Dave, this is Don Cowgill. I am thinking of purchasing a pair of Acoustat 2+2's. If I remember correctly you had a lot of experience with these. Can you tell me what I should be looking for, what I should watch out for?

don78498 March 11, 2011 18:39

Dear Ecclectique,
Do you know of any one using Dartzeel electronics with Tannoy Westminster Royal HE?
Looking at specifications they seem to match perfectly, but I never heard of anyone using this combination.
There is an used boxed pair for sale at a tempting price, but the owner justifiably will not take them out the box just for a listening session!

microstrip October 09, 2008 19:16

Hello Heinz. Regarding the Tannoy supertweeters. I concurr with your assessment and did use the St-100 for a stint. A close friend brought over a ribbon super tweeter that I much preferred to the Tannoy St-100. Sold the Tannoy st-100's and am now using the French Audax pro tweeter[a silk dome] for supertweet duty. [a 1st order crossover alignment at 24khz]
Yes,like most any oil impregnated capacitors... the silver supremes take what seems like forever to fully open up, particularly in low voltage crossover applications. I like to burn in all my caps employing a high voltage [frequency modulted] signal prior to installing them in any application, as I truly believe it a mandatory requirement to make any objective comparable analysis.
Regarding the tannoy crossovers: You mentioned you changed one capacitor in yours. Was it one in the high-pass section?
I updated the most of the passive parts of the crossovers in mine [excluding the inductors] as I was occasionally experiencing lower output with one speaker due to dirty contacts on the energy level switch [pot]. Once I removed the crossovers from the cabinets and bi-passed the switches, It immediately became apparent that the these contacts in the signal path were a substantial liability.Furthermore, when I re-installed the updated crossovers back into the cabinets, I came to the conclusion [immediately] that leaving the crossovers out of the cabinet [ re:outboard crossovers] are the only way to go!
Back to the crossovers:
After testing the capacitors, resistors, and switches on the crossovers, I discovered that a few of the resistors had drifted out of spec as well as one of the capacitors.
I then decided to replace all the resistors and capacitors on the crossovers, both the hi-pass section as well as the low pass section.
The speakers are now more dynamic,more extended in the frequency extremes [particularly in the midbass] better resolution and focus. The midrange is very vivid with a layered texture thats definitively more coherent.
Simply put: A substantial improvement across the board without removing the subliminal tonal balance that the classic dual-concentrics Tannoys are famous for.

ecclectique February 03, 2008 15:37

My true compliments for Your setup and for Your Tannoy Westminster in particular.

triumph_900 February 02, 2008 19:42

Dear Ecclectique,

its very interesting to follow such nice threads like this one. My main speakers are Tannoy Canterburys, first series, may be late 1980s, no HE. Two years ago I changed the tweeters cap for one Mundorf silver supreme per crossover (which was easy to get for me, because I live in Cologne where the Mundorf factory is located also). My experience was, that the first months, bass response was very weak and it lastet more than a year before the caps had been running in. My Question: Did you experience also an enhancement when changing the rest of the crossover, in particular the resistors? BTW, it is funny, that Tannoy now claims to offer a highly revised crossover, coming along with the relatively new SE series. But in earlier days they never gave two cent for better parts in the Xover...

Just one recommendation: If do not use it anyway, please try the ST200 super tweeters. They give a much more complex and
more colorful overall presentation to my Canterburys which I also could value in a shop listening to a Westminster with a dramatic improvement to my ears.. Paradox is, that also bass
response seems to be better. And overall, you get much more 3D feeling.
In the web you can find a pdf white paper from Dr. Mills, Tannoy, regarding the effects of wide band presentation especially in combination with Tannoy coax drivers.
I would be glad to hear from you regarding the crossover,
Kind Regards,
Heinz

heinz_r January 30, 2008 13:27

System edited: I guess it's about time I updated the changes here. The Antique lab 1006 monos were replaced with a Vulcan 240 tube amp.The Shelter 501 was sold after evaluation. The Supratek Syrah is now being used in another system and replaced with a custom Cortese. The Tannoy Westminsters have been rewired with cardas golden reference from the crossovers to the drivers. The stock crossovers have been updated with new capacitors[V-cap & Mundorf silver supremes],original resistors were replaced with precision Mills. The attenuation controls [tweeter attenuation and roll off] have been bi-passed and hardwired at the flat position. The crossovers are now outboard of the cabinets allowing for bi-amping, bi-wiring or single speaker wire runs with jumpers. An Audio Research CD-2 has been added for dedicated redbook playback.

