Mystery Large Format Monitors

[Mr. Widget]

Does anyone remember the Fostex monitors from Interlake Audio in the early 80's? They were based in Winnipeg... go figure.

I picked up this brochure at the 1980 AES Convention after hearing a very impressive demo. The Interlake Audio folks had a suite set up with a small board and an Ampex ATR 100 playing first generation dupes through their mid sized monitor and also had the Urei 811s (about the same size as the Fostex) set up for A/B comparisons.

The Fostex monitors were outstanding with significantly better range and midrange clarity. The beautiful midrange horn would make owners of Westlakes take notice. I have never seen one of these since. Does anyone know anything about them?

Widget

[Mr. Widget]

and more...

[Mr. Widget]

and the specs...

[Steve Gonzales]

Those are sharp! I get the idea that they are time aligned too

Edit: we posted at the same time on the second batch-Steve

[Mr. Widget]

Those are sharp! I get the idea that they are time aligned too

They had to be. Urei was in the process of ending JBL's studio monitor reign with their "Time Aligned" monitors.

Widget

[Steve Gonzales]

I'm the kinda guy that CAN put up with HUGE enclosures if 19 friggin'HZ is what I'll get in return!

[10 Watt Street]

This pair has been for sale for a while:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1115406971

[Robh3606]

"They had to be. Urei was in the process of ending JBL's studio monitor reign with their "Time Aligned" monitors."

Widget

Hey Widget

What was the deal with that. JBL just purchased the competition?? Always wondered about the whole Altec 604 Urei 604 based timelines. Figure Urei did the "Time aligned" bit on the Altec drivers so the majority of Urei's manufactured had a 604 variant. The last Urei's were JBL's and sold along side the 4343's.

Nice looking speakers. I wonder if they actually did there own drivers or not. Reminds me of the Time Aligned Technics speakers with the set-back mids and tweeters.

That's not that much cash for the pair?? He's in CA.

Rob:)

[Mr. Widget]

From my foggy memory the 813 was THE monitor around 1980. This was pre-JBL and even with the rather crappy auxiliary woofer the 813 was the hands down favorite in all new studio construction and was replacing many an Altec and JBL.

Thanks for the tip, Mr. Street. ;)

Widget

[Don McRitchie]

I had no idea they were based in Winnipeg, but in hindsight, this was the only place I ever saw them. The following is the limited information that I can remember, and be warned, much of it is probably of interest only to fellow Winnipegers.

These systems were sold through a local retail store in Winnipeg called Oakwood Audio, starting around 1977. Oakwood Audio was originally and primarily a pro audio shop that briefly got into the home audio market during the 70's consumer audio boom. They were an offshoot of a local recording studio called Century 21 and the retail outlet originally carried this name. Both firms were founded by a local musician named Ron Paley (http://www.beatniq.com/ronpaley.htm) and he is still associated with the surviving company. Given the small incestuous nature of the local pro audio market, and that Oakwood/Century 21 was also into custom equipment, there is a chance that they were affiliated with Interlake Audio. Certainly, no one else in town carried that product line. Oakwood still exists in a manner as OMT (http://www.omt.net/) and I'm going to see if I can make contact with Ron Paley, who is still listed as part of their management team.

In mid writing, I just looked at the spec sheets Widget posted and just saw the address for Interlake Audio. It is the same address where Oakwood/Century 21 was located at that time. They were obviously one in the same. Even more reason to try and contact Ron Paley.

The Oakwood showroom in 1977 had all of the models shown in the spec sheet. I remember being really impressed with the LS4. However, if memory serves, they were priced around $5,000/pr when JBL 4350's were around $3,000/pr. My initial visual impression was that they were a Japanese rip-off of a JBL monitor, or at least the drivers appeared to be. However, they sounded very good. The mid horn left a striking visual impression with me as it was the first wood horn that I had ever seen. I'm pretty sure the same company later produced a bizarre ribbon/dynamic hybrid that used a large ribbon panel on top of a Fostex bass driver.

Regarding competing with UREI, there is no question that they dominated the studio market in the late 70's and early 80's. JBL monitor sales were probably still greater because of the huge number they were shipping into Japanese homes. However, for domestic studios, UREI built up a near monopoly. I remember George Augspurger telling me that in the early 80's, you could walk into virtually any studio any find youself staring at a pair of 813's in the control room. It's no accident that the JBL 4430/35 was designed right off the top to be time aligned. Their own white paper made reference to the target they were attempting to hit - the UREI 813.

[Don McRitchie]

What was the deal with that. JBL just purchased the competition?? Always wondered about the whole Altec 604 Urei 604 based timelines.

Hi Rob

Below is an August 2001 post from our old forum that I wrote that outlines the history and timeline of UREI monitors.

UREI stands for Universal Recording Electronics Industries. It was founded by Bill Putnam in the 1960’s as a small manufacturing arm of his larger recording studio business – Universal Recording Company (later United Recording, United Western and currently Ocean Way). Bill was one of the most respected recording engineers in the business. He was Frank Sinatra’s favorite engineer and worked on many of his most renowned recordings.

Bill was instrumental in developing many of the technological innovations that have become standards in the recording history. A detailed profile of his life can be found at:

http://www.uaudio.com/history/BPsr.html

Word of Bill’s innovations in developing homebuilt equipment for his studio spread throughout the industry and resulted in demand for him to manufacture and sell his products. This was the genesis of what would ultimately become UREI. One of Bill’s homebuilt products that gained significant word-of-mouth was a customized monitor that was the prototype for the 813.

The original prototype was based on the Big Red monitor developed by Sherwood Sax of Mastering Lab and manufactured by Audio Techniques of Stamford Connecticut. It was based on the Altec 604. The major innovation of the Big Red was to replace the standard cross-over with a customized design that tamed a ragged midrange response that plagued all 604/605’s of that era. It resulted in a much smoother response that addressed the long standing reputation of the 604 as being a “fatiguing” monitor.

Bill Putnam worked with Dean Austin, Ed Long and Dennis Fink of UREI to further improve the 604. The multicell horn of that driver had relatively poor directional control and poor loading at crossover which contributed to the harsh and ragged response. The 813 was developed with a customized, flared horn that had tighter pattern control and a revised cross-over. The cross-over was designed by Ed Long and introduced the patented Time Align (R) concept that allowed the 604 to operate as a time-coherent point-source.

The original 813 was installed in Putnam’s own United/Western recording studios in the mid 70’s. Outside mixers and engineers that booked time in these studios were very impressed with this new monitor and pressured Putnam to manufacture and sell the 813. In 1976, UREI expanded its field of operations and entered into the monitor business.

The original 813 used a modified 604-8G along with an Eminence helper woofer and Ed Long’s Time Align crossover. Interestingly, the main purpose of the Eminence woofer was not to extend bass response but rather increase overall output. The 604 was prone to failure at high output levels. The helper woofer allowed UREI to increase the power handling of the 813. To this day, unless soffit mounted and equalized, the 813 has a reputation of being somewhat bass shy.

In 1979, Altec introduced the 604-8K as the ferrite replacement of the Alnico 604-8H. The new driver was found to sound quite different leading Putnam to make further revisions to the 813. A new horn was introduced that added foam padding to the interior of the horn and a foam extender on the horn mouth to soften the cutoff frequency characteristics. Putnam also included small Helmholtz resonators on the internal side walls of the horn to trap the persistent 3 khz spike in the 604 response. The network was redesigned to accommodate the driver changes and the new system became the 813A.

