Recommend Me A Very High Power Amplifier

[Marco]

Well I guess you never will. I'd like to hear them driving Tom's Tannoys because that's the best pair of Tannoys I have ever heard. They rip.

If yours are as good as Tom's your a lucky chappie.

I think they'd beat the copper amps driving Tannoys or 66s. My hunch, anyway. And by a margin I'd wager. But that's just my opinion.

Who knows? You could be right. I guess we'll never know.

As for Tom's Tannoys, I fully intend to pop down to his place later in the year, so will look forward to giving them a listen

Marco.

[User211]

Edited my previous post... but yeah go to Tom's. Really important

[User211]

Ah yes, I stand corrected... That would've been when I had my original GEC KT88s

So many changes (improvements) to the amp since then! However, the core parts of my system (as demonstrated at that show six years ago - how time flies) have remained the same, and I have no desire to change any of them.

That's the satisfaction of owning a well-sorted and settled system!

Marco.

Shame about the SQ in the video it was a shite camera. That room did sound good, all, whereas the video sounds bad.

[Marco]

Edited my previous post... but yeah go to Tom's. Really important

Yeah, just read the edit... So you rated the Kingdom Royals?

I didn't, when I heard them at one of the shows (I forget which one). They sounded merely 'ok', which for the money being asked was very disappointing. For me, the addition of an extra driver for the bass spoiled the musical cohesion of a true point source transducer, which Tannoy DCs are renowned for.

Nope, for me, a 'proper' Tannoy DC has one (big) driver doing the whole lot itself! Also, for me, the vintage drive units (with smaller magnets and lighter cones) have a unique sound all of their own, which is faster and with an overall tonality that just sounds more musically convincing, compared with what Tannoy are producing now. Progress? No, sonically, not for me.

What I heard could've been due to a number of factors, of course (the signature of the SS amps powering them perhaps and the dire music being played, amongst other things), and I wouldn't write them off on that one experience, especially at show, but I certainly didn't leave thinking that my Lockies sounded broken in comparison, that's for sure, and neither did a mate who was with me either!

Marco.

[Marco]

Shame about the SQ in the video it was a shite camera. That room did sound good, all, whereas the video sounds bad.

Yeah, I enjoyed doing that one - in fact all of us who took part did.

We spent HOURS the night before optimising the set-up of the system, dressing cables, applying the use of digital noise filters, for CD replay, tweaking the T/T set up, so it was spot on, positioning the speakers under Mana, etc, to eliminate the negative effects of the room as much as possible, when others were down at the bar getting pished!

However, all the effort put in was rewarded, as we got rave reviews about that system from just about everyone who heard it, so that was satisfying. Once again the experience simply hammered home the importance of diligent attention to set up [rather than just plonking it all on an 'old sideboard', hooked up with any old shite, and hoping for the best] - and getting every component to work together symbiotically, as a system!

Marco.

[User211]

Re Kingdom Royals. First time heard not impressed at Whittlebury. 2nd time heard with Thrax amps and MSB DAC at Whittlebury - seriously impressed.

[Marco]

Well, there you go! It was probably the first one at Whittlebury where I heard the Royals, and yes they were disappointing. Thrax amps? Don't know them. Are they valve-based or SS?

Regardless though, for me there's still a fundamental difference in the sonic and musical presentation of modern and vintage Tannoys - and I don't think that any amplifier(s) would fundamentally alter that inherent 'signature'.

Also, how much are Kingdom Royals? I suspect you could probably buy a small house in North Wales for the price tag!

I just think the pricing of high-end audio equipment now has gone daft.

Marco

[User211]

2nd time was Carbon Edition I think £45K odd. Thrax amps are valve amps. Look them up. Very nice indeedy.

It was top notch in that room. Have pics can't be arsed to post.

[Marco]

£45k... Mentalist money for a pair of speakers, and yes I know you can spend MUCH more! I'd love to know how they arrive at these prices - the breakdown of the costings would be interesting to read...

I'll stick with the 'SPPV' route of owing a £4k pair of speakers, which sound like they cost £45k

Marco.