Audio Note AN-E and Tannoy Canterbury GR (battle)

[Rait]

I have questions to forum members who had (have) both of these speakers or listened both some time. I am looking for new speakers and have narrowed selection to Audio Note AN-E and Tannoy Canterbury GR speakers. Audio Note AN-E Spe HE I have listened for on hour in my room and liked. I never hear Tannoy Canterbury and it is not possible, otherwise I find some dealer abroad and take plane trip to audition. It seems strange to want speaker that never heard, but specs, look and some reviews pull me to Canterbury also. How do you compare theses? Soundstage of Audio Note AN-E is huge and feel of present is very good, also bass is good. How about Canterbury compared to Audio Note? Please let me know what difference you feel.Thank you very much advance.*

[farflungstar]

Have Audio Notes and Tannoy Kensington SE. Differences....

AN - easier to match to amps. A slightly more musical presentation (read as coloured). Beautiful with SET amps but not the low powered often cited. In my opinion the ANe's need a little power to hit their sweet spot. Easy to position.

Tannoys - different story. Need an amp that can control and take advantage of their substantial and far more resolving bass. Push pull valve or smooth solid state. In a different league Resolution wise - the AN tweeter just cannot compete. BUT positioning is crucial - sit with your ears in the wrong position and they can sound overly bright and pushy. Get it right and the soundstage is open and more focused than the AN can manage. It's not an easy path to go - I'm still getting there.

[Infinitely Baffled]

Interesting comparison, Adrian.
Maybe I'm imagining it, but it sounds like you prefer your AN-Es, but you actually want to prefer the Tannoys
Have you succeeded in getting them fixed yet, by the way?
IB

[farflungstar]

Interesting comparison, Adrian.
Maybe I'm imagining it, but it sounds like you prefer your AN-Es, but you actually want to prefer the Tannoys
Have you succeeded in getting them fixed yet, by the way?
IBHahahahha not quite that simple. I prefer the Tannoys without hesitation but they are like a demanding mistress compared to the lazy wife Ane's.

It's a mix of trade offs. For example the ANe's do piano better (truthfully) than the Tannoys - but the Tannoys do 'float in the air' vocals way better (truthfully) than the ANe's. If I have one gripe about the Tannoys it's the compression driver - which requires very careful positioning for my ears.

They are working fine by the way though I will send them to Paul for a check up. The Tannoys have forced a complete changeover of amplification and my funds are waiting for the right preamp to come along.

[Rait]

Thank you Adrian. I do not know what type of music you are listening, but what would you prefer AN or Tannoy for classic music and what for jazz. When I auditioned AN I also liked piano on theses very much, compared my Harbeth 30 what I have. And as you told you not need to be in exact position with AN, meter here and there did not changed sound.

[montesquieu]

AN Es/HEs - For me the biggest issue is the pseudo low bass you get from the lightweight flexible cabinet design (it's designed to resonate). Can work in some rooms but but rear ports make placing difficult in many rooms. The recommended corner placement can be very hard to achieve and in any case often ends up sounding muddy. I've had four pairs on home demo of ever increasing expense (and weight - due to the amount of silver involved) up to about £12k retail, and the ever more expensive single ended amps to drive them, and personally I think a better result can be had at a fraction of the price from Tannoys - almost any of the Tannoy dual concentrics - and a decent push-pull valve amp. Don't get me wrong I have heard them sound good (and musical) but in my view there are too many caveats to recommend going down that route. As Adey says even the pricey ones can be coloured.

Tannoys - Not necessarily a straightforward purchase either as the best of them need big cabinets with a a fairly wide baffle to sound their best (though even something like a 10in Eaton with the right valve amp can still sound fab). On balance I prefer the vintage ones but that's not a straightforward area to get into and value for money is not what it was as prices have gone up in some cases (Monitor Silvers and Reds especially) into collector territory that can't be justified by the actual sound. Push pull amps give the best result, 20w is fine for a Monitor Gold but you need 40w+ for later HPDs and the like. The dual concentric design is a point source which helps with imaging and also phase correct due to the wavelength relationships between the concentric drivers - that 'rightness' is what a lot of people like about them. It's possible to get them wrong though, some aftermarket/DIY pattern cabinets (the cheaper vintage factory cabs too) can be too flexible or under-damped, leading to the same sing-along issues you get with E's only it's not actually part of the design. In general though, much easier to place, partner, and live with for all types of music.

