Tannoy closing Scots plant ...

[tannoy man]

Add in the fact that their largest market is not the UK, indeed may not even be to Europe ... So shipping stuff around is unlikely to be a factor in the decision indeed if most units now go to Asia moving production may be a bonus.

Agreed, and no pensions paid by employers in China.

[Virtual-Symmetry]

Be nothing left in this country soon,

[Reffc]

I think Tom, your point about Tannoys' main market is one of perhaps half a dozen significant factors in the decision to move the plant to Asia. For some while now, probably 80% of consumption of the legacy-Prestige series has been from the Asian market and their appetite for all things UK vintage in speaker-land. It makes perfect sense for a Chinese owned company (which it has been for a few years despite some of the more surprising denials posted in the press within that time!) to shift production closer to the dominant market.

Adam's point about living room sizes is also true for one or two designs, along with Marco's point on WAF factors (some good observations by the way Marco). Room sizes for SOME large Tannoys does need to be large (Westminsters, and Kingdom Royals) as they need more room to breathe due to the design and size than smaller speakers, but it is also true that the vintage Tannoys especially, do the micro-dynamics thing better than most, and don't need to be played all that loud, so even modestly sized modern houses can accommodate something like the Lockwood designs (Academies for example) and dare I mention some of my own designs (RFC Canterburys in particular). That said, look to the Far East, especially Hong Kong and many there shoe-horn in Westies into surprisingly small apartments. Do they get the best from them? Probably not, but it brings us back to the micro-dynamic performance and efficiency. These two things are sadly lacking in many modern speaker designs.

I know that I would never swap my own for anything else and although the market in the UK is small for such speakers, not all is lost by any means and it is by no means "the end of Tannoy" in the UK. Lockwood audio is still able to refurbish drive units to as-new standards, magnets can still be re-energised, and one or two businesses, including my own can still provide anyone who wants them with some pretty decent cabinet and crossover designs to get the very best from the Vintage drive units. In some ways this remains the best way to go compared with trying to land one of the larger Prestige series as personally, I think that the Vintage drive units, appropriately refurbished and sat in well designed cabinets still have the edge on most of the Prestige line and even if buying a bespoke pair, they'll still stand you a lot less cost than the latter.

That leaves the lifestyle speaker range. The DC series were popular for a while but again seem to have done poorly in the UK. The smaller bookshelf models are truly excellent speakers for the money and those have been made in China for some time, so no changes there.

Interesting times, but the saddest thing for me is the loss of the brand and the loss of employment for the 70 odd people who relied on that employment to feed their familes. The legacy of the UK designs will live on and no-one can take that away from Tannoy or the people that contributed to it. It's just a shame that the next generation won't be able to say the same thing about models made from this point on.

[User211]

An almost never mentioned Tannoy I really seriously liked was the Tannoy Jupiter. I had a mate with a pair. They killed the Mission 710s I had at the time.

Just love to hear a pair again in tip top condition to see what I'd think of them now. The memory is of a rich, weighty euphonic sound great with reggae and rock.

There's a chance memory is making much more of them than perhaps they deserve. But at the time I seriously wanted a pair.

We're not in the same league as say Tom's Tannoys here, but for a speaker of its size it was fab.

Just reminiscing here you understand: wink:

[Macca]

The difference between a speaker designed to sound satisfying and one designed to sound 'explicit', perhaps?

[User211]

I think so. I am a bit of a sucker for weighty, exaggerated bass if I am honest about it and the Jupiter's certainly did that well for the box size. Hence them being great with reggae.

Not the last word in resolution, though, by any means.

And nor a mind fuck speaker like my current efforts, that are a pretty intense listen.

Nope. The Jupiter's just sounded good. To me.

[Macca]

I think so. I am a bit of a sucker for weighty, exaggerated bass if I am honest about it .

Me too. I've been offered counselling but declined.

[User211]

Very wise. Pussy bass is a no no. It is the bass councillor's that are insane. Not you.