So, sometime in January I bought these classic 30 year old Tannoy CPA12’s after MZM identified the hidden treasures within: Dual Concentric 12-inch 3134’s. To top it all off, MZM has a ML box for these fitting my living room perfectly. And the price was unbeatable @ 500 dollars including an extra tweeter.
But, surprises kept coming. These pics show the drivers upon arrival at my house. Notice the baskets have been painted, and this had been spilled onto the surrounds and in some places also onto the cones.
One of the drivers have had a party with a lit candle. So, these are just to share with you my first impressions.
After a quick listening test I determined these drivers needed more attention. MZM has been my teacher all along, and I his padawan.
Later I plan to post pics and descriptions of my work. I can allready say that a cracked magnet and off centred throat/top magnet assembly had to be dealt with
Sharing to help others and perhaps motivate to buy these robust classic drivers and fix them up properly. All it takes is time. Nearly finished, but at least 40-50 hours have been spent allready.
These sensitive drivers sing well with First Watt power specs, and Papa loves Tannoy’s too. So for that reason this is posted in the PL section, where the greediest of boyz reside.
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Some of the inspiration and background, 15 inch drivers, from MZM’s blog:
https://www.zenmod.in.rs/ffls-tannoy-k3809-adventure-revitalization-again/
https://www.zenmod.in.rs/another-ta...n-3-previous-episodes-cumulative-with-finish/
https://www.zenmod.in.rs/another-tannoy-k3809-adventure-read-revitalization-again-part-3/
https://www.zenmod.in.rs/ffls-tannoy-k3809-adventure-revitalization-again/
https://www.zenmod.in.rs/another-ta...n-3-previous-episodes-cumulative-with-finish/
https://www.zenmod.in.rs/another-tannoy-k3809-adventure-read-revitalization-again-part-3/
Did you just buy raw drivers and you're making a project of it?
I've been thinking about Tannoy 12's. Maybe the DMT 12 (modern-ish era) or something older. I was watching a pair that belonged to the estate of Martin Hannett (Factory Records, Joy Division, New Order, etc etc) - but they sold days before I was ready to make an offer. A friend was telling me how much he likes his Chevoit's.
I'm looking forward to following your progress on this project!
I've been thinking about Tannoy 12's. Maybe the DMT 12 (modern-ish era) or something older. I was watching a pair that belonged to the estate of Martin Hannett (Factory Records, Joy Division, New Order, etc etc) - but they sold days before I was ready to make an offer. A friend was telling me how much he likes his Chevoit's.
I'm looking forward to following your progress on this project!
I’m looking for quite some time for some coaxial speakers (Tannoy or new Fyne)… the thing with older Tannoy’s is that I just don’t know what would be worthwhile… The 15” red go for crazy prices and others are just a guess if any good…. Would a dc2000 for example be any good? Is there some reference-list of some sort for us greedy-boys? Thanks.
I have preference for 12" Tannoy Golds.
I Heavily auditioned Tannoys at local dealers in process of buying Mine in '72.
Finding that I Much preferred the sound of 12's to the 15's
(Sweeter midrange far less Bass heavyness).
Price difference being ~20$ each. Definitely not any kind of a decision factor.
As bonus 12's (and Only 12's) were fitted with Butyl rubber surrounds.
Not the poor quality : Harmon International... Decreed biodegradable Foam things.
Butyls are Lifetime parts with No softening Or hardenings ...over decades.
Motors are massive Alnicos.. Not Ferrites. which gives audibly differing sounds vs the cheap magnets
Personal preference plays a part there tho.
Although Alnico have a projected 2 Millenia life span.
Ferrites ? a ~couple of decades as that materials' Flux degradation is measurable within 10 years.
And like ALL golds and HPDs ..featuring the drilled Pepper pot Compression throats.. not the cheaper to mfg 'tulip waveguide' substitutions.
Crossovers are another pitfall/issue: Serious Care with Any Tannoys that have Fooled with crossovers.
Yess that makes buying far more complex.
Seems most every Tannoy 'owner' Effs with the Crossovers.. 90% of whom have Neither knowledge Nor skills enough to be dicking with those.
Commercial versions included.. which is the Real sore point IMO.
I Heavily auditioned Tannoys at local dealers in process of buying Mine in '72.
Finding that I Much preferred the sound of 12's to the 15's
(Sweeter midrange far less Bass heavyness).
Price difference being ~20$ each. Definitely not any kind of a decision factor.
As bonus 12's (and Only 12's) were fitted with Butyl rubber surrounds.
Not the poor quality : Harmon International... Decreed biodegradable Foam things.
Butyls are Lifetime parts with No softening Or hardenings ...over decades.
Motors are massive Alnicos.. Not Ferrites. which gives audibly differing sounds vs the cheap magnets
Personal preference plays a part there tho.
Although Alnico have a projected 2 Millenia life span.
Ferrites ? a ~couple of decades as that materials' Flux degradation is measurable within 10 years.
And like ALL golds and HPDs ..featuring the drilled Pepper pot Compression throats.. not the cheaper to mfg 'tulip waveguide' substitutions.