Conclusion - I think E's are harder to get the best out of as their design compromises (all speakers have compromises) are more apparent. It's not impossible to get them sounding good though and they do make some kind of sense in an all Audio Note system. Tannoys are easier to integrate in most 'normal' setups and I prefer the cleaner bass and more 'direct' sound, while with decent cabinets (including modern factory cabinets) you don't get the strange phasey room effects you get from AN-Es in the lower registers. It pays to spend money on improving the crossovers as the factory ones tend to be cheaply done, even (or perhaps, especially) current/recent models.

YMMV.

[hifinutt]

been discussing the an-e at length recently and discussed with a number of owners

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/harbeth-shl5plus-or-audionote-an-j-or-an-e.213436/page-2#post-3344401

i have actually ordered a tannoy eaton legacy which is so good, such a big sound from the tannoy . so detailed at low volumes

but in the room i was thinking of the an-e or j , the harbeths shl5plus are currently excelling

[montesquieu]

Just to add specifically on the original question, E's vs Canterburys I think the Canterburys are a absolute no-brainer.

[farflungstar]

Just to add specifically on the original question, E's vs Canterburys I think the Canterburys are a absolute no-brainer.Agreed Tom but the original poster needs to know they may have to do some system changes to get the best out of them.

[Rait]

Thank you Tom. I see from your list that you have Canterburys. Do you think EAR 861 (2x32w) is ok for Canterburys?

[montesquieu]

Agreed Tom but the original poster needs to know they may have to do some system changes to get the best out of them.

Totally agree with that.


Thank you Tom. I see from your list that you have Canterburys. Do you think EAR 861 (2x32w) is ok for Canterburys?

My speakers are RFC Canterburys which are a modern speaker (with all the appropriate damping and bracing and modern tuning/vent calculation) based on the original 1960 Tannoy Canterbury corner cabinet, but custom built and designed by Paul Coupe of RFC Audio, around the 12 inch HPD driver from the early 1970s. (I previously had 1960s 15in Monitor Golds with various cabinets including Lancasters, R-GRFs, Lockwoods and Autographs)

I did own an EAR 861 and it's a fantastic amp with Tannoys, absolutely perfect configuration for them, for me it was pipped only very slightly by my vintage Radford STA100 which is currently away for restoration at Radford Revival. An owner of modern Tannoy Canterbury on this forum, Petrat, had an EAR 861 driving his speakers and was full of praise for it. Great choice I would say.

[anubisgrau]

AN Es/HEs - pseudo low bass


PWN! :lol:

FWIW, AN-J easier to get right in a normal room without crazy mental overdrive to get a horn sound from a chipboard box of AN-E, just like some tannoy 12" designs are better than pushed-over-the-limit 15" in a wrong cab (think cheviot vs arden)

[montesquieu]

PWN! :lol:

FWIW, AN-J easier to get right in a normal room without crazy mental overdrive to get a horn sound from a chipboard box of AN-E, just like some tannoy 12" designs are better than pushed-over-the-limit 15" in a wrong cab (think cheviot vs arden)


Agree. I like J's far more than E's for this reason. I also moved from 15in Golds to 12in HPDs (though I still very much have a soft spot for 15in Golds in the right cabs).

[Jazid]

Well I have had three pairs of Tannoys come and go and I do not miss them at all. I bought them at high-priced because I so wanted them to work. None were Canterburys though. My AN-E have remained throughout as they are so much easier to listen to for extended periods, less coloured, and more lucid to my ears in my room.

In this room the alleged 'pseudo bass' is just extended, it is nice to get to 28Hz flat, and down to 20Hz at - 7dB, Tannoy 15" never came close, tailing off nearer 50Hz, not even pseudo full range although crisper and more tuneful, so this makes them a better choice for eg. Bass players and rock music fans. And some like the tweeter, it certainly has a way with cymbals, but again I find the AN-E soft dome more natural and far better integrated with its bass unit (I always seem to prefer soft dome tweeters, not just an AN thing)

. Both suffer from crossover artifacts, in different ways, so sometimes Tannoys sound just alive on violins and vocals, other times shouty, and have a 'papery' metallic treble. AN-E can sound fab on piano, mine are not too good at violin tone which is sad for me as an ex-violinist, and someone on here criticised the treble as being plasticy. Horses for courses.

I agree with far-flung star that 20W helps with AN although my 300b SET is fab as well, but amps do make a significant difference, even if they are an easier drive than Tannoys.

What can I say, it's your ears and your room, you owe it to yourself to hear both in that room before making your decision, the room may well prove to be the most important part. I sometimes wonder if AN aren't tailored almost model by model for different room sizes they are so variable, and provoke such divided responses from different folk. If they work in your room there's not much that will beat them.

