THOMO Posted July 16, 2020 Posted July 16, 2020 They sound fantastic with my Bakoon amplifier.That has really lifted their performance to another level.It seems the Bakoon must have the ideal electrical traits of current drive and just the right output impedance and damping factor to get the bass and frequency response just right.My bass player mate came for a listen and commented on how good the bass on Tin Pan Alley sounded.Just how a Fender P Bass should sound. I know a lot of valve amp users will struggle to believe that a SS amp can sound so good with the Tannoys but the Bakoons are very unusual SS amps and operate more like a SET electrically and seem to share a lot of the clarity and purity you get from a really good SET.They do not have quite the same tonal qualities perhaps but they somehow seem to have the essence of a good SET. 1
Cecil B Posted July 20, 2020 Posted July 20, 2020 Hi Tannoy owners, Looking for some feedback on using SS amps for driving a set of MG15's. Previous owner was using a Luxman SQ507X which unfortunately he let go cheaply to another mate before offering the MG15's for sale. From what I can read, tubes seem the way most people go. Would like to hear from those of you who have played around with the SS amps paired with the MG15's. Have also come across a piece testing vintage mid 60's to late 70's SS amps with the MG15's with some surprisingly good matches.......same era amps as speakers maybe? Just can't come at $5K+ for a good tube amp that may or may not be better than the vintage SS amp. Input/thought appreciated. Cheers, John.
Johndal Posted July 21, 2020 Posted July 21, 2020 I have had a disaster at home when a water pipe burst in the middle of the night. Most of my Hi Fi and HT gear is damaged by water and we are in temporary digs while repairs are underway. Among the items that survived are a pair of Tannoy 15 inch coaxial speakers from the 1960s in the original folded horn enclosure made by the original owner. Where I am living now the room is too small to do them justice and I am going deaf so cannot hear how good they can be. I had them reconed in the 1980s and a quick look they seem as good as new. I am retired and cash is in short supply. I am thinking that it would be good if, when things are being reinstalled, 6 to 8 weeks they say, I update items that are not replaced by insurance. Looking around the web, in the USA in particular, these speakers are in some demand and quite valuable. It seems possible that if I can sell the Tannoys I could replace them with less imposing speakers, both is size and audio quality, adequate for my present hearing and have some cash for updating some gear. I used to be a keen follower of hifi trends but age and circumstances have caused me to lose touch. I am way behind the times. My question is - can somebody aware of the current hi fi scene give me some info regarding the possible sale of these speakers. I am a babe in the woods here. Is there a market for them locally? Would the classifieds here be a good place to start. I don't want to give them away, but I am not greedy. Any comment about possible value would be very helpful. Thanks in advance. John
THOMO Posted July 21, 2020 Posted July 21, 2020 (edited) Firstly you need to determine what model the drivers are.That information should be on the back of the drivers.They might be Monitor Reds,Monitor Golds or HPD 385s .The older the model the more they are worth.They also should have original crossover networks.As an indicator the Golds are worth around $2500 -$3500 if they are in good working and cosmetic condition.The Reds perhaps two or three times that much.The cabinets may not add much to those values unless they are well built and a proper Tannoy design. Edited July 21, 2020 by THOMO 2 1
Johndal Posted July 22, 2020 Posted July 22, 2020 Thanks Thomo, That is the sort of info I need. I was at the house today and took one driver out of the enclosure, these are Monitor Gold. I bought them s/h around 1970 and I think they were about 10 years old at the time. They are 16 ohm voice coil impedance. The cabinet was made by / for the original owner to the DIY plans provided by Tannoy, I once had a copy. They are robust rather than pretty IMHO and finished oiled teak which was fashionable at the time. The cloth is a dark brown. The enclosures are not damaged but a new dose of oil or polish would improve the finish after 60+ years. I suspect that the capacitors in the crossover are near EOL and before the flood I was talking to the friend of a friend who is an electronic tech and audio / HT enthusiast about possible replacement. He is a genius at finding rare parts. I took some pictures while I was there - a bit tricky as light and power are off. I shall ponder upon the next move.
