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Thread: Grf-r's or lockwood majors? (diy)

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jun 2010

    Location: S .Herts, UK

    Posts: 47
    I'm Adrian.

    Default Grf-r's or lockwood majors? (diy)

    Hi Yer

    Adrian here.Still in process of moving............Hi Fi temporarily on hold BUT..................

    having not got anywhere with finding DIY plans or old empty pair of Lockwood Majors I have been reading SpeedySteve's great write up of the buiding and playback sound of his GRF=R's again.

    What did put me off a bit ,as I was very keen to build a set of GRF's at one time,was a review of DIY GRF's some informed person had built(can't remember where I saw it now) and they dismissed what they had built as having '' the usual back loaded horn problems''.

    Steve thought they were great.Got a bit confused at that point.

    That's when I got into the Lockwood Majors idea,again.

    Have you got any thoughts on this ? Way forward ?


    REGARDS
    ADRIAN

    ps I have my newly reconed hpd 15'' 8 bolt -hole alnicos ( to prestige spec.) by Lockwood.

  2. #2
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    GRF spec cabinets may well sell on easily in years to come, but who outside of immediate "fandom" has heard of Lockwood Majors, excellent as the revamped boxes actually are?

    T'would be interesting to see what Marco thinks
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  3. #3
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: London

    Posts: 28
    I'm Gareth.

    Wink

    Take the negative comments about the GRF-R design with a (large) pinch of salt.
    From my own experience and talking with other owners, we could only conclude that there was some flaw in his methodology/construction.
    Or a room interaction..
    Or maybe an ear/brain interface fault!!
    (Kidding, his own build looked very cool indeed.)
    They are easily the best speakers I've owned-effortless musical enjoyment.
    Corner units or even Jensen Imperials would probably give even better performance but no room or approval from the Mrs, so till we move to the country..
    I love them.
    Adrian-have we spoken via email before?
    If so, get in touch, I've been really busy with family life recently.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Hi 'RC',

    Could you please add your real first name to your profile? This is now required of all members - ta!

    I'll get to this thread in detail later.

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: London

    Posts: 28
    I'm Gareth.

    Default

    No worries, added.

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK

    Posts: 110,012
    I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.

    Default

    Cheers, Gareth!

    Marco.
    Main System

    Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & reg mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat/Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight/Isonoe feet & boots/Ortofon RS-212D/Denon DL-103GL in Denon PCL-300 headshell with Funk Firm Houdini/Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.

    Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp/Denon AU-310 SUT.

    Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.

    CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.

    Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new, by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.

    Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. LDR Stereo Coffee. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.

    Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.

    Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.

    Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.


    Protect your HUMAN RIGHTS and REFUSE ANY *MANDATORY* VACCINE FOR COVID-19!

    Also **SAY NO** to unjust 'vaccine passports' or certificates, which are totally incompatible with a FREE society!!!


  7. #7
    Join Date: Sep 2010

    Location: Budapest, Hungary

    Posts: 311

    Default

    Aren't thw GRFs much bigger than the Majors?
    I was also thinking of building a bigger cabinet for my Golds (currently they are in a Lancaster cabinet) and would love to build the Majors but unfortunately I could not find any construction plan for them.
    I am very curious if the GRFs or the Majors sound better.
    Any opinion?
    László from Budapest :-)

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jun 2010

    Location: S .Herts, UK

    Posts: 47
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    Hi Gareth

    Thanks for the encouraging reply. Don't THINK we have been in touch by e mail before but e mail me anytime.

    I would like to build a set of GRF-R's as ,for once I wouldn't be outside the loop with a project.You can get info ,and refer back and talk to other owners/builders.
    I 've never had a set of back loaded horns.
    I have been involved with other sound stuff that I have constructed , built ,put together etc.,and been really isolated.All worked out though, but takes a lot longer.Don't want that again.

    Hope you don't think I'm being a pain but could you give me a bit more on the GRF-R's,bottom end ,how they perform etc.Overall sound compared to bass reflex,as I can see you really know these cabs.I am genuinely interested. I do like the concept of the grf's not distorting and 'going' with the power as the volume increases.It would also be a very nice project to actually build something that is a bit different to the norm.
    I wonder why ,they weren't favoured as studio monitors?

    I rememeber being blasted by a set of Lockwood Majors in a London studio we once recorded in.

    Look forward to a bit more 'discuss' on Tannoy GRF-R's.
    Vencel,The GRF-R's are a similar size to the Lockwoods.

    Moving very soon now,will have all the facilities for hi fi...... DE T A T C H E D ......My lifes ambition.

    See you all,and thanks

    REGARDS

    ADRIAN

  9. #9
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: London

    Posts: 28
    I'm Gareth.

    Default

    Laszlo-I don't think i've heard a pair of Majors and certainly not ones that have been 'worked on' like Marcos' so couldn't really comment.
    I'd imagine there'd be more similarities than differences though wouldn't there?
    Size-wise, mine measure 61x106x42cm deep.
    I've added a couple of pics, one with the fireplace to try and give a sense of scale.
    Adrian-sorry if I'm muddling you with someone else.
    Very difficult to answer your questions meaningfully as we probably have very different sets of references.
    But anyway, the bass is fast, detailed and perfectly adequate for my medium sized living room. Goes down to low 30's I should think, though I haven't borrowed gear to measure them specifically.
    I haven't cared much for the kind of bass that other ported enclosures I've owned presented-a bit sluggish and 'chuffy'. These don't share that quality.
    I listen to a lot of different music and I'm quite happy how these speakers present the recordings, whether it's classical chamber, rock, disco or electronic.
    Get in touch if you want to ask anything.
    PS Sorry the pics are a bit big!




  10. #10
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: London

    Posts: 28
    I'm Gareth.

    Default

    Ps Just been listening to Invisible Limits by Tangerine Dream on Stratosfear, which is an album I first owned around thirty years ago and know very well.
    There is a crescendo leading to a clanging bell-sounded bloody awesome with the amp turned up!
    Fantastic tone, detail and imaging to both acoustic and electric guitars, piano and the Moog sequence lines that follow.
    As good as I've ever heard it and gave me a 'hairs standing up on the neck' moment.
    (Original issue cd used)

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