During the late 70’s and into the early 80’s, Altec was experiencing significant quality control problems. At the time, Altec was headed towards bankruptcy and the eventual closure of the Anaheim facility. It resulted in such poor product consistency that UREI was rejecting as much as 95% of the incoming Altec drivers. UREI became an authorized Altec repair center just to ensure they would have enough stock on hand to build the 813. It led UREI to ultimately seek a replacement for the 604.

UREI initially tested Tannoy, Emilar and Gauss products, but none would meet their requirements. Ultimately, they became interested in PAS drivers which had a unique 15” bass driver that could accept a high frequency compression driver of the user’s choice. UREI was favorably impressed with JBL’s 2425 compression driver and tried mating it to the PAS transducer. This became the basis of the 813B introduced in 1983. Again, an Eminence helper woofer was employed. This was a very successful design and led to a very healthy upgrade business for UREI in converting 813A’s to 813B’s. The 815 was also introduced at this time which was a monster monitor that contained two Eminence helper woofers for a total of 3-15” drivers.

During the development of the 813B, there was a very interesting problem with the production 813A. All of the sudden, new 604’s exhibited a deep, narrow hole in their response at 3 kHz. A phone call to Altec established that the long known issue of the spiked midrange response had finally been addressed by a new engineer and a design change was made without informing their customers. UREI addressed this new development by substituting closed-cell foam of the same color as the original open-cell foam in the resonating holes, which disabled the resonators without changing the product cosmetics.

In the early 80’s, Bill Putam’s wife died and he began to lose heart in the business. Harman International expressed interest in the firm and UREI was sold in late 1983 to become a division of JBLpro. Dean Austin moved over to JBL and became responsible for the ongoing design of UREI monitors. In 1984, the 813C was introduced as an all JBL product. It used a new coaxial called the 801 and replaced the Eminence helper woofer with the 2215H (pro equivalent of the LE15). This was the most successful 813 yet and replaced the 815B as well since it had higher output than that 3 driver system. Dean went on to design the very successful 12” 809 which was the last UREI monitor that was sold when Harman International discontinued the brand in the mid 1990’s.

And there you have the 813 story as relayed to me by Garry Margolis.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Widget,

Fostex were available in Australia years ago, they also has some HiFi models like the beta 8.(Maybe I am getting confused with another brand).

They were/are highly regarded by the hi sensitivity people.

Ian

[Guido]

I there any small, might be, eventual chance to get network schematics?

[dancing-dave]

Check out:

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/rec_enc_1.shtml

and look at:

W300AII (http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/pdf/recom_enclose/w300aII_encl.pdf) (PDF)
W400AII (http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/pdf/recom_enclose/w400aII_encl.pdf) (PDF)
They show the modern equivalents of those early monitor systems including cabinet dimensions, port size, lining, and crossover networks.

[Don C]

In case anyone is wondering, that Audiogon seller, Jeff's Sound Values, is a good seller. I bought my 240Tis from them, they arrived well packed, with no damage.

[Guido]

Check out:

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/rec_enc_1.shtml

and look at:

W300AII (http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/pdf/recom_enclose/w300aII_encl.pdf) (PDF)
W400AII (http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/pdf/recom_enclose/w400aII_encl.pdf) (PDF)
They show the modern equivalents of those early monitor systems including cabinet dimensions, port size, lining, and crossover networks.

Thanks!
Although I'm always into vintage stuff this is very interesting.

[Ken Pachkowsky]

In mid writing, I just looked at the spec sheets Widget posted and just saw the address for Interlake Audio. It is the same address where Oakwood/Century 21 was located at that time. They were obviously one in the same. Even more reason to try and contact Ron Paley.



OAKWOOD AUDIO was NOT, NOT, Interlake Audio International. While they were on the same street they were not the same address. Oakwood was 652-654 KingEdward St and Interlake was 610 or 640 King Edward . They were two buildings apart. if you get hold of Ron say hello and ask him if "Boxton" is available on CD. I worked for a short time at Century 21. John Hildebrand was managing it then and one of the girls from Sugar and Spice was the receptionist (Marylyn maybe?) or Maureen? John Smith was chief engineer.

Thanks Don


Ken

[michaelg]

Does anyone remember the Fostex monitors from Interlake Audio in the early 80's? They were based in Winnipeg... go figure.

[...]

Does anyone know anything about them?I designed those monitors in 1978/9 and was the president of Interlake Audio. We were the original Fostex presence in North America.

What would you like to know about them? :cool:

[michaelg]

I am sorry that I am late to this party. I was not aware of this site until someone on AVS Forum brought it to my attention.


These systems were sold through a local retail store in Winnipeg called Oakwood Audio [...] I just looked at the spec sheets Widget posted and just saw the address for Interlake Audio. It is the same address where Oakwood/Century 21 was located at that time. They were obviously one in the same.Oakwood and Interlake were not the same!

Interlake Audio was founded by me, Bob Oliver and Ted Telesky for the purposes of developing, introducing and marketing Fostex products in North America.

Our focus was professional audio. Our initial products were our three monitors (shown above), four headphones, five microphones and two power amplifiers.

We were based in Winnipeg Canada but our major market was in the USA. Our sales office was in the Wharfside Building on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.

Our monitors and headsets, in particular, became very popular in the early 80's. Many of the finest and largest studios of the day used our monitors. The LS/3 was by far the biggest seller, followed by the LS/2 which became a standard in mobiles. A limited number of the large LS/4s were installed but featured clients included Criteria Recording in Miami (BeeGees/Streisand), John Cougar Mellencamp's studio, Rhumba Recording (The Captain & Tenille) in LA, the JVC Cutting Centre in LA, etc., etc. Most of the Laboratory Series monitors are still in use after almost 30 years. I still have a pair of LS/4s in my home. These monitors very rarely show up in the used marketplace and are swallowed up when they do.

Oakwood Audio was just one of our 100+ dealers. And yes, our administrative and development offices and warehouse were located just a couple hundred feet up the street from Oakwood. (Century 21 studios were on Leila Ave at that time.) Our manufacturing plant was located in East Kildonan.
My initial visual impression was that they were a Japanese rip-off of a JBL monitor, or at least the drivers appeared to be.Our drivers were proprietary, handmade by a staff of 18 Fostex engineers.

Fostex was founded in 1977 as the crème de la crème division of Foster Electric, the second largest electro-acoustic manufacturer in the world, after Pioneer.

Until that time, Foster had exclusively been an OEM, building drivers for every manufacturer that you can think of, including Sony, Altec, JBL, Cerwin-Vega, etc., but had never put their own name on a product. It was said, at the time, that every household in North America had seven Foster devices imbedded in products bearing other logos.
I'm pretty sure the same company later produced a bizarre ribbon/dynamic hybrid that used a large ribbon panel on top of a Fostex bass driver.Yes, we toyed with "audiophile" products but decided to concentrate on the pro audio market. The product you refer to was a series of two- to four-way loudspeakers (See below (http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=170939&postcount=24)) which featured "printed ribbon" HF and MF drivers coupled with an "edgeless" woofer which featured a double spider and no surround. This edgeless technology resulted in extremely low THD. Although a very limited number of these speakers exist in North America (mostly in Canada) they became very popular in Japan, Asia and Europe. (I have several pairs of these "audiophile" speakers in my home and theatre.)