THOMO Posted July 23, 2020 Posted July 23, 2020 (edited) Perhaps if you search google images for Tannoy you might be able to work out which cabinet design they are.Most likely would be GRF Rectangle but they might be one of the larger, more complex and much more desirable folded horn designs like the Westminster.The 16 ohm voice coil sounds a bit unusual.The Reds were 16 ohm but pretty sure 8 ohms was standard on the Golds.Although perhaps there was a 16 ohm version used in the folded horns? Also if they were ten years old in 1970 they would be more likely to be Reds.The Golds came out in 1967. Edited July 23, 2020 by THOMO 2 1
Johndal Posted July 24, 2020 Posted July 24, 2020 Hi Thomo, Thanks for the info. I had to go to the house Wednesday and opened one. It is definitely a Monitor Gold. The enclosure is a folded horn which I am sure was built to the Tannoy DIY design of the day. I once had a copy of the plans but these enclosures were built by or for the original owner. I cannot remember exactly when I bought them, but we were living in Viewbank at the time so it is 1971 or later. Our eldest born in 1968 was still a preschooler so it could not be long after 1971. In the 1980s the foam surround was deteriorating. Enquiries led me to a small business in Glen Waverley who were Tannoy service agents at the time. I can't remember why I have always believed they are 16 ohm, probably what I was told by the original owner. I don't think it is marked anywhere. I took some photos and will attach. Some one tells me that the cones are not from the gold series. That may confuse things a bit. John 1
Willmax Posted July 24, 2020 Posted July 24, 2020 (edited) On 20/07/2020 at 4:36 PM, Cecil B said: Hi Tannoy owners, Looking for some feedback on using SS amps for driving a set of MG15's. Previous owner was using a Luxman SQ507X which unfortunately he let go cheaply to another mate before offering the MG15's for sale. From what I can read, tubes seem the way most people go. Would like to hear from those of you who have played around with the SS amps paired with the MG15's. Have also come across a piece testing vintage mid 60's to late 70's SS amps with the MG15's with some surprisingly good matches.......same era amps as speakers maybe? Just can't come at $5K+ for a good tube amp that may or may not be better than the vintage SS amp. Input/thought appreciated. Cheers, John. Hi John, I don't have first hand experience with MG15 drivers myself, so probably it won't be of much help but, In my experience with HPD385, HPD315 and DU386 drivers, when it comes to SS amps, they seem to benefit from high power/current ones, particularly around 150 watts and over. Kenwood L-1000M and Yamaha M-2 amps come to mind. Hopefully someone with MG15 will chime in. Edited July 25, 2020 by Willmax
LX_4_MAN Posted July 24, 2020 Posted July 24, 2020 Just ro clear up the numbers on the label , lsu/hf is dual concentric , 15/8 =15 inch 8 ohms , cones are hpd385 as you can tell by texture , foam edge and angled join at the suspension, the only thing separating the monitor gold driver from the hpd's are the cones , effectively these are now hpd385's Regards Alex 1 1
Johndal Posted July 24, 2020 Posted July 24, 2020 OK, thanks for the clarification. I'll just have to see what happens. Regards, John.
THOMO Posted July 24, 2020 Posted July 24, 2020 They look like GRF Rectangle cabinets.Back loaded "J Bin" type rather than a complex folded horn. If the cones have inverted V shaped ribs on the inside they are most likely HPD .
Johndal Posted July 24, 2020 Posted July 24, 2020 I assume that the recone people used cones current at the time - probably no stocks of some earlier types. as for the enclosures, I would have no idea. When the driver is removed there is another panel close to its rear with a hole for the magnet assembly to pass through. A long time ago I put my arm through the hole and felt a further panel at an angle. My memory is vague. The photo shows what you see at the bottom, again an angled panel. J Bins are beyond my poor knowledge.