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[Marco]

Could we have some paragraphs, pretty please?

...after which I might be a teeny bit more inclined to read what you've written;)

Marco.

[Pharos]

Couldn't agree more with the recently expressed view that paragraphs are important.

Nothing is more daunting than a great expansive block of writing, especially when it is not particularly well written.

Paragraphs break thoughts into convenient 'chunks' to process, and allow one to keep one's place more easily in the processes involved in following thought lines.

[walpurgis]

A big 'block' of unbroken writing seems to cause me at least, to do an almost sub-conscious 'double take' at the end of each line to make sure I go onto reading the correct next line.

It's a pain, which puts me off reading it in the first place.

[hifinutt]

following this thread closely . over past few weeks have used a variety of amps with tannoy eaton legacy and they are certainly very different to harbs which i think the op has . the big thrax valve was incredibly controlled sound and focussed and very enjoyable with all genres . used also the modwright valve pre /class A ss which gave amazing imaging , really holographic . and currently have the eatons with a naim supernait 2 in a different room . not quite as good as previous amps , very slightly clinical sound but only a bit [ the naim and harbs sound extremely good]

good to read thoughts re audionote from all

[Jazid]

I find writing from a small phone is difficult but I wanted to get my view across as the OP asked for a direct comparison of Tannoy and AN-E speakers. This what I gave, this delivered on the back of seven or eight years relevant experience.

If my view diverges from the prevailing view espoused on AoS surely that should not be relevant. Of course it is right that the content of my post should be criticised by those who have also made direct comparisons of these speakers in their own systems. I do not see any of that.
Apologies to all grammar and punctuation fetishists, you are wonderful and necessary. Do remember that, in a smart phone age, you may stifle debate if you prioritise delivery over content. Or was that the idea?

Also apologies to anyone hurt that I have an alternative view to the primacy of Tannoy DC speakers: It is not intended as a personal affront, it is just one person's view on a forum.

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[Macca]

I find writing from a small phone is difficult but I wanted to get my view across as the OP asked for a direct comparison of Tannoy and AN-E speakers. This what I gave, this delivered on the back of seven or eight years relevant experience.

If my view diverges from the prevailing view espoused on AoS surely that should not be relevant. Of course it is right that the content of my post should be criticised by those who have also made direct comparisons of these speakers in their own systems. I do not see any of that.
Apologies to all grammar and punctuation fetishists, you are wonderful and necessary. Do remember that, in a smart phone age, you may stifle debate if you prioritise delivery over content. Or was that the idea?

Also apologies to anyone hurt that I have an alternative view to the primacy of Tannoy DC speakers: It is not intended as a personal affront, it is just one person's view on a forum.

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I don't think anyone was hurt yet as they haven't read it. I've added paras to it now so give them a chance to have a glimpse and then stand by to repel boarders ;)

[Marco]

Hi James,


I find writing from a small phone is difficult but I wanted to get my view across as the OP asked for a direct comparison of Tannoy and AN-E speakers. This what I gave, this delivered on the back of seven or eight years relevant experience.


And it's both much appreciated and relevant. However, don't you also have access to a laptop or PC, certainly at home, which you could use for your, shall we say, more 'in-depth' contributions? I didn't request paragraphs for any reasons of pedantry, simply to make what you've written quicker and easier to read.

It would be a shame for folks simply to skim passed your erudite observations (as I admit I did), as they're difficult to decipher, simply through your posts containing a lack of paragraphs.

Something perhaps to bear in mind in future?:)


If my view diverges from the prevailing view espoused on AoS surely that should not be relevant.


Absolutely not. All that matters is that your opinion is based on relevant experience, which yours is. I haven't yet got to assessing your views on Tannoys, as I need to go through the thread properly.


Do remember that, in a smart phone age, you may stifle debate if you prioritise delivery over content. Or was that the idea?


Not at all, but on AoS we value quality more than quantity, so well-presented and carefully considered opinions, both in terms of context and visual appearance [ease of reading] will always be more valued than numerous rushed and untidy responses, quickly typed on phones. Where possible, we always seek to raise standards.

That said, if the 'rushed option' is the *only* one available, due to time constraints or whatever, then fair enough. However, I often find it's also down to laziness and the propensity to rely on using a smartphone. Try enjoying the use of a proper sized keyboard for a change - you never know, you might grow to like it!;)


Also apologies to anyone hurt that I have an alternative view to the primacy of Tannoy DC speakers: It is not intended as a personal affront, it is just one person's view on a forum.


