Fane 125114 in open backed cabinet

[thefatcyclist]

Hi,
Managed to obtain 2 Fane 125114's from 1980. I am going to put them into a 2x12 cabinet. Bearing in mind I am looking for Gilmourish sounds, I was wondering on opinions on open against closed back for these speakers, especially driven by a Biacrown 103. I happen to have a Line 6 vetta cabinet, which is very open, and thought I would mount them there first while I consider options. The company who shall not be named are selling off some 2x12 cabs with some unknown speakers in them, trying to get them down from £250. Can't seem to find a UK cab builder that can do me Hiwatt Styling.
I am sure the Fanes have been reconed, but the person who sold me them says they are original, sound great and have no cone rub, I am not bothered at £33 for the pair!
J

[mikhailwatt]

I am sure the Fanes have been reconed, but the person who sold me them says they are original, sound great and have no cone rub, I am not bothered at £33 for the pair!

The one original 125114 I have has a 276 cone (if memory serves). With the large magnets, I would think those would do all right in an open back.

[thefatcyclist]

hi,
I forgot to add, I was assuming these speakers are 75watts. A fair assumption if they were hiwatt purple labelled oem's and being way passed the time that DR realised that Hiwatts were trashing speakers. However these speakers are Fane labelled and I have read conflicting information elsewhere that says some of them may be 25w.
J

[Dr.HI-TONE]

they are almost certainly 50 watts

[thefatcyclist]

mmm that's not what I wanted to hear really.

So is this quote from elsewhere, from a couple of years back incorrect then?

You have 16 ohm Fanes. They all carry 1978 manufacture dates with two of them being made in the 15th week, one made in the 13th week and one made in the 17th week. The 125114 number refers to the Fane model number and I believe the 125 portion refers to speaker being rated at 75 watts. There appear to be 3 different variations of the Hiwatt labelled Fane speakers used during the Hylight era. The first was the cast magnesium framed ones from the late 60s to sometime in 1974. The second was the stamped aluminum frames (unpainted) with the Hiwatt label attached directly to the magnet (1974 to late 1975 or early 1976) and the third variation was the stamped aluminum (grey painted) frames with the Hiwatt label attached to a black plastic magnet cover (1976 and after). Your speakers are obviously examples of the third variant.

The 122 part of the Fane model number usually signifies a 50 watt rating. The other two numbers have the 125 prefix which, like your other speakers, signify a 75 watt rating. I do not know what the last 3 digits of the model number refer to. I have seen some 25 watt rated Hiwatt labelled Fanes that carried a 121xxx model number.

[Dr.HI-TONE]

that quote is not correct.

Fane # 122141 were the 22w. drivers loaded into SE4121 enclosures.

[thefatcyclist]

hi Thanks,
So the upshot is that if I want to use these speakers in a 2x12 I have to be really really carefull, or pull the outer tubes and use it as a 50watt. Do I have other options like parallel or series.
J

[mikhailwatt]

So the upshot is that if I want to use these speakers in a 2x12 I have to be really really carefull, or pull the outer tubes and use it as a 50watt. Do I have other options like parallel or series.

Parallel or series, the pair is still only rated for 100 watts.

Safest to pull two tubes or use an attenuator. My guess is you're approaching 100 watts with the channels dimed and the master volume around 3.5 - 4 (aka 10:00 - 10:30). Especially if you're goosing the front end with a boost.

I'd hate to find out the hard way that those voice coils actuallly started cooking when the MV was at 3.

[OldSchoolDave]

So the upshot is that if I want to use these speakers in a 2x12 I have to be really really carefull, or pull the outer tubes and use it as a 50watt.

Yep.

Do I have other options like parallel or series.

The wiring scheme doesn't alter the power handling capabilities.

Dave

[mhuss]

You could put them in series (for 32 ohms) which would decrease the power by mismatching the OT impedance, but I don't know that I'd suggest that for your Hiwatts health.

Another option is to add a 100 watt load (like a Weber Mass) to soak up some of the power, something like this:


--mark

[mikhailwatt]

The wiring scheme doesn't alter the power handling capabilities.

Oh, sure it can... bungle up the wiring just right and you might end up with only 50 watts power handling.

Not that I know that from experience.

[thefatcyclist]

Thanks again
.....or I could just wait, patiently and buy another 2 speakers and a 4x12 cabinet.. I wonder how much weight training classes are.
J