ecclectique June 04, 2007 12:43

Hi Shadorne. Thanks for your kind words. Just saw your system and room.Well done, very comfortable looking and I am more than certain it makes for a rewarding musical experience.I must commend you on your choice of speakers, you have a good ear sir, I have heard the powered ATC's a number of times in recording studios and they are truly special.

ecclectique February 26, 2006 21:11

Everytime i look at your Westminsters they look even more beautifull!Im going to search for a place near me where i can listen to a pair!Ray

raytheprinter February 17, 2006 22:16

Simply Tremendous. Did you get those Tannoys from a studio or new?

shadorne February 16, 2006 14:56

Hello. Just got a sumiko mdc 800 on ebay. It has no manual. Do you have one for yours? I will pay you for a copy. dan grant- [email protected]

dmgrant1 February 16, 2006 12:14

Wow Tannoy's!! Too cool.

macdadtexas October 19, 2005 15:21

Hey Sirspeedy, Thanks for the kind words, yes I love my music.

ecclectique September 12, 2005 18:46

Ecclectique,please NEVER change your audio identity.I love your sense of taste,in this SO commercialized hobby.I'm confident that you have a wonderful sound coming from such fabulous and "classic" stuff.Best regards,Sirspeedy.

[email protected] September 06, 2005 17:40

Hi Ray and Pat.I Hardly ever check in to my page and was surprised to see you guys here. Pat: The bass response of the older vintage Tannoy's were always their achillies heal due to their flimsy cabinets. They just could not support the bottom octave reponse of the driver itself.Tannoy addressed the problem with the cabinet design of the Westminster.A complex cabinet design that is heavily braced and weighs in at 510 lbs each. These baby's can move the room and rattle your fillings with a scant 20 watts of power!

ecclectique August 23, 2005 07:12

Hi Szutinglee. Thankyou for your kind words. Yes, I have used a number of set amps from 2a3's,300b's,842's and 845's. I have played around a bit with some super tweets and some ribbons, however I have never heard the Tannoy super tweets. One day I will have to update my pictures in this thread. cheers David.

ecclectique August 23, 2005 06:23

Geez Dave,

I didn't have a clue what you were listening with. I'm impressed. Those Tannoy's must be incredible. Years ago, actually decades ago, several of my audio friends had larger, older Tannoys...Golds and Reds...and the intimacy, level of detail and speed was really something to behold. At the time I was moving to much smaller speakers for my own use. (This was before high end cabling, spikes, subs, etc.) I would have changed my plans if I would have heard enough bass response out of the older cabinet designs. Maybe I don't really want to know the answer to this question but I must ask it anyway. Does the Westminster give the bass response I found missing in the older designs and still have the magic I remember so well over the remaining frequencies?

lugnut August 17, 2005 09:37

Hello Ecclectique,You have a great looking system,,,every time i look at your system i cant take my eyes off your Westminster Royals,,,they are truly beautifull,and your decription of the sound!!!Also enjoyed reading their history!Thanks,Ray

raytheprinter August 16, 2005 20:47

your westminster royals are what dreams are made of. congratulations! have you tried SET amps and super tweeters?

szutinglee August 16, 2005 16:46

Hello Raul. Thank you for your kind words sir. I apologize for not replying earlier as I rarely check the thread in MY PAGE. I recently stumbled across your incredible collection of arms and cartridges on a post in the analogue thread . WOWZA! Holy Tamoly man! Simply outstanding sir! We seem to have similiar tastes in arm and cartridge choices as I have had quite a few of those arms and cartridges on the Melco over the years as well. I love my Sumiko mdc 800 and will never part with it. The Melco was made in Japan and was first introduced in the early 80's as a precision tool to the trade for comparing arms and cartridges, as it will accomodate 3 separate tone arms. The 75 lb brass platter is supported by a custom machined high tolerance bearing assembly and driven by a separate regulated dc motor assembly from a Studer R2R tape machine. The brass platter is damped on the underside with a sorbothane type material. I am currently using THE ARM with a cardas golden cross interface and an original early suguno made 80's Koetsu rosewood cartridge. I also use a stax uni-pivot[12 inch version] with a pure silver wired interface and mounted with a grado statement. At the back of the melco I use a highly tweeked out ET-2 air bearing wired with pure silver and an old vintage Fidelity Research mc.The Tannoy Westminsters are a wonderful sounding true full range dynamic speaker in stock form but can be much improved upon from factory stock . My vintage Westminsters have been highly tweeked, the crossovers have been removed from the cabinets,rewired with pure silver wire from the drivers,as well as the crossover circuit boards in a true Bi-wire configuration and interfaced with directly soldered silver wire from the crossovers to the amps, All the caps have been replaced with v-caps for the tweeters and Solens + V-caps on the woofer. All the original resistors have been replaced with precision Mills types with silver air core inductors. The internal cabinet has relined with 4 ply 1 1/2 inch baltic birch and damped with a cork liner and 4inch layers of uholstery wool. One day I will update my profile in my system as I have made some changes. The proac 4's are used in another room in my studio with the vac monos and the supratek syrah preamp. With the Tannoy's, I am currently using a highly modified supratek cortese preamp driving a pair of vintage Klangfilm mono blocks on the tweeters and a Bedini solid state amp for the woofer. It will play all types of music effortlessly even at concert hall volume levels although they are better suited for very large rooms. I love them dearly!

