Tannoy question

[farflungstar]

So I've just received my new (second hand) Kensington SE Tannoys. God unpacking them wasnt easy as they were very well packed by the seller. But I have a question...

One of the pepperpot tweeter cones is a deep lustrous copper colour - the other isnt, it's more of a brass colour. They are both serial number matched and taking a closer look im wondering if someone has tried cleaning them?

I really don't want to try and hook them up till tomorrow as it's late, and I'd prefer to fiddle in daylight.

Any thoughts....

[struth]

one might have been getting some sun.

[walpurgis]

I think the horn throats may be anodised. The difference may be due the batch variations.

Nice speakers by the way :).

[farflungstar]

Well I couldn't wait and hooked them up. Both are working beautifully. I've emailed Tannoy just to ask if I should worry and why it might be - but technically there doesn't seem to be a problem.

Tomorrow I'll put them through their paces with a bit more volume as it's late here in Spain.

[walpurgis]

That'll be a pair of Audio Note speakers up for sale then! ;)

[Arkless Electronics]

First impressions?

[The Black Adder]

I'm sure I've heard about this before... certainly rings ones bells.

I seem to remember that it had something to do with different batches made. Regardless, it's nothing to worry about.

Glad you have some 'real' speakers... bet they look lovely, let's see some pics :)

[farflungstar]

I'll post some pics later. Jez I can't really give an impression until I've put some serious listening in later today. BUT - even at very low levels last night they blow the Ane's out of the water on female vocals in so far as imaging is concerned - listening to them it was startling how they do this.

On looks and build they make the Ane's look like cheap piss-poor relatives - or basically what Ane's are, Snell's wth better quality control and fancy silver wiring. They are now in their boxes in the spare room.

Will update...

[The Black Adder]

That's the Tannoy magic.... once you pop.. etc. :)

[anthonyTD]

Hi Adrian,
I have had mine for around 7 years, and in that time I have never cleaned the throats of the horns for fear of scratching the gold affect coating.
Good luck with them, and do let us know your opinion on them' after you have had a bit of time with them.:)
Anthony,TD...

[walpurgis]

When I had my Tannoys apart, I cleaned and lacquered the horn throats. Not that I'm suggesting you do this. :)

(The horns on mine are silver by the way. They are 3128 drivers)

[farflungstar]

Ok here's a pic of one of them... Lovely...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170919/600983ba46ff214b1e6942e07cffb63c.jpg

[struth]

looks great in that spot Adrian..:)

[The Black Adder]

Very nice indeed, Adrian.

Looking really lovely. :)

[Andy831]

Nice, hope you enjoy them, I am always amazed at how good Tannoys sound at low listening levels, but nothing I have heard has the presence at higher volumes either. There is just no substitute for "inches" when it comes to speaker cones IMHO.

[walpurgis]

So............How are they sounding? :)

[farflungstar]

How do they sound? After an afternoon of listening I'm still getting used to their very different presentation compared to the Ane's.

They are much more fussy about toe-in as this affects the soundstage a lot, and I'm still experimenting.

Generally they are more dynamic, more transparent and less coloured than the Ane's - from top to bottom. But it's their imaging that is in another league.

With female vocals for example, the Ane's paint a large portrait of the singer between the speakers - the Tannoys paint a smaller more realistic image of the singer in their own distinct space - it's a dramatic difference - there is equal presence but the perspective is more realistic

One of my favourite albums is Talk Talk Spirit of Eden. On the Ane's the album is stunning - but on the Tannoys it's sublime - particularly with percussion and 'space'. They do however reveal a little compression at times that the Ane's miss because of their overall lack of space around instruments.

Bass is superb. Better control and again neutrality compared to the Ane's.

I think it will take a good few weeks before I can truly nail them down soundwise - but I'm very happy with them. They're crying out for me to hook up the big valve amps and I'll get round to that this weekend. Right now im enjoying getting to know them!

[brian2957]

Beautiful speakers Adrian , you're a lucky man . I live about half an hour from the Tannoy factory , really need to organize a visit and see if they will offer me a heavily discounted pair of speakers :D

[struth]

Beautiful speakers Adrian , you're a lucky man . I live about half an hour from the Tannoy factory , really need to organize a visit and see if they will offer me a heavily discounted pair of speakers :D

youve got a pair mate:)

[tapid]

I think he wants an even better pair ?