Lol... I'm sure that there's no-one here 'hurt' by views expressed that are different to their own. It's only a pair of speakers, not life or death!:D

Marco.

[hifinutt]

we value your thoughts james very much as well as everyone else on these matters . as tom says he spent a small fortune on AN-e `s and its easy to waste a lot of time , money and effort for nothing

[montesquieu]

Well I have had three pairs of Tannoys come and go and I do not miss them at all. I bought them at high-priced because I so wanted them to work. None were Canterburys though. My AN-E have remained throughout as they are so much easier to listen to for extended periods, less coloured, and more lucid to my ears in my room.

In this room the alleged 'pseudo bass' is just extended, it is nice to get to 28Hz flat, and down to 20Hz at - 7dB, Tannoy 15" never came close, tailing off nearer 50Hz, not even pseudo full range although crisper and more tuneful, so this makes them a better choice for eg. Bass players and rock music fans. And some like the tweeter, it certainly has a way with cymbals, but again I find the AN-E soft dome more natural and far better integrated with its bass unit (I always seem to prefer soft dome tweeters, not just an AN thing)

. Both suffer from crossover artifacts, in different ways, so sometimes Tannoys sound just alive on violins and vocals, other times shouty, and have a 'papery' metallic treble. AN-E can sound fab on piano, mine are not too good at violin tone which is sad for me as an ex-violinist, and someone on here criticised the treble as being plasticy. Horses for courses.

I agree with far-flung star that 20W helps with AN although my 300b SET is fab as well, but amps do make a significant difference, even if they are an easier drive than Tannoys.

What can I say, it's your ears and your room, you owe it to yourself to hear both in that room before making your decision, the room may well prove to be the most important part. I sometimes wonder if AN aren't tailored almost model by model for different room sizes they are so variable, and provoke such divided responses from different folk. If they work in your room there's not much that will beat them.

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Hi James you and I have had this discussion privately and I certainly find the divergence of opinion interesting. My experience the last time a pair of E's were here (when I was evaluating where to put my £5k speaker budget, a big outlay for me, after I sold my Autographs) was quite dramatic.

After days of trying to get along with them I plugged in my cheap, stop-gap Tannoy 12in Golds in borrowed but rather battered Chatsworth-dimension boxes, roughly wired to some borrowed HPD crossovers. Loosely positioned in front, I just burst out laughing ... The Tannoys were so much better. This with the 300b WAD amp at the time which you'd think would favour the E's.

Having said that the reason I wanted to hear the E's (and persevered though multiple trials) was that I have heard them sounding good, so it's no surprise that to some ears in some rooms, they should work well. (At the time had a bunch of Audio Note/Kondo source components as well and actually really, really wanted them to work - I was being offered what I thought was a super deal on them as well). Even at their best though I was never sure about the quality of that low bass, which is certainly there but to my ears, far from convincing.

I actually agree with you on Tannoy bass, in certain cabs vintage Tannoys (which is what you had) in particular can have extremely variable performance .. in some boxes including some factory ones, either they can have little or no deep bass regardless of the size of the cone (if the box is too small), or sound boomy, uncontrolled and under-damped (if the box is large and insufficiently braced). Vintage crossovers and wiring that need attention can degrade the treble. Tannoys of any era are also very sensitive to being used with the wrong amp - the bigger cones in particular don't generally get along with SET amps (not enough control). And then there are room interactions of course.

All that's fixable though and Tannoys sounding well can be absolutely glorious.

The original question though was specifically E's vs modern Tannoy Canterburys which is arguably the best of the factory Tannoys (without the efficiency of the horn designs like the Autograph and Westminster, but without the compromises either). For me that really is a no-brainer though as you say no-one could advise spending that amount of cash without hearing all the options, in your own room if possible.

[User211]

Best Tannoy I have ever heard is the Kingdom Royale Carbon Edition with Thrax amps and MSB DAC.

I can't stand Westminsters.

Second best Tannoy I have ever heard, and I have heard a few, are Tom's.

I have heard AN/Es loads of times over the years. Variable to say the least - from dreadful to coloured but coloured in a pleasant way.

Biggest shock I have ever had with AN/Es was attaching my 80 Watt push pull 211 amps to a pair. I have heard them with a lot of different AN amps up to Tomei level and the only amp to get close was the Tomei, but even that couldn't muster as much authority and control though it does sound similar in many, many ways to my 211s and I am sure in some respects the Tomei is superior. One is single ended (Tomei), the other push pull but it can actually dump way more than 80 Watts - double that + for short periods.

So Es with juice come alive and perform way above yer average pussy power AN amp. Really. I wasn't shocked without reason.

