Tannoy Cheviot Mk II (1975–1980)

A floor-standing passive loudspeaker from Tannoy’s Prestige series, featuring a 12-inch dual concentric driver and front-panel level controls.

Overview

The Tannoy Cheviot Mk II is a floor-standing passive loudspeaker produced between 1975 and 1980 as part of Tannoy’s Prestige series. Designed to bring professional monitor performance into home audio environments, it was a flagship consumer model in its time. The speaker uses a 12-inch dual concentric driver in a 2-way configuration, delivering time-aligned, point-source sound with strong midrange clarity and wide horizontal dispersion. It features a front-ported cabinet with solid wood veneer finish and includes front-panel level controls for the crossover.

Specifications

Recommended Power	50–100W RMS
Nominal Impedance	8 ohms
Sensitivity	91 dB (1W/1m)
Driver Configuration	12-inch dual concentric
Crossover	2-way with front-panel level controls
Cabinet Design	Front-ported, solid wood veneer
Dimensions (H×W×D)	76 × 30 × 38 cm (30 × 12 × 15 in)
Weight	22 kg (48.5 lbs) per cabinet

Design

The Cheviot Mk II is built around Tannoy’s signature dual concentric driver, where the tweeter is mounted concentrically within the center of the woofer. This configuration ensures time-aligned, point-source sound reproduction, minimizing phase distortion. The cabinet is front-ported and finished in solid wood veneer, with a built-in 2-way crossover featuring front-panel level controls.

Context

Introduced in 1975, the Cheviot Mk II was a flagship model in Tannoy’s Prestige line, representing the pinnacle of the company’s consumer speaker offerings in the 1970s. The Mk II revision improved upon its predecessor with refined crossover components and enhanced cabinet construction, aiming to deliver professional-grade audio performance in domestic settings.

Market

Well-maintained or professionally restored pairs typically command $800 to $1,500 USD on the secondary market. Common problems include degraded original foam surrounds, failed electrolytic capacitors in the crossover, and lifting or wear of the solid wood veneer. Refoaming with modern surrounds and recapping the crossover are common and recommended refurbishments.