ATC active or Tannoy TD12?

Rgs92,

With ATC you need to think low distortion, clarity and forwardness that you would normally associate with horns but with wider even dispersion of a dynamic speaker. So if tend to find horns are harsh and piercing then yes, absolutely, ATC will be similar.

Mike,

If the T16 was unlistenable then no ATC speaker will work for you - they all pretty much sound alike. Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. On the flipside you can feel even happier about the sound of your awesome Tannoys!

Shadorne said,
" = insane SPL levels). Judging by the TD12 plots on Stereophile - I think the ATC's will give you less bass and less thickness in the lower midrange and less at the very top end - essentially the ATC's are pretty much flat and sound that way (potentially too thin for you) - absolutely no sizzle or boom boom just really great mids are what stick out - until you hit higher SPL's at which point they become scary live kind of realistic with the transient impact that will restrict you to only good quality recordings or you will want to the leave the room/run for cover (also unlikely to make you popular with the neighbors or your spouse/GF). Bear in mind, both these speakers are quite similar in the sense they are dynamic power houses that play well at low and extremely loud levels...although the older Tannoy horns are best known for "jump" factor."

Just a couple of questions. How loud is loud? Which albums do you listen loudly to and how loud do you listen to them?

Just curious.

Bob

Bob,

I listen around 90 db spl rms most of the time. On a good album I may listen
at 95 db SPL rms. On really great music, which would be no more than a few
tracks would hit at around 100 - 103 db spl rms at their loudest part - no
more than that. All with a ratshack meter of course at 12 feet back - so
instantaneous transients may be higher and of course it is much louder at 3
feet from the speakers.

If you want to run a test on your system then I can run track 1 of Sheffield
labs drum track cleanly at around 105- 108 db SPL rms continuous on
crescendos (lasts a few seconds) with odd transients hitting around 112 -
115 db spl (lasting milisecs) at 12 feet back. This sounds like a real drum set
in the room. If I go higher then momentary gain reduction kicks in.

What most people do not realize is that when you listen extremely loud - it is
ONLY extremely loud very very briefly - a few seconds in all on each track.
Great music is not meant to be all at 105 db SPL all the time - that is too
fatiguing. So you can ONLY crank it on a good recording with good dynamic
range otherwise if it is Green Day then your ears are sore after one track.

A great track that plays loud very well is George Benson Weekend in L.A. Live
- "On Broadway" - Harvey Mason does a nice job there on drums
- great groove - great dynamics on this track.

Hi Shadorne, Thanks for your answer. Glad to see you use the "legendary" Radio Shack meter. I use the analog one of course! I tend to agree with you on the levels, most of my LPs play around low to mid 90s spl, and many playing up to 98db. A few playing up to 102-104db. With the loudest playing up to 104 to 106db. I dont believe (I am very sure) anything I play is louder than that.

Shadorne, when you see 115db on the meter, is your meter set on the 110db setting, or the 120db setting?

I dont have any of those albums available that you mentioned, I only have a turntable, I am not set up for any other source.

Shadorne said "Great music is not meant to be all at 105 db SPL all the time - that is too
fatiguing."

I will agree with that.

Bob

Bob,

I don't recall the meter setting 110 or 120 I suspect it was 110 (it is on fast response C weighting and max). Mine is the new digital kind. I have a condensor microphone too but it just ain't worth the trouble to setup with the PC etc. just to make a quick SPL measurement.

If you must know then PM me and I'll wait for an opportunity to test. Although I am in the basement it is so loud that the Wife will go balistic.

FWW: At these levels you might need to find a protected environment for your TT - there is often significant microphonics (distortion) as you feel sound waves as well as hear it. Pink Floyd have all their tube equipment in a separate room because of thiis issue.