TANNOY PRO MONITORS

TANNOY VINTAGE SPEAKERS

Our Japanese bros’ love to listen to all forms of pro-monitors in their homes, because they love high flux density magnet speakers which are creamacious. This explains why Tannoy pro monitors are available in consumer audio stores and are regularly advertised in Japanese consumer magazines. This is off limits in North America and Europe because, in Japan, the importer plays by different rules. In the rest of the world the Tannoy consumer and pro business are completely separate, and this can be a good thing for you.

In America Tannoy monitors are sold in hundreds of pro/music stores, over the Internet, and are available on sites that sell used pro gear…and most importantly they are great deals!

Consider this strategy: When you buy a current pro Tannoy you are buying a great driver (though it is not Alnico) and if you are buying a recent model your speaker has a great cabinet. There is no way to get comparable value in a consumer speaker. All that you have to do is install a "hot rod" crossover network, and that means upgrading the parts quality, THIS IS IMPORTANT..add the notch filter for the tweeter that was once SOP for Tannoys, but is no longer. Don’t contact me, call TGI in Canada for information about how to do this.

The DTM series of pro monitor’s uses the ferrite magnet driver, is very efficient, and works extremely well with tube amplifiers BUT you must match the speaker to the amplifier.

Paradox is that the big 15 inch monitor works extremely well in medium to small size rooms with a 300B amplifier…but much better when bi-amped.

The smaller the speaker the more tube amp horsepower you need.

What is the bad news? I love the way these speakers look, but some say they are "industrial ugly". The truth depends on how much the women in your life influences you.

VINTAGE TANNOYS

Buy them for their alnico magnets, and spend time in the Yahoo Tannoy users chat room and explore various Tannoy sites for technical information. TGI in Canada is Tannoy in North America and they give great technical service and advice.

If you buy the original speakers, save the original cabinets and crossovers, and then build new cabinets and new crossovers. It is worth buying these vintage speakers just for the drivers. Make sure the cones and magnets are in good shape. Check with the various "reconers" to determine if your intended speakers can be reconed.

On the Tannoy web site is valuable research info about all of their speakers.

Often times there are speakers with vintage Tannoy drivers in new boxes that aren’t right…so buy the speakers just for the drivers and build new boxes and crossovers…it is worth the trouble to use these alnico drivers.

 


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