Driver technology presentation A Brief History of

1926 Guy R. Fountain founds Tulsemere

manufacturing company.
1927 The first sales of Tantalum/Lead Alloy
rectifiers for radios.
1928 The company moves to Dalton Street and
the company changes its name Tannoy
Tantalum/Lead Alloy

1932 The Tannoy Music Centre

Radio/Turntable/amplifier & speaker system.
1940s Tannoy provides turnkey communication
technologies for the war effort translation /
paging/SR / intercom

A Brief History of A Brief History of

1948 The 15 Dual Concentric is invented. Over the next few years
the popularity of the Dual Concentric grows. Decca became a major customer,
and Dual Concentric drive units are purchased by EMI for Abbey Road.
1967 Tannoy launches the Monitor Gold Dual Concentric range.
1974 Tannoy sold to Harman. R&D Continues and the HPD Dual
Concentric drive units are launched.
1975 Tannoy moves from Canterbury Grove to Coatbridge in Scotland.
1977 The company is sold by Harman to Beatrice Foods. Guy R.
Fountain dies.
1979 The Super Red Range of studio monitors are launched.
1981 Tannoy is bought from Beatrice Foods by the management team.
1985 Tannoy launches the Super Gold Dual Concentric Studio Monitor
range.
1987 Tannoy becomes a founding member of TGI plc.
2002 On the 4th January of this year the entire TGI Group (including
Tannoy) was purchased by TC electronic A new era for Tannoy!

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The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric

Introduction
Why Dual Concentric..?
One Source Is Better Than Two
Interference Over The Critical Crossover Area
Harmonics Ability to reproduce a flat frequency response on, and off, axis
Constant Time Delay
Attempts To Emulate The Dual Concentric High power handling and efficiency
Directivity
Spherical Wavefront Generation Better Control Wide dynamic range without compression
Wider Dispersion
A Single Driver An Integrated Solution
Summary

The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric

Accurate sound reproduction means a wide range of frequencies One Source Is Better Than Two

Covering the whole audio spectrum requires different approaches at different

frequencies for optimum solutions.
A seamless joining together at crossover is essential.

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The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric
Interference Over The Critical Crossover Area The result can be measured as an uneven off-axis frequency
response in all multi-way systems

A true Point Source gives the same sound from seat to seat.
Dual Concentric products can use simpler, better sounding and more efficient
crossovers.

The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric

Harmonics The Tannoy Dual Concentric Preserves the Harmonic Structure of
Complex Sounds.

Harmonic relationships preserved

using a single point source.

Harmonic relationships using

multiple sources.

Dual Concentric products have better harmonic alignment.

Better harmonic alignment = clearer, more intelligible, more natural sound.

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The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric
Attempts To Emulate The Dual Concentric More Attempts To Emulate The Dual Concentric

A Point Source driver simplifies nearly every aspect of a system installation. Compact, full range boxes are the current system design route.
The Dual Concentric is the only practical way of creating a full frequency range Point Even in a small box, separated drive units cannot emulate a true
Source driver. point source unit, they will still suffer from all the problems of being non
Other ways of approaching the Point Source goal suffer from identifiable drawbacks. Dual Concentric design.

The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric

One Driver One Directivity Two Drive Units Two Directivities

With a Dual Concentric the

dispersion is smooth and
consistent down to the point at which the
speaker starts behaving omni-directionally.
Varying dispersion aggravates
room response problems making it
The ideal system is one where the sound dispersion is well
more difficult to set up a system.
controlled, and does not dramatically alter with frequency.
Dispersion control must be achieved without introducing
problems in other areas.
Uneven dispersion gives unpredictable sound balances.
Controlled, even dispersion gives greater intelligibility in difficult reverberant rooms.

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The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric
Spherical Wavefront Generation Better Control Sound Where You Want It!

The Dual Concentric has a spherical dispersion for consistent performance

vertically and horizontally.
Even dispersion means even coverage.
The Dual Concentrics spherical dispersion is symmetrical.
Sound quality is consistent across the floor area.
On-Axis and Off-Axis performance remains consistent across the frequency
Spectrum. Designing the HF and cone drive units as a single system
resolves dispersion disparities at the crossover area.
The audience hears the same high quality performance wherever they are.

The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric

The Problem of Sound Where You Dont Want It Resolving The Problems Of Sound Where You Dont Want It

Even Off-Axis dispersion reduces room related problems.

More flexibility of placement, less feedback, higher gain.
Erratic off-axis dispersion increases room related problems. Less EQ makes for a better sounding, more efficient system.
Discrete systems become more prone to feedback, with lower overall Less time spent EQing the system.
gain and intelligibility. Less money spent on equalisers and amplifier power.

