FS: IMF TLS50 MK1 Transmission Line Speakers

[Geoff101]

Forget your little, modern toy stand mounts, these are proper speakers. Huge depth (down as low as 23Hz I believe) - particularly impressive with orchestral, organ music etc but equally happy stomping along with Rock or gentle vocal stuff. Lovely mids and detail without being shouty.

Sadly, forced into the corners of the narrow end of my room as my speakers are, these are not happy. They sound lovely pulled out a bit but apparently stopping you opening the living room door constitutes being 'in the way'. Seemed OK to me.

Anyway, as you might have seen from my other threads, these came to me with duff tweeters and the wrong mids. They now have a brand new pair of Audax 12x8 tweeters supplied by Falcon Acoustics who also happened to have a pair of the correct EMI mids. These were used but tested by Jerry for me before sale.
These mids were doped for these speakers by IMF hence looking a little 'sticky' on the pictures. These EMI units were only used on the Mk1 but have the advantage of a rubber surround so no rotten foam issues like you get on the Mk2s with Elac mids.
All drivers now correct and working.
Before you ask, yes - the mids are supposed to overlap the B200. Looks odd, but that's the way they were made.

So these are a four way transmission line design made up from a Coles 4001 handling the very top frequencies, an Audax HD 12x8 tweeter, EMI mid and the ubiquitous Kef B200 handling the bottom end.
The foam linings appear to be in very good condition and not perished as can be an issue on these. The mid is mounted in a sealed cardboard tube to isolate it from the bass unit. This is still solid and sealed.

I haven't touched the crossover but from the way Jerry described the standard one, it's possible someone has in the past as it appeared to my untrained eye to have some poly caps in place of the original electrolytics. Could be original though. I have given the presence control switches a squirt of cleaner from the inside so they work nicely without crackle.
This pair appears unusual in having a separate mid and treble control rather than the single switch I've seen on most others.

Cosmetically not bad. I'd given the cabinets a quick tart up but there are some light scratches with the side panel of one speaker being the worst (last picture). There are a few chips in the veneer here and there. They have some signs of their age therefore but still look very respectable. Both original grilles supplied.

The last pair sold quickly on here for £275. Given the new tweeters on these, I'd like to try them at

£300 collected from Bicester (M40, J9).

Clearly couriers are out of the question on these.
Any questions, give me a shout.

Pictures:

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_1.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_2.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_3.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_4.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_5.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_6.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_7.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_8.JPG

http://www.g32.co.uk/images/TLS50_9.JPG

[walpurgis]

Lovely. IMFs are great. Those look in fine condition. Wish I had room for them. Especially at that price. :)

[Geoff101]

You can always tempt me with a swap to make room!

[DSJR]

I can't, otherwise I'd be severely tempted...

The mid drivers in these are superb, as similar are used in my mk1 Compacts, which have now ousted the LS5/9 as speaker of choice in my workroom. Very clear and 'open mouthed.' Future owners should run these with the mid control turned to '+' in my opinion...

[Macca]

Shame they are so far away, this is a speaker I have always wanted to try. Would really suit my room too.

[Geoff101]

I get as far as Stoke fairly regularly if that helps?

[Macca]

Yes it does :)

Cash on delivery?

[Geoff101]

I'll drop you a PM.

[Macca]

Got your PM bit not sure if my reply went through, internet seemed a bit dodgy. Let me know if you didn't get it.

[Geoff101]

Yes thanks - just replied.

[Geoff101]

Now SOLD - STP. Thanks

[Macca]

Should sort out my lack of deep bass....

[walpurgis]

Should sort out my lack of deep bass....

Nice one Martin. They are just going to sound SO different to the Akai's.

[Idlewithnodrive]

Should sort out my lack of deep bass....

and how :eek:

[DSJR]

It's not the kind of pressure-wave bass the bigger TLS80 and 'Pro Monitor' models gave, but by modern standards, you'll have an octave or two extension unheard of in today's slim towers.

Hope you like them Martin. Remember the bass unit is the original B200 and doesn't have massive power handling. Shedloads better than a PMC FB1 though, I bet ;)

[Macca]

Cheers Dave. I'll find out on Thursday what they can do. I can set them up in plenty of free space in a big room so hopefully this will play to their strengths and minimise weaknesses.

[struth]

My imfs like to be in the open too. Sure youll like them.

[spendorman]

I can't, otherwise I'd be severely tempted...

The mid drivers in these are superb, as similar are used in my mk1 Compacts, which have now ousted the LS5/9 as speaker of choice in my workroom. Very clear and 'open mouthed.' Future owners should run these with the mid control turned to '+' in my opinion...

Mid drivers are by EMI.

Here is one next to a KEF B110.

https://flic.kr/p/7a9MMn

https://flic.kr/p/7a9MNp

[Audio Al]

Martin

These look like a mega bargain , Let us know how they sound :eyebrows:

[walpurgis]

Yes. I'll be interested to hear what you make of these Martin. The bigger IMFs can be a bit overwhelming in some domestic environments. These aren't exactly small and I reckon they'll do just fine. A good transmission line speaker is always fun. That extra bass extension can be dramatic! :)

[Macca]

Yes, should be interesting....delivery tomorrow a.m assuming all goes well.

Hopefully they won't lose out too much in clarity to the Akais but will suit the room a lot better. It is all a bit too 'spry, crisp and dry' at the moment.

[walpurgis]

On the end of a good system, the TLS50 has decent transparency and a quite refined character. It's a nice speaker.

It was designed and built by people who actually used their ears. Non of this modern computery stuff!

[Marco]

Yes, should be interesting....delivery tomorrow a.m assuming all goes well.

Hopefully they won't lose out too much in clarity to the Akais but will suit the room a lot better. It is all a bit too 'spry, crisp and dry' at the moment.

Way-hey, nice one, Martin. I think you'll love 'em! :thumbsup:

Marco.

[pjdowns]

If they are at all like the IMF ALS40 Loudspeakers my Dad had, you'll love 'em ;) :)

[Macca]

Geoff dropped them of with me this morning. See here http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?27683-Macca-s-Lash-Up/page31

[DSJR]

I should have bought these... just reminiscing on Google and it threw up this old thread - and herself doesn't mind the looks of them either (she hated the fact that in this room, the tatty Spendors sounded better on vocals than the neatly styled TDL Studio 1M's I had for a short while, the latter looking perfect in our small room). Having put my mk1 Compacts back in the workroom on different 'risers' after months of the LS5/9's, I'm loving that midrange all over again (Lurcher-tweaked 'Doc-Mod' point-n-squirts to follow in a while, but that's another clutch of eggs entirely)

Don't know who's got them now as Martin's moved on, but I do hope they're still being enjoyed...

[Macca]

I should have bought these... just reminiscing on Google and it threw up this old thread - and herself doesn't mind the looks of them either (she hated the fact that in this room, the tatty Spendors sounded better on vocals than the neatly styled TDL Studio 1M's I had for a short while, the latter looking perfect in our small room). Having put my mk1 Compacts back in the workroom on different 'risers' after months of the LS5/9's, I'm loving that midrange all over again (Lurcher-tweaked 'Doc-Mod' point-n-squirts to follow in a while, but that's another clutch of eggs entirely)

Don't know who's got them now as Martin's moved on, but I do hope they're still being enjoyed...

I still have them in my living room, plus the Falcon crossover replacement kit which I still need to get installed. Might get round to it when I retire ;)