Review of RFC Reference Extrinsic XO for 15" Tannoy Monitor Speakers

[Wakefield Turntables]

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These pics have been nicked from a previous thread but they illustrate Paul's excellent work. This thread, over the next few days/weeks will hopefully chart the progress of how these xo peform in my valve system. I shall provide pictures of this system at a later date. OK, first thoughts. I initially plumbed these in and instantly heard a different noise from out of my old Lancaster cabinets. I'm at a disadvantage because of the small cabinet size and the huge 15" drivers, but hey-ho shit happens! The bass before the new xo was sluggish, it was bloated, and caused reverb in my humble listening. The bass is still improving on the xo as they still need a little running in. Paul has informed me that the xo take about 5 hours in burn in. I would disagree I would say that things are still improving. Presently I enjoying a very centralised presentation of Bernard Edwards bass playing from the Chic album Tres Chic. I have a day off tomorrow and it will be spent listening to lots of Jazz/Classical/Prog etc. More tomorrow....:)

[brian2957]

:popcorn:

[Wakefield Turntables]

OK, first thoughts about the XO's. This is yesterdays listening.

I was very sceptical (as always) about what to expect from these reference level external cross overs that I ordered from RFC. The final component selection
was ultimately made by Paul (owner of RFC), the communication was not lacking in any way shape or form. Paul would now be the proud owner of an Oscar for his
customer service if I could award him one. Aftercare was exemplary and a real lesson in how to handle your customers. The XO were supplied in a couple of wooden
boxes (at my request) which Paul varnished and French polished free of charge. I supplied the WBT binding posts, which when compared against the standard Tannoy
efforts are a considerable upgrade. Paul tried a few new things with this design including a new wiring layout which kept signal paths short and utilises a
star-earth (common earthing point). All wiring inside the XO is high quality ultra-pure OFC (UPOFC), point to point soldered with very high purity silver solder.

The recommended burn in period was 5 hours and I must admit that plumbing the XO straight into the Valve system I own left me a little disappointed to begin with.
The same old wallowing bass, a lack of clarity to some vocalists, a disjointed soundstage etc was still present. Fastforward 15 hours of usage and the XO are now
a completely different beast. I have tried playing heavy rock (deep purple) and complicated prog rock (Dream theater, ELP) through the Tannoy's and have quite often
been very disappointed much preferring them in my more analytical solid state ATC/Sugden/Technics 1210 system. So how would the new XO perform in the valve system
and how would they perform with prog and heavy metal? Read on....

15 hours of pretty continual usage burned the XO in nicely. I decided to cue my minty copy of Deep Purple Live in Japan and listen to side one. It's all you will
ever need if you want screaming power vocals, complex guitar solo's and hammond organ playing to match Bach. I can honestly say that my Tannoy's can now do rock!
Sometimes you buy a piece of kit and it puts a smile on your face, this is the RFC external XO. Richie Blackmore's guitar playing exhibited a fluidity and visceral
punch that I have never heard before with valves. Bass was solid, slab like, rythmical, constant, just slap bang in the middle of the soundstage. And, the banshee
that is Gillan was in my face shouting at me with anguish off the vinyl. Fantastic stuff. I've nver heard Deep Purple like this before. The second album to go
through the system today was Iron Maiden's Powerslave. Again, two songs that stick out are Powerslave and Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. I know these songs like the
back of my hand and always use them to gauge any new components entering my system. Again the RFC XO did not let the side down. My only complaint was that Bruce
Dickinson did sound a little "thin" then I realised that the soundstage of the vinyl had changed. Bruce was further back in the soundstage, the guitars had better
seperation and Steve 'Arris bass playing was a little more defined than normal. WOW! The final challenge for the big Tannoy's and the XO's was Dream Theater's song
Dark Eternal Night from the Systematic Chaos album. OMG! Mike Portney's double bass drums sounded massive in my modest listening room. John Petrucci's guitar
playing cut through the air like a cutting laser, fast, intricate, a note never missed. John Myung's bass was more tuneful than ever. The old wardrobes had a fleet
of foot that I had never previously heard before. So what can I conclude about heavy metal and prog now? Well, the Tannoys's can now mosh like the best of em and
become all intellectual and technical with complicated passages of music. This is pretty impressive to say that I only wanted to use the Tannoys for Jazz/Vocal/
Classical on the valve system.

I will be doing some more listening and commenting as i get time.

[Macca]

Sounds like the humidors are doing the business :)

One question - did they replace the original Lancaster crossovers or where the crossovers already updated from original?

[Wakefield Turntables]

They completely replaced the original Lancaster xo. The originals are sitting in situ still in the cabs. I think the tannoys would give more if I had bigger cabs, but space is a limiting factor :(

[jaym481]

How are they installed? It looks like the stock Tannoy 4-pin connector is on the external box, so how dod you get it into the speaker cabinet? I've been thinking about external XOs for my Tannoys, but haven't got round to it. The logistics of connecting usually involved lots of binding posts or Speakon connectors.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Speak to Paul at RFC components if your thinking of getting some.

[DSJR]

The smaller cabs may limit bass 'extension,' but the *quality* of the bass should be superb without an old limited-power crossover bottling it up and as you said, helping these to work brilliantly in a smaller room, as I believe Marco has with his big pair :eyebrows:

[Wakefield Turntables]

The smaller cabs may limit bass 'extension,' but the *quality* of the bass should be superb without an old limited-power crossover bottling it up and as you said, helping these to work brilliantly in a smaller room, as I believe Marco has with his big pair :eyebrows:

Spot on comment, can't disagree with anything.

[John]

Sounds like you in prog metal heaven Andy with the new x over. I totally get where you are pushing your system and glad you now getting the kind of resolution you need in order to give this type of music justice. Right now I am listening to Train of Thought and can feel Mikes druming pounding through my body

[Wakefield Turntables]

The limiting factor for me now is my listening room :( Its crammed with stuff at the moment. I would probably have gone down the route of some Fidelio's but my room is simply too small. I can't see another room upgrade now for another 3 years until I move to a bigger house. :eyebrows:

[John]

My room not very big and I get away with big speakers Its worth seeing Paul will allow a home demo For prog metal you need big speakers to do full justice to the scale and power

[Wakefield Turntables]

For prog metal you need big speakers to do full justice to the scale and power

Yep thats why I have the ATC's :eyebrows: