Which Tannoys, folks?

[Reffc]

All the bits for the new (improved...ie correct values!) crossovers have finally arrived:



It's going to be a heck of a squeeze to get everything onto the boards! The air cored LF inductor is huge! Silicone and cable ties will be needed so the board will have to be very carefully drilled

This is probably how I'll lay everything out:



Work will start later today.

[wiicrackpot]

I'm liking "Reference Beaulieu".

It follows Tannoy's British place name theme too...

I would've thought it sounded nicer the other way round, as in ''Beaulieu Reference'',
the good thing is you can just use ''Beau'' for everyday reference when speaking with friends and forum dude's,
they'll know what it is.

Are those Xover parts the same value as original Tannoy items?, if so whats with the big size?,
how much better are fettled Xovers over stnadard one's if you can quantify it?,
it just seems such huge expense if the gains are just ''different'' instead of better,
surely Tannoy know what they were doing when they manufactured them.

[Reffc]

I would've thought it sounded nicer the other way round, as in ''Beaulieu Reference'',
the good thing is you can just use ''Beau'' for everyday reference when speaking with friends and forum dude's,
they'll know what it is.

Are those Xover parts the same value as original Tannoy items?, if so whats with the big size?,
how much better are fettled Xovers over stnadard one's if you can quantify it?,
it just seems such huge expense if the gains are just ''different'' instead of better,
surely Tannoy know what they were doing when they manufactured them.

Exactly the same values as Tannoy used but using far better quality parts. The big inductor is a 2.2mH for the LF. The large black cap is the 3.3uF.

The HF inductor replacing the autoformer is the same inductance as the green tap on the autoformer = 2.9mH

Tannoy knew what they were about but sadly many tweakers don't know what they're about and end up playing about with values and altering the crossover point. I'm keeping it standard and equivalent to the electrically flat circuit setting.

[wiicrackpot]

Exactly the same values as Tannoy used but using far better quality parts. The big inductor is a 2.2mH for the LF. The large black cap is the 3.3uF.

The HF inductor replacing the autoformer is the same inductance as the green tap on the autoformer = 2.9mH

Tannoy knew what they were about but sadly many tweakers don't know what they're about and end up playing about with values and altering the crossover point. I'm keeping it standard and equivalent to the electrically flat circuit setting.

Ah...good, i thought you have selected different values to alter the Tannoy house sound,
as you'll probably gathered i am not in favour of tampering but it's all good in your case.

[Jonboy]

They look stunning the finish is exquisite you should be very very proud

[Reffc]

Cheers Jonboy, appreciated.

Well this evening saw me impatient to crack on and I managed to turn out this:



I'll be very interested in how the speakers sound once these are in place. Claritycap ESAs and Mundroff capacitor, Jantzen inductors, all to original Tannoy spec. The paralleled resistors are 2nr 50 Ohm ones which in parallel give the correct 25 Ohm load from the HF inductor.

I'll do the other one next week when I have a few hours spare.

[Reffc]

Great to see the forum finally back up, so well done to those who did the rescue.


Well, both the new DIY crossovers are in and the speakers have had a fair few hours running now and I have been stunned what a change of crossovers did!

By reverting to the "correct" electrical specifications for the crossover components rather than using the "tweaked" values of the BBV crossovers, the speakers have gone from being good, inoffensive if a little bright, to exceptionally well balanced, dynamic and full in the mid range, just as they should be. I hadn't over damped the cabs at all, so it was a huge relief to learn that several hundred hours work has been justified.

The most extraordinary result by far is the astonishing bass response. It is of epic proportions. I had tuned the cabs for EBS (Extended Bass Shelf) not really knowing how well HPDs would react, but the results are superbly taught and very very deep bass, which in-room (in theory) can extend below Fas for the drivers. How? I won't give all of the secrets of my design away, lets just say that the port dimensions and cab internal design were chosen very very carefully to ensure that at no point do they go from reactive to resistive in operation, meaning enhanced bass. 12 inch HPDs have no right to be in such subterranean territory!

I played some organ works recorded at St Paul's Cathedral yesterday and had to turn the volume down because the bass resonance (only just in the audible spectrum) was reacting with my stomach and making me feel queezy! It was enough when that huge bass organ pipe came in to grab hold of your whole being and shake you in a most disorientating and disconcerting manner. It's fair to say that I have not experienced such lows with probably any other speakers owned, including the Horning Agathons (which were way more boomy).

I need another project now and have one in the pipeline!

[The Black Adder]

Great to see the new crossovers have done the biz. Your choice of components are perfect too. ESA's are great. If you ever did change to MR's though what you would probably find (as I have) is that the bass would be tighter, a little less compressed maybe.

Well done all the same... Now go and listen... hehe

[Reffc]

Well, latest news is that I am so chuffed with the performance of the wonderful loudspeakers that I am being very unselfish and offering them to you, the wonderful hifi enthusiast! I have just updated my website with full details and specifications for anyone interested. Its not something that I take lightly, giving RFC's "Reference" tag to any new product but in the case of these, it is something that I am delighted and proud to do.

[Reffc]

Decided to go all blingy for the binding posts so swapped out the CMC's for some rather up-market pure copper Furutech FT-809G Torque-Guard binding posts, yum!





May fit some copper spades. These posts have a clever torque limiting mechanism fitted to ensure that spades are firmly clamped up but you can't over-tighten them as a ratchet kicks in. Prevents damage to the rear binding post panel and the spades/posts. The banana sockets are reassuringly firm fitting.