ecclectique June 16, 2005 23:24

Dear David: Great system. I know very well your tonearms/cartridges ( I love " The Arm " ) but never heard your Melco TT. That Tanoy's are superb.
Where do you use the Proac's?

Regards and enjoy the music.
Raul.

rauliruegas June 03, 2005 09:49

Hi Stan. Nice room and system. Most westminsters are sold to Japaneese enthusiats that have similiar room dinensions and many much smaller. I have heard them in a room with similiar dimensions to yours and was extremely impressed. They would certainly be an imposing sight though. Even though they are huge, they disappear musically when properly set up,a phenomenon that amazes most any one that's ever experienced them. None of the music sticks to the driver or baffle like most other high-end speakers. If your keen on the Tannoy sound you may also want to consider the Canteburry 15HE. A smaller cabinet with the same duo-concentric driver as the Westminster Royal. I have never heard a pair though. If I didn't have my pair.... I would acquire a pair of 15 inch Tannoy Golds and have a cabinet maker build me cabinets to house them or try to find a pair of older Westminsters and swap out the drivers and crossovers.PS:I saw the pair you were referring to, there is a pair of Westminster Royals listed on the Gon right now.

ecclectique April 05, 2005 10:30

Ecclectique, Thanks for the info about the Tannoy Golds. I'll keep it in mind, if I ever purchase one of thier big speakers. I saw a Royal HE for sale on AG about a month ago. The ad stayed for about a week and then disappeared. I guess someone bought them. One question... my listening room is 24'8" long X 14'1 wide X 9' high. My speakers are along the 14'1" wall span. Will a big Tannoy work in this room? (please click on my pics-4 are of the room) Thanks again! Sincerely, Stan

talon4 April 04, 2005 18:35

Hello Stan. I haven't looked here in a long time and just read your post. Thank you for your kind words. My Westminsters were made in Scotland in 1984. I replaced the original westminster drivers with the earlier 15 inch Tannoy Golds and crossovers. The crossovers are now outboard of the cabinets and have also been updated with better capacitors and resistors. The earliest westminsters including TW versions employed ferrite magnets. The current westminster royal employ an alcomax magnet and is their crowning achievment and the flagship of the line up. Sensitivity is rated around 98 db. Even though they are very good for listening in a nearfield enviroment, in a large room they come closer to the illusion of a full scale live event at real volume levels. While I have had other highly regarded large speakers in my room.... none can do what the big Tannoy's can. Most of the Westminster's were exported to the Far East and rarely seen in North America. If you can beg,borrow or steal a pair, they will surely be the last speaker you will ever buy! The royal HE being the ultimate however the TW versions are much less money when available and can be fitted with the legendary 15 inch Tannoy Golds. The Tannoy golds are the best sounding speaker Tannoy ever produced. In my honest opinion, they are even better than the current alcomax version.

ecclectique April 04, 2005 04:23

On 03/05/05, I researched your speakers. This is the first time since then that I've been able to write again. Your speakers were made between 1982 and 1987. That was the period that they made that series, as I understand it.(and if I remember my dates correctly)- I've been looking into the Tannoy Westminster Royal HE speakers. I think that my dream speakers have now changed to these speakers. Who knows, maybe sometime in the future I'll be able to buy a pair. (when I can afford the cost of admission) Thanks for showing me another side of audio! Best! Stan

talon4 March 19, 2005 16:44

I don't think that I ever said this about a stereo system before... Awesome System! I especially like your speakers. What's the sensitivity? Do they still make the Tannoy Westminster TW? I love vintage stuff. Especially, when it's done right. Awesome awesome setup- from the tubes to the speakers. Best! Stan

talon4 March 04, 2005 15:42