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Bill Roberts
08-11-2004, 10:38 PM
Can someone please ID these for a fellow German Audiophile?

The look like JBL's...but are they?

Packaging looks like 80's and the terminals and back screws look keenly JBL

Japanese issue perhaps?

Bill Roberts
08-11-2004, 10:39 PM
another

Bill Roberts
08-11-2004, 10:40 PM
Packaged with mounts

Wardsweb
08-12-2004, 06:01 AM
I don't believe they are JBL, but they are kind of trick. Would work well sitting on top of a full range back loaded horn. So, do you or your friend have these?

Bill Roberts
08-12-2004, 09:20 AM
Hello!

A gentleman posted them on another forum and I am simply trying to be of assistance. He did not discuss ownership of them, rather simply an ID. Could be he may plan to purchase them. This I do not know. What gave me the "JBL" thoughts were:

The terminals are identical to the L-88's I have. (1969)
The black crackle paint looks simalar to the Le20 cone tweeters and the paint of the 075's.
The rear mounting screws look like the same size and type as used to mount the Le20's.
Very simalar build quality and style as JBL
Very simalar packaging as the 075's I have use.


Anyone else have a clue?

Don McRitchie
08-12-2004, 09:37 AM
My 99% certain assessment is that these are not JBL's. Whenever JBL did make limited production drivers or prototypes, they were usually an evolutionary change to an existing design. There is no commonality between this driver and the 075 or any other JBL HF driver that I am aware if. The motor is of a completely different construction and the horn has a different geometry than the 075. It just doesn't make sense from a business perspective to develop a completely new driver, with no commonality in parts, to compete against your own product. You have to remember that the 075 has been in continuous production from around 1956 to present day. What incentive would JBL have to develop a funtionally identical copy at an increased cost?

More likely, the driver in question is one of the many 075 knock-offs that have been developed over the years. Stephens Tru-Sonic, Gauss, Goto, Fostex just to name a few, have all sold "bullet" tweeters over the years. I don't have a comprehensive library of such competition so that I can't nail down exactly who made the subject driver. There have likely been over a dozen companies that have produced similar designs.

EdSawyer
08-12-2004, 07:44 PM
Almost certainly older fostex, from the look of it.

they had a whole series with that shape, and that wooden mount is common to them too.

Their current bullet-type tweeters walk all over everything from JBL and EV that I have heard... as well they should since they are fairly expensive. ($200-350/ea... though that's not far off the overinflated Epay prices for 077s).

-Ed

scott fitlin
08-12-2004, 09:01 PM
http://www.fostex.co.jp/int/pages/products/spunits/horn.html

Certainly extremely similar looking devices!

EdSawyer
08-12-2004, 09:18 PM
Find pics of some of the old ones and you will see what I mean even more. Like T725, T800, etc. Sometimes they can be found on Ebay, usually the foriegn versions (Ebay.de, ebay.uk, ebay.france, etc.) have those older fostex tweets.

Of the current lineup, T925A and T900A I think are the best (value vs. performance). Not a big fan of the T90A.

-Ed

scott fitlin
08-12-2004, 09:21 PM
I know thats the current line, but look at how similar the new ones are to the older ones!

So, I am agreeing that your correct saying the earlier posts pictures are Fostex!

scott fitlin
08-12-2004, 09:26 PM
http://www.kankyu-amp.com/t725.htm

Also similar!

Bill Roberts
08-13-2004, 07:17 AM
The answer is found! I appreciate all the input! It is an older prototype built by Fostex for the German company Visatron.


Here was the intended use:

scott fitlin
08-13-2004, 02:14 PM
Nice!