My new (vintage) Tannoy Cheviots!

[lewis]

After all the faff with me about the Turnberry's (I hope "we've" made it up now ), may I say that I didn't find the Turnberry SE treble an issue at all and the whole balance of the Turnberry SE's as I heard them was actually quite mellow as I remember. NONE of the uncouth quacky and stingy sound of dave's bog standard IIILZ's for example, the rear panels of which vibrated alarmingly on bassy notes at modelst levels.

Tannoy worked extremely hard on the crossovers of the larger DC drivers back in the early 80's and I really think it's worth Googling up a few sites to find out what they've done, as they were aware of things needing to be done and it seems, dealt with it rather well from what I've read and heard.

I'd just like to say Dave that i found that other 'Tannoy' thread very entertaining to say the least! I don't find the Turnberry treble an issue neither, maybe 'sting' is too strong a word for it, maybe more of a 'slight colouration' would be nearer the mark. I haven't heard any other Tannoys so can't comment, but i love the overall balance of my turnberry's, but i can still hear that very 'slight colouration', but it's overall balance, superb imaging and bass, means the Turnberry's will be gracing my lounge for a long time.

[lewis]

Your Turnburys have tulip waveguide type drivers Andrew and although you may find them possibly a bit forward, they do not have the bite that the pepperpot types are known for, which I'm sure is due to a resonance in the horn itself.

I recently sold a pair of Tannoy System 1000 speakers which have the same tweeter as the Turnbury and found them pretty well controlled at the top end.

Dave's comments on the IIILZ parallel my views, I owned three pairs back when they were cheap (£66 a pair new in 1971). A cheap intro into the Tannoy experience, but they were pretty unrefined. Beats me why they go for such silly money these days.

And thanks for the positive comment. I still have a way to go yet.

My previous speakers, Kef ref 2.2 were silky smooth in comparison to the turnberry's, but they didn't have the lovely bass quality that i enjoy from my Turnberry's, or the superb imaging, although the Kef's were excellent with a stereo image, the Turnberry's are on another level, imo.

Keep up the good work geoff, and keep us posted!

[walpurgis]

I'm a bit tied up over the next few days, but when I get the opportunity I shall as mentioned do a bit of rewiring and run a meter over the crossover components, I may upgrade some. I'll clean the level and roll off controls too.

The cabinets are about 90% there, but need a bit of final finishing, they looked horrible when I got them, covered in paint spatters and little dings, mostly sorted now. The backs need re-doing in satin black as per original and the grilles need a look at. The worst is done though.

[Mika K]

I owned Turnberry HE's for years and have to say that they are bit mellow and so not have the sting or the bite that some other DC models have e.g my Tannoy Dovers with the 10" DC 2558 drivers. Much more sophisticated thou but not so involving me thinks..

[walpurgis]

How are you finding the Dovers Mika. I remember thinking how nice they looked in the pictures. That should be a good drive unit.

[walpurgis]

Just taken the plinth off the second Cheviot, a right old job. Some numpty had burred out four of the six 'posidrive' screw heads and one had definitely been hammered in.

Took the heads off the damaged screws with a drill, starting with small bits and going larger until the heads fell off, then after prizing the plinth gently off, turning out the screw shanks with a mole grip.



It looks a mess, but isn't as bad as the first one was. I'll have it restored and refitted in a day or so.

[southall-1998]

Reminds me of my worn out Nike trainers

[Mika K]

How are you finding the Dovers Mika. I remember thinking how nice they looked in the pictures. That should be a good drive unit.

The Dovers are pretty nice speakers - they a re working really well despite being bit too small for the room I'm having. Have listened them quite a lot at nearfield approx. 1m distance and they do have some magical qualities that did not find from Turnberrys.

Don't know yet are there keepers for a long period of time, so that remains to be seen..

[walpurgis]

The Dovers are pretty nice speakers - they a re working really well despite being bit too small for the room I'm having. Have listened them quite a lot at nearfield approx. 1m distance and they do have some magical qualities that did not find from Turnberrys.

Don't know yet are there keepers for a long period of time, so that remains to be seen..

The "magical" qualities are provided by the compression driver 'pepperpot' tweeter. In the midrange it lets you hear very deep into the recording and of course the imaging will be spot on, you hear every little thing that's going on and they show ambience so well. I don't know any other speaker that quite does this the way Tannoys do.

Just put the drive units into the Turnbury cabinets and you'll have it sorted (joking).

[Mika K]

Luckily haven't had Turnberrys at my possession for few years now. If would might be tempted to give it a try..