Big Tannoys

Had a chance to hear the Westministers quite recently for a prolonged listen, they are good but very coloured, I suppse you could get used to that in time.

 

John,

If you have heard the Kensingtons and liked them that is the most important thing. As I said it may have been other factors which caused them to sound a bit bright when we heard them in an unfamiliar room and and with unfamiliar kit. Just go for the Sandringhams (I'd still listen to them first though).

The typical Tannoy sound as far as I can tell is a tad laid back, natural sounding with very good imaging, very well controlled bass and without any fatigue after prolonged listening.

 

Hi

I have a pair of GRF Memory speakers with a 15" HPD derived Dual Concentric Drivers. Just the best speakers I have heard at any price. I doubt if i will ever sell them, they are a completely unfatiging listen, plenty of controlled bass, mids and highs to die for. Just great speakers as long as you can accomodate the size of the cabinets

 

That's it in a nutshell; the first time I heard vintage Tannoys was a pair of 15" HPD's in Berkeley cabs driven by an A&R Cambridge A60 and a Thorens deck playing an old Santana lp D) and I heard detail that I'd never ever picked up on before - a subtle hammond organ in the background that sounded clear as a bell but almost like it was 100 ft away - amazing depth and scale but never in your face. That was it, hooked.

P.S. Found a pic of the M3000, but it doesn't have a square port. Looks like a big beastie though, probably 50% bigger than the Lancaster cabinets! Look at the bottom of this page:
http://www.hilberink.nl/codehans/tannoy76.htm

 

Large drivers in large cabinets have so many technical advantages it's silly to try and use anything else.

Most people just don't know what they are missing.

 

yes that's the one. i guess the owner was not very precise when describing it..... it's £1000 in original condition, walnut, drivers were not serviced (apparently there is no need because they don't use a similar foam as HPD series ...)

i'm slightly put off with 92dB only sensitivity, i'd love a bit more, for some nice flea amp

???

 

Found a retro-review of various old Tannoys in HiFi World from 1998 (I think). On the Lancatser.

Haden Boardman writes

"LANCASTER ....Takes both 12in. and 15in. units, 95% Golds. 12in. is a reflex enclosure, 15in. an infinite baffle. Good sound, but the poorest of the lot, and the most common! 15in. rectangular sounds very compressed, with one-note bass; prefers small rooms with a 12in....... Cabinets are worthless really - these prices are mostly for the units themselves."

I appreciate that most HiFi journalism is garbage, but usually it errs on the side of saying everything being advertised is great. However, the 'one note bass' comment seems pretty scathing for a box that goes for 1-1.5K these days. Anyone like to comment or do I just file this under 'bin'. Still prevaricating.

 

Bollox. IMO of course.

 

I think that a lot of people agree that Lancaster cabinets can be improved upon, but I never really suffered from a one-note bass with my 12"-ers. They look cuddly though, don't they . My main complaint with them was that they're a bit too short so the driver position was a bit too low.

I wish the prices from that article were still right, I'd love a pair of Canterburys for £500!

 

When I bought my 15" Monitor Red Lancasters, I did it for the drivers, since I fully expected the cabinet to be rubbish, partly because of what Haden Boardman had said. Turns out, horn-loaded cabinets are better, but Lancasters are still great speakers, far better than almost anything else you will find for the money. Haden Boardman is not the worst hifi journo by any means, but he's exaggerating a lot in that article. Plus, in the flesh, Lancasters even look pretty nice, if they're in decent condition.

-- Ian

 

I've heard Ian's Lancasters and fully agree - excellent speakers. If I didn't have records shelved floor to ceiling exactly where they'd want to stand I'd have a pair myself.

Tony.

 

I'm getting really tempted. So now for some really dumb questions:

I'm running a 6550 based power amp (~45W Class A, aledgedly). Is this 'safe' or maybe a but too much - I know some people use flea power with these vintage Tannoys

Any thoughts on 12" vs 15" Golds? I'm naturally drawn towards 15" just because of experience with Deitz bass cabs (a physical experience).

I've had a good look at various pictures of Lancaster cabs but I cant seem to see any binding terminals on the back. Do they take regular connections / banana plugs or am I looking at some sort of obsolete plug design or hardwiring?

 

That'll be fine. I use mine with a 50wpc solid state amp.

I'd go for the 15", unless you're talking about 12" in a Canterbury cabinet (one of the great Tannoy designs), but Canterburys are expensive because they're so good.

Mine have screw terminals so I use bare wire connections, but there are plenty of people who will fit regular terminals if you don't fancy DIY. If you ring the Big Ears Audio guy he will be helpful.

-- Ian

 

yeah go for 15"

that means if you ever fancy the effort/size, you can stuff em in GRF cabs for example.

I think the Lancasters make a great noise from an attractive and not too large cabinet.

 

Well I did it. I have just purchased 1 pair of extremely well preserved Tannoy Lancaster's, fitted with 15" Golds. Porn will follow just as soon as they arrive!

 

Well done that man.:respect:

 

If you don't like them it was nothing to do with me

Excellent choice, look forward to reading your impressions of them.

-- Ian

 

hope you enjoy them.

i am saving up for a big pair of the tannoy studio monitors.

do let us now how they work with your gear.

regards

darryl.

 

Yes seconded, if you don't like them I'd like to point out that I did say that they were nothing like the Kensingtons that you liked.

Seriously though, hope you enjoy them.

 

Fine choice JFN