The patented printed ribbon technology, known as "RP" or "Regular Phase", was also used in our headphones and microphones. Our T-20 headsets remain the standard in professional recording studios to this day.

When Dr. Abe brought his engineering team from Teac to Fostex and we introduced the Fostex "Personal Multitrack" products, business exploded in the USA and maxed out our resources so Ted and I assisted Abesan and Fred Huang in setting up Fostex USA in Norwalk CA which then assumed distribution in the USA.

Ted ultimately moved to California to work with Fostex USA and later became an engineering VP with JBL and Aurasystems.

John Eargle's recent passing brings back a special memory of him. During our infamous AES "shoot-out" with UREI at the Waldorf Astoria, John came into the demo suite and just stood and listened for about half an hour. As he left, he nodded at me and said "Very nice!". He was a real gentleman and will be missed!

(The guys from UREI, on the other hand, were frothing at the mouth! They accused us of rigging the demo. We invited the UREI guys to come to the suite after the show closed that first day and inspect the setup to their heart's content, which they did. We had purchased a brand new pair of 813s from UREI directly at retail and had UREI deliver them to us at the hotel. After several of their engineers and marketing people inspected the setup and found nothing awry, they huffed out of our suite and retreated back to their room without another word.)

[michaelg]

John Hildebrand was managing it then and one of the girls from Sugar and Spice was the receptionist (Marylyn maybe?) or Maureen?It was Maureen Murphy. I was the original manager of Sugar & Spice. ;)

I saw Ron recently at the Clapton concert. We spoke about getting the Eternals and the Sugar & Spice together again for a 40th reunion gig at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on September 28. The Gettysburg Address, Mongrels, Fifth, Shags, Syndicate, Satan & D-Men and others are all in as well! :D

[michaelg]

even with the rather crappy auxiliary woofer the 813 was the hands down favoriteWe understood, on good authority, that the auxiliary woofer used in the 813 was a low end guitar speaker, individually selected for non-linear voice-coil throw (the resting state of the voice coil was forward or back of the centre of the magnetic field).

The resulting asymmetrical movement of the cone generated low frequency even-harmonics which produced a solid 'thick' bass. Much like the Aphex Aural Exciter did for presence frequencies.

[michaelg]

They show the modern equivalents of those early monitor systemsActually, they don't!

The systems listed on those links are sound reinforcement designs, not studio monitors. They use a different family of drivers.

[mech986]

Hi Michael,

Welcome to LH! Thanks for your very interesting posts on these unique monitors. I'll have to try to get to the studios you listed to see if they are still there.

Do you know of anyone who has replacement diaphragms for the Fostex Slot tweeter that is shown for the LS series monitors? I have 4 of those units, and two are dead. I tried Fostex USA and they queried Japan and said, sadly NLA.

I have corresponded with a European contact who was selling other Fostex replacement diaphragms but he did not have that particular one.

Any thoughts or leads?

Could you also provide some information and background on the Fostex Wood Horns? They looked beautifully executed.


Regards,

Bart

[michaelg]

Click on image for full size
http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_1SM.jpg (http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_1.jpg)

[michaelg]

Click on image for full size
http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_2SM.jpg (http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_2.jpg) http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_3SM.jpg (http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_3.jpg)

[michaelg]

Click on image for full size
http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_4SM.jpg (http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_4.jpg)

[michaelg]

Do you know of anyone who has replacement diaphragms for the Fostex Slot tweeter that is shown for the LS series monitors?This unit is the T825 "Super Tweeter". It is an 8-ohm, 50W driver with a 2.0cm aluminum voice coil. It has a 240g Alnico magnet and the unit weighs 2.1kg. The performance is 2K-20k, 102dB efficiency with a crossover at 4K or higher. It has an unprecedented 180-degree dispersion and was designed specifically for studio monitoring.

I have seen a few T825 drivers sold on eBay recently ... but not cheap!

You might check with your sources about diaphragms for the T705 or T725 units as they are the same size, material and ratings. I don't know for a fact that they will fit but suspect so.

There was a fellow in Australia who told me recently that he knew where there was a supply of compatible diaphragms. I will email him and get back to you. Send your email to me at michaelg at gray dot mb dot ca or by PM.

[michaelg]

Could you also provide some information and background on the Fostex Wood Horns? They looked beautifully executed.I'm not sure what more I can tell you that isn't stated in the brochure ... our horns were milled from solid Eurasian teak, a very dense wood, to move the resonance out of the pass-band.

It is an H420 radial horn, 444Wx90Hx292.5D and has a 1" throat adapter. The cut-off frequency is 420Hz and it has 140-degree dispersion.

We coupled it to the D252 driver. This is an 8-ohm, 50W driver with a 4.0cm aluminum voice coil. It has a 650g Alnico magnet and the unit weighs 3.3kg. The performance is 500-20k, 104dB efficiency with a crossover at 600Hz or higher. This driver, too, was specifically designed for studio monitoring. We drove it from 800-7K.

I believe that, in Japan, Fostex still offers the H420 in birch for about 56-70,000Yen (~US$460-575) each.

Teak horns are unobtainium! We had difficulty 30-ish years ago sourcing sufficient teak and the price of teak has sky-rocketed since.

They may also have a few other 140-degree wooden radial horns available in plywood or pine. Google the following part numbers (the P/N is the cut-off freq):
H200 Laminate
H220 Laminate
H300 Laminate
H320 Birch
H325 Pine
H400 Laminate
H425 Pine

[jim campbell]

ive got the 89 oakwood catalog .............crown dc 300 a pro user net....$1560 cdn. misprint a i guess cause its rated at 20 watts per channel into 8 ohms,bose 802 series ll...................pro user net $1020............interesting walk down memory lane.............none of the aforementioned fostex units seem to be in here though.i seem to remember oakwood selling a buddy his altec 19,s

[michaelg]

i seem to remember oakwood selling a buddy his altec 19,sI started as Assistant Chief Engineer at CKY AM/FM in 1969 and spent my first couple paychecks on a pair of 19s from Ron at Oakwood along with an original Phase Linear 700.

I only kept the speakers for a couple of weeks and it was a couple more before my head stopped ringing! :biting:

Edit: It turns out they were "Valencias", not 19s. Sorry 'bout that! :o: They say the memory is the second thing to go.

[jim campbell]

i have some recollection of some very tacky demo rooms on the north side of the place lined with sound deadening stuff and altec was the brand they carried.i talked my bud into an audio research bryston combo but he didnt want to pay the extra for the jb's.....advance had infinity and most of my jb components came from western sound.most of the stuff in this book is geared toward pro/broadcast types as it is full of de essers,delay circuits,and even a b77 slow speed logger.i remember a tascam deck w/2 inch reels that sold for a hundred k and the specs on it were rated less than most consumer cassette players.i think it was +- 1db 20hz-15 khz and i still wonder if the trend toward super high freq response is just a wank

[Earl K]

- I still have a pair of LS/4s in my home. These monitors very rarely show up in the used marketplace and are swallowed up when they do.

- What would you like to know about them?

Hi Michael,

Welcome to the forum ! Thanks for posting all this new info !

- Here's what I would like to know about your monitors ; ( since I have a few full-line Fostex brochures from this era ).

