[JLM]

Now that I've got your attention?

I commissioned Bob Brine to build the first FTA-2000 speakers.  They use the
"mighty" Fostex F200A driver (8 inch, AlNiCo, 91 db/w/m, 30 - 20,000 Hz, 8 ohms) in well braced floorstanding mass loaded transmission line cabinets ala Martin King.  As you can probably tell so far, this isn?t your typical "bass whimpy" single driver loudspeaker.  Like many other single driver designs, Bob includes a baffle step/zobel circuit.  The rest of my system has consisted of 40 watt Channel Island Audio VMB-1 chip based monoblocks (which synergize well with single drivers) and an Oppo DV-970H.  Obviously I'm a "speaker guy" and a minimalist.

My listening space is my man cave which is primarily dedicated to two channel listening.  The 8 ft x 13 ft x 22 ft room is well isolated from the rest of the house, with room dimensions and nearfield speaker/listening setup following the Cardas recipe.  Six 2 ft x 4 ft high density fiberglass absorption panels (GIK) at front/side wall first reflection points and in the front corners plus office furnishings/bookcases in the back complete the room.  The room also includes a fiberglass insulated exterior door, insulated/lined ductwork, insulated ceiling/staggered stud walls, and isolated circuits/grounding for the audio system. 

Overall a pretty much ideal situation for a purist, but?

Part of being an audiophile is never being quite satisfied.  So being a "speaker guy" and a "room guy" a Scott Endler modified Behringer DEQ2496 was added to the mix (so the Oppo now only serves as a transport).  The mods relate only to the DAC.  I played with that alone briefly (with digital cable, RCA/XLR interconnects, and attenuators that were now needed and Scott provided).  Detail, imaging, and frequency extension all were improved.  Then I got into the EQ by replacing the baffle step/zobel with some of Scott's speaker cable.  This removed non-audiophile grade cap/resistor/inductors and overall reduced the number of connections to pretty much an absolute minimum in the system.

It took some playing with (and I?m sure that I'll play some more) but, wow!  First, you won't believe the masking/smearing that occurs when the frequency response isn't really flat.  Everything sounds clearer, resolution is further enhanced, you discover brushes on cymbals that are playing along with snare drums.  Secondly and more to the point (finally) you can extend the usable frequency range.  Without any (nasty) whizzer cones, the F200A drivers beam high frequencies like crazy even though they're rated out to 20,000 Hz, but adding some boost helps balance out the beaming. 

The big news though is the increased bass response.  During a previous single driver audiofest the FTA-2000 left most slack jawed (in a 6,000 cu. ft. room with 2 - 25 watt amps and without the baffle step/zobel circuit!).  But now, in my 2,000 cu. ft. room, and with EQ available the bass is amazing.  Not boomy at all, but much more volume and deeper bass response than my HSU VTF-2 sub in a smaller A/V room can provide.  Everything sounds great: large classical compositions, pipe organ, piano, various jazz artists, Led Zeppelin, Bella Fleck's "Flight of the Cosmic Hippo", etc.  Very small ensembles (which I like too) sound about the same (if that's all you listen to).

Thanks to Warner here at AC (for selling me the Behringer DEQ 2496 in the first place) and Scott for the mods, cabling, and attenuators.  By the way, the 4 dB steps in his standard attenuators work great and are plenty flexible.  With all the interest in music servers and computer based EQ, I suppose many see this as an old fashioned approach.  I had tried a modded Squeezebox, but had continual technical problems that would take days/weeks for me to stumble into a solution for.  Plus I didn?t like having to power up the computer to listen or ripping every disk I listened to.

[Paul_Bui]

Jeff,

Sounds like you're very happy with the recent findings around the FTA-2000s.  Like you, I've been a bit irritated to have the PC on in order to play music via my SB2.  And, having the FTA-2000s in my room I really am dying to hear more details, step by step, how to reach the sonic nirvana, at least in the bass, with the speakers in my room.

I guess I'd purchase a DEQ 2496 and send it to Scott Endler for mods, get soem cables from him, then I can remove the baffle step circuittry and start playing with room correction EQ.  More detailed advice will be greatly appreciated.

