Cambridge Audio R40-2 speakers: Observations & specifications

[Neil McCauley]

Shortly after starting Subjective Audio in 1976 I came across my first pair of Cambridge audio speakers. A not unhappy experience. I made some notes at the time. Thus what follows here is a combination of facts (manufacturer’s specifications) plus my subjective impressions derived from deciphering my notes. And after that, memories of the experiences.

Specifications:

Dimensions: 31” (h) x 13” (w) x 13” (d0
Weight: circa 52 lbs
Type: transmission Line
Drive units: 13” x 9” (EMI) bass + 5” midrange + 2” tweeter (make unknown to me)
Crossover points: 400Hz and 3kHz
Impedance: 8 ohms
Finish. Teak, Walnut, Rosewood and special order white
RRP in 1976: £185 inc vat


Continues via this link > http://not-boring-honestly.blogspot.com/2011/05/all-you-might-want-and-need-to-know.html

[jandl100]

Ah - I recall the first Cambridge speakers in that line ... with plastic vertical slat grilles. (The later cloth fronted versions were a travesty, imho).

A mate of mine had the original R50 - a big transmission line that could really pump it out. IIRC they were criticised at the time for having a "car audio" midrange driver? Sounded damn good to me, though. But I was young and impressionable then. :)

[spendorman]

Ah - I recall the first Cambridge speakers in that line ... with plastic vertical slat grilles. (The later cloth fronted versions were a travesty, imho).

A mate of mine had the original R50 - a big transmission line that could really pump it out. IIRC they were criticised at the time for having a "car audio" midrange driver? Sounded damn good to me, though. But I was young and impressionable then. :)

R50 had a KEF B110 as a midrange unit, hardly a "car audio" unit.

[jandl100]

Aha! - OK - so that's why they sounded pretty decent then. :)

I recall that my R50 owning friend loved Kraftwerk's Autobahn - it sounded great on his system!

[spendorman]

Aha! - OK - so that's why they sounded pretty decent then. :)

I recall that my R50 owning friend loved Kraftwerk's Autobahn - it sounded great on his system!


I suppose that one might call the R50 a better sorted KEF Concerto, B139, B110, T27 + Coles 4001.