From my long experience with Tannoys, I have found they are not partial to any genre of music, they are excellent with any music you choose.
I've had MG's and HPD's, it makes no difference. Just enjoy.
Regards,
Dan |
You are wrong there....you can get huge (more so), powerful (more so), and beautiful (more so) with modern Tannoys....you need the right ones. I can see someone feeling the tulip waveguide is not as beautiful, but the traditional type new Tannoys with the Alnico magnets and pepperpot waveguides will do all the old ones do, plus some. You'll pay more than for the old ones to get those advantages, so that is a negative. But they are still reasonable in price compared to what passes for state of the art in modern speakers.....and most are nothing near the performance. |
I have had Tannoy 12" Monitor Golds for 40 years in 3.3 cu/ft
cabs, a lot of wonderful rock in smaller rooms. Three years ago I was able to move my system to the living room and fell in love with 15's. I now have Canterbury SE's from the Prestige series, and they load my room very well... (16X19X8)
I get a very satisfying illusion of rock concerts on demand.
Those Manleys would light them up very well! |
What Douger said.....they will crank it out on rock. |
Tannoys sound better with the supertweeter, true? Just curious... |
Supertweeter use is not unanimous. Many folks like the older style (including new Prestige line speakers) without. |
Kiddman, with all due repect, you would have to hear my Tannoys before you pass judgement. Mine are 12" HPD's, and have been reconed with hard edge surrounds.
The crossovers were designed for me by Dr. Arthur Loesch of Tempo Electric, and consist of 12 gauge Alpha Core ribbon inductors, Mundorf SIO caps, Dueland resistors, and are wired with solid silver hook-up wire.
The enclosures are 150 liter bass-reflex, are nearly 2" thick, and weigh 200lbs. each.
They rock hard when asked to, and are equally as good on any type of classical or jazz you care to run through them.
All this in a room 16' X 34" w/cathedral ceilings, and can play at satisfying levels with a 9 Wpc SET 300B driving them. Newer doesn't mean better, just more expensive.
Regards,
Dan |
Islandmandan, I was lucky enough to spend to a little time with Arthur Loesch before he passed away and heard his designs at his house, Tempo Electric with Joe and at another friends house who had some modded Tannoys and each was among the best systems I've ever heard.His work is not discussed to much. The Tempo Electric gear is incredible. One day I'd like to own some. I checked out your system and it looks great. I can only imagine how it must sound. The Professor was extraordinary.
Tannoys done right are incredible loudspeakers. |
I don't think we disagree much, Dan, I have used old Tannoys too, and know they can be great. I said "plus some" since the new ones will play louder for a longer period but I did not say that was a huge matter.
Perhaps you interpreted my indicating new Tannoys will crank to mean that older ones won't. I was addressing the OP who indicated the new ones won't do what they old ones do. They will....if you pick the right ones. Westminster Royal SE and Canterburys are two of the right ones.
No disparagement of your older Tannoys....trust that! Few new speakers can do what they do. We could argue that almost no new speakers do what they do!
RIP Arthur, we knew each other pretty well and I liked him very much. You are lucky to have some of his work. |
Kiddman, Tonyjack,
Unfortunately, I was never able to meet Dr. Loesch, but was lucky enough to become friends with a man that had grown up with him, and were lifetime friends.
On my behalf, he asked Dr. Arthur for a crossover design for my project Tannoys, which he did, while at a bakyard barbeque at my friends home in Chicago.
I must admit, I have never heard any newer versions of Tannoys, I don't do much traveling, and the nearest dealer is 100 miles away.
In order to have the system that I have, I had to DIY as much as possible, but I am very happy with the results.
I have heard nothing but high praise for the new Tannoys (now that I think about it, I did hear some new Turnberrys at a friends home in Portland). When Kevin Hayes was upgrading my VAC PA 35.35, he mentioned that he uses Tannoys with his products, and that the Kingdom Royals are a must-hear.
Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to hear more Tannoys in the new Prestige line. If my pockets were a bit deeper, some nice Canterbury SE's would probably grace my listening room.
It would be nice if you two fellows were to list your systms here, I would enjoy reading about them.
I am glad to see we are more in agreement than not.
Yours in the love of music and Tannoy, regards,
Dan |
Kiddman,
I just reviewed some older threads I participated in, and to my chagrin, I realized I have corresponded with you, and other participants in this thread, before.
My memory is quite suspect, if it had done its job, I wouldn't have seen the need to contribute what I did on this thread.
It is gratifying though, to read such positive comments regarding Tannoys, at times I feel they are the Rodney Dangerfield's of high-end audio.
Best regards to all,
Dan |
Tannoys are a classic that stand the test of time. I am sure that a version would keep me very happy. (currently use Lowthers) Arthur has a top reputation (RIP). I bought my SC's and IC's directly from Joseph at Tempo, and he is a real pleasure to deal with!
IC goes form Pre to Amps. Five minutes ago I just received and plugged in a used pair (from here) of Tempo IC's from CDP to Pre. |
Thanks Kiddman, now why do they like it without? |
Islandmandan, I like the Dangerfield analogy! I also have heard Tannoy Edinburgh which were very nice. Very musical and enjoyable to listen to. I think the older models like the ones Dr Loesch recommended had a little something extra however. Especially driven by his amps and his designs that Joe has at Tempo Electric. I was up there last year and hung out with Joe and he was using some baffle less 3 sectional speakers that were very nice. Would have liked to have compared them side by side with some Alnico Tannoys though.
Haven't gotten around to posting my systems yet. Lotsa gear around here and a few different systems pieced together. A little of this and a little of that. Nothing too esoteric or expensive for that matter but all sounding good in their own individual ways. Not really in one camp or another. All my audio friends have different set ups than mine and each other. It's all good!
Quickly: Vandy 3A Sigs, Red Dragon M500 amps, ARC SP 16,Oppo 980H,Benchmark DAC1, SCE HRS Interface, Technics 1200 MKII,AT440 Cartridge, Kimber 12TC, Nordost,Lessloss, White Gold,Straightwire,Lifatec Cables, Acoustic Revive RTP 2, Acoustic Revive RR77.
Maggie 1.6,Vandy 2W Sub, Audibile Illusions Mod 3A, ARC 150.2 amp,ARC CD1,Sony SCD 555ES,PS Audio Digital Link Dac lll, Basis 1400 Rega RB 300, Benz Micro Gold Cartridge,Straightwire, Lessloss,Audioquest,Lifatec cables Shunyata Hydra 4,Symposium Roller Blocks.
Snell Elll,Quicksilver V4 Amps, Counterpoint SA 1000 pre, Onkyo Universal Player, Sony 775SACD,Micromega MyDac,Technics 1200 Limited Gold TT, AT120 cartridge,Straightwire, AQ,Lifatec cables.
More but too much to go into for now. |
Why don't they get respect? Well, I'll flip the question: have you seen any other speaker that can go on for a long thread and not have any real haters out there, but many lovers?
Maybe by respect you mean in the current high end scene of North America and the magazines. I'll answer why there is not constant talk there:
1. No big advertising in high end journals.
2. Not some new company claiming to have reinvented physics, claiming to have a genius designer the likes of which audio has never seen.
3. Not claiming to have INVENTED something new.
4. No crazy made up physics stories, the market loves those science and physics defying stories more than real physics and science. The reviewers buy into the made up stuff and the consumers do. Fiction is much more fun than reality to the average layman.
5. Old company so no chance a reviewer can act as if he "discovered" them,and no consumer can feel like he is a pioneer among consumers that discovered the secret nobody else knows about.
6. The forced death of horn speakers in America by influential revisers in the 80's: you know the mantra, "horns don't image, horns are bright, horns quack, horns honk". We in this thread know that this is as ridiculous as saying "I have heard Thiels, they are too bright, so all cone speakers are bright". But nobody ever accused the public or the high end audiophiles in particular as being particularly logical or not being gullible.
