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Speakers for Tony

On the upside, most of the designs Tony mentioned have a long and illustrious history, can be obtained S/H and are still supported. No major financial risks with either Quad or Tannoy, that's for sure. Given the need for valve friendliness and a desire to listen at lower volumes, ESLs of some sort have got to be worth a look. I swap back and forth between Tannoy Golds and ESL 63s and if it weren't for my occasional need for hardcore, the Golds might just get shown the door. Neither is perfect, both are excellent.
 
John said:
Can anyone tell me about Tannoy M1000's, there's a pair locally for sale for pick up only.

There's info here, but what driver is used in these, to me it looks like the older style found in the gold or red.
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I think they use the K3809 unit, so ceramic magnets rather than alnico and a slightly higher cone resonance than a gold (i.e. slightly less bass), but still a proper pepper pot horn - this is the next generation after the HPD. I've never heard any SRMs in an audiophile context, though one of the studios I used when in a band had a pair of 15" SRMs as the main monitors and they certainly sounded good there, if a little boomy (they were flown rather close to corners and I don't think ideally eg'd). I've possibly got a lead on a pair of SRM 15X so I'm toying with the idea myself - would be kind of amusing to have a pair of the same speakers that the records I made were recorded through! The only thing that puts me off is I heard Strummer's FSM, which are a bigger pair of this generation, and I found them rather harsh, though he does listen at about 85 times the volume I do and I don't think he had the amplification well sorted at the time I heard them. I heard Rob's little LGMs and liked them too. No bass to speak of, but they certainly had that nice open clear Tannoy sound. I think Andy 831's GRF Memories are this generation driver too, but with the foam surround (K3839s?) and I like them a lot.

Markus S said:
What I do find significant is that both his Tannoys and the ESL57 avoid a crossover in the region where the Harbeth Radial cone is crossed over to the tweeter, i.e. ca. 3 kHz. Tony seems to prefer speakers which do not cross over in the frequency region, where his ears seem unwilling to tolerate the problems that inevitably go with a crossover.
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I think this is a very significant point.

sideshowbob said:
It's a good place to be. 5 years on they're still unmolested, and even though I know I can improve them with a better cabinet, I don't really feel the need to. I have no audio angst at all any more.
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Do you still have a local Tannoy man? If so could you possibly have a peep through his window and see if he has a nice pair for sale?

Tony.
 
Tony,

Lancasters with Golds.

It worked before, it will work again.

Joe
 
Markus S said:
Falling at the first hurdle, I gather. Tony likes to listen quietly. The original reason for selling his Tannoys was that they needed a higher level to come alive than he liked.

Something that sounds good at very low levels is needed. This is what set Tony on the Harbeth road which has not worked out well in his room/system. The ESL57 would be closer. I think Tony has heard those, and liked them, but from previous posts they wouldn't suit his room layout for practical considerations, like getting at his records, so he decided against them (a difficult customer for sure).

What I do find significant is that both his Tannoys and the ESL57 avoid a crossover in the region where the Harbeth Radial cone is crossed over to the tweeter, i.e. ca. 3 kHz. Tony seems to prefer speakers which do not cross over in the frequency region, where his ears seem unwilling to tolerate the problems that inevitably go with a crossover.

So we need something with a crossover either significantly lower or higher.
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I had Honmanm's Harbeths at my house and can say that they are no less current hungry than my Sonus Fabers and the SFs sound great at low volumes and this is one of their main attractions to me. I often listen at very low volumes and the are one of the best speakers I have come across in this situation, and definitely much better than the Harbeths in this respect.
ESL57s are not good at low volumes IMO because their lack of bass makes them sound too thin until you turn them up.
I know you think I am an idiot, but I know my stuff and all the above is true whether people believe it or not'
PS. I use an Audio Research D125 valve amp to drive my SFs, but I have used a little Denon U-DM30 on them and they still sounded wonderful.
 
Speakers for Tony : sideshowbob Trio

5393491005_23147a81f3_z.jpg


liner artwork: Martin Clark

SIDESHOWBOB, piano; MARKUS S , bass; MARTIN CLARK, drums. Recorded ‘live’ at the Castleton Gabriles: Rochdale: January 27, 1961.


SIDE 1

1. Tannoy 15” Golds (4:56) (Dev-Sideshowbob-Petrik)
2. Electa (6:54) (Barrymidd)
3. ESL 57 (7:35) (Clark-johnfromnorwich)

SIDE 2

1. Valencia (7:11) (Spacey-Markus)
2. Triangle (5:02) (halvis)
3. Shahinians (6:37) (Eyebroughty)

Recorded using Sony C37 Tube Type microphone, customised Ampex 350 at 15 ips and a hand built tube mixing deck.

This is the first studio album from this version of the sideshowbob trio. This unit is one of the most satisfying of the last few years.

Tannoy 15” Golds was recorded by sideshowbob in 1956 on his first album We got them for a song and retains the full bodied room filling sound. Electa is one of those neglected ballads which sideshowbob revives from time to time. It represents quite a departure from the mainstream and is not part of the normal repertoire.