[brian2957]

Yup , I've got to admit that I love my 637s ( thanks Grant ) but I would really like to try something a little further up the range :)

[walpurgis]

I would really like to try something a little further up the range :)

Get your hands on a pair of Eatons Brian. They're the best value of the true pepperpot monitors and sound excellent. To my ears, the HPD 295A they employ sounds better than the bigger HPD 315A and 12" Monitor Gold (which I've also owned). Had five pairs of Eatons, loved 'em. And they have rubber cone surrounds that don't rot away.

[petrat]

Welcome to the club, Adey. Looking good!

When I got my Tannoys, the Kensington SE was the model I was looking for, but some bat-crazy dealer offered me the Canterburys at a stupid low price, so I just had to, really :rolleyes: However, I must say that the Ks always look 'just right' to me, and if ever I see any for sale at a decent price, I'd be on them like a shot.

I know that it might spoil the aesthetics, but try raising the tweeters up to ear level ... piles of books would do it to trial it ... or, simply sit on the floor. Mine are a whole other world when you get your ears at the right level (listening near/mid-field).

[brian2957]

Get your hands on a pair of Eatons Brian. They're the best value of the true pepperpot monitors and sound excellent. To my ears, the HPD 295A they employ sounds better than the bigger HPD 315A and 12" Monitor Gold (which I've also owned). Had five pairs of Eatons, loved 'em. And they have rubber cone surrounds that don't rot away.

Cheers Geoff , I'll have a look at them :)

[anthonyTD]

Good to hear your positive coments so far :)
As stated; I have lived with mine for around 7 years now, and over that time I have become very acustomed to their Strengths' [and weaknesses, no speaker is perfect] and I have to say that to date; they are the best over-all speakers I have owned in the 30 odd years I have been into HI FI, hence why I have held onto them the longest so far.
Over the years' I have played around with the positioning of them, and also what they stand on ie; straight on the carpet, or on spikes, and more recently;[around 2 years now] on the Townshend Seismic Isolation bars they are currently sat on, each has a very noticable affect on the sonic performance of these speakers, and the room as a whole, this set up is my prefrence to date, However; my choice may not suit everyone, or the diffrent systems, and rooms of which these speakers may be used, safe to say though, I could live with these speakers in pretty much any set up.
Again, good luck with them.
A...

[montesquieu]

Welcome to the club, Adey. Looking good!

When I got my Tannoys, the Kensington SE was the model I was looking for, but some bat-crazy dealer offered me the Canterburys at a stupid low price, so I just had to, really :rolleyes: However, I must say that the Ks always look 'just right' to me, and if ever I see any for sale at a decent price, I'd be on them like a shot.

I know that it might spoil the aesthetics, but try raising the tweeters up to ear level ... piles of books would do it to trial it ... or, simply sit on the floor. Mine are a whole other world when you get your ears at the right level (listening near/mid-field).

Agree wholeheartedly on tweeter height.

The other thing to watch (widely reported, though I've never had this myself as I've never owned the new range) is that the Prestige range can be a bit restrained out of the box and seem to open up considerably what can be a fairly extended break-in. I did experience something the same after a Lockwood re-cone of my Golds.


Get your hands on a pair of Eatons Brian. They're the best value of the true pepperpot monitors and sound excellent. To my ears, the HPD 295A they employ sounds better than the bigger HPD 315A and 12" Monitor Gold (which I've also owned). Had five pairs of Eatons, loved 'em. And they have rubber cone surrounds that don't rot away.

Up to a point, in smaller boxes .... it's true the HPD315s don't give of their best in small enclosures, but in large cabinets they are, to my mind, better the the 15in Monitor Gold in terms of sweetness, impact, detail retrieval, and go just as low if not lower. (Having owned both in multiple cabinets).

The 12in MGs are very sweet but don't have the bass of the HPD315 or the 15in MGs.

[farflungstar]

Agree wholeheartedly on tweeter height.

The other thing to watch (widely reported, though I've never had this myself as I've never owned the new range) is that the Prestige range can be a bit restrained out of the box and seem to open up considerably what can be a fairly extended break-in. I did experience something the same after a Lockwood re-cone of my Golds.



