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TDL TRL2

I owned a pair of rtl 2s ages ago. I was bitten by tue upgrade bug and sold them to buy the latest what hifi award winners of a similar price. Big mistake. Not only was it a mistake to try and replace them with speakers of the same price but also speakers over £1000. I now own a naim based system and ive spent years trying to find speakers that sound like the basic (un modified) tdl2. I now own linn keilidh speakers with the upgraded tweeters endorsed by linn (from £6000 linn keltiks) and they still dont have the mid range capabilities of the rtl2s. Am seriously considering buying another pair but the voice coils would fry.
 
The rtl2s are without doubt the very best speakers ive ever owned. I wasnt too keen on the mk2 version. I just didnt like the look of them. The tweeter was biggeras i remember although i never heard them. Is it true that they actually sounded better than the mk1s?
 
Hi guys, I just bought some RTL4's on Ebay to replace my Studio 1's as you cant get parts for them any more, but I am really disappointed with them... I find the trebble literally shocking, like I am listening to a track I love and suddenly some harsh thing happens and shocks me out of my mood. And also most surprisingly since they are like twice the size of the Studio 1's, I find they are lacking in bass, I mean the room shakes and everything but they sound really 'thin'... The studio 1's could literally make the air thick with bass, even if they could only go half as loud... And generally I just feel the Studio 1's made music and these make noise.

I sure this means nothing, but if I tap the cones of the Studio 1's they make a rich bassy noise, where as the RTL 4s dont, and this seems to carry through to the entire listening experience if you know what I mean

So I was just wondering if any one here had any tips on things I can do to make the RTL4's sound like the Studio 1s but just go louder!

I know this thread isn't about RTL4's but its the closest I could find!
 
Not answering the latest question, in fact asking a further question based on what has been posted: what's the difference between the 'proper' transmission line Studio models & the RTL range? What is a reflex transmission line?
 
Suspect stuck tweeters on the RTLs. The 25mm used by the T-Line series has ferrofluid, that dries up. Once dry the tweeter still functions but loses low treble and boosts high treble with loads of distortion. The old fluid residue can be removed on the 25mm, not sure about the 19mm tweeter
 
Hi guys, I just bought some RTL4's on Ebay to replace my Studio 1's as you cant get parts for them any more, but I am really disappointed with them... I find the trebble literally shocking, like I am listening to a track I love and suddenly some harsh thing happens and shocks me out of my mood. And also most surprisingly since they are like twice the size of the Studio 1's, I find they are lacking in bass, I mean the room shakes and everything but they sound really 'thin'... The studio 1's could literally make the air thick with bass, even if they could only go half as loud... And generally I just feel the Studio 1's made music and these make noise.
...

Ten days ago I sold my Studio 0.5 to a man already owning RTL4.
In ALL areas 0.5 improved on RTL4 (excpt sensitivity ;) )

Bad move to replace Studio with RTL...
 
@paja yes that wouldn't surprise me, the problem for me with the Studio 1s is just that because of the single cone I am always blowing them trying to get the volume levels I want... The RTL 4's are better in that respect but like you say that is pretty much it...

I still have the Studio 1s and could replace the drivers (again) but I was rather hoping there was some improvements I could make to the RTL 4'S that might bring them up to the Studio 1s level... I guess what a really need is some Studio 3s but you just *never* see those...
 
@davidrsb that does sound like a possibility... i see earlier in the thread that people were using the Morel MDT30 but you that's pretty out of date... so what's the best option now, given I am looking to improve on the sweetness and smoothness of the originals rather than simply replace...
 
@paja yes that wouldn't surprise me, the problem for me with the Studio 1s is just that because of the single cone I am always blowing them trying to get the volume levels I want... The RTL 4's are better in that respect but like you say that is pretty much it...
...

Studio series is pretty insensitive, so very high levels can not be achieved.
Maybe you just need better/more powerful amplifier? What amp do you use?
 
Although I have never owned TDL speakers I read this thread with interest.

Years ago I swapped inductors in the tweeter section of my tri- amped home -designed and built speakers (inductors purchased from Michael Percy Audio- p.9 in his current catalogue). I got a very good immediate improvement. These inductors have been described as 'SOTA'. They are not inexpensive, but worth trying in very high quality speakers.
 
I have never come across RTL4s, but the 3 and especially the 2 were voiced with hot treble to compete against the 90s Missions which were popular then. One or two Ohms in series with the tweeter crossover fixes this
 
Studio series is pretty insensitive, so very high levels can not be achieved.
Maybe you just need better/more powerful amplifier? What amp do you use?

I had a few over the years, a 70w Technics, and a Huge Yamaha and most recently a NAD 3225PE (which actually seemed the best despite being the least powerful - but NAD are always funny about that, they always claim that their low power amps can do alot more than competing high powered amps, cos theirs are better...) But I think I was just pushing them too far to be honest, the cones would be moving to their maximum excursion but not distorting or anything... I have bought probably 5 or 6 replacement cones over the years. I thought I had found some in the US but they are not the right thing, so sadly there are no more drivers for these left :( There actually doesn't seem to be any 185mm drivers from any manufacturer anywhere that would work...
 
@davidrsb & @eguth you'll have to excuse my ignorance guys, but I literally know absolutely nothing about crossovers...not even how to access it, let alone tweak... I mean when you pull it out does it have buttons on it or something? How does one go about doing a 'One or two Ohms in series' or a 'swapped inductor'?
 
@davidrsb & @eguth you'll have to excuse my ignorance guys, but I literally know absolutely nothing about crossovers...not even how to access it, let alone tweak... I mean when you pull it out does it have buttons on it or something? How does one go about doing a 'One or two Ohms in series' or a 'swapped inductor'?

You use a soldering iron, and exchange or add components.

If you can't read a schematic and use a soldering iron, somebody will have to do the mods for you.
 
You use a soldering iron, and exchange or add components.

If you can't read a schematic and use a soldering iron, somebody will have to do the mods for you.
Well its not like I am thick, I just have never done this before, so I have no doubt I am physically capable of using a soldering iron, and I assume that reading a schematic is something I should be mentally capable of learning no? I mean do you need a degree in eletronics or something to be able to do it? I do have a a degree from one of the best universities in the UK and despite being more 'artistically minded' I have been able to teach myself things like C# and php (and make a living from it). So I'd have thought there is *some* hope of me having the mental capacity to be able to do this, if someone could point me in the direction of some resources that might teach me how...
 
The TDLs I have seen have the crossover on the back of the speaker terminal panel and easy to get at
Yep found it, it looks like a relatively simple one compared to other pics of crossovers on Google, two of what I think are inductors and what looks like a blue electrolytic capacitor...

I'll be getting my new amp on Monday, and then can have a proper fiddle... I was looking at this page on speaker analysis. http://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Tutorial/SpeakerResponseTesting/ would it be a good idea for me to try and do a rough analysis of my one working Studio 1 and my RTL 4s and try to work out exactly what the difference is that way?

Also apologies if I sounded aggressive or disrespectful in my last post, I only meant to say I am keen to learn if its possible to do so with out having any prior degree or anything...
 
First task is to check the drive units are good. The woofers can be tested by driving them with a 20Hz tone and looking for all moving, no rattles and no sign of surrounds cracked or glue cracked (another TDL problem). The easiest way with the tweeters is to remove them from the cabinet, disconnect and connect a 1.5V AA battery to them, both ways and watch the dome movement is even and similar both ways.
 


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