I'd take Tom's Tannoy's over any E I have heard but you need to be careful. Cos I haven't heard another Tannoy sound as good as Tom's anywhere, above exception noted. Which I have to say was well above Tom's system but just look at the price.

[Jazid]

Thanks Martin for sorting out my paragraphs in post 14, appreciated!

Since I can now see my posts on a big screen I can see that even post no.19 has erratic spacing which wasn't apparent on the phone. Hey ho, technology. Marco - it isn't always easy to get to a keyboard, I work outdoors, and my desktop is in my basement (along with the man-cave), so off limits once my wife is back. Phone is my only link during family hours I'm afraid!

I really do think the OP should make the effort to listen before he leaps, however tiresome and slow, or be prepared to box-swap (I have learned the hard way). I have had Harbeths, Kefs, Tannoys, Snells and ANs of various guises in here, all excellent speakers, 'my kind of speakers', yet only one pair has stayed the course. It is not a criticism of the other speakers, more a critique of my room which is actually rather unremarkable.

Tom and I have opposite and oddly mirrored experiences. My motivation to keep trying with the Tannoys came from listening to his set-ups, especially his GRFs which were a real surprise. What they did well they did really well in his room. Of course I too I have heard AN-Es sounding lumpy and boxy in rooms, and the famous 'Tannoy honk' from Pauls nicely reworked DCs. Splitting the choice of speaker from the room it will be used in will likely lead to frustration or disappointment, and reinforcement of prejudices about how speakers sound.

[Marco]

Marco - it isn't always easy to get to a keyboard, I work outdoors, and my desktop is in my basement (along with the man-cave), so off limits once my wife is back. Phone is my only link during family hours I'm afraid!


Lol - I get it! However, it's a somewhat different set-up, chez-moi. Both my wife and I have separate laptops, and just as it is right now, use them together in the living room. She's currently doing some homework for college (she's an art and English tutor) on hers, and I'm on here, on mine!;)

And we chat to each other in between. No need for either of us to be 'locked away' in our own room...

Marco.

[Marco]

Best Tannoy I have ever heard is the Kingdom Royale Carbon Edition with Thrax amps and MSB DAC.

I can't stand Westminsters.

Second best Tannoy I have ever heard, and I have heard a few, are Tom's.


You've still to visit me, daftee, and hear my 'ol wardrobes', as has Tom!;)

Marco.

[User211]

You've still to visit me, daftee, and hear my 'ol wardrobes', as has Tom!;)

Marco.

Nope. Are the cabs and overall sound as good as Tom's, though, I wonder? Only a visit can tell...;)

[Marco]

No idea - I haven't heard Tom's! However, let's just say mine are considerably better than the 66s you heard (and loved), with most of the equipment that makes up my current system, at Scalford;)

Marco.

[Rait]

Thanks very much to everybody for their time to discuss my question. I placed order to AN-E Spe HE just now. Biggest argument wast that AN’s sounded in my room very well and to actualy buy speaker without listening is not normal. Their were more colored than Harbeths but it was nice color, as mentioned also in this thread several time. I hope that I can listen Canterburys in future and like them, because I like how they look and wanted to have Tannoy big dual driver one day. Also AN’s were much cheaper and money left for future:)
My current Harbeths 30.1 are also good detailed speakers, but after five years my ears wanted some change.
Good night from windy and cold Estonia.
Rait

[Jazid]

Rait, I hope they deliver what you want, they most certainly do for me! Don't be afraid to try different amps and experiment. I have a kit SIT amp running at the moment and it's quite fantastic with them, I mean seriously, seriously good, modestly priced, even I am not worried about the lack of valves in my system...

Ignore the hype around AN, PQ is approachable and straightforward, every time I have talked to him he has been informative and generous, and he's not had nor asked for a penny from me so far. Peter Snell delivered some fantastic speakers and the E was maybe his most effective design in terms of simplicity and cost, (since refined by AN). Enjoy the ride and please post pics of the new treasures in place when they arrive :)

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[montesquieu]

Rait, I hope they deliver what you want, they most certainly do for me! Don't be afraid to try different amps and experiment. I have a kit SIT amp running at the moment and it's quite fantastic with them, I mean seriously, seriously good, modestly priced, even I am not worried about the lack of valves in my system...

Ignore the hype around AN, PQ is approachable and straightforward, every time I have talked to him he has been informative and generous, and he's not had nor asked for a penny from me so far. Peter Snell delivered some fantastic speakers and the E was maybe his most effective design in terms of simplicity and cost, (since refined by AN). Enjoy the ride and please post pics of the new treasures in place when they arrive :)

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I have heard Es with various SET exotica including AN Jinro, but the best (least bloomy, most refined) pair I heard used a 40w diy gainclone with vastly over-specced power supply.