(i) The model numbers of the two different 15" woofers that were used in your monitors ( LS/3 vs the LS/4 ) .

Thanks <> Earl K

ps ; Were you also associated with Servo ( Electronics Systems Ltd. ) ?

[michaelg]

(i) The model number of the 15" woofer that you used in your monitors .
(ii) Did all three models of monitors use the same woofer model ?
The LS/2 used a 30cm L355 below 800Hz;
L355: 8-ohms, fo=40Hz, fo-5K, 98dB, 100W, 8cm Alum VC, 1.1kg Alnico, 5.7kg total
The LS/3 used a 40cm L475 below 800Hz;
L475: 8-ohms, fo=25Hz, fo-3.5K, 100dB, 150W, 10cm Alum VC, 1.51kg Alnico, 8.6kg total
The LS/4 used a 30cm L355 mid-bass crossed over at 800Hz and 200Hz and dual 40cm FW400S (4-ohms) below 200Hz.
FW400S: 8-ohms, fo=17Hz, fo-2.5K, 96dB, 150W, 10cm Copper VC, 1.11kg Alnico, 8.6kg total.

The L475 and the FW400S used the same frame and motor but different cones. The L475 used a lightweight edge-wound aluminum voice coil for excellent transient response and the FW400S used an extra long two-layer round copper voice coil and a coated cone to optimize the mass and reduce the fo. All woofers used an epoxy-mica former for stable high temperature operation.

(iii) The gap height ( ie; depth ) for this wooferI'll have to dig out my drawings and let you know.
Were you also associated with Servo?Servo Electronics (Bob Black) and Canadian Rogers Western (Kemmel Rogers) became investors in our company as we grew.

Were you involved with Servo?

[richluvsound]

Hi ,

I'm not really a techy in the electrical department ,but i do make a comfortable living as a designer here in London . I have to say that your studio monitors are designed beautifuly. Minimal, elegant and functional.
LESS IS MORE. Did you design them ?:applaud:

Rich

[Don McRitchie]

Actually, they don't!

The systems listed on those links are sound reinforcement designs, not studio monitors. They use a different family of drivers.


I'm pretty sure that is not the case for all of the drivers. There are Alnico bass drivers, small format Alnico compression drivers with wood horns and even more modern ferrite drivers with half roll surrounds, low fs and low power handling that would seem ill suited to sound reinforcement. These drivers have long stopped being distributed in the US, but have a following in their home country where they compete with TAD, GOTO etc. for custome hi-fi applications. For example, check out the following links:

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/W-Series.shtml

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/Horn-Drivers.shtml

http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/Wood-Radial-Horn.shtml

[michaelg]

I have to say that your studio monitors are designed beautifuly. Minimal, elegant and functional.
LESS IS MORE. Did you design them ?:applaud:Yes. Thanks very much!

[Earl K]

Were you involved with Servo?

- No, I was an end user of a couple different models of Servos' fiberglassed horn flares .

- Thanks for answering my questions about the woofer models used in your monitors .

:)

[JBLRaiser]

I started as Assistant Chief Engineer at CKY AM/FM in 1969 and spent my first couple paychecks on a pair of 19s from Ron at Oakwood along with an original Phase Linear 700.

I only kept the speakers for a couple of weeks and it was a couple more before my head stopped ringing! :biting:

You were doing so well until the 19's comment.:blink: I'm sure it was the Phase Tin-ears.:p

[Mr. Widget]

I designed those monitors in 1978/9 and was the president of Interlake Audio. We were the original Fostex presence in North America.

What would you like to know about them? :cool:Thanks for popping in.

Hearing your speakers at the 1980 AES Convention in Los Angeles really made a lasting impression. I think your posts here have pretty well covered all of my questions.


Widget

[Don McRitchie]

You were doing so well until the 19's comment.:blink: I'm sure it was the Phase Tin-ears.:p

I'm guessing that he may be confusing early model Valencias with the Model 19's since he implies he bought them around 1969. While the 19's still ring, they're not nearly as bad as the unequalized 806/811's of the late 60's and early 70's Altecs. While Michael only lasted two weeks with his, I stuck it out for a year with my similar era Santiago's before my bleeding ears dictated a reprieve.

[michaelg]

he may be confusing early model Valencias with the Model 19's [...] 806/811's of the late 60's and early 70's Altecs.Valencias! 811! Yeah ... that "rings" true. Give me a break fellas - it was only 40 years ago! ;)

I do remember getting a pair of experimental diaphragms (beryllium?) from an Altec rep (Margolis? Lombardi?) which improved them enough that I could sell them.

[michaelg]

I'm pretty sure that is not the case for all of the drivers.I'm not ignoring this issue but am posting from my cell phone/pda in an airport at the moment. Will respond on the morrow when I'm back at a keyboard.

[louped garouv]

I do remember getting a pair of experimental diaphragms (beryllium?) from an Altec rep (Margolis? Lombardi?) which improved them enough that I could sell them.

oh goodness..... another Altec "holy grail"

:)

really nice looking monitors....
and those horns are absolutely beautiful

[glen]

Welcome Michael!

And thanks for the great info on those gorgeous speakers!

[spkrman57]

I am loving this thread as it is progressing!

Regards, Ron

[Don McRitchie]

oh goodness..... another Altec "holy grail"

If I were a betting man, I would wager that the "experimental" diaphragms were Symbiotics. I believe that their introduction dates from that era.

[mech986]

Hi Michael,

thanks for all the fascinating information you've posted so far.

since you had such an intimate relationship with Fostex, I wonder if you could give me some information about the Fostex 600? A friend of mine has one that doesn't seem to be working and I'm wondering about its overall sound quality, construction and potential. ALso, if you had any phtos, brochures or schematics in case we really need to get into it, I would be grateful.

Did you ever get any response from your Australian contact about the Fostex T825 diaphragms? I recently viewed an auction for a couple of T825's in Europe, boy they are going for quite a bit. There are also some L series woofers which are showing up from time to time here in California and elsewhere. Hmmmm....

BTW, what is the relationship with ACR (swiss) and Fostex?

Thank much and if you think this is of interest in the Monitor thread, I can post it there.

Regards,

Bart

[vita]

Hello has all,
I have material fostex for a very long time and also some original Japanese documentation and a catalogue in English.
The diaphragms T725, T925, are not the same ones.
Regards,
Stefano

[vita]

Hello,
1st part catalogue

[vita]

second part

[vita]

third part and finish,but i have more datasheet:L475,W400,D506,T725etc...
Regards
Stefano

[mech986]

Hi Vita,

Welcome to Lansing Heritage and thank you so much for the Fostex information. Great to see the information regarding such interesting and generally well regarded competition to JBL products. Please continue to send more as you can.

Do you have specific information on the model 600 Lab Standard amp?

Regards,

Bart

[vita]

Hello mech986,thank you
I have already considering, but ever heard, I know more the loudspeakers, if you go on Fostex USA, support, product information, you have the owners manual A300-600 and sometimes on ebay Germany they are sold. I think that the Germany was the largest market in Europe for Fostex. ACR Switzerland and Germany were the first at the beginning of the Eighties proposed kit with the components Fostex and then they have create their own label, but it is of Fostex for all the purposes.
Regards
Stefano

[mech986]

Hello mech986,thank you
I have already considering, but ever heard, I know more the loudspeakers, if you go on Fostex USA, support, product information, you have the owners manual A300-600 and sometimes on ebay Germany they are sold. I think that the Germany was the largest market in Europe for Fostex. ACR Switzerland and Germany were the first at the beginning of the Eighties proposed kit with the components Fostex and then they have create their own label, but it is of Fostex for all the purposes.
Regards
Stefano


Hi Stefano,

Thanks for the information. After I had a chance to look at your catalog pages, the amplifier A600 model designation was clear and I found the manual as you had pointed out on the Fostex USA site. Thanks.