Crossovers are another pitfall/issue: Serious Care with Any Tannoys that have Fooled with crossovers.
Yess that makes buying far more complex.
Seems most every Tannoy 'owner' Effs with the Crossovers.. 90% of whom have Neither knowledge Nor skills enough to be dicking with those.
Commercial versions included.. which is the Real sore point IMO.
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Tannoy fetish spreads like Covid
ZM is carrier monkey 😉
MLTL is hopeful future plan…I was a little reluctant to tear apart the System 15 DMTii I scored as I was enjoying them so much.
Instead I found some K3149 from LGM that were serviced and
surrounds replaced.
Currently working on baffles for them as first stop will be open baffle with AE 15 Dipole below to break them in and afterwards take measurements with DATS to see where they are at.
I’m hoping to build the MLTL with a removable baffle and in a way that it can be retuned to either driver.
Eventually I will want to go through the DMTs thoroughly and try them.
I’m interested in your adventures and if you faced ferrofluid replacement?
Crossover woes will be handled with a Tannoy X5000 I scored.
ZM is carrier monkey 😉
MLTL is hopeful future plan…I was a little reluctant to tear apart the System 15 DMTii I scored as I was enjoying them so much.
Instead I found some K3149 from LGM that were serviced and
surrounds replaced.
Currently working on baffles for them as first stop will be open baffle with AE 15 Dipole below to break them in and afterwards take measurements with DATS to see where they are at.
I’m hoping to build the MLTL with a removable baffle and in a way that it can be retuned to either driver.
Eventually I will want to go through the DMTs thoroughly and try them.
I’m interested in your adventures and if you faced ferrofluid replacement?
Crossover woes will be handled with a Tannoy X5000 I scored.
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80% of Tannoy related info (excepting hard data) available on net is utter BS..... written by ppl having an opinion and not much beside that
DC drivers (not stamped basket variety!!, these are disgrace ) are divine, whatever magnet , surround, cone material and type of tweeter is
xover for Pepperpot is damn clever (electrically), ruined by bean-counters
for Tulips, hard to beat CPA xover ....... examples are DMT12 and System 1200 xovers - whoever made those (electrically) was evidently on baaaad weed
boxes are best to avoid, excepting two horn ones, and none of them is Westminster
YMMV, I don't care
DC drivers (not stamped basket variety!!, these are disgrace ) are divine, whatever magnet , surround, cone material and type of tweeter is
xover for Pepperpot is damn clever (electrically), ruined by bean-counters
for Tulips, hard to beat CPA xover ....... examples are DMT12 and System 1200 xovers - whoever made those (electrically) was evidently on baaaad weed
boxes are best to avoid, excepting two horn ones, and none of them is Westminster
YMMV, I don't care
It's a remarkably small world isn't it, I was the guy who bought those speakers...
If it helps they went to a good home, they're in pride of place in the main system I've built this year when I changed countries to the UAE. They sound great in some interim Tannoy Chatsworth cabs and at some point I'll do some custom ones for them.
I’m a Tannoy lover for years! I’ve got Series1000 10”, the drivers from the DMT12mk2 which I biamp with tubes, and some pro series 12”. They all image like crazy due to the dual concentric design. Earlier Tannoys are much more cabinet critical. Their higher efficiency makes them SET friendly and also can handle big SS amps. The 3139 drivers are my favorite but the 15” are great too with more low end.
Love the enthusiasm!
Continuing in the name of the thread: part of aim with thread is to motivate amp builders to get some of these old drivers, and refurbish them on your own. Nothing is impossible, and we will later see some examples where I almost gave up.
Attached is a before and after pic of the cone of driver A (called as such from now on). How was it achieved?
Well, four days of carefully scraping and then rinsing candle light reaidue with q-tips and isoprop. Carefully avoiding oversoaking of the paper in the cone.
Then, once removed, I continued with the surrounds. They were pretty soaked in paint, making them stiff and hence likely affecting Fs (stock 37hz). Did not measure Fs before cleaning, but after cleaning Fs measurements around 30hz blank showed these rubber surrounds are still good to play
These were cleaned with isoprop, q-tips and cotton swabs, for a long time 
The paint residue on the cone was scraped off, damaging the top of the paper surface just a tiiiiiny bit, but no matter: three coats of Dammar made an even and nice surface again. Two coats are for sissies.
Tweeter replaced too, with original part since I myself managed to damage the VC of the stock diaphragm. No matter, will fix it later.
Remaining work on this driver is spraypainting the basket top and basket plastic protection ring.
Woofer impedance 5R, tweeter 3R8.
This was the really easy driver, it turned out.
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Congrats! It is indeed a very small world! I was watching those speakers and had to sell a piece of gear to get the funds going for the potential speaker purchase. I think I was less thank a week late. I'm a big fan of Joy Division, so the heritage added appeal.
Enjoy them! I'm probably going to keep my eyes open for DMT12's.
The 12 and 15 inch new school point source speakers.
🤘🙂
But i have not listened to any of them yet.
https://www.hifiklubben.se/marken/vestlyd/
🤘🙂
But i have not listened to any of them yet.
https://www.hifiklubben.se/marken/vestlyd/