[User211]

I have heard Es with various SET exotica including AN Jinro, but the best (least bloomy, most refined) pair I heard used a 40w diy gainclone with vastly over-specced power supply.Interesting. I heard a Gainclone copy driving some. Not good in any way.

Bad copy maybe:D

[Macca]

I quite like the sound of the Audionote electronics but the speakers are a bridge too far for me. Also the presentation as a whole suits certain types of music and not others (although AN is better than some other brands in that respect). Given that I need a system that will be as happy playing Thin Lizzy as it will Bill Evans it's never been on my radar.

And it's too expensive for what it is (although that's true of most brands these days).

[anubisgrau]

there is a clear reason for vast variations in bass performance from tannoy speakers. it's a condition of bass driver, especially surrounds. any change from the original condition induce Fs to drift, most often to rise. a friend had a 3838 based cab, he couldn't get under a 60hz bass. after he found out that the surrounds hardened, he tackled that and got back to the original 35hz or so. it was such a difference!

pretty much same for the new drivers, they need some to to get to optimal performance. given the fashion about tannoys, lots of people buy without having a clue how they should perform so they listen faulty ones and never actually hear what they can do (if they can be anyway restored to original performance at all).

i seriously doubt that AN/E can go 27hz flat and 20hz -7, this can not be a performance from the driver itself.

[montesquieu]

i seriously doubt that AN/E can go 27hz flat and 20hz -7, this can not be a performance from the driver itself.

Agree on the Tannoys - the vintage ones can sound reasonable even in so-so condition, but so often need attention - surrounds, crossovers, wiring ..

As for the E's I think the low bass measurement is due to the sing-along cabinet. That's why it typically sounds a bit phasey and hard to place.

[walpurgis]

given the fashion about tannoys, lots of people buy without having a clue how they should perform so they listen faulty ones and never actually hear what they can do (if they can be anyway restored to original performance at all)

That is so true!

Not only that, there are so many models and I'm just referring to the dual concentrics. Not all of these are worth considering. That doesn't seem to stop the escalating prices though. Many of the early tulip waveguide speakers were of indifferent performance and a few genuinely dire (DC200 or DC100 anybody?).

Some of the pepperpot types should be avoided, unless the buyer is willing to invest a lot of money. The drivers in the professional cabinets like the 'Wildcats' for instance have potential, but will usually require completely new crossovers, bigger cabinets and more compliant cone surrounds. A big spend.

[Pharos]

A post of mine seems to have disappeared.

[Marco]

Yes, and the reason for that has been attached to the deletion, which if you scroll back you'll see [the post that should've followed #30] :)

Marco.

[hifinutt]

Best Tannoy I have ever heard is the Kingdom Royale Carbon Edition with Thrax amps and MSB DAC.

I can't stand Westminsters.

Second best Tannoy I have ever heard, and I have heard a few, are Tom's.

I have heard AN/Es loads of times over the years. Variable to say the least - from dreadful to coloured but coloured in a pleasant way.

Biggest shock I have ever had with AN/Es was attaching my 80 Watt push pull 211 amps to a pair. I have heard them with a lot of different AN amps up to Tomei level and the only amp to get close was the Tomei, but even that couldn't muster as much authority and control though it does sound similar in many, many ways to my 211s and I am sure in some respects the Tomei is superior. One is single ended (Tomei), the other push pull but it can actually dump way more than 80 Watts - double that + for short periods.

So Es with juice come alive and perform way above yer average pussy power AN amp. Really. I wasn't shocked without reason.

I'd take Tom's Tannoy's over any E I have heard but you need to be careful. Cos I haven't heard another Tannoy sound as good as Tom's anywhere, above exception noted. Which I have to say was well above Tom's system but just look at the price.

i have a thrax amp here at the moment , it is quite simply stunning !!! i even had it on a pair of cheap b&w 602s3 standmounts and it made them sound much more expensive than they were . massive great amp with lots of valves and be sad to see it go back to dealer

[hifinutt]

I have heard Es with various SET exotica including AN Jinro, but the best (least bloomy, most refined) pair I heard used a 40w diy gainclone with vastly over-specced power supply.

be good to start another thread perhaps on what amps to use with audionote

[User211]

i have a thrax amp here at the moment , it is quite simply stunning !!! i even had it on a pair of cheap b&w 602s3 standmounts and it made them sound much more expensive than they were . massive great amp with lots of valves and be sad to see it go back to dealerI completely agree amazing amp if we're on about the same one.