Up to a point, in smaller boxes .... it's true the HPD315s don't give of their best in small enclosures, but in large cabinets they are, to my mind, better the the 15in Monitor Gold in terms of sweetness, impact, detail retrieval, and go just as low if not lower. (Having owned both in multiple cabinets).

The 12in MGs are very sweet but don't have the bass of the HPD315 or the 15in MGs.Hi Tom, tweeters are at the correct height and as they are second hand (and mint) they don't need break in.

Spent last night listening to a wide range of music. I realise there is better further up the food chain (depending on system etc) so I'm not going to say they are the 'perfect' speaker. But in contrast to the similarly priced Ane's there simply isn't any comparison in any respect.

Being fed with the class A Hiraga they sing and are way more resolving than the audio notes. Detail in percussion is amazing with new details emerging on favourite tracks across the audible spectrum. Bass is in another league - deep, clean and articulate. Presence is astonishing - but not bright - images aren't pushed out into the room which can happen if there's an artificial lift in the mid.

But it's the soundstage that truly suprises. It really is like listening to a different technology compared to the Ane's - it's actually shocking.

I haven't felt the need to fiddle with the level controls - they're at 'level' and in my room that is perfect.

Do I have plans to take them further?
Yes - ive already spoken to Paul at RFC about better external crossovers - and will be adding a supertweeter. But not yet. Right now I'm in love and enjoying the romance.

[walpurgis]

What you are hearing through the midrange is due to the ultra fast transient response of the central compression driver tweeter, in combination with the horn loading, part of which is actually formed by the bass cone. It allows the tiniest details and ambient clues to be resolved.

It's a Tannoy thing and quite remarkable in my view. I can think of no other speaker that does this the same way. I find it immensely appealing, hence my 'addiction' to Tannoy dual concentrics for the last forty or more years.

[farflungstar]

Yes - I agree - utterly remarkable.

Listen to this album by Ana Brun and the kensingtons blow you away.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170921/3ecfdc0a769f139dec39c38eb0b3dda9.jpg

[Bigman80]

How does the Goodman 201 Axiom compare Geoff? Read a review on TNT that the guy preferred the Axioms. Saying that, he's got a Jolida phonostage so he could be as deaf as me lol

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[walpurgis]

How does the Goodman 201 Axiom compare Geoff?

It doesn't.

It's a twin cone unit, not a dual concentric. I'm familiar with what these old Goodmans units can do and whilst they are fun, they don't remotely compete.

[Bigman80]

I knew you'd know, Geoff. Best avoided?

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[walpurgis]

I knew you'd know, Geoff. Best avoided?

As I say, the Goodmans are fun and at the right money, OK to play with.

Try and find somebody with a really good system who uses big Tannoys and ask them for a listen. Then you'll see! :)

[Bigman80]

Ok, anyone in the West Midlands with big Tannoys?

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[struth]

Think the Tannoys are a case of love or hate. I quite liked the ones Ive heard but can understand why some wouldnt. At least they are fairly efficient and dont need huge reserves of power to work, although they will improve a bit if you have some extra welly. My speakers are extremely efficient but still work a bit better with a bigger amp, Current reserve wise

[anthonyTD]

Hi All,
A little tale of Tannoy woes.
Before I had the Kensington's, I had a pair of Glenairs, And I have to say; even though they are from the Tannoy Dual concentric range, they were amongst the worst speakers I had heard in my system, bright, brash, in your face,and tonally unbalanced etc, nothing I did with them made them listenable in my system, the final straw came when My wife who is usually of a calm, and laid back manner' threatened to do them harm after having being subjected to hours of tiresome sonic torture from me fiddling with them, trying aimlessly to get them to perform even acceptable.:doh: It was then that I knew it wasn’t just me experiencing what I was clearly hearing!
Safe to say, we parted company soon after' me and the speakers that is; After receiving the Kensington’s direct from Tannoy, ie; brand new, not run etc, I first unpacked them, sat them on the floor in my room, and asked my wife to sit and have the first listen, if she didn’t like them from the start, I knew keeping them after that, that I would be on a hiding to nothing, so after the track had finished, the silence was deafening, [cant remember now what it was at the time] I asked her what she thought,:scratch: and I quote, "yes, their good" which as you can imagine was music to my ears, as that was also my first impression of them, after a bit of time they got better with every month that passed, until they finally got to the steady state they seem to be at now.
My point of this story is; not all Dual concentric are made equal.
As usual, just my ramblings, and my own personal experiences.:)
A...
What you are hearing through the midrange is due to the ultra fast transient response of the central compression driver tweeter, in combination with the horn loading, part of which is actually formed by the bass cone. It allows the tiniest details and ambient clues to be resolved.

