I have two pairs of Tannoy Eatons - one from the 70s, but with special modifications by RFC, then the Legacy version. I'm indecisive by nature.
I would be very cautious about going for a 70s pair after hearing the Legacy as they may be quite different. It's not just surrounds and driver matching but the condition of the crossover that can let them down. And then there is the question of whether you would like the original voicing. And finally, they make different demands on an amplifier as the cones are much stiffer in the legacy versions.
The Legacy Eatons are very rich, smooth, and refined - they've really done a very good job in getting the balance through mid-range and treble with no irritating peaks or glitches. They are significantly harder to drive in the bass than 70s versions though, and in my experience the kind of push pull valve amp you might use with the originals does not drive the Legacy version properly. However that will be different with the Cheviots, since they are a 12" cone, and a friend of mine (Turn It Up! on this forum) did enjoy the Legacy Cheviots with some reworked Quad IIs.
When I original got my 70s Eatons the crossovers had been recapped according to original spec. The sound balance then was very revealing and rather harsh at times, with a peak in the 3-4Khz region. I sent them to Paul Coupe to rework them with this in mind and he did some mods that took that region down a little: it was only by about 1.5dB, but it transformed them from a speaker I couldn't live with to one of the best all rounders I've had. I've used them for over 3 years then got the Legacy out of curiosity. The result is a headache of indecision!
I would be very cautious about going for a 70s pair after hearing the Legacy as they may be quite different. It's not just surrounds and driver matching but the condition of the crossover that can let them down. And then there is the question of whether you would like the original voicing. And finally, they make different demands on an amplifier as the cones are much stiffer in the legacy versions.
The Legacy Eatons are very rich, smooth, and refined - they've really done a very good job in getting the balance through mid-range and treble with no irritating peaks or glitches. They are significantly harder to drive in the bass than 70s versions though, and in my experience the kind of push pull valve amp you might use with the originals does not drive the Legacy version properly. However that will be different with the Cheviots, since they are a 12" cone, and a friend of mine (Turn It Up! on this forum) did enjoy the Legacy Cheviots with some reworked Quad IIs.
When I original got my 70s Eatons the crossovers had been recapped according to original spec. The sound balance then was very revealing and rather harsh at times, with a peak in the 3-4Khz region. I sent them to Paul Coupe to rework them with this in mind and he did some mods that took that region down a little: it was only by about 1.5dB, but it transformed them from a speaker I couldn't live with to one of the best all rounders I've had. I've used them for over 3 years then got the Legacy out of curiosity. The result is a headache of indecision!