Heard the Royale with other gear and not impressed. But in a large room with those Thrax amps absolutely amazeballs. For me at any rate.

Now if they had enough power I'd do a lot to get me some somehow at least for a home dem. The 70 Watt Spartacus is the one I am on about.

[Macca]

. The 70 Watt Spartacus is the one I am on about.

Is it a slave amp?

(sorry, at work and bored).

[User211]

Is it a slave amp?

(sorry, at work and bored).Your supposed to say "I'm Spartacus!".

[hifinutt]

ah yes , i know the spartacus . the enyo is what is here . incredible power in this thing . actually it was way too much for the harbeth shl5plus . excited a dreadful bass mode in the room and i thought they would take off !! but wilth the tannoy eatons it was special . firebottle and a few others were round to hear the combo recently

https://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/thrax-valve-integrated-amps.212436/

actually its really growing on me now although it is going back to the dealer soon . if it had a uk service agent it would probably be staying but i can`t face a precious valve amp going back to another country with a courier

[User211]

ah yes , i know the spartacus . the enyo is what is here . incredible power in this thing . actually it was way too much for the harbeth shl5plus . excited a dreadful bass mode in the room and i thought they would take off !! but wilth the tannoy eatons it was special . firebottle and a few others were round to hear the combo recently

https://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/threads/thrax-valve-integrated-amps.212436/

actually its really growing on me now although it is going back to the dealer soon . if it had a uk service agent it would probably be staying but i can`t face a precious valve amp going back to another country with a courierHow many WPC is it? Interesting looking product but the website and brochure fail to state power output.

[montesquieu]

How many WPC is it? Interesting looking product but the website and brochure fail to state power output.

Yes has me intrigued as well. Not on my radar preciously.

[hifinutt]

yes .. not exactly forthcoming with info . it also says its 12kg in weigth and thats a joke because iwould like to try it with the harbs in the loft but its too big and heavy to get up there !!! its a very powerful piece of kit . paul benge is dealer and he has lent it too me . i am sure he would let you know but i will ask

you are of course most welcome to hear it while its here

[anubisgrau]

kingdoms are not the typical tannoys, quite obviously made and voiced for different crowd. i disliked them on a casual listening with macintosh solid state amps, not much fun there

[hifinutt]

spoken to dealer and we believe thrax is 60 w per channel .

[User211]

spoken to dealer and we believe thrax is 60 w per channel .Thanks for that Phil and thanks for the invite. Not looking for an all in one solution and indeed I'd need more power anyway.

I do like their gear though, especially that Spartacus, which behaved really well with the Royale. Excellent spatially but that is a characteristic of EML valves that really suited the Royales, producing a huge holographic soundstage.

Oddly EML valves produce too much spatiality in my DAC. Some things just blend though and that Thrax Tannoy combo just worked.

[hifinutt]

its a pleasure . after pondering all these thoughts i am leaning towards an an-j rather than an an-e possibly . in view of tom and jazids views . it may be someone is looking to sell an an-j and move to an-e . if so that would be interesting

[Jazid]

there is a clear reason for vast variations in bass performance from tannoy speakers. it's a condition of bass driver, especially surrounds. any change from the original condition induce Fs to drift, most often to rise. a friend had a 3838 based cab, he couldn't get under a 60hz bass. after he found out that the surrounds hardened, he tackled that and got back to the original 35hz or so. it was such a difference!

pretty much same for the new drivers, they need some to to get to optimal performance. given the fashion about tannoys, lots of people buy without having a clue how they should perform so they listen faulty ones and never actually hear what they can do (if they can be anyway restored to original performance at all).

i seriously doubt that AN/E can go 27hz flat and 20hz -7, this can not be a performance from the driver itself.

Since HPDs can be, and indeed have to be, refoamed from time to time and since this can be done with manufacturers or approved agent's surrounds, I can't think of any obvious way in which the performance couldn't be as close to 'factory' as any original coned driver can be. Monitor Golds and earlier driver models may not be so lucky. Have I missed something here Gordan, I think you know more?

Re: AN-E, seriously doubt away, it makes no difference to the measurable response :lol: The graph shows in room response, red is 'out of the box' in room response measured through omnidirectional UMIC, green is corrected by DEQX 3.0 for minimum phase and basic FR but otherwise the same. I am not up to speed with REW so may have made errors, for example the volume differed between these sweeps, but with respect to bass extension it's plain. (Note:directional mics produce rather different response graphs to this, especially at higher frequencies.)