It's a Tannoy thing and quite remarkable in my view. I can think of no other speaker that does this the same way. I find it immensely appealing, hence my 'addiction' to Tannoy dual concentrics for the last forty or more years.

[walpurgis]

I had a pair of Glenairs, And I have to say; even though they are from the Tannoy Dual concentric range, they were amongst the worst speakers I had heard in my system

The Glenair employs a Tulip Waveguide drive tweeter, not a compression driver. That makes a big difference.

The dual concentric in the Kensington, is a descendant of the excellent HPD 295 design.

[montesquieu]

Hi Tom, tweeters are at the correct height and as they are second hand (and mint) they don't need break in.

Spent last night listening to a wide range of music. I realise there is better further up the food chain (depending on system etc) so I'm not going to say they are the 'perfect' speaker. But in contrast to the similarly priced Ane's there simply isn't any comparison in any respect.

Being fed with the class A Hiraga they sing and are way more resolving than the audio notes. Detail in percussion is amazing with new details emerging on favourite tracks across the audible spectrum. Bass is in another league - deep, clean and articulate. Presence is astonishing - but not bright - images aren't pushed out into the room which can happen if there's an artificial lift in the mid.

But it's the soundstage that truly suprises. It really is like listening to a different technology compared to the Ane's - it's actually shocking.

I haven't felt the need to fiddle with the level controls - they're at 'level' and in my room that is perfect.

Do I have plans to take them further?
Yes - ive already spoken to Paul at RFC about better external crossovers - and will be adding a supertweeter. But not yet. Right now I'm in love and enjoying the romance.

Nice one. Get someone to run them in for you AND take the depreciation hit. What could be better?

[montesquieu]

Ok, anyone in the West Midlands with big Tannoys?

Paul Coupe (RFC) isn't that far away, off the M5 south of Gloucester.

You are of course welcome to trek to the soft south and hear mine.

[Bigman80]

Cheers, Tom. I can get to the main cities pretty easily due to having free rail travel so let's see what opens up!

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[petrat]

Hi Tom, tweeters are at the correct height and as they are second hand (and mint) they don't need break in.

Spent last night listening to a wide range of music. I realise there is better further up the food chain (depending on system etc) so I'm not going to say they are the 'perfect' speaker. But in contrast to the similarly priced Ane's there simply isn't any comparison in any respect.

Being fed with the class A Hiraga they sing and are way more resolving than the audio notes. Detail in percussion is amazing with new details emerging on favourite tracks across the audible spectrum. Bass is in another league - deep, clean and articulate. Presence is astonishing - but not bright - images aren't pushed out into the room which can happen if there's an artificial lift in the mid.

But it's the soundstage that truly suprises. It really is like listening to a different technology compared to the Ane's - it's actually shocking.

I haven't felt the need to fiddle with the level controls - they're at 'level' and in my room that is perfect.

Do I have plans to take them further?
Yes - ive already spoken to Paul at RFC about better external crossovers - and will be adding a supertweeter. But not yet. Right now I'm in love and enjoying the romance.


Yes, what you are hearing over much of the mid-range and above, is a good compression horn speaker, capable of startling detail and realism at times. I've yet to reach the limits of mine ... for instance, every amplifier change is instantly noticeable.

Do the Ks have sliding ports on the front, like the Canterburys? After much trail and error, I prefer all settings to be 'flat', which also meant one port open and one closed on each speaker. Having both closed restricted dynamics, soundstage and realism.

On your last point, I think that the biggest improvement I've heard in Tom's system was when he got Paul to custom-build some crossovers to perfectly match his cabinets/amp/room. Not a trivial exercise though, as I understand it. OTOH, the Prestige models had much improved crossovers, I believe, compared to previous models ... certainly better internal wiring and components ... so maybe not so many gains to be had, compared to the 'vintage' models? It'll be interesting to see how you get on.