[jk@home]

I'm also using a Behr 2496 and Oppo 970 in my system, but still prefer my Squeezebox for easy music access and internet radio (I"m up to three SBs in the house now).

My Behringer is stock. I'm using the 110-ohm digital I/Os, along with Neutrik digital impedance trannys, to convert to coaxial from the Squeezebox and to a Channel Island VDA2/VAC1 DAC. Had Blue Jeans cable make me up a couple of RCA x BNC digital cables (Belden 1695) IMHO, even with the Neutrik converters, still sounds better than using the optical I/Os.

http://www.neutrikusa.com/us/en/audio/210_1923043515/NADITBNC-MX_detail.aspx

If you use these, you will need one -MX and one -FX (male/female).

I was "slumming it" for a while, using the Behr's internal DACs. I agree, either mods or an external DAC is a big improvement.

Still have a long way to go setting up my filter adjustments, but getting there.

Of course the only downside is if it bothers one to run analog signals through the extra conversions.

[JLM]

Paul,

I'm glad to return some of favor you've bestowed upon me.  Overall the sound seems leaner, more "to the point".  That's not to say the bass is weak, far from it.  The bass goes deeper/stronger and less warm/muddy (not that it was bad by any means, just one of things you realize after finding something better).

As I've written to you privately, I'm also planning on having the F200A drivers "Purvinized" by Bud himself.  In Bud's opinion, this would produce perhaps the best drivers in the world.  Until then I've not made the direct connection from speaker cables to speaker leads and I'm not in a hurry to play more with the EQ.  The Behringer is quite complex (for a piece of home stereo equipment).  I haven't even had the time to try its mike/pink noise generator to see what it would "recommend".  IMO room EQ should only be used as the icing on the cake, but in this case it does much more.  Note that several others do these mods, but Scott had the best prices.

jk,

I'm such as old school guy that the SB (even modded) was more fustrating than useful (it would develop "issues" that would take me days to resolve), but I do miss the internet streaming.  My previous cables were similar to Blue Jeans, but these have better connectors (with all the changes I can't tell if they sound better).  With my setup I have no additional analog connections/cables.

[chrisby]

As I've written to you privately, I'm also planning on having the F200A drivers "Purvinized" by Bud himself.  In Bud's opinion, this would produce perhaps the best drivers in the world.   

I've heard what even a naked stand mounted pair of these drivers can do when fondled and coaxed by Bud, and while "best drivers in the world" is always a moving target,  it's an upgrade I doubt you'd regret.

[maxwalrath]

As I've written to you privately, I'm also planning on having the F200A drivers "Purvinized" by Bud himself.  In Bud's opinion, this would produce perhaps the best drivers in the world. 

....huh?  What's that?   

[doorman]

EnABled! (cone-treatment - ne plus ultra!)
Don

[TerryO]

EnABled! (cone-treatment - ne plus ultra!)
Don

Just to elaborate on what Don has modestly suggested, it's a treatment that the advanced elements among the speakerbuilding community are utilizing to extract the last bit of coherence that a driver is capable of.

I will correct Don, however:

EnABled! (cone treatment - ne plus ultra!... but not one bit more!)

It really wouldn't do to promise any more than what can realistically be achieved, no matter how wonderful the benefits.

Best Regards,
TerryO

[doorman]

  What Terry said!!
Don

[JLM]

I'm strictly going off of what others have said regarding EnABLE.  Reportedly the benefits should be well worth it.  Personally following the proper approach has been more important than achieving "ne plus ultra".  Bud has been instrumental in the development/release of EnABLE, so I wanted to make a bit of a philanthropic effort to reward him while having "original" EnABLEd (Purvinized) drivers.

The real news is that deep, musical bass (that doesn't have to take a back seat to 90% of the speakers out there) is available from single driver designs.  The FTA-2000 is not a huge, ugly, or insanely expensive speaker.  The $300 Behringer DEQ2496 in stock form is the only other requirement.  Together single driver speakers don't have to make excuses for frequency limitations.