Johndal Posted July 24, 2020 Posted July 24, 2020 I have been searching the web for info on enclosures and found detailed info on the GRF Tannoy enclosures. I agree that this info agrees perfectly with what I can see and feel. Thanks for the hint. I shall probably stand back now until we have settled with the insurance company, but I still think it is best to sell to someone who can enjoy them to the full. John Quote
Cecil B Posted July 25, 2020 Posted July 25, 2020 On 24/07/2020 at 12:00 PM, Willmax said: Hi John, I don't have first hand experience with MG15 drivers myself, so probably it won't be of much help but, In my experience with HPD385, HPD315 and DU386 drivers, when it comes to SS amps, they seem to benefit from high power/current ones, particularly around 150 watts and over. Kenwood L-1000M and Yamaha M-2 amps come to mind. Hopefully someone with MG15 can chime in. Thanks Willmax for input, have been researching amps from similar era (1967- mid 70's) and have found some surprising results for compatibility with the MG15's Will keep digging...........cheers, John. 1
Cecil B Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 OK, finally have some pics of Tannoys I have been offered......was told they were MG15's but from pics attached looks like either Reds or HPD385's, appreciate thoughts?? Cheers, John.
LX_4_MAN Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 There hpd385's ! Without a doubt ! Great drivers amd well worth it if you get them for a decent price, with the diy cabs the money is on the drivers
LX_4_MAN Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 Early 385's too with the 8 hole leftover monitor gold frames , I've found these to have better drillings or at least more consistently good drillings of the peperpot waveguide which is a plus , allot of people call them monitor golds because they get confused by the gold frame , there in the same family of coarse but golds and reds have paper suspensions and grayish frames , a well cared for set of hpd's are great things 1
Cecil B Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 58 minutes ago, Lx4man said: Early 385's too with the 8 hole leftover monitor gold frames , I've found these to have better drillings or at least more consistently good drillings of the peperpot waveguide which is a plus , allot of people call them monitor golds because they get confused by the gold frame , there in the same family of coarse but golds and reds have paper suspensions and grayish frames , a well cared for set of hpd's are great things 1 hour ago, Lx4man said: There hpd385's ! Without a doubt ! Great drivers amd well worth it if you get them for a decent price, with the diy cabs the money is on the drivers Cheers Alex for Id, the 8 hole fixing pattern was confusing me at first as pics clearly show a foam surround. Also the crossovers were different from MG's. So similar value to MG's if in good nick?
LX_4_MAN Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 (edited) Yes a different crossover which you can tell by that panel, the monitor golds had a beige crossover box , Hpd's are the bargain drivers in that sense , in factory arden and Berkeley cabs they command decent money but are still a bargain in comparison to what you can buy new for that money .....raw hpd385 drivers id say 2k for a lovely set compared to 3k for golds Edited August 3, 2020 by Lx4man Spelling
LX_4_MAN Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 In saying that i think it has always been the fear of the foam edge that kept the hpd's a bargain price wise and i think seeing its not a real big issue if genuine surrounds are used , the prices are definitely rising on these drivers in the same fashion as the monitor golds , the equivalent type of tannoy drivers now (alnico with the pepperpot wave guide) are exclusive to the top end
Cecil B Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 A few more pics arrived.......... What's the diff between 385 and 385a? Cheers.
LX_4_MAN Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 The hpd385a's are normally the later 4 hole drivers but id say the crossovers are later than these hpd385's , these would of had the earlier type of switches , they still work together fine
LX_4_MAN Posted August 3, 2020 Posted August 3, 2020 Bit of a mix of parts their but will all work fine , would be worth investing in re-doing the cabs at some stage though , these are the crossovers that go with the early 385's
LX_4_MAN Posted August 8, 2020 Posted August 8, 2020 Its sunday again ! Here's the key to the tannoy temple , Lets drink from the tannoy cup and post some pics 2
Willmax Posted August 9, 2020 Posted August 9, 2020 9 minutes ago, Lx4man said: Its sunday again ! Here's the key to the tannoy temple , Lets drink from the tannoy cup and post some pics Good idea @Lx4man Which amp/Tannoy combination is it going to be for you today?
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