Tannoy Arden Mk1

[Sophistry]

I found a pair of Mk1 Tannoy Ardens on Ebay yesterday morning for £1800... Finally, the speakers I wanted and at a reasonable price! I had emailed a question to the seller about the pepperpot phase covers on them before I had even got out of bed!

Today, rather than finding an answer to my question sitting in my emails, I find that they have been relisted for £2500!

The struggle continues... Rant over. Apologies!

[walpurgis]

What are "pepperpot phase covers"? Not heard that term before.

[Sophistry]

By that I just mean the pepperpot style holes drilled into the phase plugs at the back of the tweeter. Tannoy later replaced this approach with the tulip waveguide.

Sorry if I have used the wrong terms!

And sorry if the seller is on this forum (could even be you, Geoff!) - no offence meant, more just disappointment!

[walpurgis]

By that I just mean the pepperpot style holes drilled into the phase plugs at the back of the tweeter. Tannoy later replaced this approach with the tulip waveguide.

Sorry if I have used the wrong terms!

And sorry if the seller is on this forum (could even be you, Geoff!) - no offence meant, more just disappointment!

None of the HPD drivers had tulip waveguides.

There's a pair of Mk.I Berkeleys on ebay, same drive unit as the Arden, but less monstrous cabinets. Still big enough though. The sound is identical to the Arden apart from the bottom half octave of bass, which you'd probably not notice.

[Sophistry]

Thanks, Geoff - yes, I was trying to get a photo of the pepperpots on them. I understand that many of the HPDs manufactured in Coatbridge were not necessarily built to the same standards as those built in London, and this can be seen from the uniformity of the pepperpot holes - was hoping a photo of the pepperpots would tell me a bit more about where and when these drive units were made!

If the bidding stays around the level it is on those Berkeleys listed on ebay, they look like a steal for the drive units alone...

[walpurgis]

That's a bit of a myth about the pepperpot drillings. Yes, some were not quite as tidy looking as earlier offerings, but still did the job and it had no effect on the sound.

Most HPD drivers still have their gauze dustcaps in place, so you won't get a clear photo of the waveguides anyway. Even more so on the Monitor Golds and Reds, which employed denser gauze.

Later drivers used a nylon gauze dustcap that you can see through. Like this:

http://i67.tinypic.com/24nfyvb.png

[Sophistry]

Thanks, Geoff. I have managed to get a photo of the waveguides through the gauze on some HPDs in the past - as you say, not ideal through the gauze, but certainly clear enough to see how uniform the holes are.

Even if it is a myth, I can't help but feel that I would want a pair that look half decent (I have seen some real shockers...), even if not perfect! It just seems to speak to the care and attention that went into putting the drive units together..

[dantheman91]

Yes Saw those along with the £10,000 yorks too.....both relisted Arden £2,500 , £8,500 :scratch:

Too good to be true walk away mate....

[cooky]

Slightly mis-drilled phase plugs have no effect on sound, they don't look that great but it doesn't show a lack of care, more likely they show a slightly worn drill jig;-)
The Monitor Gold throat isn't even a curve it's 2 straight sided sections that approximate a curve-everybody panic..;-)

[hifinutt]

gosh thats a silly price when for under double that you can get a new type s/h pair of arden legacy at audio philia

[walpurgis]

Which don't have the classic alnico pepperpot type driver and my money is on a sorted pair of the old ones sounding better.

Also, I think you'll find the Legacy model have ferrofluid in the tweeter voicecoil gaps, which I don't like.

[cooky]

The ferrofluid in the Tulip waveguides is a simple matter to clean out and recharge every 10 years or so-lasts almost as long as a tanoplas surround but only costs £10 to refresh:).

Those who've lived with the 15" 3833/36 drivers from the system 15 DMT tend to really appreciate what they can do and rarely part with them. Imo they are every bit as good as the old pepperpots and if anything are less coloured. YMMV of course.

[walpurgis]

Those who've lived with the 15" 3833/36 drivers from the system 15 DMT tend to really appreciate what they can do and rarely part with them. Imo they are every bit as good as the old pepperpots and if anything are less coloured. YMMV of course.

You may be right and I agree, the tulip waveguide models sound very good. But, I have yet to hear one that to me quite has that nth degree of mid transparency and incisive detail presentation and speed that I seem to discern in the sound of the pepperpot types.

[bobvfr]

Have to say I don't think £2500 is a silly price for a pair of Ardens if the condition is good, I love my Cheviots to bits, but would love to own a pair of Ardens, although I doubt I will ever live in a house that would allow me to let them rip, to be honest I can't do that with the Cheviots anyway.