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Any Transmission Line fans out there?

P

Pamponi

Member
Hi folks

First post on here.

I’m a real fan of older transmission line speakers. Got a small collection now.
BIG 1970’s Atkinson SOTAs that have the crossovers professionally recapped & all internal wiring replaced with 79strand. They are huge and amazing! Incredibly efficient. You can barely touch the volume control.
6 drivers per cabinet.
All star driver line up KEF B139 mk2 & B110 Celestion/Coles tweeters.
bass is phenomenal!
These could fill a decent sized hall.

Currently taking a back seat to a pair of B&W DM2s. Not at all what you’d think a 70s speaker would sound like. Fast, punchy. Accurate.
Studio monitor.

My other keepers are a pair of early 90s TDL Studio 1s. Same guy from IMF designed them, before Richer Sounds bought the name.
The Studio range are completely different from the RTL range. True transmission line. Different drivers. Really special I think.
I’m on the look out for the Larger models in the TDL Studio range if anyone has any going spare?
 
I’m not an expert of transmission line speakers but I know one thing for sure : all the people I know that had some BW DM2 and sold them had some regrets doing it. If you want to get rid of them, think about it twice.........
I saw a pair on Fleabay that sold within a day, there must be a good reason for that.......
 
That’s everyone says about their DM2s:
“I wish I’d never sold them”
They are keepers for sure.

I’d love to keep the Atkinsons too but they are not small! It’s causing a bit of marital strife so I’m working up to selling them ☹️
 
The DM2 is a fantastic speaker and even better value for money. We have a pair on the floor in the bedroom, and even like that without much care for placement etc they are very satisfying. I did have them up for sale at one point but then thought better of it!

I also had a pair of TDL Monitors- huge things. They were very good indeed but I think I may actually prefer the DM2!
 
I had IMF mk3. & RSPM4 and thought they were bettered by TDL Studio 1 in upstairs room with floating floor & plasterboard walls. Was a different story downstairs in a bigger room with solid walls & floor. Would still be tempted by another pair of big IMFs though if they became available locally.
 
The box size required to make a transmission line work is commercially very difficult to realise. If done properly you end up with a speaker that’s going to require a very large room to integrate successfully.
Most often you’ll be better off with a sealed box.
 
david ellwood said:
The box size required to make a transmission line work is commercially very difficult to realise. If done properly you end up with a speaker that’s going to require a very large room to integrate successfully.
Most often you’ll be better off with a sealed box.
Click to expand...

Small well engineered (damped) infinite baffle
cabs, yes maybe. However the inherent rigidity of a TL box and the damping they require means a less boomy more controlled speaker.
Sealed cabinets are nearly always too small to drop as low as a TL in a controlled manor (in my experience).

I am hoping to get my hands on a set of IMF Exports and TLS80 mk2s soon so should be interesting to compare notes.

I will definitely have to sell a few pairs at this point however as the Mrs is already running @ 80% crazy
 
My TDL T-Line 3s are average floor stander height 940mm, but deeper than normal at 380mm to accommodate the line.
This is OK as they can go a bit closer to the wall than most reflex speakers. They are much heavier than you would expect due to the internal partitions.
The more common RTL-3 is much shallower, as they were a resistive reflex. The impedance curves are completely different.
 
davidsrsb said:
My TDL T-Line 3s are average floor stander height 940mm, but deeper than normal at 380mm to accommodate the line.
This is OK as they can go a bit closer to the wall than most reflex speakers. They are much heavier than you would expect due to the internal partitions.
The more common RTL-3 is much shallower, as they were a resistive reflex. The impedance curves are completely different.
Click to expand...


Would those be Studio 3’s??
Want!
 
No, the T-Line 3 was a rare series just before the death of the owner. After his death more conventional speakers came out just using the TDL name.
I notice a different tweeter and port shape, a very similar cabinet
 
I now own big vintage Tannoys but I'm a huge fan of good transmission line speakers!

I've owned B&W DM2, IMF RSPM IV and AOS Studio 100 XL ATC.

The RSPM IV and AOS Studio 100 were both really superb.

I'd love to have both a set of big Tannoys and a set of big IMFs but I sadly we don't have space and I think my wife would divorce me.
 
I've got an old pair of IMF Super Compact 2s which are amazing for a little vintage bookshelf. Worth a refurb when i retire.

At the other extreme are the PMC BB5is; perfect for classical organ and some electronica.
 
They do also have the Kef T27 tweeter. I have been using Atkinson SOTA's for 40 years and have never thought of replacing them. With each system upgrade they have delivered. I was fortunate enough to get the last pair of crossovers from Falcon Acoustics back in 2011 or thereabouts.

Yes, I am definitely a transmission line fan.

Colin
 
CB4 said:
They do also have the Kef T27 tweeter. I have been using Atkinson SOTA's for 40 years and have never thought of replacing them. With each system upgrade they have delivered. I was fortunate enough to get the last pair of crossovers from Falcon Acoustics back in 2011 or thereabouts.

Yes, I am definitely a transmission line fan.

Colin
Click to expand...
Colin...are the SOTA's difficult to drive??
 
Tonewheelkev,

No difficulty in driving them at all. When I got them I used a Quad 33/303 and that had no problems. Over the years I have had a number of different amps and whilst the amps have moved on, the SOTA's have remained. I have been using Naim CB135's for over 10 years and they are great. When I upgraded my NAC72 with the RSL cards (Ryan Sound Labs) the SOTA's showed me why I like them so much.

Colin.
 
Last edited:
I have IMF ALS 40 II's - daughter is using them.

IMF Super Compacts in the attic.

PMC DB1i's and FB1i's downstairs.
 
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