Tannoy Cheviot Speakers, Mid 70s, Hi-Fi or Monitors NOW SOLD

surfguy13

Hi guys

After nearly 40 years of enjoying these Tannoy Cheviots it's time to find them another home.  They are the most outstanding speakers I have ever heard and if you've got the space there's nothing better.  I have used the as hi-fi speakers in the main but they have been hooked up to my deck via a switching box and they work equally well as monitors.

The drivers are Tannoy's own Dual Concentric 12" HPD315s with the following specs:

Frequency Response: 40Hz to 20kHz
Power Handling: 60W
Crossover Frequency: 1000Hz
Impedance: 8Ω . 

OK, first thing to say is that they are BIG.  Each speaker weighs 28.5 +/- kilos and the net dimensions of each speaker is: 45cmx85cmx26cm.  However, the range is incredible and you can only get that with a cabinet of this size.  You will need decent amp setup to run them and I have been using Audiolab 8000P comined with a Audiolab 8000C.

The speakers are a matched pair judging by the serial number of the drivers and the inspection date stamps on the inside of each cabinet suggests they are either 1977 or 1972.  The stamp on one cabinet is illegible after the numbers 197 and the stamp in the other could be either '72 or '77.  I am the second owner and bought the speakers from the original owner ( a friend) in 1979.  He confirmed he had bought them in the early '70s which would suggest they were made in 1972.
Serial numbers of the speakers:

Speaker 1:     315/509456

Speaker 2:     315/509466

 The back plate on each cabinet also bears the above serial numbers.  Please see photographs.

Most of the original Tannoy drivers suffer from the foam surround deteriorating over time which needs to be replaced periodically.  I had the foam surrounds professionally replaced in the late 80s/early 90s.  However in 2013 they needed replacing again.  In July 2013, both drivers were sent to Lockwood Audio, Tannoy’s recommended service provider, to be assessed.  Lockwood recommended that both drivers should be re-coned as the foam surrounds had previously been replaced and it was not advisable to re-apply a surround due to the build up of glue on the cone from the previous repalcement of the foam surround.  The work was undertaken by Lockwood at a cost of over £300. They sound absolutely amazing.  Please see the photographs.

The cabinets are in really superb condition for their age in a nice light ash colour.  The cabinets have not been refurbished or had the backs re-painted as is often the case. 

There are only two VERY minor issues: 

One of the push-in cable connectors has lost its plastic spring-loaded 'hat' but these can be bought on Ebay easily but I have never bothered as the speaker cables connect perfectly without them.

One of the two main grille-cloth panels has had a minor repair on the reverse side.  These panels are made of chipboard and are relatively brittle.  When the cabinets were having the drivers removed prior to dispatch to Lockwood a crack appeared on either side of the cut out for the driver.  I repaired this using two very thin pieces of wood screwed into the rear of the panels.  This repair cannot be seen when the panels are in situ on the speaker.  The repair is solid.  I could have made an invisible repair but I wanted to be sure that the two brackets I have installed could be seen by anyone considering buying the speakers.

The original crossovers are in perfect working order and the controls work perfectly.  Anyone who has heard these 315s will know how good they sound.  With the re-coned drivers the speakers sound  just incredible.

I want £750 for the speakers and I am very happy for someone to come and try them anytime.  This is a link to my Imgur page where there are masses of photos of the cabinets and speakers:  http://imgur.com/a/n4Gwu   

I will also embed some photos below.

http://i.imgur.com/rr0xeQU.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/enqUAVE.jpg

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http://i.imgur.com/oOa997p.jpg

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http://i.imgur.com/we7aV5C.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/OOGZhnR.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/wsetkr1.jpg

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http://i.imgur.com/qJGxZHX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/u5vMDyc.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1ACckpe.jpg

 

 

 

TTony

Given that these are fairly specialist - the peeps on the artofsound forum might be a good marketplace?

lento

Could also mention Pink Fish Media might be worth trying .....

Love the Tannoy sound - have had SRM 10'S in the past 

surfguy13

Thanks @TTony and @lento, really appreciate the nod!  To be honest I've never heard of either artofsound or Pink Fish Media but will get on the case.  They are a bit specialised I guess and not something you buy every day of the week!! 

Rocker

@surfguy13, try www.tirnahifi.org, an Irish and Worldwide hi-fi site. 

surfguy13

Rocker said:

@surfguy13, try www.tirnahifi.org, an Irish and Worldwide hi-fi site. 

Brilliant @Rocker, really appreciate that.  I will give it a try.  Just registered with Pink Fish Media but there's a 50 post and 90 day waiting time before you can post.  Mind you, fair do's I suppose.

x-valves4ever

Early Tannoys are great speakers, for home or studio monitoring....I had Lancasters with 15" Mointor Golds for a number of years before my wife finally lost it about their size.
these are at a bargain price...

surfguy13

A man with impeccable taste!    Agree totally @valves4ever, they don't really get any better than the 70s Tannoys and your Monitor Golds were the top of the pile.  Those 15" drivers were just mind blowing and the range is just huge so you could really use them for any application.  But..........cabs were even bigger than my Cheviots and so I can understand that the domestic bliss was compromised!!!!  Apparently the old Tannoys are now back in vogue again and going for silly money on specialist forums so once they're gone they're gone to all intents and purposes and I'm already reconsidering whether to sell them.

TheMarlin

I'm a big Tannoy Dual Concentric fan.  Awesome speakers.  

lento

Always fancied a pair of Westminsters myself but at £32k it's a little above my reach ...;)

surfguy13

lento said:

Always fancied a pair of Westminsters myself but at £32k it's a little above my reach ...;)

and..............I think you'd need to spend another £32K on an extension to house them!!!! 

x-valves4ever

surfguy13 said:

A man with impeccable taste!    Agree totally @valves4ever, they don't really get any better than the 70s Tannoys and your Monitor Golds were the top of the pile.  Those 15" drivers were just mind blowing and the range is just huge so you could really use them for any application.  But..........cabs were even bigger than my Cheviots and so I can understand that the domestic bliss was compromised!!!!  Apparently the old Tannoys are now back in vogue again and going for silly money on specialist forums so once they're gone they're gone to all intents and purposes and I'm already reconsidering whether to sell them.

I sold them for £400 in 1987....boo hoo...

surfguy13

Rocker said:

@surfguy13, try www.tirnahifi.org, an Irish and Worldwide hi-fi site. 

Just wanted say thanks once again @Rocker for the nod re Tirnahifi.  I joined the forum, posted the Tannoys and I have a guy coming tomorrow with a view to buying them. 

Rocker

Result. Well done. Pleased to think that good speakers will continue to be used.

surfguy13

Rocker said:

Result. Well done. Pleased to think that good speakers will continue to be used.

It was a great result.....the guy tunred up last night and the speakers totally blew his mind!!!  However, he turned up in a Mercedes sports type car and freaked out when he saw the size of them.  We eventually managed to get both speakers in the tiny back seat, one speaker on top of the other, and there literally wasn't an inch to spare.  Anyway, he went away happy and I just know he's going to love them.  Mind you, I'm really going to miss them too.