ESL 57 is a well known classic piece with crisp staccato attack, and the sharp accenting Martin Clark rim shots. A timeless piece played pretty straight here. Valencia is another new piece in the repertoire, with more subdued bass playing by Markus than in the opening track of side 1, but more than the last rack of that side. Triangle a totally new and unknown composition.

Finally, Shahinians is an unearthly surreal sound that seems to come from all around the listener.

This is a fascinating album in several respects. The variation in the themes demonstrate a number of possible forkings of the path which the trio could follow in the future. It essentially reflects the dilemma, trilemma or even polylemma that a man must combat in the face of multiple opportunities.

The cats were both hot and cool in Rochdale on this January night. A follow up engagement is expected.

- Ira Postlethwaite (Rochdale Observer)
 
joel said:
I've had my NS-1000s for four years. It's more a question of learning to live with the limitations of whatever it is you have than what those limitations actually are. If you see what I mean...
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Definately. I have only heard ns-1000 at dealers and in other peoples rooms. Quality speakers....... would do me fine . As long as the listening experience is quality I dont mind if it's different. Bring them all on....I can take it :D

Your statement sums up contentment.......in a way :)

Edit: Jonathan: never seen your post.....magic!
 
Markus
Don't worry, I am an idiot a lot of the time, but maybe not on this occasion on this topic.
PS. Peter 964RS has Avant Garde Duo horns and although the are amazingly sensitive, they also do not perform particularly well at low volumes. I think the sensitivity of a speaker system does not necessarily tell yo how well it is going to perform at low volumes, although intuitively you would guess there will be a correlation.
 
barrymidd said:
I had Honmanm's Harbeths at my house and can say that they are no less current hungry than my Sonus Fabers and the SFs sound great at low volumes and this is one of their main attractions to me. I often listen at very low volumes and the are one of the best speakers I have come across in this situation, and definitely much better than the Harbeths in this respect.
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I would have agreed with you a month ago but after a wholesale rearrangement of the living room the P3ESRs are now sounding balanced at relatively low volumes (just above conversation level). However I haven't tried really low volume levels (maybe a new bakeoff to try?) and I'd expect that the Fabers will do better as they have better bass extension.

Current demand of the P3ESRs is OK (although here my standard of comparison is 4-ohm Maggies and mini monitors) BUT they do have low sensitivity.

For a amp with high impedance output, the Sonus Fabers will probably be a much happier load because their crossovers are simple (?). If I was starting again I'd definitely put them on my short list.
 
Markus S said:
What I do find significant is that both his Tannoys and the ESL57 avoid a crossover in the region where the Harbeth Radial cone is crossed over to the tweeter, i.e. ca. 3 kHz. Tony seems to prefer speakers which do not cross over in the frequency region, where his ears seem unwilling to tolerate the problems that inevitably go with a crossover.

So we need something with a crossover either significantly lower or higher.
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And not too revealing for an old valve amp?

:eek:
 
Basil said:
And not too revealing for an old valve amp?

:eek:
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Oi! It's a fairly new valve amp! Not an especially cheap one these days either, the current UK price is just over £1800 based on a quick google. I didn't pay anything even approaching that though. I like it - I've compared it to quite a few amps at bake-offs etc and not found anything I'd pay good money to swap it out for yet.

Tony.
 
Sorry Tony, couldn't resist, I'm still slightly stunned that you sold them so quickly, the phrase "from my cold, dead hands" springs to mind at the thought of parting with mine.
 
joel said:
...but otherwise I'd take a pair of JBL LSR 6332. Maybe a little too real for audiophile tastes, and, of course, not toob friendly...
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joel, I'm making a move on a pair of LSR 6332s, so interested to know your thoughts. Ironically, I was considering trying them with valves. Is there something specific that makes that a no no?
 
Hang on, hang on...

Tony's Tannoys took a hike?
"Whole Harbeth mistake"?

Where have I been? Are there threads? Can someone point me to one so I can catch up?
 
kasperhauser said:
Where have I been? Are there threads? Can someone point me to one so I can catch up?
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Big Harbeth thread in the audio room here. To recap: Brainfart. Regret. Not yet resolved.

Basil said:
Sorry Tony, couldn't resist, I'm still slightly stunned that you sold them so quickly, the phrase "from my cold, dead hands" springs to mind at the thought of parting with mine.
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I haven't sold them yet - they are still set up in the other room and are very much available. Speakers are intensely personal things IMO, they are all flawed, characterful and to a large degree you've got to love them faults and all. It took a speaker as good as the HL5 to realise I simply prefer the particular asset / liability balance of the Tannoys. I can fully understand people making the exact opposite decision, and I have a feeling a majority of people would in that particular comparison.

Tony.

PS please feel free to bounce my for sale thread with a testimonial as to how good HL5s are!
 
Tony,

What particular trait appeals to you most with the Tannoy's that you had?

John
 
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