The above certainly is not a conclusive list, but it's a start. |
Dan, nice post, and nice sign off (Yours in the love of music and Tannoy). Yes, we are on the same page.
One thing about Tannoy guys: they are so often about the music. After all, they can't be about prestige as the gear is not raved in the mags. They can't be about conformance, as they are not the current hot thing (which means nothing about sound....in fact, how hot something is might be inversely proportional to how much like music it sounds!).
And sure a bunch of us have conversed, and a bunch of us forget that! You are not alone, with so many e-mails, forums, etc. these days who could remember all the contacts?You are not losing it! |
Great Thread and discussion..Thanks for a lot of info.
I did have a chance to hear a Turnberry with and without Supertweeters, and felt they are a hit/miss. With some recordings they do add a lot more spatial cues but with some recording they can give an impression of going on the harsher side which is completely against the grain..hence can be a bit disorienting.
Regarding Rock- They definitely do Rock. since they naturally have a fleshed out sound very rich in harmonic content (And i believe the reason many folks feel they are colored)they do very well with both Tubes and SS. and while quality of power is important they do respond to quantity of power especially with regard to the bottom end .
I run my Tannoys with a Leben amp and frankly could not be happier..and i listen to almost every Genre except Heavy Metal and Rap..and i personally believe they are the most Tonally satisfying speakers i have heard |
Yes, yes, yes!
I feel it! Like an old time revival meeting!
Fired up the system last night, listening to vinyl through the SET 300B, and had to use my better judgement, and finally shut it down at 3:00 a.m.
Played some rock, Gaucho by Steely Dan, and Pirates by Rickie Lee Jones, classical, Prokofieff, Symphony No. 3/Scythian Suite, and Brahms, Piano Quintet in F Minor.
Sometimes, I get to musing about what, and how long, it took to get to such a satisfying point in listening. I remember the time when my HPD drivers and XO's arrived from the UK, and I hooked them up temporarily, mainly to see if they worked.
Lying on their sides, next to my Dynaudio Contour 5.4's, it was quite a shock, as they sounded much better than the nearly $9000 speakers they were next to. I then knew I was on the right track, and haven't looked back.
I feel very fortunate to have acquired such reproduction at home. It makes up for all the wrong turns I previously took.
Thanks for the contributions on this thread from all of you, and to the OP for posting it. I have enjoyed learning about others' systems, it's kind of a favorite pastime of mine, as there seem to be an infinite mix of components that can be put together, I'm amazed at the ingenuity and passion of music lovers the world over.
Best regards,
Dan |
Hi Dan,
I KNOW that I would have enjoyed that listening! Reading your post had me put on Pirates while responding. I can only imagine how your Tannoys handled "Traces Of The Western Slopes" :) I will suggest to you Carla Bley "Sextet" It is fully Instrumental, but also has some excellent percussion that I imagine would be REALLY nice through you Tannoys. I like this one a lot! |
Also, Hiram Bullock does a VERY impressive hot solo on one song,
he was in his prime. RIP |
Thank Iso,
I'v been curoius about Carla Bley for years, I'll give "Sextet" a try. Thanks!
Dan |
Carla is great! Check out "Looking For America" "The Lost Chords". "Appearing Nightly" and "The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu". One of the band members is an Audiophile. |
Now this is what audio is for! Music! Leave it to a Tannoy guy to start that enthusiasm. That's what they (and some other, but few) are about: music.
|
I ordered "Sextet" yesterday. I was a bit disappointed it wasn't available on vinyl, but it will sound great anyway.
Thanks guys!
Dan |
Dan, I got my old Vinyl copy back when the album came out. Sam Goody was clearing out all of their LPs for $1.25 to make room for (much superior) CDs. I am sure it could be found on that famous auction site sooner or later. |