[anthonyTD]

Exactly Geoff,
Which is why I quoted not all Tannoy Dual concentric's are made equal.
The large 15" cone, and the tulip waveguide never seemed to intergrate properly at all.
The smaller 10" driver with the tulip waveguide used in the Turnberry is a diffrent animal altogether, in that it works very well indeed.
The Glenair employs a Tulip Waveguide drive tweeter, not a compression driver. That makes a big difference.

The dual concentric in the Kensington, is a descendant of the excellent HPD 295 design.

[montesquieu]

Cheers, Tom. I can get to the main cities pretty easily due to having free rail travel so let's see what opens up!




I'm 5 min walk from a station on the Reading-Redhill line. Pretty sure there's a direct train Wolverhampton to Reading.

[walpurgis]

for instance, every amplifier change is instantly noticeable.

And even the effects of cable changes are clearly heard. Very noticeable on my system.

[walpurgis]

Exactly Geoff,
Which is why I quoted not all Tannoy Dual concentric's are made equal.
The large 15" cone, and the tulip waveguide never seemed to intergrate properly at all.
The smaller 10" driver with the tulip waveguide used in the Turnberry is a diffrent animal altogether, in that it works very well indeed.

Yes. The Tulip Waveguide horn can work well. It does in the System 600, System 800 and System 1000 nearfield monitors (which I've owned). The ultimate lucidity and transparency of the pepperpot compression driver is not quite matched though.

The worst dual concentric Tannoys I've heard have to be the DC200. They were flat, coloured and boring. Horrible. Those had an early iteration of the Tulip Waveguide ten inch driver.

[Dauntless]

I've heard so many positive comments regarding Tannoy speakers ( the posh ones ). I did have the opportunity to hear some at the Wam a few years back. A guy had a smaller pair driven by valves and someone else was showing a pair of Westminsters in a massive space. Both set ups left me cold I have to say! Later on I was hoping to hear a pair on a visit to London but sadly that never happened. I know it is difficult to set up a system in a strange room when time is limited so maybe that was the case with the Tannoys? I did here some good sounds at that show, one based on a Kronos Turntable caught my ears in particular.

[Bigman80]

I'm 5 min walk from a station on the Reading-Redhill line. Pretty sure there's a direct train Wolverhampton to Reading.That's slightly out of my "free travel" area but not an insurmountable cost or distance. Leave it with me, Tom and I'll PM you.

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[pgarrish]

My system is not at tom's level but you're more than welcome. 30 min bus ride from preston.

[Jazid]

Well I don't want to spoil the fun but I've seen three pairs of HPDs and MG Tannoys come and go and all have been shown a very clean pair of heels by my AN-Es. Yes Tannoy 12 and especially 15" do scale, have heft, and altogether better (but not deeper) bass. But to me there are insurmountable integration issues between the two different types of driver, and the low crossover frequency puts the problem right in the middle of the music. I really wanted to like them, paid a lot and tried hard it's only my tuppence worth, but I'd say enjoy your experience and in a couple of months or more switch back to your AN-Es to see how you feel. For me, each time it's like coming home.

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[Bigman80]

My system is not at tom's level but you're more than welcome. 30 min bus ride from preston.Cheers Paul, hopefully someone a little nearer will pipe up.

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[montesquieu]

Well I don't want to spoil the fun but I've seen three pairs of HPDs and MG Tannoys come and go and all have been shown a very clean pair of heels by my AN-Es. Yes Tannoy 12 and especially 15" do scale, have heft, and altogether better (but not deeper) bass. But to me there are insurmountable integration issues between the two different types of driver, and the low crossover frequency puts the problem right in the middle of the music. I really wanted to like them, paid a lot and tried hard it's only my tuppence worth, but I'd say enjoy your experience and in a couple of months or more switch back to your AN-Es to see how you feel. For me, each time it's like coming home.



I guess it's all about what you like James, and possibly to some extent the room. When I was re-evaluating my speaker choices, I had three pairs in my house of AN-E's and HE's off PQ (ever more expensive with more and more silver in them, ending up around ten grand retail, though probably half that 'ex-demo').

