Tannoy B400 User Manual

B400

USER MANUAL

CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Unpacking

3. Connectors/Cabling

4. Polarity Checking

5. Amplification & Power Handling

6. Crossovers

7. Equalisation

8. Positioning

9. Dimensions

10. Rigging

11. Performance Data

12. Technical Specifications

13. Recommended Service Parts & Accessories

14. Warranty

15. Declaration of Conformity

1. Introduction

The Tannoy B400 is a horn loaded subwoofer with very high output capability
designed to provide maximum low frequency impact in conjunction with Tannoy
Superdual loudspeakers.

Characterised by a tight and “punchy” sound, the B400 adds depth and dramatic
impact to a wide variety of sound reinforcement applications. This powerful
loudspeaker is capable of delivering remarkable sound pressure levels with
extremely low levels of distortion and power compression while maintaining a
uniform frequency response throughout its dynamic range. This makes the B400
capable of consistent intelligibility and tonal quality at any listening level. Its small
,compact size, only 570mm(H) x 555mm(W) x 650mm(D) [22.4”(H) x 21.85”(W) x

25.6” (D)], enables the box to be placed in permanent or portable applications
without being obtrusive.

The rugged cabinet construction utilises 18mm multiple-ply hardwood and features
carrying handles, inserts for castors, optional load certified MAN flying points which
provide a quick and secure flying system, and a top-mounted stand socket that
serves as a base for locating the main full range or mid/high speakers in the air, and
by using 35mm tubing, a tripod can be eliminated.

2. Unpacking

Every Tannoy product is carefully inspected before packing. After unpacking your
B400 please inspect for any exterior physical damage, and save the carton and any
relevant packaging materials in case the loudspeaker again requires packing and
shipping. In the event that damage has been sustained in transit notify your dealer
immediately.

3. Connectors/Cabling

The B400 is fitted with 4-pole Speakon connectors. Speakon has the following
advantages over EP and XLR type connectors: All termination’s are solderless, this
makes life easier at the time of installation or when field servicing is required.
Contacts will accept 6 sq. mm wire with an outside diameter of up to 15mm and a
current rating of 30 Amps. The pins of the 2 Speakon sockets identified input/output
on the rear of the input panel are paralleled within the enclosure. Tannoy have
adopted the following wiring standard for all Superdual products :-

SPEAKON
CONNECTOR
Pin 1+ Passive Full Range +

Pin 1- Passive Full Range -

Pin 2+ Active High +

SIGNAL

Active Low/Mid +
Low/Sub +

Active Low/Mid ­Low/Sub -

Pin 2- Active High -

Should you encounter any problems obtaining Speakon connectors, please contact
Neutrik or its distributors directly on the following numbers:-

UK: NEUTRIK MARKETING: 0171 792 8188
USA: NEUTRIK USA INC.: [phone]

For a worldwide list of distributors, please contact Neutrik directly: ­NEUTRIK AG: [phone]
Cable choice consists mainly of selecting the correct cross sectional area in relation

to the cable length and the load impedance. A small cross sectional area would
increase the cables series resistance, inducing power loss and response variations
(damping factor).

Connectors should be wired with a minimum of 2.5 sq. mm (12 gauge) cable. This
will be perfectly satisfactory under normal conditions. In the case of very long cable
runs the wire size should exceed this, refer to the following table for guidance:-

CABLE RUN
(m)

10 2.5

25 2.5

50 2.5

100 2.5

4. Polarity Checking

It is most important to check the polarity of the wiring before the speaker system is
flown. A simple method of doing this without a pulse based polarity checker for LF
units is as follows: Connect two wires to the +ve and -ve terminals of a PP3 battery.
Apply the wire, which is connected to the +ve terminal of the battery to the speaker
cable leg, which you believe to be connected to pin 1+ of the speaker connector and
likewise the -ve leg of the battery to pin 1-.

C.S.A. OF EACH
CONDUCTOR (mm)

4.0

6.0

4.0

6.0

4.0

6.0

4.0

6.0

CABLE
RESISTANCE ΩΩ

0.14

0.09

0.06

0.35

0.22

0.14

0.69

0.43

0.29

1.38

0.86

0.58

% POWER LOSS
INTO 8ΩΩ LOAD

1.7

1.1

0.73

4.3

2.7

1.8

8.6

5.4

3.6

17.0

11.0

7.2

% POWER LOSS
INTO 4ΩΩ LOAD

3.5

2.2

1.5

8.6

5.4

3.6

17.0

11.0

7.2

35.0

22.0

14.0

If you have wired it correctly the LF drive unit will move forward, indicating the wiring
is correct. All that remains now is to connect the +ve speaker lead to the +ve
terminal on the amplifier and the -ve lead to the -ve terminal on the amplifier. If
however the LF driver moves backwards, the input connections need to be inverted.

If problems are encountered, inspect the cable wiring in the first instance. It should
also be noted that different amplifier manufacturers utilise different pin configurations
and polarity conventions, if you are using amplifiers from more than one
manufacturer, check the polarity at the amplifiers as well as the loudspeakers.