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The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric
Wider Dispersion Fewer Speakers Fewer Lobes Fewer Problems Horizontally

Controlled wide dispersion means even coverage over large areas.
Wider dispersion means fewer boxes to cover an area lower system costs with
fewer loudspeakers, less wiring and lower installation time.
Spherical wavefront Point Source drive units are the only way to achieve a Point
Source Array.
Arrays of Dual Concentrics are less prone to lobes leading to a more even spread of
sound, less feedback and more gain.
Dual Concentrics array equally well horizontally as vertically.

The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric

Fewer Lobes Fewer Problems Vertically A Single Driver An Integrated Solution

Spherical wavefront Point Source drive units are the only way to Coincident Point Source.
achieve a Point Source Array. Large throat area for high power and unrestricted dynamics.
Arrays of Dual Concentrics are less prone to lobes leading to a Lower HF compression gives lower distortion, higher power
more even spread of sound, less feedback and more gain. handling/SPLs.
Dual Concentrics array equally well horizontally as vertically. Precision moulded waveguide and diaphragm carrier.
Edge wound ribbon voice coil.
Open, cast chassis.

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The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric
Horn And Cone A Single System
Smoother Impedance And Easier To Drive

Designing the cone as an extension of the HF horn ensures a smooth

acoustic impedance transition. Smoother impedance for less strain on the amplifiers.
Smoother acoustic impedance means smoother electrical impedance Better controlled impedance dips gives less likelihood of amplifier protection circuits operating.
curves and more predictable powering requirements, making better use of the Smooth impedance makes for more accurate prediction of power requirements, less incentive to
available amplifier power. over-specify amplifier powers.

The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric

Higher Heat Dissipation More Accurate Dynamics Alnico magnet systems
Alnico, an alloy of aluminium, nickel, cobalt iron and other rare earth elements,
is an extremely powerful magnetic material.
Drivers using Alnico magnets possesses some unique properties that offer
advantages over the commonly used ceramic magnet.
Very high magnetic field strength for increased sensitivity.
Magnetic field is very consistent between units and also stable with
temperature.
Unlike ferrite, it is electrically conductive, so forms a short circuit around
the voice coil. This damps out inductive effects from the voice coil that
cause distortion. Hence, Alnico gives a very pure midrange sound, with excellent
transient behaviour.

There are however a number of problems to be considered:

High production cost .

Large stray magnetic field is emitted, that is difficult to screen, so
Lower acoustic compression for better live sound. speakers with Alnico magnets cannot be used next to television .
Better heat dissipation means better long term reliability.
Better heat dissipation greater tolerance of accidental over driving.

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The Dual Concentric The Dual Concentric
Addressing The Crossover Area

An integrated driver design can address major problems at the design/manufacturing stage.
Problems associated with the crossover area can be designed out in an integrated driver.

The Dual Concentric Inductive Coupling Technology

Better Driver Integration = Simpler Crossovers Moulded Polypropylene
Low Frequency Cone

Phase Plug

Dust Cap
Low Frequency
Voice Coil
Receiving Full
Bandwidth

1 Duralumin Dome
Inductively Coupled
Magnet Assembly

Full control of the speaker design makes crossover design simpler.

Simple crossovers sound better.
Simple crossovers have fewer components and are less expensive.

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Tannoys Strengths A few world-wide users

A brand name with world-wide recognition.

Mick Guzauski - (Eric Clapton).
Innovative products. Brad Freidel - (Terminator).
Don Gehman - (Tracy Chapman).
Unique technologies. Kevin Leonard - (Whitney Houston)
Joe Ciccarelli - (Tori Amos, Frank Zappa).
Customer and market focused. Warner Music Studios, LA, NY
Sony Music Studios LA, NY, Nashville.
Strong commitment to engineering values. DreamWorks, Hollywood.

Strong Audio Heritage.

A few more world-wide users A few users of Tannoy sound reinforcement products

Theatre
_Andrew Lloyd-Weber Musicals _The Royal Shakespeare Company _ Royal National
Tokyo Broadcast Theatre, UK _ Sydney Opera House, Australia _JFK Performing Arts Centre
Korean Broadcast
M6 TV, France Foreground Music
South African Broadcast
_Bass Leisure _Raffles Town Club, Singapore _Virgin Music Retail _Planet Hollywood
ITN, UK
BBC _Nike Town Stores _ Universal Studios _ The Tunnel, Glasgow

BGM/Paging
_Coca Cola _Microsoft Corporation _Hewlett Packard _Nintendo _Sun Microsystems
_Hilton Hotels _Heathrow Airport _Hong Kong Convention Centre _Marriott Hotels

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A few users of Tannoy sound reinforcement products
World-Wide Endorsements

Produced tracks for

Elton John.
George Benson.
Janet Jackson.
Lisa Stansfield.
Madonna.
Michael Jackson.
Neneh Cherry.
Simply Red.

Something else that you might not know Michael Jacksons album Thriller

The biggest selling album of all time was
recorded using which brand of monitors?

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