I tried them with a variety of amps, since 'E's and Tannoys need very different amps (Tannoys really need push-pull, E's get away with single ended though also work with chip amps)..

None came close in providing a satisfying sound to properly rival Tannoys, in fact the last pair, so expensive, were comprehensively done in by a pair of Tannoy 12in Golds in some pretty untidy maple cabs, about a grand's worth. So much so I burst out laughing when I put the Tannoys in. The wife's response was 'thank goodness'.

As for bass, I don't get the bass from E's at all ... singalong cabinets that go deep (i guess) but give a bass sound that's blurry and ill-defined compared to Tannoys, being radiated by the cabinet and heavily dependent on the port's relationship to the back wall - I guess this is why they work in some rooms, and not at all in others.

I also evaluated a set of hORNS FP12s, which while not in Tannoy class were far better than the E's in my book. Immediately the E's left I placed my order for my current RFC Canterburys.

[farflungstar]

I think it's about system, room, values. What I can say is that I feel as though I've been listening to music behind a curtain for the last few years. The Ane's, silver wired, will be staying in their boxes. The word that for me sums up what I'm now hearing is Lucidity. It can be as delicate as falling snow or bigger than a steam train but it's something the Ane's just do not have. Part of this is also the bass - which is just as deep as the Ane's but which is defined, articulate without overhang or bloom. I don't detect an integration issue at all - coherence is superb, but with layering and nuance.

I like them.

[walpurgis]

This is what it's about. It's a genius design. Simple really but meets my idea of engineering elegance. The bass cone driven at the front of the single magnet and the tweeter driven at the back of the magnet and (obviously) through the centre of it.

The is the ceramic magnet version, but nearly all the compression driver 'pepperpot' monitors are built similarly. The magnet on the Alnico models is deeper, as is the tweeter horn.

http://i68.tinypic.com/23tmiqx.jpg

[Oddball]

I have some lowly 635's and love them to bits , but honestly ,would not ask my other half of her opinion of them :D:D

[Jazid]

In my opinion it has precious little to do with room or amplification, it is what you can either not do without, or not deal with. I suspect that at heart I am a single driver man, though to date I have not had a pair to play with. I cannot deal with the honky horn thing that you guys don't suffer from. It's not simple crossover issues, it's a total disjunction. People talk about AvantGarde bass unit integration, I don't have a major problem with that (I wish that was my problem in life), that is something I hear and don't care about, but that is what others hear. With Tannoys what I hear is a paper cone bass and a shouty tweeter coming in around an octave and a bit above middle C. No offense intended, I have loved Tom's setups and know AN-E are not everyone's cuppa, and I do understand. Horses for courses and all that... Still I wouldn't swap :-)

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[farflungstar]

I was very worried about the shouty tweeter as I'm very sensitive to it and hate it. I chose the pepperpot kensingtons over the tulip wave guide models for that reason. I haven't read of a problem wth the pepperpot, although a lot of people like to cut the treble to -1.5. I haven't done this as in my very well damped room, with very few reflective surfaces, excessive or phasey treble energy isn't an issue.

I'm also lucky in that the allaerts have a beautifully smooth, liquid and extended treble response with no peaks.

As with everything it's about synergy just as much as technology. Perhaps if I'd paired the Ane's with bright electronics or a super revealing cart with a treble lift they might have sounded as revealing as the Tannoys.

Listening to piano last night the performance was exemplary, as is piano with the Ane's, but there were so many other spatial clues and nuances that just aren't there with the Ane's.

I experienced the same startling difference when switching from a TVC to the Truth - and it had me scratching my head for a long time why it could be so drastically different and yet correct - until I just forgot about it and enjoyed the music.

[walpurgis]

That is the thing. If you have any coarseness in the amplification or an unruly source, the Tannoys will show this up without mercy.

I think that may largely be the issue when people say they don't like Tannoys. They have only heard them used with unsuitable partnering equipment.

[anthonyTD]

:)
Tannoy's can be ruthlessly revealing, and as you say Geoff' can and often will show up issues further down the chain.
As for this Quakiness people complain about with Tannoys, I dont get that either, again, it could be down to what they are being partnered with, many people have listend to my own system over the years I have had Tannoys, and never has anyone ever complained about it sounding Quaky!
A...
That is the thing. If you have any coarseness in the amplification or an unruly source, the Tannoys will show this up without mercy.

