OWNERS MANUAL

CONTENTS

Wiring – the internal wiring has been replaced with high purity Van den Hul silver plated cable, which offers lower energy loss and greater transparency.

Termination panel – the termination panel of the original F1, F4 and FC have been upgraded with high quality gold plated brass terminals, for mimimum information loss.

Due to its compact size and typical on-wall positioning, the FR Custom is equipped with spring terminals for ease of installaton.

To gain maximum performance from your loudspeakers, please take time to read this owners manual in full before installation. Once you have set up your new loudspeakers please complete and returm the registration document - this does not limit your legal rights.

Loudspeakers are electromechanical devices that ‘run-in’ through use; performance will therefore improve after an intial period of 24hrs use. Once they have been further run-in over a longer period, there will be clear enhancement of stero imaging, mid-band qulaity and bass performance characteristics.

INTRODUCTION

AMPLIFIER MATCHING

FINE TUNING

BASS TUNING

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BI-AMPING

6

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SCREENING

 

7

4

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 

9

5

SET-UP DIAGRAMS

 

10-12

 

 

 

We are confident that you will continue to enjoy your new Tannoy loudspeakers for many years to come.

AMPLIFIER MATCHING

Consult the enclosed product specification sheet as this clearly shows the acceptable power range for amplifier matching to your speakers. The high peak power handling of Tannoy loudspeakers permits responsible use with more powerful amplifiers - please read the Warranty.

WARRANTY

This equipment has been produced and tested with care and precision. All Tannoy speaker systems are built to give first class service and carry a 5-year warranty. Active subwoofers carry a 1-year warranty.

If the equipment proves to be defective within this period for any reason other than accident, misuse, unauthorised modification or fair wear and tear, Tannoy will repair any such defect or, at our option, replace it without charge for parts, labour or return carriage. This warranty is given in addition to the customer's statutory rights.

If you suspect a problem with your loudspeakers please contact your local Tannoy dealer who will be able to advise on appropriate action.

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on purchasing Tannoy Mercury F Custom loudspeakers. This Limited Edition upgrade to the Mercury F range boasts some excellent sonic improvements, ideal for audio enthusiasts who truly appreciate great sound. Since the original Mercury M20 speaker was released as part of the Planet range almost twenty-five years ago, Tannoy Mercury loudspeakers have become highly acclaimed by the audiophile community. A number of enhancements have been made to this product to give it superior performance for high fidelity listening:

Crossover - the crossover components have been upgraded and a high quality polypropylene capacitor used in the tweeter feed. The circuit topology has also been revised. Together, these changes give greater detail at high frequencies, better stereo imaging and a more controlled bottom end.

Tannoy DMT™ (Differential Material Technology) - the interface between drive unit and the cabinet structure is crucial and this area is given special attention in the Custom models. Bracing materials of different acoustic properties are used to dampen the driver to the internal bracing and then to the enclosure body itself; resulting in an exceptionally well damped structure that minimises the effect of unwanted resonances.

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As with all loudspeaker systems, the power handling is a function of voice coil thermal capacity. Care should be taken to avoid overdriving any amplifier, as this will cause output overload resulting in 'clipping' or distortion within the output signal. This, if done for any extended period, will cause damage to the speakers.

Generally an amplifier of higher power that is running hard, but free of distortion, will do less damage to the loudspeaker than a lower power amplifier continually clipping. Remember also that a high powered amplifier running at less than 90% of output power generally sounds a great deal better than a lower powered example struggling to achieve 100%. An amplifier with insufficient drive capability will not allow the full performance of the loudspeakers to be realised.

CABLE CHOICE

Always use the best quality of cable available within your budget. High quality audio signals passing from the amplifier to the loudspeaker are unusual in their demands on the cable. Wide dynamic range and frequency bandwidth information has to coexist with the ability to transmit peak currents of at least 10amps, without incurring any loss or signal impairment. This explains why the sound quality of the information reproduced by the loudspeakers is so dependant on the physical properties of the cables connecting them to the amplifier.

Technically, we recommend two-core cable with cross section area not less than 1.5 square millimetres (1.5mm2 ) for cable runs of up to 3 metres. For longer lengths you will require to use cable with a

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minimum cross sectional area of 2.5 square millimetres (2.5mm). In addition always keep the cable runs the same length for each speaker.

Cable construction can affect the sound quality. Be prepared to experiment to find a cable that suits your ear and audio system. We do not recommend the use of braided (Litz) or coaxial cables as these have a high capacitance that may affect the stability of certain amplifiers.

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Tannoy Mercury F Custom owner manual Contents