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Thread: Heybrook hb2 -duffers or keepers?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

    Default Heybrook hb2 -duffers or keepers?

    I've never heard or seen a pair but I may have access to a pair. Are they any good?
    Last edited by Wakefield Turntables; 20-10-2015 at 14:01.
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    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
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  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: NE England

    Posts: 4,173
    I'm Jez.

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    Very good yes! Smallish monitor speakers, a bit bigger than LS3/5A but not by much. I've been impressed on the occasions I've heard them.

  3. #3
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

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    Very good. Limited power handling, especially on wobbly vinyl sources, but truly enchanting if the system allows it.
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
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  4. #4
    Join Date: Mar 2012

    Location: Gloucestershire

    Posts: 3,377
    I'm Paul.

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    They're actually pretty good and can be driven by lowish power valve amps. A Peter Comeau/Stuart Mee design, built in a rented barn in Ivybridge, the HB2 is quite noteworthy for the unusual crossover deign. Peter & Stuart were very experienced in this field and without the aid of test kit, using basic theory and hours upon hours of listening tests, they developed the relatively complex crossover which had a phase compensation circuit added to help match the drive units in phase at the crossover point. I spoke with Peter at some length about the design a few years back and it was quite clear that he was still very much attached to these little speakers, and had invested a hell of a lot of effort in their development. Quite some feat through listening tests alone! I only know of one other speaker engineer who does preliminary designs this way (a really spot on bloke who works with Spendor in case you might be wondering!). Years of experience and understanding how the electrical compensation circuits translate acoustically which allowed this labour intensive method of perfecting the HB2 made it into a roaring success. Part of that success was it was also affordable.

    In terms of dynamics (ie how loud it plays and what wallop it delivers) it shouldn't be over-estimated, as typical of many similar boxes of the day, it is also a fairly polite listen. It's strengths were (and remain) good imaging, phase coherence and a nice mid-band. Not the most detailed speaker about but not too shabby either.

    If you can get a really nice pair for under a ton, that's about their value (£70 to £100 per pair for a really nice pair). They don't take kindly to being over-driven as a friend of mine discovered when he leant his to his daughter for a party!

    They do contain a fair few electrolytics which by now will likely require changing out. I've done several pairs of these where ESR was measured at around plus 3 Ohms from what they ought to have been new, a little like adding a 3 ohm resistor in series with the tweeters. Cheap to do though if needed.

    A true classic.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

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    They arrive tomorrow and they will be hooked upto a fully NET audio modded Quad 405-2 and I'll probably try them in the valve system as well. Should be a bit of fun.
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    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



  6. #6
    Join Date: Aug 2012

    Location: Eton wick

    Posts: 1,677
    I'm Philip.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wakefield Turntables View Post
    They arrive tomorrow and they will be hooked upto a fully NET audio modded Quad 405-2 and I'll probably try them in the valve system as well. Should be a bit of fun.
    How did you get to n with the hb2?

    I suppose not suitable for 8 wpm valve amp and 6 inches from rear walls?

    Anyone else any experiences?

    Thanks

  7. #7
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Yorkshire

    Posts: 9,302
    I'm Andrew.

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    I still own them, so that must be a glowing endorsement to say the thread was created 6+ years ago. I refurbed them and they sound very good indeed. Need a decent amount of watts to get the best from them.
    SS
    CD Teac VRDS25X(Audiotuned) DECK 1210 Mat Crystal Audio Mods MN Base/Bearing/Platter+Ebony armboard Feet Isonoe PSU Paul Hynes SR7EHD-27XL/DCSXL Ag DC lead/3 Stage Regs/Recap PCB+No Pitch/Strobe/Light ARM SME V(Kondo Ag Rewire&Tags) MC Cadenza Black FGS CABLES Arm Yannis SPD-4 IC Yannis 222 Litz+Ag bullets Power WAR PRE ATC SCA2 SPEAKERS ATC 50ASL STANDS Atacama PHONO Sugden Masterclass PA4 SUT Ortofon ST80SE POWER PSAudio P10

    VALVE
    PRE
    Croft Epoch(Modded) AMP Sondex S100 (Modded) SPEAKERS Tannoy 15"MG+RFC Warwick cabs+ Ref XO + Batpure supertweeters DECK Garrard 301 Mat Teunto Bearings 401(Bastin) Plinth Bamboo Arms 3009/3012 PSU Eagle+Tachometer MC Ag Meister II/FGS + Ortofon SPU MONO CABLES Arm Yannis 420.5 Litz+ SpeakerPC Tripple C+WBT-0681 Ag IC Oyaide FTVS-510 AgWBT 0110Ag Phonostages Paradise(4 Box Mega-Modded) / Croft Musicmaker



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