I think that may largely be the issue when people say they don't like Tannoys. They have only heard them used with unsuitable partnering equipment.

[petrat]

In my opinion it has precious little to do with room or amplification, it is what you can either not do without, or not deal with. I suspect that at heart I am a single driver man, though to date I have not had a pair to play with. I cannot deal with the honky horn thing that you guys don't suffer from. It's not simple crossover issues, it's a total disjunction. People talk about AvantGarde bass unit integration, I don't have a major problem with that (I wish that was my problem in life), that is something I hear and don't care about, but that is what others hear. With Tannoys what I hear is a paper cone bass and a shouty tweeter coming in around an octave and a bit above middle C. No offense intended ...

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Strange. I tried to love my AN Es, but couldn't get past the 'plastic-ey' tweeter, and bass that sat on a one note resonance. I tried in both small and large rooms, in corners, against walls, in free space ... and concluded that they sounded better the further away I was from them :lol:

IME the Prestige Tannoys are in another league entirely. Properly textured bass, for one thing. The 'shouty' tweeter criticism keeps getting made on forums, but surely Tannoy wouldn't have sold so many, for so long, to so many discerning listeners, if that were the case? There are a myriad of frequency response plots for most of the DC drivers/cabinets on the internet ... some better than others, and admittedly, I do see some of the worse having, typically, a 3dB rise at around 15KHz, but nothing too serious, surely? Anyway, I am not sure that even a ruler-flat sine-wave sweep necessarilly translates into realistic instrumental timbre and tone ... which is a particular strength imo.

As you say, everyone's different ... thank goodness! I sometimes wonder if people judge with their eyes, and expect certain characteristics to be there, even before listening? I know I do. My particular speaker prejudice is that whenever I see electrostatic speakers, they will be tonally 'thin', uninvolving, lack dynamics, with ridiculous hyper-real soundstaging effects. Hate them :D

[julesd68]

Interesting - this Tannoy 'shouty tweeter' thing is news to me - I've had my 12" HPD's for around five years now and haven't come across this issue once I'm happy to say ...

[Barry]

My particular speaker prejudice is that whenever I see electrostatic speakers, they will be tonally 'thin', uninvolving, lack dynamics, with ridiculous hyper-real soundstaging effects. Hate them :D

Not in my experience, save perhaps the limited dynamics. But I'm going off topic here.

[farflungstar]

Still getting to know these remarkable speakers and also having to change the system to accommodate them. The big SE Cary's sound awful wth them (might be up for sale shortly) whilst the class A Hiraga 20 watter sounds fantastic - and I'm currently wrestling wth speaker cables. The isoldas were perfectly suited to the Ane's and the valve amps but with SS and the kensingtons I'm not so sure.....

[montesquieu]

Still getting to know these remarkable speakers and also having to change the system to accommodate them. The big SE Cary's sound awful wth them (might be up for sale shortly) whilst the class A Hiraga 20 watter sounds fantastic - and I'm currently wrestling wth speaker cables. The isoldas were perfectly suited to the Ane's and the valve amps but with SS and the kensingtons I'm not so sure.....

They don't need tons of welly but they do need about 20w+ of nice clean push pull with a strong bottom end ... totally recommend Petrat's EAR 861, or a Radford STA25 from Radford Revival.

[farflungstar]

I've thought about petrats ear but I wontt be in a position to replace the amp until November.

[The Black Adder]

Still getting to know these remarkable speakers and also having to change the system to accommodate them. The big SE Cary's sound awful wth them (might be up for sale shortly) whilst the class A Hiraga 20 watter sounds fantastic - and I'm currently wrestling wth speaker cables. The isoldas were perfectly suited to the Ane's and the valve amps but with SS and the kensingtons I'm not so sure.....

Yes... I wouldn't use the SE amp with them. They need a good push-pull amp. Speaker cable wise, I use twisted (two cables twisted) of Van Damme black 4mm on each side. I'm blown away with them.

