The Tannoy Westminster / PBN-DN308 Turntable / Audio Research System of Jimford

[Nascimento]

....I think many people would make the mistake of driving these 99dB sensitive speakers with five or 10 or 20 watts of flea power. I think Jim is very smart to drive them with 100 all-tube watts....

First of all to congratulate Jimford for the system!

My first 10 years with Tannoy were with the Westminster TW model, when Tannoy launched Westmisnter Royal HE, I bought a pair, which I still have! (Tannoy Westminster Royal HE + ST 200)
One thing is interesting at Westminster, it plays well with tubes, but it plays well with transistor!
With Airtight ATM300 (Takatsuki 300B 8W pc) I don't have a stunning volume, but with medium volume I have all the magic and charm that only 300B can transmit!
With Mark Levinson 336 (350W pc) the box is transformed, it loses the magic of the 300B, but it is very fast, dry bass that is a punch in the stomach, it is excellent for rock and big symphonies, even without the transparency of an electrostatic, I do not miss it of transparency! Switching between tube and transistor, depends on my state of my soul!

 

[sujay]

Yes, the 408 (or did you mean 312?) is pretty awesome...but pricey.

Sorry I meant 312. It quite blew me away and I have been toying with the idea of buying it one day. The problem is, as you say, they are expensive and very heavy.
However, the 408, which I haven’t heard, may be a good compromise....though quite expensive too at 45k US

 

[bonzo75]

I think Radians are great drivers with the beryllium diaphragm, as good as any TAD,

Examples of male and female vocals. Don't listen on mobile please

More transparent vocals

 

[sujay]

The Dynamikks speakers I sell here in Switzerland are much less expensive but still make a pretty convincing sound.

Hi, if you don’t mind, I shall PM you to learn more about the Dynamikk speakers and how they compare to the Live Act.

Thanks

 

[morricab]

Hi, if you don’t mind, I shall PM you to learn more about the Dynamikk speakers and how they compare to the Live Act.

Thanks

Yes, sure.

 

[bonzo75]

I think Radians are great drivers with the beryllium diaphragm, as good as any TAD,


More transparent vocals

And still more

 

[Folsom]

Oh good, when people say vocals I don't think they mean Opera... just saying that 100% of the time that's not what I'm expecting anyways.

 

[jespera]

Coherent audio’s speakers are also based on the radian co-axial drivers. And significantly cheaper than the live-act speakers.

Personally, I recently picked up a pair of radian 15” co-axials in boxes for the equivalent of 500 usd. For use as a party speaker. They’re not bad and possibly better than new tannoys. But not in the league of vintage tannoys.

That said, my radians use aluminium drivers, ceramic magnets and standard crossovers.

Jesper

 

[bonzo75]

Coherent audio’s speakers are also based on the radian co-axial drivers. And significantly cheaper than the live-act speakers.

Personally, I recently picked up a pair of radian 15” co-axials in boxes for the equivalent of 500 usd. For use as a party speaker. They’re not bad and possibly better than new tannoys. But not in the league of vintage tannoys.

That said, my radians use aluminium drivers, ceramic magnets and standard crossovers.

Jesper

View attachment 62456

Completely agree. It is strange that people do not realize this. The vintage tannoy drivers are much more expensive but speakers much cheaper. The Diesis Roma uses BMS driver. People can look up the prices of BMS online. The Altec 604 speakers are available in the used market for 4k euro, the drivers for much less. The new investment firm that bought GPA added a woofer on top of the 604, nice wood, and put them at a hifi show for 150k.

I have very high respect for Radian 950pb Be which is their top midrange driver used in horns and their most expensive available at 2k GBP pair. It is one of the best drivers right now, and was made by Renkus, who surprise surprise, was from Altec. But if you give this Radian coax driver to the same person who made Tom's and westlower's tannoys he will make it for you at a real low price

 

[morricab]

Coherent audio’s speakers are also based on the radian co-axial drivers. And significantly cheaper than the live-act speakers.

Personally, I recently picked up a pair of radian 15” co-axials in boxes for the equivalent of 500 usd. For use as a party speaker. They’re not bad and possibly better than new tannoys. But not in the league of vintage tannoys.

