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Fulton FMI-80

47.150.203.194
Posted on January 11, 2017 at 15:46:48
docw
Audiophile

Posts: 8115
Location: So. California
Joined: July 23, 2004
Contributor
  Since: November 29, 2004
 Just curious, doing a survey anticipating using them again.

What is your associated equipment?

I have used a McIntosh MA 5100 and some of my separates in the past.

Room is modest sized, volume modest, sources will be CD, FM, may be bluetooth in the future and DVD.

 

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RE: Fulton FMI-80, posted on January 12, 2017 at 07:16:16
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Are you looking for inmates who own Fulton-FMI 80's. I don't think there are many. What did Fulton use?

Dave

 

RE: Fulton FMI-80, posted on January 12, 2017 at 09:27:58
BillH
Audiophile

Posts: 3913
Location: Baton Rouge
Joined: December 23, 1999
 My impression is that these are as rare as hens' teeth, or mint JBL Paragons for their original cost.

 

RE: Fulton FMI-80, posted on January 12, 2017 at 10:02:35
Salectric
Audiophile

Posts: 1358
Location: East Coast
Joined: February 23, 2003
 I have a pair of FMI-80's although they haven't been used for several years. They definitely like a tube amp and I have had very good results with vintage push-pull amps like a modified Dyna ST-70 or EICO HF-35.

I heard a story many years ago that Bob Fulton was visiting one of his dealers (Pro Musica) and was manning the store alone while the store employees went out to lunch. A customer stopped in and wanted to hear the Fulton J-Modulars but the only amp available was a stock Dyna 70. Fulton said he had no reservations about demonstrating the speakers with the Dyna, and the customer was so impressed he bought the speakers. So if the ST-70 is good enough for a J-Mod setup, I don't think it would be a bad choice for the FMI-80 alone.

 

My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 12, 2017 at 12:25:52
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005



I had a friend that worked at GM that had four of them running in his basement and this was in the mid 70s when I was in High School.I was lucky enough to get a pair used and they had bass cabinets with two woofers with one that fired down and the FMI-80s were in the middle and the RTR-6 electrostatic tweeters were on top.I managed to find another pair of RTR-6 tweeters later after I sold the Js and then I inherited a pair of FMI-80s later.
The FMI-80s are fantastic but Bob Fulton could set those up like nobody else could.When I sold the Fulton Js,I bought a pair of IMF TLS-80s. Talk about a step down,that was the dumbest thing I've ever done,up until that point.
Anyway,the FMI-80s do very well 6BQ5 PP amps or 7868 amps.I was running my Js with an original GAS Ampzilla that I built from a kit.I was driving that with a Dynaco Pat5. It sounded very good at the time.
Of course,most everyone was using a little south of the border herbal enhancement in those days so everything sounded good as I recall. LOL.
These were like my Fulton Js and you can see the FMI-80s in the middle.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

I use FMI-100's in my office system..., posted on January 12, 2017 at 12:44:16
midshipman
Audiophile

Posts: 45
Location: Chicago
Joined: February 4, 2007
 ...their sound is just so smooth and balanced in the midrange. I would love to find a decent pair of J-mods. Still one of the better speakers I have ever heard.

 

Beautiful!, posted on January 12, 2017 at 12:56:47
Salectric
Audiophile

Posts: 1358
Location: East Coast
Joined: February 23, 2003
 That photo really brings back memories. I would have given anything to have a pair of J-Mods but just didn't have the funds.

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 12, 2017 at 15:45:14
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Did you use the Fulton recommended "jumper cables" for speaker wire? He was one of the first to suggest that cables made a difference.

Dave

 

RE: Fulton FMI-80, posted on January 12, 2017 at 16:05:59
M3 lover
Audiophile

Posts: 6599
Location: SW Mich
Joined: May 29, 2005
Contributor
  Since: July 4, 2007
 Hi doc,

When Fultons were current we had a dealer in San Diego, Mission Bay Audio. That was owned by a psychiatrist/music lover who ardently followed Stereophile. He called J Gordon Holt almost weekly asking about latest recommendations. For those too young to know, Holt included the J System as a Class A speaker at that time.

The store offered two different electronics setups with the Fultons. Either ARC tubes with the high end or Harman Kardon with the modestly priced speakers like the 80s. Word had it at that time that Bob Fulton worked with HK on their 430 receiver to insure it matched well with the FMI 80s. There were at least two HK receiver models above that, I think both also offering the "twin power" of mono amps within the receiver chassis like the 430.

I helped a couple of friends put together systems built around the 430/FMI 80.

So I'm sure many current amps in the 25-50 watt range could work well, but an updated (fresh caps, tuner alignment) HK 430 in that suggested system might surprise many people. Good luck.

"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 12, 2017 at 20:07:29
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 In those days I used Monster cable.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 12, 2017 at 20:58:58
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4305
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 I used Fulton Golds(given to me by Bob when he was at Holt's in Pa) for years until I noticed they were turning green. Their biggest problem was the highs. But a friend showed me a trick that improved them noticeably.

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 12, 2017 at 21:00:45
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4305
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 I recall asking Bob at Chicago CES once what J stood for. It was junior. So I asked if there was an S for senior and he said he knew what he wanted to do but he never built it.

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 13, 2017 at 18:15:19
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 What was the trick?

Dave

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 13, 2017 at 18:16:09
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 As most of us did. There wasn't much choice.

