Tannoy Westminister VS dc10 Instrument Grande V


looking for a large formal loudspeaker for our fairly large formal den 28x40 12 foot ceiling oak floors the space is open and not cluttered I'm not looking for magico even though they are my neighbors and don't like the looks of the big Wilson's plus they are too $$$ I want something that looks like real wood is very efficient and is 50K or less!

Steve
berkelyaudiogeek
I'd take a close look at the Klipsch Palladiums. High efficiency, great looks, well reviewed. I think there's a special section for them on both the Klipsch forums and website. Good luck.
I doubt you can do better than Tannoy in terms of sound quality. Advise you get whichever Tannoy suits your needs and wants.
I have'nt heard DC10, though I have heard good things about them, but Tannoy is the business. If you want real wood, efficiency and the ability to reaaly drive a big room, then I can't think of many alternatives.

I have heard them for prolonged periods on a number of occasions, but I'm not a Tannoy Guru. There are real differences between the models, alnico and non alnico magnets etc. You might start with the review of the kingdom royals by Jeff Day in Positive Feedback no 64. It gives some interesting background.
Tannoy's have a very different and unique sound that you will either love or hate . Make sure you listen to them in your system at length before purchasing .
I would add JBL Everests and Cessaro (not sure if its in your budget) to your list.
I'm actually replacing old Klipsh Le Scalas.

I think the Tannoy top of the line with alnico mags is the ticket as it will integrate into our built in cabinets very very well and the look is 90% of the equation even though my gut tells me that the Grand Voix has more of a real reference hifi sound and the Tannoy more of a one speaker sound.

Thanks for the info now to find a dealer!
The JBL does not look formal to me or my partner. We want something with the right aesthetic cohesion for the room and the Tannoy is about perfect looks wise I'm only worried that they will have that "quacky" one driver sound.

The dc10 audio is a little flashy with the two horns but I like how they look just the same and based on their components they must sound pretty damn good though they will not integrate quite as well as the Westminster and are more money, and no one has ever heard them..

I'm still confused!
Where did you hear about dc10audio?

Both the Westminster and the Grande Voix are formal looking but the sound is quite different. Both speakers use a full range driver one a massive 15"FR only and the other has a 9" FR with a 15" bass unit and a tweeter which means it's 4 ohms the Tannoy is actually 10 ohms?

No one has asked about your equipment collection? are you tube or SS?? If you are using an 8 watt SET I would recommend the Tannoy if high power KT88 KT90 either and if you are using high power SS neither though the dc10 will rock with the right solid state amp it will not rock with the wrong one because they are way too efficient so if the amps first watt is empty so the sound will be.

You must tell us about your gear.

You live in Berkeley? Magico is your neighbor correct? so why are you Berkely (spelling) audio geek? are you Berkeley audio??

Q
the Tannoy is about perfect looks wise I'm only worried that they will have that "quacky" one driver sound
While I cannot read into your individual sonic preferences, I think I understand what you're afraid of and can confirm the Wests sound nothing like that.
I lived with a pair years ago and found the sound very good: I enjoyed my BB King as much as I enjoyed symphonic Mahler. The sonic result had vivacity, energy, and dynamic impact. The instruments had sufficient weight ("flesh") and even a full orchestra sounded palpable. A recent model I listened to is better I think (IIRC the old sound!), it is more extended in the upper frequencies and, thereby, more dynamic and "clearer".

WHile I cant readily compare to your La Scala, I know the Klipschorns and IMO the Tannoys are better. BTW, the Klipschorns still an excellent speaker as well...

(BTW, there is a driver within the driver, rather than single driver -- it is actually a sort of two-way.)
I have a wall of new McIntosh which include the solid state mono amps.

I blew my budget here!

Help!
2K watt monos? Well how about focal Grand Utopia. I don't know how those monster monos sound at low levels could be sublime with one of the high-efficiency models you're asking about but you don't need high efficiency!!! You have the mother load of power. I think your McIntosh salesman is happy what does he think???

Q
Just get the Westminsters or Kingdom Royals. I can't imagine your not being happy with them.
I went nutz $$$$ with the McIntosh gear and got Sold. I wish I had got Leben or Audio Note or ? gear or something with tubes. Now I have huge power but hate all the big power sucking speakers.
I think you are really looking at the wrong speakers.

