advertisement


Whats all that Tannoy fuzz about ?

P

per flemming

Registered User
Gentlemen

I have aquired two pair of Tannoy vintage speakers

Would you kindly help me suggest good matching gear/amp

I am about to try speakers with my current amplifiers:

Exposure 21/18s
Naim 160/hicap/?
Heed Obelisk
Creek 5350SE

No valves I'm afraid but with help from some friends I may be lucky to use some tubed amplication soon.
I have the feeling these speakers need a warmer, fuller more organic amp but I'm not happy to accept less Prat

TBH no really sensationel results so far
Easy preferring my Leema Zero just to mention one pair mini I use

The room is small square around 25-30m2 and the SRM12x was honestly the worst, bas performance not really there, too thin mids, the SRM10 slightly better but not really impressed - both speakers are ported !

Source is CDX/Rega Planet and P2/Elys plus a couple of fm-tuners (I know a better source is required - most likely in future LP12/Sondek/Ittok/Adikt and maybe CDSII)

Speakers:
Tannoy SRM12x
Tannoy SGM10

All advice appreciated

Help


similar looking:
85434241_4-tannoy-super-red-monitor-srm-10b.jpg


tannoy-super-red-monitor.jpg
 
Try some power resistors in series with the speaker cables.
Try, 1, 2 and 4 ohms and see how you get on.
The effect is to lessen electrical damping in the bass and slightly modify the response - as would happen with the majority of valve amplifiers.

Worth adding that neither has the type or quantity of bass you'd expect from the box and driver size.
Definitely quality over quantity with these.
 
I wonder if the crossovers need to be serviced after a certain amount of time.
 
Definitely quality over quantity with these.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rob, strange as the smaller SGM10 has a decent bas performance albeit some port slowness or dare I say "fullness"
The SRM12 not even decent though double size mainly some cabinet resonances here
none have the quality I'm looking for allthough the SGM10 have nice mids.

My amplifiers are certainly better on majority of other quality speakers
 
I have Eatons with HPD 10" drivers and get loads of bass response. Quality bass as well, so I don't know what the differences are between the Eaton and the SGM10? Mine were driven by my ARC D125 valve output amp, so maybe it is an amp thing.
 
Light paper drivers with stiff pleated (doped) paper surrounds The free air driver resonance is high and the cabinet is actually quite small for the driver.

I had LGMs which have the same driver and crossover as the SRM12 but in a large stand-Mount cabinet. So somewhere between those two models.

Crisp and articulate but bass light, and that's the main reason why they didn't stay.
The smaller Chester with its 10" plastic cone DC driver and rubber surround went a lot lower.
Heavier cone, more compliant surround and lower Fs.

Per, I've some plots taken to illustrate the effect of driving from a higher output impedance if you want them.
 
Another happy Eaton user here with plenty of bass for my small room, again I use valves.

Most of the old studios that used to use Tannoy's had Quad amps so they must be able to work with transistors.
 
rubber surround went a lot lower
Click to expand...

Rob, this might explain I prefer the bas performance from SGM10

I will definately try a tubed amp for these

Apart from the Leben 300 I have never heard a valve amp coming close to my above mentioned amplication on Prat - other qualities unmentioned (no I have not heard them all:) )
 
Are they vintage Tannoy? would have said more modern 3rd generation.

Cooky knows about that genre. He will tell you the bass is crap and you need 15 inchers........proper ones :D
 
lexi said:
Are they vintage Tannoy? would have said more modern 3rd generation.

Cooky knows about that genre. He will tell you the bass is crap and you need 15 inchers........proper ones :D
Click to expand...

I don't know which vintage maybe before 1974 if that matters ?

You seem to know a bit about generation, can you enlighten ?

I think bas crap is more about construction rather than your 15" inch statement
 
These were Tannoy's first proper purpose-built studio monitors, as such the priorities and feature-set differ somewhat from conventional domestic hi-fi kit. They were designed to be robust high-level monitors and therefore prioritise power handling and efficiency. They would likely be professionally EQ'd into a very dead sounding studio control room too, which can make them sound a little miid-forward in a typical living room. None of them, not even the monster SRM 15X dug down much below 50Hz, though they should still sound decent in a domestic environment if sympathetically installed. Done be afraid to drop the tweeter level control a notch or two, though I'd steer clear of the treble roll-off, that just removes top end. Also try them hard against a back wall. These are true monitors too so they won't be scared to let you know what's going on upstream, and that's both the recording and the kit.

Tony.
 
Yeah just joking about bass P.F.

Apart from the real early stuff The first generation are basically the Golds Reds etc. Alnico magnet and pleated surround that don't wear out. Then the HPD . Basically the same but with Tannoplas surround.

Then the move to what I referred to as 3rd gen with an array of hard rubber surrounds and some Ceramic mag and some Alnico types More open frames but still heavy cast. It is complicated as iirc 10"hpd had a rubber surround so there is some crossing over. Yours are just on the crossover from Hpd to the later I think.

I consider Tulip waveguide, Ceramic Magnet or the mdf cab to be a more modern Tannoy and all just as good as the older stuff......probably. These Tannoy are much closer to current Prestige range really.
 
Also try them hard against a back wall. These are true monitors too so they won't be scared to let you know what's going on upstream, and that's both the recording and the kit.
Click to expand...

I did Tony

No succes whatsoever
boomy honk boom

Now the SGM10 is around 1.5 foot out in room, medium loose bas, mids are interesting in some combinations which I'm about to point out

Lexi, thanks for clarification
 
I have Robert's LGM's and can confirm that they have naff all bass and are screamingly bright even with the controls turned right down.

I also have a pair of IIILZ, which are not quite so aggressive as the LGM's but are still not an easy listen.
 
Hi Dave,

They plot pretty evenly other than little low bass.
Can't say I found them bright. Might be the character of the top that offends perhaps.
 
They are just so wrong and completely different to any other speaker I can recall - certainly way brighter than any modern speaker I have in stock. I can tame them a bit with the controls or make them a bit more palatable with a 'vintage' amp but I am still unable to listen to them for more than a few minutes at a time.

The IIILZ isn't as bright and has a touch more bass even though the driver is a 10 inch against the LGM's 12 inches. Neither has adequate bass, especially for the size of cabinet and driver.

Modern Tannoy Prestige models are positively warm in balance to the two vintage Tannoys I have.

Some day, when I have time (?) I will experiment with a larger cabinet for the 12 inch drivers but until then, I will content myself by admiring the lovely paper cone DC drivers.
 
Try blocking the port and flat against the wall, then drop the energy to -2. This will tilt the balance a bit. That particular driver does need a larger box to get decent bass-even the FSM's with pleated 15" were too lean and blast furnace mids for my taste. My mate Fraser has built some larger cabs for his 12's and is happy with his.
 
Looking at the size of them and the size of the bass driver how can they have no bass and be shrill?
ps I am fascinated by the Tannoy legend
On Saturday I am going to listen to Tonys old ones.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top