[planet10]

Bud has been instrumental in the development/release of EnABLE

Bud is the inventor of, and holds the patent on EnABL. He has been generous enuff to share it with the diy community (he does get a royalty from every EnABLed driver i sell)

dave

[chrisby]

I'm strictly going off of what others have said regarding EnABLE.  Reportedly the benefits should be well worth it.  Personally following the proper approach has been more important than achieving "ne plus ultra".  Bud has been instrumental in the development/release of EnABLE, so I wanted to make a bit of a philanthropic effort to reward him while having "original" EnABLEd (Purvinized) drivers.

OK, my fine self never being one given to passing on the opportunity for pedantry, not all EnABLed drivers are "Purvinized" (although there is more than a little karmic Zen pixie dust that can't help but seep into any audio component handled by the practitioners of special magic at casa O'Netics - as opposed to the cat hair and dander that generally finds its way into the packing material on Planet10 shipments, or visitors to the mountain  )  I think Don and Terry, and even Bud could concur on that     

The real news is that deep, musical bass (that doesn't have to take a back seat to 90% of the speakers out there) is available from single driver designs.  The FTA-2000 is not a huge, ugly, or insanely expensive speaker.  The $300 Behringer DEQ2496 in stock form is the only other requirement.  Together single driver speakers don't have to make excuses for frequency limitations.

Well, it might seem obvious, but couldn't hurt to note that certain combinations of LF EQ and sufficient amplifier headroom to produce uncompressed full bandwith signal could create problems with limited X-Max full range drivers at what some folks consider "realistic" SPLS.  This would most certainly be the case for smaller drivers than the F200A (such as FE103E, FE126/FE127,  FF125K to name a few), so some caution is still in order.
 

[Paul_Bui]

Paul,

I'm glad to return some of favor you've bestowed upon me.  Overall the sound seems leaner, more "to the point".  That's not to say the bass is weak, far from it.  The bass goes deeper/stronger and less warm/muddy (not that it was bad by any means, just one of things you realize after finding something better).

As I've written to you privately, I'm also planning on having the F200A drivers "Purvinized" by Bud himself.  In Bud's opinion, this would produce perhaps the best drivers in the world.  Until then I've not made the direct connection from speaker cables to speaker leads and I'm not in a hurry to play more with the EQ.  The Behringer is quite complex (for a piece of home stereo equipment).  I haven't even had the time to try its mike/pink noise generator to see what it would "recommend".  IMO room EQ should only be used as the icing on the cake, but in this case it does much more.  Note that several others do these mods, but Scott had the best prices.

jk,

I'm such as old school guy that the SB (even modded) was more fustrating than useful (it would develop "issues" that would take me days to resolve), but I do miss the internet streaming.  My previous cables were similar to Blue Jeans, but these have better connectors (with all the changes I can't tell if they sound better).  With my setup I have no additional analog connections/cables.

JLM,

There might be an issue of PM in AC, as I have not received any e-mails.  Want to try bui_paul@hotmail.com?

[JLM]

Chris,

Folks would be well served to heed your cautionary stipulations.  I agree that EQ must be used with discretion.  It's easy to push the frequency extremes too hard (kid in the candy shop syndrome) and over stress drivers.  With the typical limited X-max found in most extended range drivers, there is just so much you can do with the bass output, especially in smaller drivers. 


The Fostex F200A is a rather unique "beast".  It is only rated to 105 dB at 1 meter RMS (with 27 watt input) and 109 dB for "peak" (with 80 watt input).  With the reinforcement and distance limitations of an average sized room it's enough for me (with 40 wpc).  No driver/speaker is perfect.  I wish the F200A were more efficient/dynamic and that Brines could live next door and deliver free speakers to me that do more than just "bend the laws of physics".

My excitement comes from this combination of driver, cabinet, and EQ that provides a solution to limited bandwidth from a single driver design. 

Adding EQ has taken a good speaker a significant step forward for little effort/money.  IMO And I expect that Bud will take them up another notch.


Paul if I can't get through at this location, I'll e-mail you from work.

[Paul_Bui]

Paul if I can't get through at this location, I'll e-mail you from work.

I have got the message, thank you Jeff.