[JLM]

It should be obvious that there is precious little place for any shortcomings in the driver of a single driver speaker to hide.  Cabinets affect primary only frequencies below 300 Hz.  So its imperative that a high quality driver be selected.

Here's some of my favorites (all available from Madisound):

Fostex FE126E ($43 each) 

Used in The Horn (Ed has a compelling argument for this size of driver on his website); low cost; smaller size allows for narrower baffle; good efficiency

Fostex FE167E ($67 each)

Used in Cain & Cain Abby TWQT, Bob Brines FT-1600 Mk II, Tekton speakers; uses a whizzer cone; deeper bass; more efficient than the FE126E

Fostex F200A ($389 each)

Used in Bob Brines FTA-2000 and even lesser known O.B. and ported offerings; uses a huge Alnico magnet; incredibly rated 30 - 20,000 Hz; no whizzer so it will beam; only average efficiency

[Bemopti123]

I second the Fostex F200A, as an owner of the FTA-2000s.

Altec 755E(~500-650 used, on auction sites)

A staple from the late 1960 to early 1970s, this "pancake" version of the original Western Electric 755A from the early 1940s, that has gone through extensive changes on magnet material, and most specifically paper cone technology.  Even though it is from the last edition known as 755 "E", in simple applications it sounds extremely coherent for most audio applications, but off axis performance would benefit from a high frequency tweeter.  It has sufficient bass even in small OB, or so it acoustically seems.  Efficiency is about 92 db. 

Lowther PM6CA ($1100 a pair)

Requiring very extended break in, extremely fast and coherent sound.  Very heavy Alnico magnet, that is impressive as the PM6s are the lightest or the cheapest of the Lowther 8" drivers.  No need of a tweeter whatsoever.  Hi efficiency (around 96 db), does not seem to have any midrange prominence as most full range drivers, even without much break in.  Cone is delicate, made very finely, super light in comparison to more common Fostex papers.

[jrebman]

Good question, but since I have very limited experience, all I can say of the three that I've lived with (as opposed to heard for a few minutes at a show), they all had there good points, but I don't know that any of them would be viable for the long term.  The Sigma 108 was lightning fast, the FE-167 seemed to have a more balanced presentation top to bottom, and more bottom end than the 108.  The Visaton B-200 in stock form was way too beamy for me with the hot spot being very hot.  After installation of the phase plugs, the hot spot widened considerably, which I think tended to make the speaker seem hot overall, but my suspicion is that with a good, properly designed compensation network for the B-200 and the phase plug, it would have been very good.  All had very good to excellent detail and transparency, but both Fostex drivers tended to shout at you, especially with female vocals and such.

As to what I would love to hear and experience?  Some of the Lowthers for sure, the AER and Reps (I heard one of them, not sure which, very briefly once), some of the more exotic European and Japanese drivers, including the Phys, Supravox, Feastrex, FAL, etc.  Most, if not all of those are way out of my budget, but nonetheless it would be interesting to hear them for comparison's sake.  Then there are the more reasonable and accessible hemp drivers from Hemp Acoustics, The FR and FW 125 from Adire, etc.

Right now though I'm trying to decide if the FE 126 or 127 will work best for my tastes and the box design I just purchased.

-- Jim

[planet10]

FE127e & FE126e -- fully modified. We are just now playing with a development of the FE127e (which should translate to the 126). These are stunning. Giant killers. (of course i am biased)

And if you can afford the room for an OB, Visaton B200 (w plugs as per Jim's) are excellent.

The 2 new flavours of the 4.5" Hemp coned drivers also have potential (need modding too)

There are probably big buck drivers that i'd love too, but they don't fit with my frugal-phile (tm) nature.

dave

[rajacat]

Omega 4-1/2" Hemp Cone drivers (Hemp Dipole boxes=4 drivers). Much smoother and more extended than the Fostex 127E's they replaced. More detail too!

[DaveC113]

I have the Omega 4.5" drivers (XRS cabinets), and they are very good... but then I had to go listen to the Maxhemps with the 8" driver. Wow, they are nice  They have a full, rich, warm sound compared to the more analytical, detailed sound of the 4.5" driver. 

[mcgsxr]

Visaton b200 @ around $350 for the pair - I have subsequently modded them (I added Planet 10's phase plugs), and with the right amp (I tried about 6 before I landed on a magical combo in my aged Magnavox EL84 Class A shrimp) they work wonders on OB.

They can be beamy, and the phase plugs help.  The ultimate solution for me, was to find a synergistic amp combo - bad combos sound very thin and tipped up.  The Maggie sounds very full and fleshed out - same room, same lack of treatments, same music, same baffles, same dude!

[planet10]

Omega 4-1/2" Hemp Cone drivers (Hemp Dipole boxes=4 drivers). Much smoother and more extended than the Fostex 127E's they replaced. More detail too!

Better than stock FE127s i have no doubt (they better be for nearly twice the price) but probably not as good as my new 127s. The hemp cone drivers can be improved too (i'm working on that as well)

dave

[miklorsmith]

Commercial affiliation?

