Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
At The Back => The Dressing Room => Topic started by: ToneMonkey on June 09, 2009, 10:44:58 AM
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Well not quite yet, I have to pick them up.
A while back my Celestions blew themselves up (in the same way that my car crashed itself, I was just holding onto the steering wheel :lol: ). After about 6 months of searching, I finally found the speakers that I was after within a reasonable distance, as all the ones on evilbay are either north of Manchester or somewhere near Southampton.
I'm now the proud owner of a pair of TDL RTL 2 floorstanders, sadly in black ash rather than the rosewood which I was after. Not bad for a bargin £60.
Got a slightly blown pair of Celestion Impact 15 bookshelf speakers here if anyone wants to come and pick them up (might cost you a pint up the local), only 1 bass driver has gone so could be an easy fix.
Here's what I've just got: http://www.tdl-loudspeakers.co.uk/rtl2.htm
One of my mates has a pair of these in his bedroom and they're awesome speakers. Jammy git also has 2 pairs of RTL 4's in his front room (with 4 Arcam amps) which is rather loud, but that's a different story.
Hopefully pick them up over the next couple of days, I'm ver exited.
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How much do you reckon the Celestions would cost to fix?
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Not too sure. They're owned by Kef now so I'm not sure if you can get hold the exact drive unit anymore. You could probably find some similar though and change them for anything from £10 to a couple of hundred, depends how far you want to go with these things. They're 6 inch drivers bass/midrange I think.
With the knowledge on these boards, I'm sure someone with a lot more experience will pitch in. I'm sure you can find teh profile of the sound the drivers produce and match it to something similar.
Here are the little beaties, I love them:
http://sites.thestar.com.my/audio/story.asp?file=/1996/5/05cel
http://www.audioreview.com/mfr/celestion/floorstanding-speakers/impact-15/PRD_119294_1594crx.aspx
Speakers are yours if you want them. Suppose I could even drive to Leicester and drop them off.
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Nice score, I've read good things about TDL, but only heard them once at the Home Entertainment Expo here in NYC. I really couldn't get a bead on them in the room they had, however.
I would be surprised if KEF didn't have the replacement woofer available for the Impact 15. Their customer service is very good (I deal with KEF American on a daily basis) and if you email 'em I'm sure you will get a swift reply.
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TDL were really good but I think that both of the directors died within a few months of each other and they were bought out by the people that own Richer Sounds. Not great now so I hear.
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Those reviews sound pretty good, I'll give KEF an email and see how much it'll cost for the replacements. Then it should just be a case of hooking up spade connectors to the terminals shouldnt it?
I'm not in Leicester at the minute as I've finished uni for the year but could easily drive to yours/the pub :)
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Bloody students, off already :lol:
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Serial Number is A212220 if it's any help when you call them.
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CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE! :D
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I'm feeling the love for the new speakers.
Off to pick them up in bit. Should be back home by 10pm, so time to air them out properly beore the neighbours go to bed PDT_001
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TDL were really good but I think that both of the directors died within a few months of each other and they were bought out by the people that own Richer Sounds. Not great now so I hear.
Yup, that's right. RS basically slapped the TDL badge on any old thing after that. But the RTL2/3/4 were all proper TDLs and all stonking speakers. I had a set of 2s and 3s. Proper rock'n'roll speakers. Not the last word in accuracy, but they party well.
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Just hooked them up. Fuggin lovely.
Anyone want to buy an amp? Think I might have to upgrade to a bi-wirable one :lol:
EDIT: The guy I bought them from was a sound engineer..... as was the guy that recomended them. Say's it all really, it's criminal that you can pick them up for £60 now.
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Bi amp 'em!
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They don't particularly need loads of power, but they like it. They best I head them was on the back of a Quad 606, though this might be a tad excessive. Something like one of the more grunty Marantz integrateds will probably go well with them and you'll be able to pick one up for peanuts.
I used to have a brace of Arcam Delta power amps at the time I had mine and tried them in just about every combination you can think of: integrated on it's own, integrated plus power - bi-amping using the integrated to drive the treble and the power to drive the bass, and finally integrated with the amp stage switched off (using it as a pre) and a stereo power on each speaker - bi-amping each speaker with it's own amp. In all honesty, though there were small improvements with the extra boxes, they weren't really worth the bother. I'd just stick with running some 79 strand to them (I've yet to be able to hear the difference between bi-wiring and a single run).
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Oddly I've just re-discovered decent hi-fi also. I sold up many years ago and just had a home cinema system, then I managed to pick up a pair of NOS Rogers LS2a speakers and it's really started me off again just wanting to sit down and listen to music.
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Giving thema bit of a work out at the minute and I'm really happy. I've only got a small front room and they aren't ideally placed but for such small speakers, they don't half kick out a good belt.
Thinking that bi-amping may be the way to go. Got a mini-disc palyer (remember them) to get shot of and I might have the space. Anyone recommend a good second amp? At the minute I have this little beastie, not the best amp in the work but bloody good for the money. http://www.gbaudio.co.uk/data/pma250.htm
After something fairly cheap, as the rugrat is already taking up all my money and the little bugger isn't even born yet :?