Interesting history of Fostex/ACR in Europe.

Bart

[Earl K]

Hi vita ( Stephano )

- Thanks for posting the pdfs for the 1984/5 Fostex "all product" catalogue .

- I'd be very interested in seeing you post pdfs for the single product tech sheets that you possess ( especially the W400 & L475 woofers ).

regards <. Earl K

[vita]

Hello, I intervened on this tread because these large Fostex loudspeakers are impressive and rare, thank you with michaelg for these images.J'espère that these documents does not disturb anybody on LH. If michaelg still has documentation that would be interessant.

[vita]

Driver.
If somebody has an address for diaphragm, I am interrested, because it is very difficult to find them.

[vita]

No comment on these old-fashioned thing?, and yet its still functions, I does not make the long ones phrases because I speak only French or Italian.

[glen]

No comment on these old-fashioned thing?
Hi Stefano,

You have more awareness of the Fostex equipment than most people on the forum who own and are more familiar with Lansing products.

I have only seen the high end Fostex equipment on a few Japanese websites, and some U.S. sites that focus on their smaller, full-range drivers.

Rest assured there is plenty of interest in the material you have generously shared, but most of us aren't informed enough about Fostex to add any intelligent comments (Michael Gillespi excepted)

Your posts are helping to fill that gap,

Thank You!

[Earl K]

Glen, thanks for popping this thread back up ( where it caught my attention ) . :)


No comment on these old-fashioned thing?

- I own some Fostex T945N ( bullet style tweeters ) that I like quite well. They are a bit softer sounding than the comparable JBL 2402 and as a result , I think they are more listenable .

- Stephano, thanks for posting those pdfs ( including the Japanese language cut-sheets ).

- I know that I for one would like to see any of the english language cut sheets on the studio or pro woofers ( called "Technical Report(s) and usually printed with black & blue inks ) . This literature is now quite rare since Fostex Pro ultimately failed to penetrate the North American market and ultimately closed down this division .

<> Earl K

[vita]

Hello,
For a part of these documents, I found them different on forum from the web.For a second part of these documents i'ts ACR Geneva.For a third part, i have this material.Personally i utilize four L475 woofer, D506 phenolic, D276 phenolic, t825tweeter, horn H220, H320,passive 6db/oct. xover with a small SE el34 tube amp.and sound fine.All the material is in outstanding condition.The problem with this material, i'ts impossible to find spare parts, because Fostex uses particular diameter voice coil,25mm.,40mm.,50mm.,100mm., maybe in in Japan,i dont speak japanese.Maybe Mr. Michael Gillespi can provide technical documents because in epoch, Japanese were rather miserly in information.
Best Regards.
Stefano

[louped garouv]

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-AWO-FOSTEX-LABORATORY-SERIES-STUDIO-SPEAKERS_W0QQitemZ220141618721QQihZ012QQcategoryZ5 0597QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Zilch]

Pics from the auction:

[Zilch]

Before they're gone. Also, two beautiful pics by the buyer, originally posted on AudioKarma:

[vita]

Hello,
characteristic of the FD600 for mech986, the dome is aluminium and the suspension is a half roll alumininium, the D232 and D252 which are tangential.I sent a message for mech986, but not of answer.
Best Regards.
Stefano

[locanti]

Hello VITA

I'm looking for informations and respons curve about the FOSTEX FD232.If you've got some,please pm me.:barf:

[Earl K]

I'm looking for informations and respons curve about the FOSTEX FD232.

- Hopefully Stephano ( Vita ) has some info on the D232 that he can display .

- In the meantime, I can tell you that the 232s voice-coil/diaphragm size was 40 mm.
- Power Rating is stated as 25 watts ( pink noise ) or 50 watts ( music ) .
- Ceramic magnet
- 104 db ( 1 Watt / 1 M )
- Frequency range is given as 500 hz to 20,000 hz ( this is somewhat supported by the tiny response plot that I have here / ( so small, that I literally need a magnifying glass to look at it ) .
- Lowest Crossover Point is stated as 600 hz ( on a 420 hz Radial Horn ) / though looking at the FR plot , I'd be choosing at least a 800 hz hipass point ( it looks like a roller coaster ride below that frequency ) .

- The D252 was an alnico magnet / with a longer & heavier body / essentially the same specs are given / it does have a much smoother lowend response below 1000 hz to cutoff ( could be the larger magnet ) .

hope this helps <> :)

[locanti]

Thanks for the info

I'm planning to built a 2 ways system usiing one LE10a and one fd232 in a 50/60 liters enclosure.Don't need much "big sound" but looking for a clean -smooth sound for my daughter flat.She"s living in town and the walls are thick as "cigarettes paper".

Bert

[vita]

Hello,
I am late, but here is the graph for D232,for the D252 I have only a graph with H320.
Best Regards
Stefano

[vita]

Hello,
the graph
Stefano

[locanti]

Thanks VITA

[vita]

Hello,
I would have a question for Mr Gilespi, if it returns on this post, it has the diagrams of the filter of series LS?. Another thing, in the post 64, one can see LS/3 which are different in volume from those proposed on the catalogues put on line by Mr Widget.
In this page, one can still sees other monitors, in-low unknown, in-high on the right, ESB Italy series FX, the Eighty.

[louped garouv]

the tweeters looks beautiful, but needed diaphragms...

:(

[michaelg]

Someone (I can't remember who) contacted me looking for T825 tweeter diaphrams.

A pair has just been listed on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120190682110&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:CA:1123) for US$329

[mikebake]

Hello,
I would have a question for Mr Gilespi, if it returns on this post, it has the diagrams of the filter of series LS?. Another thing, in the post 64, one can see LS/3 which are different in volume from those proposed on the catalogues put on line by Mr Widget.
In this page, one can still sees other monitors, in-low unknown, in-high on the right, ESB Italy series FX, the Eighty.
Did anybody proofread the original ad copy? Atrocious.

[mikebake]

http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=29267&stc=1&d=1194120962

"Our goal at all times is to provide products which will excellent performance and reliability."
"All major components and critical such as cone materials.."
They shoulda been shot...............
Effin' ding dongs...........

[michaelg]

"Our goal at all times is to provide products which will excellent performance and reliability." "All major components and critical such as cone materials.."Ahhh ... some famous "Engrish" translation. :o: We had nothing to do with that piece - it came straight out of Akishima.

(I admit I initially wasn't sure which brochure you were referring to ... I did write the brochure which initiated this thread! :cool: )

I remember one incident when a Foster representative visited us in Winnipeg, witnessed from the back seat as we took the Japanese executive to his hotel ...

Japanese passenger: "Oh, I see you have erection!"
Canadian driver: "Yes, that is true."
Japanese passenger: "How often do you have erections?"
Canadian driver: "Normally, every four years. This year we are having two though ... one for city government and the other for federal government."

