Cannon TLS Model 1232T
- Thread starter Lance A.
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a_retent
In memory of Trixie woo-woo
Back in 1981 I owned a pair of Cannon TLS 1032s (model # down from yours). They had 10" woofs and a 10" rear mounted passive radiator. If the 12" woofers in yours are poly as I think I see then they are not original as they were originally paper cones. The very bottom opening in your cabinets were where the the flat diaphragm passive radiators were located. The Cannon TLS line to my knowledge was a "B" stock speaker design from ESS, kinda like the "omnivector" line of speakers from Bose.
Lance A.
Active Member
Lance A.
Active Member
My goal was to minimally upgrade them and give them to my brother, who already owns a pair of Cannons and loves them. Now I'm not so sure I will do anything with them. Pondering...
RVT1K
Super Member
Well only you know how much time and money it is worth to you.
grillebilly
Empty Head
The first real pair of speakers I ever bought. Not the towers but the one with the passive in the back.
The audio store near me had a room with about 30 sets of speakers you could flip to and the 1232 just crushed everything else in the room. I was pretty much a rocker back then so I'm sure the efficiency played a part. They are still part of an all tube system in the den. Still sound great but did need surrounds about 20 years ago.
The audio store near me had a room with about 30 sets of speakers you could flip to and the 1232 just crushed everything else in the room. I was pretty much a rocker back then so I'm sure the efficiency played a part. They are still part of an all tube system in the den. Still sound great but did need surrounds about 20 years ago.
a_retent
In memory of Trixie woo-woo
Yeah, they were built for certain price point that's for sure. When I bought my 1032s I put them up against a pair of larger Advents (A/B comparison). The Cannons were a bit less in price and seemed to be crisper in the upper freqs, that's probably due to the $9 piezo tweeter horn they used. So they went home with me and served me for a decade until I sold them at garage sale for $50 missing the surrounds.
Sounds like we had the same pair for the same reasons. The boom and sizzle these things produced were pretty hard to beat. One thing I did do to tame that over fleshy bottom end was to glue a quarter onto the back side of the passive radiator (out of sight), that seemed to tighten the bass a bit. And yes the quarters went with the speaks when I sold them...wait, the guy got them for $49.50?
Lance A.
Active Member
The surrounds on the radio shack woofers were shot too so I put a pair of 12" paper cone woofers I had in my inventory. I don't recall where they came from but the look suggest 60's or 70's.
The speakers don't sound half bad. The highs seem constrained but that isn't unusual with old caps in the crossover.
Lance A.
Active Member
They image quite well. They are very listenable. I get why people like them.
Too bad the construction wasn't better. The woofer was held down only with 4 wood screws directly in the MDF. The crossover is stapled to the back of the from baffle making it impossible to access. That's not insurmountable but the vinyl faceplate for the Lpads looks like they'd be destroyed if taken off, so pulling the crossover is impractical.
They did have a front to back brace however.
Still, I'm leaning towards parting them out but waiting to see if my brother wants them (to sit beside his current Cannons).
Too bad the construction wasn't better. The woofer was held down only with 4 wood screws directly in the MDF. The crossover is stapled to the back of the from baffle making it impossible to access. That's not insurmountable but the vinyl faceplate for the Lpads looks like they'd be destroyed if taken off, so pulling the crossover is impractical.
They did have a front to back brace however.
Still, I'm leaning towards parting them out but waiting to see if my brother wants them (to sit beside his current Cannons).
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I pick up a pair of these a few years ago. Had to refoam them. Can’t find much info on them, considered selling but I like the way they sound !
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Made by ESS in 1977-1979. They listed new for around $850 a pair if I remember right. I may still have a spare pair of the original woofers. The crossover in them is about the cheapest POS I have ever seen in a pair of speakers. Simply Speakers has (or had) the correct foam kits and passive radiator several years back when I ordered for my pair. Mine were my Dad's that I acquired and refurbed. Listened to them for a while and then stuck them in my speaker storage room (aka guest bedroom).
They won't bring a much money these days. They are not bad sounding speakers if you tone down that horn tweeter. More of a party type speaker to me. They are very easy to drive and will take a good bit of power. Sound wise they are nothing special. I have too many other speakers I prefer way over the sound of these.
They won't bring a much money these days. They are not bad sounding speakers if you tone down that horn tweeter. More of a party type speaker to me. They are very easy to drive and will take a good bit of power. Sound wise they are nothing special. I have too many other speakers I prefer way over the sound of these.
Big Tuna
Too Much Power!
Thanks for the good laugh. Lol! Sorry you had a horrible experience with those speakers but that is not how they are. Not one bit. Better build quality than most other crap out there with stapled grilles and whizzer coned full range drivers that people seem to clamor over as if they are the best thing since sliced bread. Oh well....
I never said I had a horrible experience with these speakers. Nor did I diminish the build quality. No matter what, the crossovers are built very cheaply. Rebuilding the crossovers makes a big improvement. Just speaking from experience. I was with my Dad when he bought these brand new. And I still have them.
Big Tuna
Too Much Power!
Oh but you did diminish the build quality of these fine speakers. The crossovers in these are better than others I've seen, and with the right amplification they sound very smooth. At least they have a crossover, with proper components. These were made by ESS, in case you didn't know. I, too, was with my father when he bought his new in 1979, and I still have them as well, and with original woofers. I installed new surrounds and passive discs in 2010.