5. Amplification & Power Handling

As with all professional loudspeaker systems, the power handling is a function of
voice coil thermal capacity. Care should be taken to avoid running the amplifier into
clip (clipping is the end result of overdriving any amplifier). Damage to the
loudspeaker will be sustained if the amplifier is driven into clip for any extended
period of time. Headroom of at least 3dB should be allowed. When evaluating an
amplifier, it is important to take into account its behaviour under low impedance load
conditions. A loudspeaker system is highly reactive and with transient signals it can
require more current than the nominal impedance would indicate.

Generally a higher power amplifier running free of distortion will do less damage to
the loudspeaker than a lower power amplifier continually clipping. It is also worth
remembering that a high powered amplifier running at less than 90% of output power
generally sounds a lot better than a lower power amplifier running at 100%. An
amplifier with insufficient drive capability will not allow the full performance or the
loudspeaker to be realised.
It is important when using different manufacturers amplifiers in a single installation
that the have very closely matched gains, the variation should be less than +/- 0.5dB.
This precaution is important to the overall system balance when only a single active
crossover is being used with multiple cabinets, it is therefore recommended that the
same amplifiers are used throughout.

6. Crossovers

The complete range of Tannoy Professional contractor products can be used in
conjunction with the B400 utilising TX1, TX2 & TX3 crossover/controllers (see
product literature for correct TX controller)
For active operation the TDX1 digital loudspeaker management system is also
available (late ’98). If you intend using an alternative loudspeaker management
system (i.e. BSS, Klark Teknik, XTA etc) please contact Tannoy for the correct
parameter settings or refer to the recommended crossover points in the technical
specifications section of this manual. Ideally the crossover should have limiters and
have the capability to invert the polarity of the low frequency section if used with the
B400 enclosure.

Important : always invert the B400 polarity if used with standard reflex loaded
loudspeakers

7. Equalisation

The B400 loudspeaker is designed to need no equalisation or correction to overcome
system limitations. As a result, it will only need equalisation to compensate for
difficult acoustic environments.

Over equalisation can reduce system headroom, and introduce phase distortion
resulting in greater problems than cures. If equalisation is required then it should be
applied gently and smoothly. Violent equalisation will be detrimental to the overall
sound quality.

8. Positioning

When a bass loudspeaker is used in an environment with boundary surfaces, its placement
affects its frequency response. When such effects are properly understood, they can be used
to great effect in producing the desired sound quality without the aid of additional
amplification.

Consider fig (a) in the diagram below, here we see a loudspeaker in free field or anechoic
conditions. We measure its sound pressure level at a distance D, and refer to this as our
reference level, or 0 dB SPL.
If we now place a large reflective surface (i.e., a wall, ceiling or floor) next to the
loudspeaker, see fig (b), the sound that is radiated towards the boundary is reflected. As a
result, the sound pressure level can increase by as much as 3 dB (effectively doubling the
available amplifier power). The loudspeaker is radiating its power into half as much space,
this is known as half space loading. For each additional boundary the SPL can increase by
3dB. Corner placement or eighth space loading can increase a bass speaker’s efficiency by
up to 9dB.
This effect is not the same at all frequencies. Loudspeakers are only essentially
omnidirectional at low frequencies (where the wavelength is large in comparison to the
loudspeaker). At high frequencies sound radiates in a more directional manner. We can
position full range loudspeakers next to a boundary in order to boost the lower frequencies
while the highs remain unchanged.
Coupling, or placing bass cabinets together will also increase bass output.

9. Dimensions

555.0

325.0

578.0

330.0

130.0

160.0

260.0

115.0

365.0

650.0

B400

10.Rigging

WARNING: As the legal requirements
for flying change from country to
country, please consult your local
safety standards officer before
installing any Superdual series
product. Alternatively, check all
relevant laws or bylaws

The B400 utilises MAN Rigging
accessories. This easy to use
system combines flexibility with the
highest levels of safety. As with
any rigging system, safety can only
be guarenteed when all precautions
have been implemented correctly.

11. Performance Data

12. Technical Specifications

Frequency response (1) +/- 3dB 60Hz - 300 Hz
Low Frequency Limit (1) -10dB @ 45Hz
Recommended Amplifier Power 400 - 900 watt / 8 ohm
Power Handling Average(2) Programme Peak (10ms)

Sensitivity (1)

2.83 volt @ 1m 101 dB
Maximum SPL (3) RMS Peak

@ 1m 126 dB 132 dB

Impedance Nominal 8 ohm

Distortion

0.1 Full Power 2nd Harmonic 3rd Harmonic
100 Hz 0.89% 0.13%
250 Hz 0.14% 0.10%

0.01 Full Power
100 Hz 0.25% 0.04%
250 Hz 0.10% 0.09%

Driver Compliment 2 x 15” High efficiency Bass Units. Type Number 3801
Crossover Point Active: Recommended points

100 - 300 Hz, 24dB/octave, Linkwitz - Riley
(dependant on application)

Enclosure 18mm multi-ply birch plywood

400 watt 800 watt 1600 watt

Minimum 7.1 ohm

Finish Textured black\grey paint
Protective Grille Perforated steel, black with 50% free air flow
Connectors 2 x Speakon NL4MPR IN/OUT
Rigging/Fittings 2 x Recessed carrying handles

Dimensions 576mm(H) x 555mm(W) x 650mm(D)

Weight 40 Kg (88 lbs)
NOTES: (1) Average over stated bandwidth. Measured at 1m on axis using , in an anechoic chamber.