[vita]

Hello,
indeed I make my translations with babelfish, excuse-me mikebake, I count on you to correct my atrocities.
Best regards
Stefano :bash:

[JBL 4645]

Are, these (time aligned) because I noticed the (horn driver) was ahead of the (bullet tweeter) can these be bi-amplified and if that’s so then a little delay on the four drivers that I noticed in the picture. They look elegant.:)

[michaelg]

Are these time aligned?Yes. We referred to it as 'time-coherent' ;)
can these be bi-amplified?You could do that but we never felt it would be of any benefit and I do not know the time constants necessary to do it.
They look elegant.Thank you.

[louped garouv]

do you all think that this may be a Fostex horn?

Is it possible to have the damage repaired?


I'll post some better pics/measurements of the pair soon...

[scott fitlin]

OH, man, HOW did that happen?

Im gonna say that YES that can be fixed, BUT Im going to leave this for the WOOD GURUS to answer how.

Guys like Widget, and some others are JUST better equipped to answer how, than I am, and I REALLY want you to have 100% success at repairing this!

[louped garouv]

happened in shipping, but to the seller...
maybe part of why he decided to sell...


they were pretty reasonable, i believe due to the horn damage...
:)

complete with FD600s...

I am figuring I may need to enlist the help of a local furniture maker, or
find another local craftsman...

[mar2mar]

Looks like Fostex H425.

[scott fitlin]

happened in shipping, but to the seller...
maybe part of why he decided to sell...


they were pretty reasonable, i believe due to the horn damage...
:)

complete with FD600s...

I am figuring I may need to enlist the help of a local furniture maker, or
find another local craftsman...It just looks possible to fix. I am just NOT the guy to say how.

[louped garouv]

Looks like Fostex H425.
thanks!

i'd like to get ahold of a pair of those H220s

*insert evil laugh here*

[louped garouv]

It just looks possible to fix. I am just NOT the guy to say how.
that's what i was hearing...

and what i had hoped to hear!

:applaud:

[scott fitlin]

And I DO agree, especially considering the weight of the driver that must be attached to the horn, to have this repair done professionally.

There are guys that work magic with wood.

[louped garouv]

And I DO agree, especially considering the weight of the driver that must be attached to the horn, to have this repair done professionally.

There are guys that work magic with wood.
exactly my concern...

i figure if i can go in kinda of understanding what needs to/should be done,
i'll have a better chance of success as well...

[scott fitlin]

AND research who is the REALLY GREAT woodworker/cabinet builders in your area.

Cause the success of this repair, IS the SKILL of the hands doing the repair.

[Mr. Widget]

That looks absolutely repairable... and I agree with you, enlist the help of a professional. It is always more work to "unfix" a poorly executed repair.


Widget

[Flaesh]

Click on image for full size
http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_2SM.jpg (http://gray.mb.ca/fostex/Fostex-GZSeries_Page_2.jpg)
have anybody more info about edgeless woofer?

[michaelg]

have anybody more info about edgeless woofer?What would you like to know?

[Flaesh]

What would you like to know?
Hello michaelg!
first of all - maximum details about acoustic filter ring. how it made and what linear displacement possible with similar construction. I'm planning custom IB woofers, more than 18", relative lightweight cone, probably double spider............
spiders seems like conventional. is it so?

all I found is http://www.annuarioaudio.it/proveT_files/5%20diff.pdf p.4
scan on italian

[Flaesh]

all I found is http://www.annuarioaudio.it/proveT_files/5%20diff.pdf p.4:
it.:
"in luogo della sospensione esterna, ed allo scopo di irrigidire il bordo esterno del cono, e tuttavia presente uno spesso cerchio di polistirolo espanso, che si estende anche alla parte posteriore interna, che aggiunge una trascurabile massa a quella dell'equipaggio mobile, pur assolvendo benissimo alla sua funzione di rinforzo.
nutriamo qualche dubbio circa l'entita delle perdita d'artia eventualmente attraverso lo spazio libero tra questo bordo ed il cestello del woofer stesso...."
eng.:
"instead of external suspension, and in order to stiffen the outer edge of the cone, and yet this is often a ring of expanded polystyrene, which also extends inside to the back, which adds a negligible mass to that of the mobile, while completing well its function as a reinforcement.
have some doubts about the degree of loss of limbs through the space between this board and the basket of the woofer itself ...."

[michaelg]

how it made and what linear displacement possible with similar construction.The SLE series uses a double spider.

I have some data but the file is too big to upload here.

PM me with your email and I will send it to you.

[Flaesh]

thanx! pm sended

[michaelg]

For your interest .... this is an iPhone photo of an old exhibit 28x22" poster from 1981.It was a blow up of an ad which ran in Studio Sound, Mix Magazine, etc.

BTW, yesterday, 8 December, was the 32nd anniversary of the launch of our Laboratory Series monitors, the first Fostex product ever introduced to the North American market. :blink:

57665

[mech986]

Michael, thanks for that information and advertisement. Do you know of anyone who has diaphragms for the rounded slot tweeter? I need at least a couple.

[michaelg]

Do you know of anyone who has diaphragms for the rounded slot tweeter? I need at least a couple.Send your coordinates and requirements to me at [email protected]

We are considering reissuing these legacy monitors (in addition to new full-space variations with optional internal room correction and amplification) and would have new service inventory available.

In the meanwhile, I do have some very limited NOS diaphragms now and *may* be able to help immediately.

We are also attempting to build a database of former clients. To that end, please indicate which monitors you have and the name of the facility, if applicable. Install photos would also be very nice!

If anyone on these fora has an interest in new product, pre-orders or even parts, please contact me directly at the referenced email address.

[Lee in Montreal]

Those monitors look superb and have the exact layout I have always preached. Modular. One big box for bass, and mids horn on top. What is the model for the monitors in the bottom of that picture? It seems narrower than the previous 4-way Fostex monitor. http://audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=29267&stc=1&d=1194120962

[michaelg]

Those monitors look superb and have the exact layout I have always preached. Modular. One big box for bass, and mids horn on top.Thank you. Our thoughts exactly! ;)
What is the model for the monitors in the bottom of that picture? It seems narrower than the previous 4-way Fostex monitor. If you are referring to the system shown on the bottom of the page of the referenced attachment, there is no model number - it is a system put together by an DIY.

BTW, if you are going to be at the Montreal Audio show in March, you may actually have an opportunity to hear our system. :cool:

[tomt]

if you are going to be at the Montreal Audio show in March ...



this one? -

http://constellationaudio.com/ca/news

[michaelg]

this one? -

http://constellationaudio.com/ca/news
That would be the one! Look for the Resonessence display.

[michaelg]

That would be the one!SSI show in downtown Montreal 21st-24th March 2013. Hilton Bonaventure Hotel Room 2417

http://www.salonsonimage.com

[Lee in Montreal]

Can't wait to be surrounded by people who worship $1000 interconnects and cones made from platinum to isolate your amp from tantric vibrations and negative karma... Omhhh.... :D

[michaelg]

tantric vibrations and negative karma... Omhhh.... Y'know ... You are right!

On sober second thought, I think we'll skip it! :p

What were we thinking!?

[gferrell]

Can't wait to be surrounded by people who worship $1000 interconnects and cones made from platinum to isolate your amp from tantric vibrations and negative karma... Omhhh.... :D


"tantric vibrations" I have a grandson that does that.

