Tannoy Windsors

[Boyse6748]

I have the opportunity to acquire a mint condition pair of Tannoy Windsor’s. Not the most common of Tannoy Designs but I understand we’re very well received and respected back in the day.
My current speakers are the Revolver Cygnus, which I love to bits and would be hard pressed to sell.

Is there even a comparison?

What’s your thoughts? Or am I in the land of dreams!


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[walpurgis]

I wouldn't touch a set of those myself. Spares are as far as I know, unobtainable. They are often missing the bladed acoustic lens that fits in front of the upper driver tweeter. The cone surrounds are prone to perishing and would require very specialised work to repair, as they are not the same as on other Tannoy drivers. And, don't believe what you read in Tannoy reviews. I've never heard a multi driver Tannoy that I liked.

[Boyse6748]

Thanks for that Geoff,

I’m assuming this view also applies to the bigger bother (the Berkely). Unfortunately, I am Tannoy ignorant, having never owned any.

These are also missing the acoustic blades.

Perhaps I will stick with my current happiness..... the “Revolvers”

Peter


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[walpurgis]

I’m assuming this view also applies to the bigger bother (the Berkely).

No, quite the contrarary. The Berkeley is a good, reliable and excellent sounding speaker for which spares are available. That and the Cheviot are amongst the best Tannoy choices.

[Boyse6748]

Sorry, if I had a brain, I would be dangerous.

I meant the “Buckingham” (being the bigger brother of the Windsor)

I’m assuming this is also a STEAR CLEAR.

Peter


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[walpurgis]

Sorry, if I had a brain, I would be dangerous.

I meant the “Buckingham” (being the bigger brother of the Windsor)

I’m assuming this is also a STEAR CLEAR.

Peter


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From my point of view, yes.

[anubisgrau]

If the price is right, buy them and sell them in Japan. There will be some serious mayhem for these.

[audiojoy]

I waS SHOCKED WHEN I CAME ACROSS THIS THREAD. the Windsors are one of the most superior sounding speakers available, along with the gfr corner the westminster and its bigger brother the Buckinghams these are the best sounding Tannoys avilable. Walpurgis must have listened to one of the other iterations of the Tannoy speaker that uses that name. the original has two drivers and are rare as hens teeth. A 10" mid treble and a 12" bass. Very few modern day speakers will match a lot of what they do and some say the Buckinghams are even beer. I have a pair and have owned many modern day highly respected speakers, from Avantguarde Duo's to the orangutan from devore to Audio Note ANe, HArbeths Altecs, Rogers, Audio Physics, multiple elctrostatics inc ESL 57, etc etc etc.

[graham67]

Maybe worth having a chat to Wembley loudspeakers to confirm if these can be refoamed and on spares availability. Vintage Tannoys are appreciating fast atm due to noise generated from heritage series, so i would have thought you would have no problem moving them on for no loss or even a profit if u buy wisely.

[Boyse6748]

As the originator of this post and to stop you guys from having a spat. I did purchase the Windsor’s against Advice and I can assure you these are very fine speakers. (We all have different ears when it comes to speakers).

In my opinion, they were excellent from the onset and become truly superb after the crossovers / wiring was rebuilt/ modified by another kind member of this forum. The Cabinets were also re-polished and the final result after a long burning period were stunning and as good as any Tannoy I’ve ever heard.

As for spares (Foams Etc.) they are readily available from quite a few specialists but the foams in these speakers will most certainly last another 25 years as they are in mint condition.

As said before, we all have different hearing perceptions and what suits one person will not suit another. However, I would recommend this particular Tannoy speaker wholeheartedly. (Especially when driven with a decent valve amp).

However, the $64,000 question.... did I keep them after all that work?

I’m afraid not! I got an offer for more than twice what I paid for them and had to let them go. I am now back to my beloved Revolvers.

Obviously, somebody loves them! And this guy says he is in heaven!

Here endeth the sermon [emoji41]

A few photos below, just for the record.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190508/e4c0d2f98335b2350a5a45bfc3a94140.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190508/e0f20e1bd977b18678a69511096a8481.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190508/f7fe65be78b3a467ce2156e7179c2a83.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190508/4560a730fb714adf768cff0d4d281440.jpg

[hifinutt]

a chap has been trying to sell his revolver cygnus speakers recently on ebay and has one bid

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/192902390559?ul_noapp=true

https://hifiwigwam.com/forum/topic/133551-revolver-cygnis/

i have a pair of r16 which are super and i would think long and hard before parting with the cygnis , especially if you love them . out of the frying pan into the .... comes to mind

glad to see you kept them

[graham67]

Great work, they look lovely ��

[Miller]

I have two friends with Windsors and another with Buckinghams..... They are superb in scale and dynamic plus in Japan they are revered and I wonder why they think that.....:scratch:

[walpurgis]

Great work, they look lovely ��

I'm sure they sound wonderful, but they are unoriginal. The dual concentric upper driver has been fitted with what looks like SRM10B or HPD 295 8 cones and the acoustic lens is missing. As I mentioned earlier, I suspected original parts were unobtainable. No doubt an 'expert' has found something else that can be persuaded to fit.

The original cones had thin flat foam surrounds, not thicker roll surrounds and the speaker looked like this.

http://i63.tinypic.com/1zcps0k.jpg

[Boyse6748]

I'm sure they sound wonderful, but they are unoriginal. The dual concentric upper driver has been fitted with what looks like SRM10B or HPD 295 8 cones and the acoustic lens is missing. As I mentioned earlier, I suspected original parts were unobtainable. No doubt an 'expert' has found something else that can be persuaded to fit.

The original cones had thin flat foam surrounds, not thicker roll surrounds and the speaker looked like this.

http://i63.tinypic.com/1zcps0k.jpg

Ah ha, you may well be correct about the flat surrounds (although I no longer have these speakers). However, looking on the inter-web, I have only ever seen this type of flat surround on one pair of Windsors (ever) “Perhaps a very early model”, all the others have the roll type surrounds.

Still, I will be convinced about what you say, as your deemed as being a bit of a Tannoy aficionado.

Just to end, the Acoustic lenses weren’t missing, I took them off as they didn’t suit my room Acoustics and forgot to put them back on before talking the photos.

The new owner has them in his possession and will use them if he so chooses.

Even so, they sounded just fine and would recommend them against any vintage ‘T’ currently still out there!


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[walpurgis]

I looked at a few new sets of these when Tannoy introduced them and they all had the flat 'Tannoplas' foam surround. This was a notoriously short lived material and could fall apart in as little as five years depending on conditions. I doubt any are still on their orginals.