[anthonyTD]

I tend to agree; ie conventional single ended not being the best partner for the Kensingtons, However; I have always used mine with my own hibrid Soul single ended amps, and anyone who have heard them' I am sure would agree that they work very well.

Yes... I wouldn't use the SE amp with them. They need a good push-pull amp. Speaker cable wise, I use twisted (two cables twisted) of Van Damme black 4mm on each side. I'm blown away with them.

[montesquieu]

I tend to agree; ie conventional single ended not being the best partner for the Kensingtons, However; I have always used mine with my own hibrid Soul single ended amps, and anyone who have heard them' I am sure would agree that they work very well.

What would you say makes them different Anthony? What do they measure at in terms of damping factor/output impedance ?

[anthonyTD]

Hi Tom,
The soul amps [without going into detail of their circuit design] are very diffrent to conventional SE in a couple of key areas, ie; they have a wider' flat frequency bandwidth, better damping factor, and have exceptionaly low noise floor.
This amounts to the Soul amps being able to control and drive speakers in a similar way to push-pull while still maintaining some of the better virtues of single ended.
Hope this helps.
A...
What would you say makes them different Anthony? What do they measure at in terms of damping factor/output impedance ?

[walpurgis]

Still getting to know these remarkable speakers and also having to change the system to accommodate them. The big SE Cary's sound awful wth them (might be up for sale shortly) whilst the class A Hiraga 20 watter sounds fantastic - and I'm currently wrestling wth speaker cables. The isoldas were perfectly suited to the Ane's and the valve amps but with SS and the kensingtons I'm not so sure.....

The humble (but very good) Transparent Audio Musichord speaker cable works superbly with Tannoys. Although I have many cables to choose from, the Musichord is now the only cable I use with them. No longer available new, but occasionally offered second hand. Rare though.

[anthonyTD]

For years I was using an individualy insulated multistrand cable, which for the life of me' I cannot remember who made it, then for a few years I went over to Townshend, then the last few years with Telurium black, now I have gone full circle' back to the unknown brand cable, and I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised how good that cable is, even though my system has gone through some major changes since last using this cable, going back to it was like coming home, and I think I will be sticking with it for the forseable future, just goes to show that diffrent isnt always better.:)
Jez is now probably laughing, while choking on his cornflakes reading this.:eek::lol::D
A...

[farflungstar]

Listening to the Kensingtons with the Hiraga and isoldas yesterday blew my mind - the combination is superb and had me yearning for a detached house! The bass, quantity and definition are extraordinary and much more powerful than the Ane's - different league. The soundstage is fab, wth the Ane's I had to close my eyes to 'see' instruments in their place - wth the kensingtons they are there with my eyes open , fixed as physical objects in their places even when moving about - brilliant. This little Hiraga is something special.

[walpurgis]

So we've definitely got another convert to Tannoys then? :D


On the right system, a good pair can be spectacular. You do realise that once you get 'tuned in' to what they do, no other speaker will sound quite right and like me (and others), you'll be addicted. :eek:

[mikeyb]

....

[montesquieu]

Reason: Sorry thought this was a general thread

Isn't it?

[mikeyb]

Isn't it?I read back to the OP and realised it was more a question regarding someone's speakers.

I've created my own thread now [emoji4]

[farflungstar]

So we've definitely got another convert to Tannoys then? :D


On the right system, a good pair can be spectacular. You do realise that once you get 'tuned in' to what they do, no other speaker will sound quite right and like me (and others), you'll be addicted. :eek:Yes, there really is no question about their abilities as a first rate transducer - I haven't heard such imaging since the last time I listened to a pair of electrostátics - but without beaming, it's unnerving how instruments stay put even when you move around - something the Ane's couldn't do and the very thing I was looking for.

Coherence is sublime, detail and resolution way beyond anything I had hoped for (amazing to think it's been there all along), and bass is deep and beautifully controlled and articulate.

Downsides? Don't match my Cary amps!

They really bloom when fed a good amount of power, though they sound great at low volumes.... But give them more and they energise the room in a way I haven't heard since my KEF r107's.

They also show up bad recordings, which is to be expected.

But oh how they make you want to listen to music!

I'd love to hear them with tubes!

I already have plans for them - having spoken to Paul they will be getting external crossovers in November, and perhaps the latest supertweeters - they deserve the pampering.