such a close distance you should be fine.  Efficiency is a function of driver size. For this size driver 90-91 dB is as high as practical (with higher efficiency (and bass) requiring a larger box).

dave

[Folsom]

The FE103 are 89 DB 1W/1m sensitive and the FF105 are 88. So I really don't understand why they are efficient?
Can I drive them using a single ended triode amp with 2 watt/channel? I won't be more than 3 feet away from the speakers and my room is pretty small.

I'm not sure how efficient the Fostex speaker kit is when finished, to know how loud it would be with 2 watts. But putting drivers into a box increases efficiency, so does porting.

Bottlehead recommends 97db efficient with 2 watt area. At 93db efficient they say 8 watts is fine. That's for living room-ish area. I'm sure Dave from planet10 is right about near-field.

[planet10]

I'm not sure how efficient the Fostex speaker kit is when finished, to know how loud it would be with 2 watts. But putting drivers into a box increases efficiency, so does porting.

That is not true. The box will only affect the efficiency in the bass. Mid-band efficiency remains the same.

dave