[Lee in Montreal]

Found this picture of the interior of an LS/3

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/user_image/993/3509.jpg

And what sits on top

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/user_image/993/8399.jpg

[michaelg]

Unfortunately, due to a shipping screwup, our Laboratory Series monitors will not be previewed at the Montreal HiFi show after all. Resonessence will substitute a pair of Westlakes in their display.

Look for the full reissue release at the Rocky Mountain Audiofest in October as previously scheduled.

Sorry for any disappointment - I know a couple people in particular have been planning to travel to hear them. If anyone is super-keen, PM me to setup an audition in Winnipeg in the meanwhile.

[Lee in Montreal]

The team that produced the most beautifull monitors I know - (L-R) Ted Telesky, Michael Gillespie, Bob Oliver.

http://www.preservationsound.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Fostex-Team.jpg

http://www.preservationsound.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Gillespie-LS4.jpg

[louped garouv]

Thanks for sharing them Lee, the pics really bring perspective.

[Lee in Montreal]

Thanks for sharing them Lee, the pics really bring perspective.

One more perspective is that the LansingHeritage member named MichaelG is the same Michael Gillespie as in the pictures. He was instrumental in this LS project back in the 1980s. We have here a very knowledgeable person who can probably help if you have LS monitors or wish to acquire a set. :D Oh, and the reason why I am fond of those monitors is because I have always been a huge fan of modular integration.

I wonder what's the difference in sound between Fostex's horn and a JBL 2397. Less combing at higher frequencies with the Fostex?

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/large/49078-fostex_wood_horn_assembly_d252_rare__tweeter_needs _repair.jpg

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/large/49080-fostex_wood_horn_assembly_d252_rare__tweeter_needs _repair.jpg

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/large/49079-fostex_wood_horn_assembly_d252_rare__tweeter_needs _repair.jpg

[Lee in Montreal]

Oh. And here's a set of LS3 for sale in Montreal. That LeeDH is not me BTW. Michael contacted me thinking we were the same person ;-) Interestingly that LeeDH name seems to return from times to times in classifieds. I wonder if he's not a reseller/broker/scavenger. I don't know him.

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649129100-fostex_ls3_studio_monitor_speakers/

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/large/759388-fostex_ls3_studio_monitor_speakers.jpg

That other set, also in Canada, sold for $5.5k (well, asked price)

http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/146541-fostex_ls2_laboratory_series_studio_monitors/images/176228/

http://img.canuckaudiomart.com/uploads/large/176228-fostex_ls2_laboratory_series_studio_monitors.jpg

Looking at both previous pictures, and looking at the glued tinsels below the domes, it seems that one spaker has the correct cone, and not the other. They don't seem identical. Also, dome size and colour as well as cone texture seem to be different.

[louped garouv]

I wonder what's the difference in sound between Fostex's horn and a JBL 2397. Less combing at higher frequencies with the Fostex?




the rear of the fostex horn has a golf ball sized cavity near where the throat terminates on the flare side of the horn.
I know this because I have a pair of the H425 horns that need repair (STILL!)

my understanding, not confirmed, is that early Olson audio papers may have discussed this design attribute --
but as I mentioned, I've not confirmed this understanding...

[Lee in Montreal]

the rear of the fostex horn has a golf ball sized cavity near where the throat terminates on the flare side of the horn.
I know this because I have a pair of the H425 horns that need repair (STILL!)

my understanding, not confirmed, is that early Olson audio papers may have discussed this design attribute --
but as I mentioned, I've not confirmed this understanding...

The 2328 aluminum adapters for the 2350 and 2397 horns also have such golf ball size expansion area.

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=56050&d=1339789970

Lee

[louped garouv]

Thanks Lee, for the reminder...


the difference could have been an illusion, but before I had sent you those JBL throats.....
I had visually compared the two... I thought the Fostex had a slightly larger cavity opening than the JBL, but
again, it could have been an illusion, as the JBL uses a 2" exit driver, the Fostex a 1" unit; therefore the
cavity is "more obvious" at a glance in viewing the Fostex unit.


But you're right, there goes that theory.

[Steve Schell]

Lee in Montreal, thanks much for your recent pictures. we see gear all the time but not so often the genius behind the gear. I owned a pair of Fostex GZ 2001 hi fi speakers beginning in 1990 or so. They were offered at "blowout" prices at Adray's in Los Angeles, $1,400 per pair as I recall compared to the $4,500 list. They had planar drivers and the free edge woofer. Mine were in oak and a friend bought some the same day in rosewood. I later sold mine to some guys who soon fried the tweeters. They called my friend as they were too embarrassed to call me as I had warned them about the somewhat limited power handling.

I used to tune a piano in a recording studio in Anaheim, CA in the 1990s. They had some Fostex LS/2 or perhaps LS/3 monitors in the rear of the studio, disassembled and neglected. I always thought that they looked super cool even in that condition. Later an acquaintance scored three pairs of Fostex T825 tweeters in Europe and regarded them as superb. They sounded that way to me also when I heard them in his horn system.

[Lee in Montreal]

BTW I just started another thread about a large size monitor that I find intriguing : the Ausbuperger monitors

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?35887-What-s-so-special-about-the-Augsburger-mastering-monitor&p=363801#post363801

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/high-end/122825d1243506249-gear-face-just-laughs-augspurger_monitors.jpg

[mech986]

Lee in Montreal, thanks much for your recent pictures. we see gear all the time but not so often the genius behind the gear. I owned a pair of Fostex GZ 2001 hi fi speakers beginning in 1990 or so. They were offered at "blowout" prices at Adray's in Los Angeles, $1,400 per pair as I recall compared to the $4,500 list. They had planar drivers and the free edge woofer. Mine were in oak and a friend bought some the same day in rosewood. I later sold mine to some guys who soon fried the tweeters. They called my friend as they were too embarrassed to call me as I had warned them about the somewhat limited power handling.

I used to tune a piano in a recording studio in Anaheim, CA in the 1990s. They had some Fostex LS/2 or perhaps LS/3 monitors in the rear of the studio, disassembled and neglected. I always thought that they looked super cool even in that condition. Later an acquaintance scored three pairs of Fostex T825 tweeters in Europe and regarded them as superb. They sounded that way to me also when I heard them in his horn system.

Steve, would you happen to know the name and address of the studio? Let me know.

[1audiohack]

[QUOTE=Lee in Montreal;363802]BTW I just started another thread about a large size monitor that I find intriguing : the Ausbuperger monitors...[QUOTE]

Just for the record, his name is George Augspurger. :)

Barry.

[hjames]

OMG - Augspurger's scary robot-Monkey faced monitors!


BTW I just started another thread about a large size monitor that I find intriguing : the Ausbuperger monitors

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?35887-What-s-so-special-about-the-Augsburger-mastering-monitor&p=363801#post363801

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/high-end/122825d1243506249-gear-face-just-laughs-augspurger_monitors.jpg

[1audiohack]

Robot Chicken?

You know there are some things I really don't get, like the semi random woofer orientation. ?

Barry.

[Steve Schell]

Hi mech986!

Long time no see. This recording studio existed for some years in north Anaheim as the passionate hobby of an advertising executive named Trent Wilson (long deceased) who shared space in his studio with an extremely talented recording engineer named John Vestman, whom I worked for years earlier in Long Beach. John eventually became a digital mastering engineer in another location. Trent's studio and equipment would have likely been sold off at least a decade ago IMO, though you now have the info to chase it down! Trent owned several properties along North St. as I recall. The recording studio was located behind a rental house as I recall. I just looked it up on Google Maps and the studio is currently known as Love and Laughter Music. Go get'em!