That said, my radians use aluminium drivers, ceramic magnets and standard crossovers.

Jesper

View attachment 62456

Yeah, I will probably DIY up something using one of their coaxial drivers at some point... I have a couple ideas...

 

[jespera]

Just to clarify: i think the price for new radian 15” coaxials drivers starts at around 500 usd per unit. Mine were used and therefore much cheaper.

Jesper

 

[Tango]

Completely agree. It is strange that people do not realize this. The vintage tannoy drivers are much more expensive but speakers much cheaper. The Diesis Roma uses BMS driver. People can look up the prices of BMS online. The Altec 604 speakers are available in the used market for 4k euro, the drivers for much less. The new investment firm that bought GPA added a woofer on top of the 604, nice wood, and put them at a hifi show for 150k.

I have very high respect for Radian 950pb Be which is their top midrange driver used in horns and their most expensive available at 2k GBP pair. It is one of the best drivers right now, and was made by Renkus, who surprise surprise, was from Altec. But if you give this Radian coax driver to the same person who made Tom's and westlower's tannoys he will make it for you at a real low price

You should quit investment banking job and do a start up gathering the all-star drivers and put them in a nice high end audiophile package. Get the entrepreneurial spirit going a little. Try to make them play as a team and I will buy one and help rave about it here.

 

[morricab]

You should quit investment banking job and do a start up gathering the all-star drivers and put them in a nice high end audiophile package. Get the entrepreneurial spirit going a little. Try to make them play as a team and I will buy one and help rave about it here.

It’s that “try to make them play as a team” part that is complicated...

 

[Folsom]

You should quit investment banking job and do a start up gathering the all-star drivers and put them in a nice high end audiophile package. Get the entrepreneurial spirit going a little. Try to make them play as a team and I will buy one and help rave about it here.

I assure you there is more to it than just putting drivers in a package. Ked knows when he hears good, but that doesn't mean he knows all about why. We make models and simulate lots of things to understand them, and then try countless things for verification. And we do commission work to anyways. Just saying... Folsom isn't going to quit a job to start doing what it already does. Inquiries are always welcome.

Also, maybe I'll grab that MOFI in a minute. I just got LSC-2565 1S/1S in mail. Will make vid shortly.

 

[jdza]

As this thread seems to have become about two way horns and the above video of Joan Baez made me reach for this one. To those over 50 the distortions of low speed tape/cassette may evoke deja vu but still.You Tube probably did more damage to the sound than age could to the tape. A large format monitor ,albeit in a mid fi system. Recorded ambisonically,so headphones please?

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[bonzo75]

It’s that “try to make them play as a team” part that is complicated...

For coax?

 

[Tango]

As this thread seems to have become about two way horns and the above video of Joan Baez made me reach for this one. To those over 50 the distortions of low speed tape/cassette may evoke deja vu but still.You Tube probably did more damage to the sound than age could to the tape. A large format monitor ,albeit in a mid fi system. Recorded ambisonically,so headphones please?

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This sounds no "horny" like the one Ked's post.

 

[Zero000]

Yeah, I will probably DIY up something using one of their coaxial drivers at some point... I have a couple ideas...

It's an easy speaker. Just make sure the cabinets are super rigid.

I recently heard some Lockwood Tannoys sounding like coloured mush. Easy on the ear,. but ultimately just mush.

Don't get me wrong some Tannoys when built right sound great. Not these Lockwood's IMHO.

I recommend Paul at RFC for a cabinet design here in the UK. Or anywhere, really.

http://www.referencefidelitycomponents.co.uk/

 

[cjfrbw]

Joan Baez 'Any Day Now' was the first LP album I ever recorded to my Roberts RtoR at UC Berkeley. I still have a DAT archive of it in the garage. I have 'Diamonds and Rust' somewhere in the pile in my listening room.

Better to listen to her with limited frequency range to reduce the shrieks.

 

[spiritofmusic]

You should quit investment banking job and do a start up gathering the all-star drivers and put them in a nice high end audiophile package. Get the entrepreneurial spirit going a little. Try to make them play as a team and I will buy one and help rave about it here.

Tang, instead of Ked making them "play as a team", maybe he should "take one for the team".