(2) Long term power handling capacity as defined in EIA standard RS - 426A.
(3) Unweighted pink noise input, measured at 1m

Tannoy operate a policy of continuous research and development. The introduction of new materials or manufacturing
methods will always equal or exceed the published specifications which Tannoy reserve the right to alter without prior notice.
Please verify the latest specifications when dealing with critical applications.

1 x 35mm Pole Mounting Socket
2 x MAN Blanking Plates
2 x Rear Kelping Brackets

22.7ins(H) x 21.85ins(W) x 25.6ins(D)

13. B950 Service Parts & Accessories

Part Number Description

7900 0388 Driver Kit - 3801
7900 0389 Recone Kit - 3801
7900 0442 Paint - Touch up Black-Grey
7900 0397 Padded protective transit cover
7900 0402 Flying Kit (2xCFL & 2xCFL stud plate)

8000 0717 TannoyTX3 Active System Controller/2-way Stereo Crossover UK 220/240V
8000 0718 TannoyTX3 Active System Controller/2-way Stereo Crossover EUR 220/240V
8000 0719 TannoyTX3 Active System Controller/2-way Stereo Crossover AUS 220/240V
8000 0720 TannoyTX3 Active System Controller/2-way Stereo Crossover USA 100/120V
8000 0721 TannoyTX3 Active System Controller/2-way Stereo Crossover JAP 100/120V
8000 0722 TannoyTX3 Active System Controller/2-way Stereo Crossover HK 220/240V

8000 0727 Tannoy TDX1 Digital loudspeaker management system UK 220/240V
8000 0728 Tannoy TDX1 Digital loudspeaker management system EUR 220/240V
8000 0729 Tannoy TDX1 Digital loudspeaker management system AUS 220/240V
8000 0730 Tannoy TDX1 Digital loudspeaker management system USA 100/120V
8000 0731 Tannoy TDX1 Digital loudspeaker management system JAP 100/120V
8000 0732 Tannoy TDX1 Digital loudspeaker management system HK 220/240V

14. Warranty

No maintenance of the B400 loudspeaker is necessary.
All Tannoy professional loudspeaker products are covered by a 5 year warranty from

the date of manufacture subject to the absence of misuse, overload or accidental
damage. Claims will not be considered is the serial number has been altered or
removed. Work under warranty should only be carried out by a Tannoy Professional
dealer or service agent. This warranty in no way affects your statutory rights. For
further information please contact your dealer or distributor in your country. If you
cannot locate your distributor please contact Customer Services, Tannoy Ltd at the
address given below.

Strathclyde

Customer Services
Tannoy Ltd.
Rosehall Industrial Estate
Coatbridge

ML5 4TF
Scotland
Telephone: [phone] (National)

[phone] (International)

Fax: [phone] (National)

[phone] (International)

E-Mail: [e-mail]

DO NOT SHIP ANY PRODUCT TO TANNOY WITHOUT PREVIOUS AUTHORISATION

Our policy commits us to incorporating improvements to our products through
continuous research and development. Please confirm current specifications for
critical applications with your supplier.

EASE Data for Tannoy Professional products available on request.

Declaration of Conformity

The following apparatus is/are manufactured in the United Kingdom by Tannoy Ltd
of Rosehall Industrial estate, Coatbridge, Scotland, ML5 4TF and conform(s) to the
protection requirements of the European Electromagnetic Compatibility Standards
and Directives relevant to Domestic Electrical Equipment. The apparatus is
designed and constructed such that electromagnetic disturbances generated do not
exceed levels allowing radio and telecommunications equipment and other
apparatus to operate as intended, and, the apparatus has an adequate level of
intrinsic immunity to electromagnetic disturbance to enable operation as specified
and intended.

Details of the Apparatus: Tannoy Contractor Loudspeaker

Model Number: B400
Associated Technical File: EMCB400
Applicable Standards: EN 50081-1 Emission

EN 50082-1 Immunity
Signed:

Position: Technical Manager

Tannoy Professional
Date: 16

th

July 1998

For Tannoy Ltd

Tannoy Loudspeakers are manufactured
in Great Britain by :

Tannoy Ltd, Rosehall Industrial Estate, Coatbridge,
Strathclyde, ML5 4TF, SCOTLAND
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

Internet:http://www.tannoy.com

TGI/Tannoy, 300 Gage Avenue, Kitchener, Ontario, CANADA, N2M 2C8
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

Tannoy Nederland BV, Anthonetta Kuijlstraat 19, 3066 GS, Rotterdam THE NETHERLANDS
Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone]

Tannoy is a member of the Group of Companies Issue 2 Part No. 6481 0247

GH 25th JULY 1998