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Tannoy Arden - for the HPD385 Enclosures Hello Tannoy fans This is solid pair of custom Arden enclosures for the Tannoy HPD385 drivers. They're 40mm thick particle board with front baffle laminated chipboard/MDF construction. I've had them for years; I didn't make them but I had the baffles made years ago. The construction is excellent but the veneering job was always pretty ordinary so I ordered special 6mm plywood cut to size in order to laminate every face of the boxes except for the front panel. The intention is to give the enclosures a smooth attractive finish with the rather beauti
Tannoy Arden at AUD950 is a potential bargain if condition holds up—typical used pairs in Australia fetch AUD2,500–4,000, with serviced US examples hitting AUD8,000 equivalent recently. These 1970s–80s dual-concentric classics deliver that signature coherent, holographic sound when recapped, but raw unrestored units often need work, making this price aggressive for a quick flip.
Inspect the dual-concentric drivers closely: verify the 15" HPD/LPD cones aren't degraded or water-damaged (a radio station history flags moisture risk), and test for voice coil rub. Demand service records or measure DC resistance—over 40 years old, original capacitors are likely shot, so budget AUD500+ for pro recap to avoid muddled mids.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Tannoy traces its origins to 1926 in London, where Yorkshire-born engineer Guy R. Fountain established the Tulsemere Manufacturing Company in a modest garage. Initially focused on battery chargers and rectifiers for early radio sets, the brand name Tannoy emerged in 1928 as a contraction of "tantalum alloy," the key materials in its innovative electrolytic rectifiers. This British pioneer quickly pivoted to loudspeakers, cementing a heritage of audio innovation that spans nearly a century, including a relocation to Coatbridge, Scotland, in the 1970s.
The company specializes in loudspeakers, renowned for its revolutionary Dual Concentric driver introduced in 1947 at the London Radio Show, which transformed studio monitoring and home audio. Tannoy's portfolio centers on high-quality speakers—ranging from bookshelf and floorstanding models to the iconic Prestige series—alongside public address systems. While historically versatile in professional sound, its modern emphasis remains on hi-fi stereo and home cinema speakers, leveraging decades of driver technology expertise rather than diversifying into amplifiers, turntables, DACs, headphones, or cables.
Tannoy holds a revered position as one of the world's oldest loudspeaker manufacturers, blending high-end prestige with vintage appeal for discerning collectors and audiophiles. Its studio-grade monitors and meticulously crafted cabinets, often produced by specialists like Poland's Diora, earn consistent praise from hi-fi critics for exceptional clarity and dynamics. Now under the Music Tribe group, Tannoy endures as a benchmark for authentic British sound reproduction, appealing to knowledgeable buyers seeking timeless performance over fleeting trends.
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