[rajacat]

Omega 4-1/2" Hemp Cone drivers (Hemp Dipole boxes=4 drivers). Much smoother and more extended than the Fostex 127E's they replaced. More detail too!

Better than stock FE127s i have no doubt (they better be for nearly twice the price) but probably not as good as my new 127s. The hemp cone drivers can be improved too (i'm working on that as well)

dave

Have you listened to the 4-1/2" hemps?

[planet10]

Commercial affiliation?

Yes. I'm biased.

http://www.planet10-hifi.com

I'm not a betting man, but i'd bet on this.

dave

[planet10]

Have you listened to the 4-1/2" hemps?

Yes. I have 2 pair.

dave

[acresm22]

No one has yet mentioned the Diatone PM610. I have not heard these drivers myself, but have read the raves. Anyone have any direct experience? Every time a pair comes up for sale, I watch the auction carefully...until they get out of my price range : - (

[rajacat]

Omega 4-1/2" Hemp Cone drivers (Hemp Dipole boxes=4 drivers). Much smoother and more extended than the Fostex 127E's they replaced. More detail too!

Better than stock FE127s i have no doubt (they better be for nearly twice the price) but probably not as good as my new 127s. The hemp cone drivers can be improved too (i'm working on that as well)

dave

You have the Omega Hemp 4-1/2" drivers but haven't compared them to your modded 127s yet?

Raj

[MJK]

I have really been partial to the Lowther drivers for a few years. I have used a few of the Fostex drivers and they are a great value and solid performers. However, they are bettered by the Lowthers in performance but at a much higher price. So of my Lowther collection I would rank them as follows, my favorites to least favorite (but only slightly).

1) DX4
2) DX3
3) PM6C (best performance per dollar)
4) PM2C and PM2A
5) DX2 and PM6A

But even the lowest Lowther is still a cut above the Fostex drivers I have heard and used. If my wife made me sell a few, the DX2 and PM6A would be the first to grudgingly be put on the block.

[Rocket_Ronny]

Fostex 167s.

Of which I have a mint, but nicely broken in, pair up for sale at $85.00 for the pair.

I bought these to build the Bob Brines speakers but never got to the project.

Contact me at ron@scripturesongs.com , or call 403 845 2839 if interested. 

Rocket_Ronny

[TerryO]

I've heard the Hemp 4.5 drivers, at Dave's during the Vancouver Island Meet this Summer, and I thought they sounded OK. Not as good as some seem to think, but pleasant. I happen to think that my "Hi-Tweek Black Box Speakers" with highly modified Radio Shack 40-1197's sound better. The 8 inch Hemps, at least with OB loading, aren't much IMHO, and are outclassed by the Visaton B200. When phase plugs are added to the Visatons, there is no contest between the two, and BTW, this is no longer my opinion, as I don't remember anyone there that disagreed.

Here's the thread on the meet:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=c8636d41c7875b6ae97ef3c7d074516d&threadid=100098

Dave's modded Fostex drivers are very, very good, and while it kills me to suggest that any driver is better than mine, Dave's probably are. Another driver that I really like is the Fostex 108 Sigma's, at least in the Planet 10 double horn. These rendered female vocals better than any that I've heard and that's a lot of drivers. Does it make sense to have a set of speakers just for vocals? Maybe not, but I'm thinking about it just the same.

The best all around "extended range" driver that does everything well enough, at a reasonable price, to be considered in any such grouping would be the late, lamented Radio Shack 40-1354. Not too shabby out of the box, they respond to the standard tweaks by delivering everything (except the last half octave of treble) in an outstanding manner. At last year's "The Puget Sound! DIY Speaker Contest" Todd Lee took third overall with his bi-pole+passive radiator fullranger with the 1354's. No small feat, as this put him up against some of the Northwest's top designers with fairly substantial budgets and a variety of 2 or 3-way speakers. Not bad for an expenditure of under $70 a pair.

Finally, I get the impression that not everyone on this forum is familiar with Dave (Planet 10). Before I ever met Dave, I had read his posts on the old Bass List and Fullrange forums. His posting on these and the DIYAudio forum has firmly established him in that small vanguard of greats that are found at the cutting edge of the fullrange phenomenon.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[acresm22]

Hmmmm...I still have three NIB 40-1354 drivers stored somewhere in my basement....

[DaveC113]

Have you listened to the 4-1/2" hemps?

Yes. I have 2 pair.

dave

Have you compared the Omega drivers with the std. Hemp Acoustics drivers in either the 4.5" or 8" sizes?

 

[rajacat]

I've heard the Hemp 4.5 drivers, at Dave's during the Vancouver Island Meet this Summer, and I thought they sounded OK. Not as good as some seem to think, but pleasant. I happen to think that my "Hi-Tweek Black Box Speakers" with highly modified Radio Shack 40-1197's sound better. The 8 inch Hemps, at least with OB loading, aren't much IMHO, and are outclassed by the Visaton B200. When

Were these the Omega Speaker Systems version of the 4-1/2" and 8" hemp drivers or were they the untweaked stock units?

Raj