In my room the rear port is contributing and IIRC the port tuning is low 30s Hz. This happens to be just on a main room modal peak which explains the full bass that I get if uncorrected by bolstering the in room response around that frequency. This bass at 30Hz is present but of course not well damped, so good for ambience 'hall effects' but far from nimble. Since few instruments have much musical information below about 42Hz and I'm not Mr Techno I can live with this. There is an unavoidable dip at 40-ish Hz and the speakers natural response up to low 50s fills in a room null resulting from listener head height. Since AN-E are designed to be mounted on dedicated stands with ear at a fixed tweeter height it is natural that there will be a null around this frequency which is offset by the response of the driver itself. This to me is an example of this being a speaker voiced by ear for a room. In another room however, especially one fractionally wider or longer than mine and with dance music, the reinforcement could easily become too much.

I am convinced the balance of nulls and peaks in room and speaker response have to work together, if they don't the response goes all over the place and speakers get blamed. As far as I can see the only solution if this is the problem lies in room treatment (and in minimum phase correction which needs addressing if equalisation is to stand any chance of being effective with whatever is left).

http://i68.tinypic.com/3442qg3.jpg

[Ninanina]

Thanks very much to everybody for their time to discuss my question. I placed order to AN-E Spe HE just now. Biggest argument wast that AN’s sounded in my room very well and to actualy buy speaker without listening is not normal. Their were more colored than Harbeths but it was nice color, as mentioned also in this thread several time. I hope that I can listen Canterburys in future and like them, because I like how they look and wanted to have Tannoy big dual driver one day. Also AN’s were much cheaper and money left for future:)
My current Harbeths 30.1 are also good detailed speakers, but after five years my ears wanted some change.
Good night from windy and cold Estonia.
Rait

Well done Rait I am sure you will love the AN-E's. I had a loan pair which I ran with the Oto and they were absolutely lovely

For what it's worth I didn't get along with a pair of J/K's (I can't remember which they were). When I listened to the J/K's in the room of the chap I purchased from they sounded excellent but for some reason I just could not get them to work properly in my current room, far to much boomy bass which seemed to bleed over all the music... very nasty sounding and my worst purchase ever, speaker wise, and I sold them on after a very short time

I may have missed it but what amp are you going to use with the AN-E's?

Enjoy

[anubisgrau]

Since HPDs can be, and indeed have to be, refoamed from time to time and since this can be done with manufacturers or approved agent's surrounds, I can't think of any obvious way in which the performance couldn't be as close to 'factory' as any original coned driver can be. Monitor Golds and earlier driver models may not be so lucky. Have I missed something here Gordan, I think you know more?


This is exactly what I was saying. The drivers have to be serviced to get their T/S parameters within factory spec. People usually deal with surrounds when they crumble while it is not always a mechanical damage that makes them drift. Most of audiophiles just listen thinking that is what it is, as long as cones or surrounds don't fall apart.

K3838 I know had Fs in the range of 75hz instead of 35 or so, although its cloth surrounds looked visually perfect - but hardened. If you don't know how it should be and they should sound, you are fooled.

[Rait]

I have EAR 861 class A enhanced triode mode tube amp. Power is 2x32w. It is in my opinnion very good amp. Wehn I auditioned ANe’s in my room I did heard good amp and speaker match. Olso my Harbetds 30.1, with sensitivity 85 db are running well with it.

[montesquieu]

I have EAR 861 class A enhanced triode mode tube amp. Power is 2x32w.

Just about perfect for Tannoy Canterburys .... :doh:

[Rait]

Just about perfect for Tannoy Canterburys .... :doh:

I hope do find way to listen Canterburys in future and I hope to like theses. Next speakers and I belive “last” will be Canterburys GR or my then are alredy out “VGR” :)

[Barry]

yes .. not exactly forthcoming with info . it also says its 12kg in weigth and thats a joke because iwould like to try it with the harbs in the loft but its too big and heavy to get up there !!! its a very powerful piece of kit . paul benge is dealer and he has lent it too me . i am sure he would let you know but i will ask

you are of course most welcome to hear it while its here

12Kg is not heavy - my 25W class A monoblocks weigh 30kg apiece.

[Jazid]

There's 12kg of aluminium in that amps chassis! I'll bet it's a 30-40kg lump.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk

[hifinutt]

12Kg is not heavy - my 25W class A monoblocks weigh 30kg apiece.

ah its not 12kg , you could carry one in each arm if it was !!! it takes 2 to lift and thats a struggle so i think its about 3 times the quoted figure .