Dave

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 13, 2017 at 20:36:07
hahax@verizon.net
Audiophile

Posts: 4305
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 22, 2006
 Wrap the cables in foam pipe insulation partly to minimize vibration affects. Then wrap the two cables together with ties. Then the positive signal goes down one set of cables. The negative down the other. The spacing caused by the insulation reduces inductance improving the top end(Fulton Gold had increasing inductance as frequency increased). Of course you need to use short lengths of other wire at each end to connect to the right and left on the amp and the speakers. That's not a bad idea with Fulton Golds in any format since it was so unwieldy and could be a pain to connect to amps or speakers any way.

Since the oxidation of my Fulton Golds I now use short speaker cables with my amp between the speakers and long interconnects from preamp to amp which is working quite well.

 

When I worked..., posted on January 13, 2017 at 21:19:03
Jim Treanor
Audiophile

Posts: 2167
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: June 1, 2003
 at San Jose's Garland Audio in the late 1970's, Bob Fulton walked in lugging a 28'-long pair of his Golds (not an easy task, given their bulk and weight).

"What do you have there, Bob?" grinned John Garland. "Suspension cables for the Golden Gate Bridge?"

Bob frowned. And then talked antenna theory as we bolted the lug ends into banana-plugs so we could attach the pain-to-maneuver cable to Maggie 1D's and an ARC D-150. We fired up the system, listened...and John didn't laugh at Bob anymore.

Jim

 

RE: Beautiful!, posted on January 13, 2017 at 22:13:07
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 I was fixing TVs back in the mid 70s when I was in 10th thru 12th grade. Back then,most people still had tube TVs.I would put a classified ad in the paper and charge six dollar service calls when the shops were getting 15 to 20 dollars.I would buy tubes wholesale and in those days,there was a 65% markup and more.I would buy 100 6GH8s for 99 cents each in the summer special in June. Each tube sold for 3.90 cents and the RCA CTC24 had six of them in it.Usually tho,you would be replacing four to five tubes in the RCA and Magnavox TVS. The 6LQ6,the 3A3,the 6CJ3,the 6BK4,and the 6FQ7.I was doing two to three a day at times and it was nothing to have 250 dollars profit in your pocket by the end of the day.That's how I bought all those goodies.It's also how I met my audio mentor. He was director of the maintenance dept of St MARY's hospital in Saginaw,but he also fixed TVS for people at the hospital and others.He got stuck on a TV that he couldn't fix, a Magnavox color flesh tone problem so he called me and he knew much more than I did then.I saw these Klipsch horns tho with EV drivers and he was powering them with a knight KB85 and a Dyna Pat 5.That consumed my interest much more than that TV.We finally figured out what was wrong with that set after 2 weeks of messing with stereo because I told him if we replace every component in the 3.58mc circuit,we would probably fix it.I started changing parts until we fixed it and it turned out to be a pair of 1N60 phasing diodes.Anyway,if it weren't for that Magnavox TV with the color flesh tone problem,,I probably wouldn't be in high end audio.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 18, 2017 at 21:45:40
the old school
Audiophile

Posts: 764
Location: marin county
Joined: April 9, 2011
 My reference speakers are Fulton Js that I bought new over 30 years ago. I am driving them with a Margules U280 SC amp and the sound is fantastic. I have heard only a few speakers that can match what the Fulton Js effortlessly do.

 

RE: My very first high end speaker system was the Fulton Js, posted on January 27, 2017 at 17:11:22
sheltie dave
Audiophile

Posts: 30
Location: MO
Joined: February 26, 2004

I drive mine either with a Harman Kardon 730, or a Citation II. They do sing quite nicely.


 

RE: Fulton FMI-80, posted on February 10, 2017 at 18:05:41
used-hifi
Audiophile

Posts: 1100
Location: Surprise AZ
Joined: March 18, 2003
 The 80's by themselves are a small "idea" of what the larger either J or premiere's can do

There are very few GOOD amplifiers that will play the speakers like i know that they can play one is the HK430 NOT the other harmon kardon units

IMO the speakers have no peer When done right(entire system) will play closest the the real thing.... it is a forever speaker, the trick will be to keep it playing like it does.

I own several sets of fulton speakers and lots of parts to keep my speakers playing correctly.

I also own a few sets of long gold's and several sets of fulton brown cables


Not many fulton Guys left I believe I am the youngest enthusiast


Lawrence

 

RE: Fulton FMI-80, posted on March 7, 2017 at 19:07:58
martyrl
Audiophile

Posts: 1
Location: N. Calif
Joined: March 7, 2017
 Hi - I'm looking for some nice FMI 80's. I have 2 nice pairs of FMI-100's and will trade one set. Marty

 

RE: Fulton FMI-80, posted on September 10, 2019 at 21:33:59
rhibbing
Audiophile

Posts: 4
Location: Minnesota
Joined: November 28, 2017
 Are you still looking for a pair of FMI-80's? I have a mint pair I got with an E modular woofer from a friend of Bob's.
Thanks
Rick

 

RE: I use FMI-100's in my office system..., posted on November 15, 2019 at 15:50:04
rhibbing
Audiophile

Posts: 4
Location: Minnesota
Joined: November 28, 2017
 I have a friend with a mint pair of J Modulars for sale in Minneapolis for $2900 and a good condition pair for $2300.
Thanks
Rick

 

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