Single driver speakers - opinions

Cdc just how many 8in full range designs have you've owned? And slapping a coating on a cheap driver doesn't make it better this kind of so call modded drivers will have reduced performance if one really understands transducer or cone design. Paying so much for a driver that's worse than stock is one of the big rip offs in audio today. More weight on cone might lower bass but would reduce treble, midrange, reduce peak SPL ,driver is now slower. These mods dont address the cheap stamped frames, cheap surrounds, cheap magnets, small cone area that fe126e sports. After all f200a has a massive powerful alnico magnet a milled basket as good as they can get, goes stamped or plastic= cheap, cast or injected metal basket= better, milled from solid block at massive cost but much more stable = the best type, also f200a has far more advanced cone material over fe126e And since its 8in can play much louder and lower, fe126e hits break up far before any 8in, trebles far better on f200a if used with no filter proper cabs, than fe126e. Most any loudspeaker manufacturer or designer can have a transducer company proper mod drivers or build driver as complete custom. Average DIY types using coatings on cheap drivers than pricing such up. Is almost as bad as the polished rocks and magic clocks.. Better to buy a more costly original equipment driver than let any self proclaimed expert muck one up so. So CDC a c37 or enabled 4 1/2in better than f200a, SEAS exotic, PHY ,fe208e sigma fe168e sigma. AER Lowther ya right I got some swamp land for you enabled guys its c37 treated. Ever priced a c37 treated Lowther talk about no resale value. And if such tweaks do make drivers so much better than anything else Fostex or anyone else offers don't you think the transducer designers who brought you banana pulp hyperbolic perabaloadal cones hd surrounds t500amk2,triple Alnico mag t90aex,w300a2, w400a 2, fe206esr or yes even the lowly fe126e would know that a bit of old c37 would so greatly improve fe126e besting all there work....This modded drivers just a way for a schmuck to make a buck...A way for manufactures to offer cheaper drivers while telling everyone there fe126e is so much better than anyone elses thus the cost. And the f200a sounded poor because of its notch filter....You may take this as a attack but its honest advice. I design with most all full ranges as well as many other transducers. c37 been around a long time guys been treating cones for the worse since the 60s. Nothing new. Ive built 6 designs for fe126e alone. And yes Ive heard enabled thus my post. And the wee 4 1/2in do 1 thing better than the larger full ranges of quality they cost far less so if you paid more for c37 you got took. Many who can not afford the good stuff delude themselves into thinking what they purchased is better. Good for the ego but bad for others when this wrong info gets passed about as fact. Face it when most hear wee 4 1/2in full range loudspeakers they dont like them why most of the posts saying full range performance is weak no bass or treble can only play simple music at low volumes are from folks who experienced the small wide bands. I do disagree with them a fe126e can make for a wonderful loudspeaker in its price range. But its not the ford escort that bests the Mercedes super car. Would be great for all in this hobbie if this was true but its not and just saying its true doesn't make it so.

Have to agree with JohnK on this one. I have both Fostex 126E and 206E speakers, and there is no way the 126E gives a better soundstage – granted in my case the 206E is in a much more expensive cabinet but the 206E provides better delicacy, detail, soundstage, bass etc. The 126E is simply outclassed.

John, what is your opinion of Lowther drivers? I am sort of toying with the idea of trying an 8" Lowther (EX4), mostly due to its higher sensitivity and that I can obtain then with a nominal impedance of 15ohm.

Thanks
Paul

If you need the sensitivity and impedance of near 16ohm. Lowthers are a good way to go. If you don't need both SEAS exotic is amazingly good. For lowther pm4a new cone sounded best to my ears.

JohnK "This modded drivers just a way for a schmuck to make a buck..."
Okay, you think I'm a smuck. But maybe you should add "IMHO" 'cause just maybe, not everyone thinks the same about me.

Johnk "Cdc just how many 8in full range designs have you've owned?"
None, as for the money, none have impressed me enough to purchase. That would be stupid to pay good money for something that does not sound good just to satisfy your "qualification" that you require, IMHO.

JohnK "And slapping a coating on a cheap driver doesn't make it better "
Very insightful. Anything more intelligent to add than that?

JohnK "More weight on cone might lower bass but would reduce treble, midrange, reduce peak SPL ,driver is now slower"
Nope, treble HF extension actually increased, not decreased. Do you know MarkMcK at DIYaudio? He has also increased HF extension by adding strategically placed dots on drivers.
So maybe you should be more careful in what you say. Especially when it's in a nasty, arrogant, I know it all manor, IMHO.

JohnK "And since its 8in can play much louder and lower"
Agreed, and if that's what you define as better, you are right.

JohnK "Many who can not afford the good stuff delude themselves into thinking what they purchased is better. Good for the ego but bad for others when this wrong info gets passed about as fact"
Is this is a personal attack directed at me because you think I am too poor to afford a more expensive system? Nice guy. Sounds like you have the ego problem.
You can say the same thing for people who spend big bucks for a speaker like an F200 driver. Like:
"Many who can afford the good stuff delude themselves into thinking what they purchased is better. Good for the ego but bad for others when this wrong info gets passed about as fact"
And people who spend big $$ are much more likely to have the big ego IMHO. How can I possibly have a big ego with my humble rig? More like a lesson in humiltiy than ego.

While you're being so technical please explain how an 8" soundstages better than a 3"?
Please show me how the Fostex 8" has a smoother FR over 3-5K than, say a Jordan JX-92. Or even this $6.00 Dayton ND16FA-6
Compared to Fostex F200 F200
Please show me how the Fostex is better in the HF than the $6.00 Dayton tweeter.

Cdc You've decided that 4in c37 are the best. Why do you need any more info, I gave you enough. And you want me to show you how something sounds? This can not be done. I suggest since you can afford it, you try out[listen to in home]to these many different designs with larger drivers and get back to me in a few years. I use these drivers, design for many full range drivers, work with manufacturers of such. I do have a bit of knowledge about performance. And I gave my opinion as did your all encompassing comment you said no 8in is close to 4in in performance and this is wrong. Other way round for me buddy. Ive tried them you have not. For 2 years I even offered a fe126e design. You can read in what you want. Seems you like to add things never said but imagined. I was just trying to help you out. But time is wasted on those with such faith. You say I am a know it all, well, know one knows it all but I seem to have a bit more experience than you. If this is arrogant to you, nothing I can do about how you feel. Oh never said you are a schmuck unless your the modifier. You take other generalizations as posts about you personally, well that's ego man;) Happy listening