Normally I would just enjoy reading the forum articles and stay quiet. But not everyday you run into Tannoy and OTL lovers.
I have a pair of Westminster Royal (not the HE) and drive them with Nagra VPA or Tenor 75Wp both with good result. I used to be a proud owner of NYAL Futterman Signature OTL-3 about ten years ago with an extra set of GE replacement tubes. I got rid of them purely because of my stupidity. I would love to get them back and try them with the Tannoy.
I personally don't think you can make a Tannoy sound bad with any reasonable gear (SS or glass) since they are so easy to drive. Mind you, however, since they are so sensitive, the tube noise of Nagra's original junky Shuguang 845 was much louder compared to, say, the better built Cetron or KR 845. However, it never really bothered me too much once the music starts.
Although I must say Tannoy aren't the most accurate speakers in the world but I have never ceased to be amazed of how emotionally involved the listening experience was with the Tannoy since the very first moment. Ive always read about them in Asian magazines like Stereo Sound. I finally ran into one while I visited Aki Habara in Tokyo in 1993. I was rivited in front of a pair of Edingburg while it was playing (Milstein?) Bach partitas and sonatas until the shop owner got rid of me by stopping playing *^#*^. There was not much to mention about the usual stuff that I sought after at the time - sound stage, depth, width, focus and etc. simply since these speakers were part of a 6 feet tall speaker wall. (Those who have been to Aki Habara would know what I am talking about). The remaining gears were not the latest and the greatest either vintage Luxman pre-amp driving Marantz 9s. Vinyl was being playing also on an old Microseiki built in the 80s.
The music I heard was simply, well, musical. The BWV 1003 Presto sent chill down to my spine. I had already been in Hifi for almost 20 years at the time but I have never experienced anything like that. I would even go as far as calling it my first HiFi ecstasy I was tempted to strangle the shop owner when he lifted the cartridge since he figured I had no plan of leaving until the music stopped. And by way I look he knew he had no chance of closing the deal since I was obviously a tourist.
I've lived with Maggies, Quad 63, 63Pro, 801s, N801, Guarnari, Amati, Wilson Watt/Puppy and finally landed on the Westminster Royal after all these years. I am not going to make statements like they would be my last pair of speakers like I have promised my wife so many times before. However, the fact that I have yet grown tired of them for one minute after nearly three years was a small miracle to my wife.
I know my comment didnt help much but like I said you simply go too wrong with them as long as you dont use any junky gears and overpower them.
The apperciation of the more expensive Tannoy Prestige and Kingdom lines has been a well kept Japanese/Asian secret. Hope to see more Tannoy and OTL lovers on this side of the Pacific.
I have a pair of Westminster Royal (not the HE) and drive them with Nagra VPA or Tenor 75Wp both with good result. I used to be a proud owner of NYAL Futterman Signature OTL-3 about ten years ago with an extra set of GE replacement tubes. I got rid of them purely because of my stupidity. I would love to get them back and try them with the Tannoy.
I personally don't think you can make a Tannoy sound bad with any reasonable gear (SS or glass) since they are so easy to drive. Mind you, however, since they are so sensitive, the tube noise of Nagra's original junky Shuguang 845 was much louder compared to, say, the better built Cetron or KR 845. However, it never really bothered me too much once the music starts.
Although I must say Tannoy aren't the most accurate speakers in the world but I have never ceased to be amazed of how emotionally involved the listening experience was with the Tannoy since the very first moment. Ive always read about them in Asian magazines like Stereo Sound. I finally ran into one while I visited Aki Habara in Tokyo in 1993. I was rivited in front of a pair of Edingburg while it was playing (Milstein?) Bach partitas and sonatas until the shop owner got rid of me by stopping playing *^#*^. There was not much to mention about the usual stuff that I sought after at the time - sound stage, depth, width, focus and etc. simply since these speakers were part of a 6 feet tall speaker wall. (Those who have been to Aki Habara would know what I am talking about). The remaining gears were not the latest and the greatest either vintage Luxman pre-amp driving Marantz 9s. Vinyl was being playing also on an old Microseiki built in the 80s.
The music I heard was simply, well, musical. The BWV 1003 Presto sent chill down to my spine. I had already been in Hifi for almost 20 years at the time but I have never experienced anything like that. I would even go as far as calling it my first HiFi ecstasy I was tempted to strangle the shop owner when he lifted the cartridge since he figured I had no plan of leaving until the music stopped. And by way I look he knew he had no chance of closing the deal since I was obviously a tourist.
I've lived with Maggies, Quad 63, 63Pro, 801s, N801, Guarnari, Amati, Wilson Watt/Puppy and finally landed on the Westminster Royal after all these years. I am not going to make statements like they would be my last pair of speakers like I have promised my wife so many times before. However, the fact that I have yet grown tired of them for one minute after nearly three years was a small miracle to my wife.
I know my comment didnt help much but like I said you simply go too wrong with them as long as you dont use any junky gears and overpower them.
The apperciation of the more expensive Tannoy Prestige and Kingdom lines has been a well kept Japanese/Asian secret. Hope to see more Tannoy and OTL lovers on this side of the Pacific.