[David Grant]

Scott,

I'm not trying to put you on the spot...I was searching RAP for "ellipse"
and I came across several of your posts concerning the supertweeter. In
several of them you claim the tweeter seems to make no difference, in others
you claim the difference is slight if at all present, and in others you
claim the difference is obvious. I'm listening to a pair right of ellipses
now, can't tell any difference, and am wondering what changed your mind.

Also, what did you NOT like about these monitors?

Thanks,

David

[Scott Dorsey]

David Grant wrote:

I'm not trying to put you on the spot...I was searching RAP for "ellipse"
and I came across several of your posts concerning the supertweeter. In
several of them you claim the tweeter seems to make no difference, in others
you claim the difference is slight if at all present, and in others you
claim the difference is obvious. I'm listening to a pair right of ellipses
now, can't tell any difference, and am wondering what changed your mind.

I think I said the difference between them and some of the other Tannoy
designs was obvious, not because of the supertweeter but because of the
rest of it. I am not sure the supertweeter really does anything useful,
but it does seem to pitch the top octave up a little bit.

Also, what did you NOT like about these monitors?

They cost a hell of a lot more than a used System 800, and they are
basically the same speaker with a supertweeter and a different cabinet shape.

But I really do love the Tannoy dual concentric designs. They are
detailed without being harsh. And I say that as someone who normally
cannot stand horns.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[David Grant]

They cost a hell of a lot more than a used System 800, and they are
basically the same speaker with a supertweeter and a different cabinet
shape.

Makes sense that the elliptical shape would result in higher manufacturing
costs, but is their theory that it's shape reduces resonances resulting from
width and height dimensions accurate? I mean if this were an optimal shape
for mode reduction, wouldn't we be building control rooms like this? I ask
this as someone not (yet) very well read in speaker design.

But I really do love the Tannoy dual concentric designs. They are
detailed without being harsh. And I say that as someone who normally
cannot stand horns.

I love their mids and highs. Their low end leaves something to be desired,
but I haven't experimented with plugging the ports - some have suggested
this helps. I haven't tried the Tannoy subs in tandem yet either.

[Scott Dorsey]

David Grant wrote:
They cost a hell of a lot more than a used System 800, and they are
basically the same speaker with a supertweeter and a different cabinet
shape.

Makes sense that the elliptical shape would result in higher manufacturing
costs, but is their theory that it's shape reduces resonances resulting from
width and height dimensions accurate? I mean if this were an optimal shape
for mode reduction, wouldn't we be building control rooms like this? I ask
this as someone not (yet) very well read in speaker design.

Well, it distributes the internal resonances around a little better, but
if you ever get to listen in an elliptical room, you'll find the two
focus points in the room are terrible places to be. And it makes the
cabinets harder to make.

If you listen to the old System 800, you'll really hear very few cabinet
problems in the first place. But the System 800 and System 600 are
discontinued.

For a long time, if you wanted a dual concentric, the Ellipse was the
only thing left in the line. However, Tannoy is now also selling the
Precision 8, which is a rectangular box with the same dual concentric
driver and a different supertweeter. I have not heard it, but you might
want to give it a listen. Let me know what you think.

But I really do love the Tannoy dual concentric designs. They are
detailed without being harsh. And I say that as someone who normally
cannot stand horns.

I love their mids and highs. Their low end leaves something to be desired,
but I haven't experimented with plugging the ports - some have suggested
this helps. I haven't tried the Tannoy subs in tandem yet either.

Plugging the ports up with some foam will move the bass resonance up higher
and make it narrower. The bass gets tighter and less flabby, but the
extension is reduced.

If you like the Ellipse, you might also look into the Precision 8,
although I have not heard it. I _have_ heard the V8, which is a dual
concentric PA speaker without the supertweeter, which is pretty close to
the sound of the old System 800 monitors.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[David Grant]

Well, it distributes the internal resonances around a little better, but
if you ever get to listen in an elliptical room, you'll find the two
focus points in the room are terrible places to be. And it makes the
cabinets harder to make.

If you listen to the old System 800, you'll really hear very few cabinet
problems in the first place. But the System 800 and System 600 are
discontinued.

For a long time, if you wanted a dual concentric, the Ellipse was the
only thing left in the line. However, Tannoy is now also selling the
Precision 8, which is a rectangular box with the same dual concentric
driver and a different supertweeter. I have not heard it, but you might
want to give it a listen. Let me know what you think.

I have heard the Precision 8Ds in fact. I didn't get to hear these side by
side unfortunately but I did find both models bright - the 8Ds however
border on being harsh. The 8Ds lack a bit of punch in the low end, even more
than the Ellipses - likely due to the rear port. Mids are nice and clean on
both. I got the feeling the sweet spot with a stereo setup was much smaller
for the 8Ds.

[Scott Dorsey]

In article ,
David Grant wrote:

For a long time, if you wanted a dual concentric, the Ellipse was the
only thing left in the line. However, Tannoy is now also selling the
Precision 8, which is a rectangular box with the same dual concentric
driver and a different supertweeter. I have not heard it, but you might
want to give it a listen. Let me know what you think.

I have heard the Precision 8Ds in fact. I didn't get to hear these side by
side unfortunately but I did find both models bright - the 8Ds however
border on being harsh. The 8Ds lack a bit of punch in the low end, even more
than the Ellipses - likely due to the rear port. Mids are nice and clean on
both. I got the feeling the sweet spot with a stereo setup was much smaller
for the 8Ds.

Weird. They may be crossing that tweeter over a lot lower than with the
Ellipse, so the radiation pattern at high frequencies is narrower.

The radiation pattern on the dual concentric driver itself is very, very
even. And they go high enough that you don't really need a tweeter with
them, if you keep the levels reasonable.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."