Slammed’s Hifi

[Macca]

Sure, but that doesn't detract from the fact that they sound great in there.



Course not - nothing in audio is an "absolute truth", and of course personal preference comes into it, but I've heard too many pairs of big Tannoys in too many different rooms over the years, big and small for them clearly sounding better in the latter simply to be just a coincidence, therefore I do believe that there is something intrinsically in their design causing that, not simply just my preference.

The biggest shock in that respect, was how much worse mine sounded in a much bigger room at Scalford [after folk had been nagging me for ages about how much better they'd be in a bigger room that would 'allow them to breahe', lol], compared with what I get at home, and which made me re-evaluate things accordingly.

Even in Ian Walker's place, which I believe you've been to, with his Canterbury's, in a room a big bigger than mine (longer) with a concrete floor, we used to spend ages moving his sofa back and forward trying to convince ourselves that it *should* sound better further back away from the speakers, only later to move it forward again, as it clearly sounded better that way

Yes I know you prefer listening to speakers in a larger room, and with different speakers able to benefit accordingly, I would too... But THAT is the key issue. Even you wouldn't prefer listening that way if your ears clearly told you that the speakers in question sounded worse!

Marco.

Ian's room only slightly larger than yours, still a small room. I'm not sure I'd take that one example at Scalford as definitive. From memory that is a very large room with very high ceilings. Rooms can be weird in a number of ways.

So what was it that you felt that the sound lost compared to using the Lockwoods in your room? Was it not just the case that you were listening from further away? Did you try listening at the same distance as you do at home? If so was that also worse?

[Marco]

Ian's room only slightly larger than yours, still a small room. I'm not sure I'd take that one example at Scalford as definitive. From memory that is a very large room with very high ceilings. Rooms can be weird in a number of ways.

Indeed, very true, but that wasn't the main reason for the speakers sounding how they did, compared with what I'm used to at home. However, don't get me wrong, they still sounded excellent (indeed what we produced at that show prompted some folks, including Stuart here, to go for Lockwoods and/or buy a Copper amp), but just didn't quite generate the magic I get with them at home.

As you say, some of that was because although my room's small, the walls are thick and solid, as is the floor, even though it's wooden and suspended, and the oak beams and angled parts of the ceiling help with refections/aid acoustics, and you're just not going to get that in a hotel room, but what I'm mainly talking about is where the speakers themselves are 'happiest' (including the optimal sound dispersion of the DC drive units themselves).

So what was it that you felt that the sound lost compared to using the Lockwoods in your room? Was it not just the case that you were listening from further away? Did you try listening at the same distance as you do at home? If so was that also worse?

Interesting (and valid) questions, the answers to which pretty much confirm the point I'm making...

Firstly, the sound lacked the 'intimacy' I'm used to, and the whole musical experience just didn't sound as 'cohesive', lifelike or involving - it was like a 'watered down' version of such, and because I couldn't quite achieve optimal positioning, as a result of the room layout (into the corners and heavily toed in towards the listening position), there was a 'bloom' to the bass [always happens when the cabs are used in any kind of 'free space'] and lack of gravitas, neither of which I get at home, especially the latter!

Plus, there were other things that weren't quite right, responsible largely because of the sub-optimal positioning of the speakers and general acoustics of the hotel room.

Regarding your second point, it was no 'happy coincidence' that the seats at the front, or nearest the front of the room and the speakers, was where the sound was best, and the further back you sat, the worse it got, and where the bass began to dominate - which is one of the problems of using these speakers in a big room and sitting further away than optimal from them.

You can use large Tannoys in a big room, providing that they're placed into the corners, right next to the back wall, and you arrange your seating position near-field in front of them, as long as you're happy that the sound elsewhere in the room will be sub-optimal. Also, the 'point source' dispersal of the sound, intrinsic to the DC drivers, especially the mid and top end, has a very specific/limited 'sweet spot', so unless you position yourself (and your ears) in *exactly* that area, the sound will be compromised.

That's simply what happens with big Tannoy DCs in my, not inconsiderable, experience!

Marco.

[Macca]

Well there's no way I will be able to position mine like that (if they ever get finished) plus I do listen off axis a lot, so maybe it's an non-starter?

[Marco]

Your room is quite different from mine, as are the drivers and cabinets/porting of your speakers, so I'm still confident that you'll still like the result. It won't be perfect though, but nothing ever is!

Anyway, does it look like you'll be getting them for Christmas, as stated, or will we still be talking about them, rather than listening to them, this time next year... Tell Sean to get his arse in gear!!

Marco.

[Slammed56]

My APR has been working faultlessly since it’s full service last year by the lovely and very knowledgeable guys at Audio Related , I can’t recommend them enough

Playing a dub of my all time favourite psych monster KAK-(S/T) 1969

[Slammed56]

[hermit]

Stuart, your Sony APR looks awesome. What a machine. Did you know that you can buy a custom stand for it?

[Slammed56]

Cheers Paul ,
I searched so long for one in decent condition that I’d almost given up hope then this one turned up
I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with it when I first got it as there were some issues that needed sorting out and if id found one sooner it would have went to the late Stewart Emmings for a service and setup (I blame Stewart for putting me on this path ��) but unfortunately that wasn’t to be .
It eventually went down to Simon Griffett of Audio Related Tech in Chesham who was recommended by Charlie (topoxforddoc) , Simons a lovely guy, answered all my daft questions and got it back to its former glory
You’ll need to pop over sometime for a listen mate

I had no idea that someone was making suitable stands , I’ve been regularly searching all the usual used haunts for one but have had no luck, thanks for that

[Barry]

The Sony APR has the best designed, easiest and clearest tape path for threading and editing.

[Slammed56]

Beautifully made and have a lovely engaging sound
The 909 is just an all round great Deck