[pos]

There is currently a pair of L475 for sale in the Netherlands: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/swap-meet/303775-pair-fostex-laboratory-series-l475-woofers.html

(no affiliation)

[hjames]

Woah, now thats a beautiful thing ... wish I had a room for such as that!


The team that produced the most beautifull monitors I know - (L-R) Ted Telesky, Michael Gillespie, Bob Oliver.



http://www.preservationsound.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Gillespie-LS4.jpg

[gibber]

There is currently a pair of L475 for sale in the Netherlands: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/swap-meet/303775-pair-fostex-laboratory-series-l475-woofers.html

(no affiliation)

Thanks for the tip-off, Thomas.
Cones are black, not white as in the LS/4 picture.

Arrrgh, i had to get them, although i am currently rather in selling than buying mood.
Just bought HLS3812 for a Studio Monitor application, maybe the holes fit both of these oversize units and i can swap and compare a famous Fostex Alnico with what must surely be the most unusual cone shape ever on those TOA's

Ralph

[hjames]

And this thread explains the horns I just received from an eBay ad sale last week ...

I was expecting them Saturday, but he shipped them Priority mail!
I got them out of the package and have given them a much needed wipe down with Howards orange oil ... They clean up nice!

Once they temperature stabilize and I feed them oil a few more times, I'll look at steel-wooling them to get the duct tape residue off,
and see how I can fix where the one horn has split.

As I said, the seller did include the Fostex adapters and allen screws ...

80048

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=80026&d=1517872828



They looked horrid in the ad - like they had been out in the weather, and have duct tape residue and some gashes on them ...
but I thought they might have potential

http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/attachment.php?attachmentid=80027&d=1517872857

One of them has been cracked and will need to be repaired and glued -

80049

[Mr. Widget]

hjames started a new thread focused on these Fostex horns. You can follow it here:


http://www.audioheritage.org/vbullet...furb-repurpose (http://www.audioheritage.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?40573-Fostex-horn-repair-refurb-repurpose)!




Widget

[Earl K]

Well, here I am living life vicariously through Heather's new toys.

Here's some useful info ( I do believe );

ACR [FOSTEX] T925 diaphragm replacement (http://www.analog-forum.de/wbboard/index.php?thread/87954-acr-t925-hochtonhorn-diaphragma/&l=2)


80206

:)

[Kreativlos]

Hello,

can anyone provide Crossover schematics for one of the monitor models? I just bought a near NOS pair of T825 and FD600 and would like to try the original crossovers from the monitors.:)

best regards from germany

[Earl K]

can anyone provide Crossover schematics for one of the monitor models? I just bought a near NOS pair of T825 and FD600 and would like to try the original crossovers from the monitors.:)



Hi Kreativlos,

You might get further by also posting your request within Heather's thread over at AK( linked behind the pictures > click the pics! ).

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?attachments/fostex-stack_5990-jpg.1115271/http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?attachments/fostex-jbl-schemo_6033-jpg.1124580/ (http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/fostex-horns-and-compression-drivers.809024/page-1)

:)

[hjames]

I got involved refurbing/customizing a pair of Heathkit/Valencia speakers, and this fall got involved splicing a pair of Great Heil drivers to the Heaths,
instead of the JBL slots I originally added on top.
Now I'm waiting for a capacitor Decade box to arrive mid-Jan to help sort out the best Heil crossover values!

I was lacking in working space for 2 large speaker projects, so I carefully packed the Fostek drivers up in April,
and stored them while I was working on the Heathkit project -
- I realized I had limited free time, so, one project at a time, right?

Hopefully, I'll get back to the Fostek project sometime this spring ...

[SEAWOLF97]

got pointed here from a current one.




Fostex was founded in 1977 as the crème de la crème division of Foster Electric, the second largest electro-acoustic manufacturer in the world, after Pioneer.

The patented printed ribbon technology, known as "RP" or "Regular Phase", was also used in our headphones and microphones. Our T-20 headsets remain the standard in professional recording studios to this day.

I have gone through MANY different headphones. Would audition for a while and then sell them on to pay for the next. Out of maybe 40 sets, the only pair that I regretted selling were the T-20's . Currently have T-40RP's and will NOT make that selling mistake again.

Also still own RadioShack outboard Super Tweeters (pretty sure are also Fostex) . They really extended the life of my tired Walsh F drivers. :applaud:

[Earl K]

Hello,

can anyone provide Crossover schematics for one of the monitor models? I just bought a near NOS pair of T825 and FD600 and would like to try the original crossovers from the monitors.:)

best regards from germany


The FD600 was never used in any of the RWO/Fostex monitors under discusssion here // therefore getting the original crossover is pretty well useless info ( especially if you don't have the Fostex horns and Fostex woofers that were used in these monitors.

Also ( fwiw ), the network in the pic that I posted above is purported to be 2/3's of the LS3 network ( > for the horn/driver & tweeter ).

Here it is again;

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?attachments/fostex-jbl-schemo_6033-jpg.1124580/

:)

[hjames]

I'm pretty sure the Fostex parts I got came from the Fostex Pro Monitor speakers -
they even came with the upright mounts for time aligning the drivers.
The Mid horn driver has a Lab Series D252 label. The round nose super tweeters I got
don't have a label but looks identical to the T825 tweeter I've seen in their catalogs.

Here is a clean copy of just the crossover drawing I got ...
Again, this is a hybrid design for bridging a JBL 2214 woofer to the
Fostex Pro Monitor tweeter and Fostex mid horn pair.

83136



The FD600 was never used in any of the RWO/Fostex monitors under discusssion here //
therefore getting the original crossover is pretty well useless info
(especially if you don't have the Fostex horns and Fostex woofers that were used in these monitors.

Also (fwiw), the network in the pic that I posted above is purported to be 2/3's of the LS3 network ( > for the horn/driver & tweeter ).

Here it is again;



:)

[michaelg]

can anyone provide Crossover schematics for one of the monitor models? I am sorry for a very late reply. I have not been on this site for quite a while (I broke my back but have healed now! :().

As someone else has pointed out, the dividing networks for our studio monitors are specific to our proprietary drivers and mounting. Your mileage may vary.

But I get many such inquiries and have no difficulty posting the details here.

The actual capacitors and inductors we used were all proprietary "Fostex" brand which will likely be hard to get now. I recommend using high-quality components such as SOLEN at this point in time.

PS. You can get my attention much more quickly in the future by emailing me directly at [email protected] or leaving a message at 204.943.9000

PPS. Pay close attention to the polarity of the driver connections!

87233

[Lee in Montreal]

A set of LS3 just came up for sale in Montreal
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/690463742008444/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_top_picks&referral_story_type=top_picks

[michaelg]

A set of LS3 just came up for sale

Thanks Lee. I reached out to the seller. I have a long list of potential buyers.

[Lee in Montreal]

Hi Michael
When I saw the ad, I was immediately thinking of you. This was your baby after all. And I see those iconic speaker systems as part of our collective audio history too. ;-)

[Lee in Montreal]

I checked the ad this morning. It has disappeared. Most likely already sold or reserved.