Hello, i am totally new to tannoy world … i listened some vintage monitor gold, hpd but never some newer monitor.
my question is: are tannoy DMT 15 or 12 (or system 1200) good with low power ss amp or in particular with single ended tube amp (300b, 2a3 …)? because i read that they need a lot of power to sound good.
thanks
my question is: are tannoy DMT 15 or 12 (or system 1200) good with low power ss amp or in particular with single ended tube amp (300b, 2a3 …)? because i read that they need a lot of power to sound good.
thanks
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in proper boxes and proper xover, yeah they're good
though, rare are properly made 2A3 and 300B amps capable to drive them, not matter of watts exactly but more of approach - majority of these are having "soft" drivers stages, thus not all grunt form output tube exploited
if room is not exactly too big, say that 8W (common 300B amp) is enough
but, you really need to make it as George from Tube Lab - output tube driven by "Power drive" so amp having proper Cojones
EAR 859 and 869 - examples of original thinking - these are amps with grunt, even having measly 12-13W
though, rare are properly made 2A3 and 300B amps capable to drive them, not matter of watts exactly but more of approach - majority of these are having "soft" drivers stages, thus not all grunt form output tube exploited
if room is not exactly too big, say that 8W (common 300B amp) is enough
but, you really need to make it as George from Tube Lab - output tube driven by "Power drive" so amp having proper Cojones
EAR 859 and 869 - examples of original thinking - these are amps with grunt, even having measly 12-13W
Monitor Golds were arguably The high water mark for Tannoys.
Alnico drivers have a distinctive sound.
Later Ferrite magnet drivers (cheaper to mfg) have a sharper bass effect due to differing magnetic characteristics.
Some like it.. Some don't. But there is clearly Audible difference.
Also Tannoy eventually substituted the much cheaper to mfg Tulip wave guide for the HF section.
It was an audible downgrade though.
Noticing the downward cost cutting spiral ??
DMT's were often sold / used as Bar /strip club speakers. True.. believe it or not
Typically used V loud. Loud and brash sounds .. in a manageable size.
No idea what amps powered those setups other than they would need to be simple and reliable
Alnico drivers have a distinctive sound.
Later Ferrite magnet drivers (cheaper to mfg) have a sharper bass effect due to differing magnetic characteristics.
Some like it.. Some don't. But there is clearly Audible difference.
Also Tannoy eventually substituted the much cheaper to mfg Tulip wave guide for the HF section.
It was an audible downgrade though.
Noticing the downward cost cutting spiral ??
DMT's were often sold / used as Bar /strip club speakers. True.. believe it or not
Typically used V loud. Loud and brash sounds .. in a manageable size.
No idea what amps powered those setups other than they would need to be simple and reliable
I don’t claim to know squat about what’s good/bad/better regarding Tannoy and their different vintage drivers.
I’ve lived with a pair of System 15 DMT II for about 3 years now and have done a lot of experimenting with different amps driving them…ACAs, LM3875 chip amps, 80W Rotel HT amps, F2J, VFET, Babelfish J2, Quicksilver Horn Monos and 500W Hypex amps.
I just threw everything I had at them for the experience.
There was nothing special about driving them with the 500W Hypex amps.
They were anemic with the ACAs and the F2J is not the right amp for this type of speaker…even though it may be one if my favorite amps.
My Babelfish J2 amps sounded very good with them, but they are a mismatch for my tube pre in my main system and I like using my DCB1 more with my F2J monoblocks in my second system with a variety of fullrange drivers in horns or on baffles.
In the end, the best sounding combo I had in the main system with the Tannoys was my Quicksilver horn monos driven by my Audible Illusions 2D preamp.
The Quicksilvers are a very quiet push pull and only25W…which is perfect with the very sensitive Tannoys.
The sound levels I can achieve with them is down right scary.
I can play any kind of music I’m in the mood for and they sound remarkable.
I’m looking forward to trying the DMT 3833gg drivers in a transmission line eventually as well as playing with bi amping and the eventual completion of a new pre that works better with the J2s.
I’ve lived with a pair of System 15 DMT II for about 3 years now and have done a lot of experimenting with different amps driving them…ACAs, LM3875 chip amps, 80W Rotel HT amps, F2J, VFET, Babelfish J2, Quicksilver Horn Monos and 500W Hypex amps.
I just threw everything I had at them for the experience.
There was nothing special about driving them with the 500W Hypex amps.
They were anemic with the ACAs and the F2J is not the right amp for this type of speaker…even though it may be one if my favorite amps.
My Babelfish J2 amps sounded very good with them, but they are a mismatch for my tube pre in my main system and I like using my DCB1 more with my F2J monoblocks in my second system with a variety of fullrange drivers in horns or on baffles.
In the end, the best sounding combo I had in the main system with the Tannoys was my Quicksilver horn monos driven by my Audible Illusions 2D preamp.
The Quicksilvers are a very quiet push pull and only25W…which is perfect with the very sensitive Tannoys.
The sound levels I can achieve with them is down right scary.
I can play any kind of music I’m in the mood for and they sound remarkable.
I’m looking forward to trying the DMT 3833gg drivers in a transmission line eventually as well as playing with bi amping and the eventual completion of a new pre that works better with the J2s.
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Try the F2 with a tad of attenuation (notch or whatever) in the impedance rise area @ the crossover point. I pulled them down 2,5db centered at 2100hz, gradually down to 1,2k and up to 3,5k. Then add 25 ohms across the amps terminals to achieve approx a damping factor of just above 1. Sounds pretty smooth in the highs and mids, but dynamics and bass is perhaps not the best. I just added a 15” to the mix and it is pretty nice.
Yes. Even with a choke 
Got hold of 2,5mm2 chokes to replace the old ones, and fancy non inductive resistors. For the paralell cap on the woofmids I chose a pretty regular xo cap. Parts supposed to arrive yesterday, but weather hinders most things nowadays. In the meantime enjoying tje latest Iq settings on the BA-3. 1A per device and 50% increase in FE bias yet again, with a very different PSU an lower rail voltage, makes a remarkable difference.
Got hold of 2,5mm2 chokes to replace the old ones, and fancy non inductive resistors. For the paralell cap on the woofmids I chose a pretty regular xo cap. Parts supposed to arrive yesterday, but weather hinders most things nowadays. In the meantime enjoying tje latest Iq settings on the BA-3. 1A per device and 50% increase in FE bias yet again, with a very different PSU an lower rail voltage, makes a remarkable difference.