EDIT: How do I go about bi-amping. Do I need some crossovers to split the frequency at the amp end? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers dudes.
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Ideally, a pre and 4 monobloc power amps... Or a pre and 2 stereo power amps, or an integrated with pre-outs and a matching stereo power, or finally, a pair of matching integrateds as long as they have pre-outs and power-ins. What you want to get to the stage of is having 4 identical amps, each driving it's own drive unit. You're still using the speaker's internal crossover so they have to be the same. With posher speakers you can get external crossovers, but when you get to that stage you're better looking at something like a set of active PMCs with built in Bryston amps and crossovers before them on-board. It all gets into proper silly money when you get to that stage.
The best I ever made the RTL2's sound was on the back of a single Quad 606 down a single length of 79 strand to each. The simplest configuration of the lot, just with a very, very good amp on the front. The brace of Delta's all bi-amped couldn't touch it. The RTLs just don't respond as well to bi-amping as well as something like, say my old Kef References that were a 3 way design and you could power the internal bass unit on one amp and the mid/treble on the other.
Personally, I'd run it with something like this (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marantz-PM66KI-Signature_W0QQitemZ260422233651QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item3ca25fee33&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1300|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50). Mine ran well with one of these in the past. Cracking little amp.
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I'm going to end up buying a new amp ain't I.
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I'm going to end up buying a new amp ain't I.
lol, I did when I bought the Rogers... Picked myself up a Marantz PM-17 up on ebay for just over £200. It's telling that I have another ebay special, a Musical Fidelity X-A2, on my computer (only slight overkill). You can get some really nice kit for next to nothing if you keep your eyes peeled.
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Someone mention rosewood RTL 2s?
Now relegated to rear channel duties, but they are still great speakers.
The foam in the ports has long turned crumbly and been removed.
(http://www.maccentral.demon.co.uk/misc/tdl.jpg)
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I've been looking on evilbay for a new (second hand) amp. Shhhhh, don't tell the missus.
It's amazing what you can find. Why the hell would you pay £10 for this?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/QUAD-909-Original-Shipping-Box-BOX-ONLY_W0QQitemZ110400757728QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item19b465dfe0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1300%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50
EDIT: Any of you stereo guys recommend a good amp to drive these bad boys. Don't want to spend more than about £120 as this is probably what I can get for my amp and mini disc player (if I chuck a couple of quid in myself).
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If by amp you mean integrated, look for a used Creek. They are an oustanding value to the dollar/pound/yen/whatever.
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I'll have a hunt around, cheers dude. Think I need an itergrated amp. I've just put on a mini disc for the first time in six months and had to go hunting under the bookcase for the plug. I just ain't got enough sockets for a pre and power amp. It's pain in the arse enough as it is.
Found a couple of cheap Creek 4040's but it looks like they won't drive the speakers any more than these ones. Think the stereo needs a bit of Clarkson style "More Powerrrrr" :D
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Yeah, they're not subtle speakers and respond well to a bit of grunt behind them.
Cheap option:
Ideally you'd want the more powerful version of this, but this should go cheap and is a decent amp. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marantz-PM-66SE-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ290322443481QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item439890ecd9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A4|39%3A1|72%3A1300|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A200)
Slightly uprated version of the same amp. Will likely go for more money. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marantz-PM-66SE-KI-Integrated-Stereo-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ300321232942QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item45ec8a582e&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A4|39%3A1|72%3A1300|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A1|294%3A200)
Likely expensive:
This will probably go for more than your budget, but worth keeping an eye on. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Musical-Fidelity-A220-Class-A-Integrated-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ320381066594QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item4a98331d62&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A4|39%3A1|72%3A1300|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A2|294%3A200)
Pretty much ideal:
A newer Alpha, and in the right sort of power level range you want. A definite watcher. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arcam-Alpha-9-Integrated-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ270404795288QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item3ef561bb98&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A4|39%3A1|72%3A1300|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A2|294%3A200)
...and the matching power amp from the same seller. If you want to bi-amp, this pair would be ideal. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Arcam-Alpha-9-Power-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ270404802025QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item3ef561d5e9&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A4|39%3A1|72%3A1300|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A2|294%3A200)
A more modern Marantz, no idea what it's like other than it's a Marantz (so will likely be in the decent end of the budget market) and it's got plenty of grunt. (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Marantz-PM7200-Amplifier_W0QQitemZ250439803460QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers?hash=item3a4f602244&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A4|39%3A1|72%3A1300|240%3A1318|301%3A0|293%3A3|294%3A200)
There are a few Arcams up, a couple of Audiolab 8000A (they were always rated well), and some other odds and sods. Plenty to go at.
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Some great deals in that list, to be sure!
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I never had a big enough room for floorstanders - still rockin some B&W bookshelf speakers on sand-filled stands.
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These one's are smaller than my bookself speakers on the satnds. Quite considerably so in fact.