Both the Westminster and the Grande Voix are really better suited for high-end tubes or solid state systems which have a full sonic presence in there first watt, you have gobs of mega power (if you are sporting the new McIntosh mono blocks ... 2,000 Watts per channel?) I have seen people try to match ultra efficient speakers with big solid state systems and it usually turns out bad.

Anyone else care to chime in?

Q
Bag, if I may abbreviate your name, you and Q-m should realize the Tannoy is NOT a single driver speaker. They have used the term "dual concentric" I believe since their beginning. It is a two-way system, a separate tweeter is mounted in the center of the woofer. That allows an easier assignment of frequencies than if it was a single driver but also provides sonic cohesion as if all was produced by a single driver.

You may be sold on the looks of the Westminster but the Canterbury has a somewhat similar appearance for significantly less money. The question there is how well the smaller Canterbury would work in your room?

Lastly, don't be fooled by the Tannoy high efficiency ratings. They may still reward higher power (say 100 wpc or more) whether driven by tube or ss amps.

Good luck.
Pryso,

Yes, you are correct it is a single apparent source two way or coax I always forget that in this day of FR drivers. Good to know that the Tannoy likes power but Berkeley has 2,000 watts RMS! I think his system is rather tricky to match and I would not pair the Tannoy or other high efficiency speakers with the McIntosh system.

Q
Q,

I got the Mini's !!! I still can't believe how good Piano sounds It sounded better than live as the recording was from a very fine piano in tune a Fazioli I detected, and was correct. I've heard live piano coming from a typical piano that could not touch this sound! I hope the big ones are this good.
Mountain-high passing on torch to Berkelyaudiogeek?

Nice.. Congrats on your new speakers! Whatever whomever.
The dc10audio Grande Voix supposedly uses the finest most expensive drivers and capacitors/inductors/wire on the planet one woofer 4K each? plus has massive heirloom tone-wood construction 2.5" thick massive solid walnut baffle, no veneer no MDF has a bamboo ply inner cabinet thick real wood outer cab and artisan turned tone-wood horns + real innovations.

I opted for the Duelund copper option frankly at 60K per pair I don't know how they do it and if they sell to a dealer the margin would be very poor or nil?

The Tannoy would be an easier choice: less money and a known item but hey no guts no glory! My gut tells me I found the finest loudspeaker made today anywhere..and they are going to be beautiful!

3+ month wait??

I hope they can deliver this year is a three month wait normal??? as I'm not super patient!! I email Bernard @dc10 once a week..well more than that for status I'm sure their sick of hearing from me.
Clarification:

I got sold a wall of McIntosh gear OUCH! will try it with my new speakers but most likely going to sell it all or store it all (boxed) (investment) and be looking for reference tube mono blocks and I want the best! Audio Tekne? Audio Note? Leben? AR?

Ideas?
Pathetic. Pure Advertising BS.

>>04-01-13: Berkelyaudiogeek
The dc10audio Grande Voix supposedly uses the finest most expensive drivers and capacitors/inductors/wire on the planet one woofer 4K each? plus has massive heirloom tone-wood construction 2.5" thick massive solid walnut baffle, no veneer no MDF has a bamboo ply inner cabinet thick real wood outer cab and artisan turned tone-wood horns + real innovations.

I opted for the Duelund copper option frankly at 60K per pair I don't know how they do it and if they sell to a dealer the margin would be very poor or nil?

The Tannoy would be an easier choice: less money and a known item but hey no guts no glory! My gut tells me I found the finest loudspeaker made today anywhere..and they are going to be beautiful!

3+ month wait??

I hope they can deliver this year is a three month wait normal??? as I'm not super patient!! I email Bernard @dc10 once a week..well more than that for status I'm sure their sick of hearing from me.
Berkelyaudiogeek (Threads | Answers | This Thread)<<
django, AKA Vapor / Mountain high

you must be an advertiser to think that anyone boasting his/her purchase is an advertiser.
It's clear that unless your boasting about TEKTRON, Vapor, or some other speaker you get ostracized. Right vapor?
So anyone that calls you out on your constant shilling is Vapor? Get a clue. A month ago you could only afford the lowest priced DC10 Audio speaker that they have due to the wad you spent on the McIntosh rig. Now you are going to just go out and drop 60k on a pair of speakers and expect anyone to believe you are anything other than a salesman? LOL.
Berkley, there is a reason that people believed YOU were mountainhigh when you showed up here. Despite what one person says, I still believe that to be true. If you bother to read mountainhigh's posts and can actually understand what you are reading you will see that 30 of 34 of his posts on this site were exactly like yours... shilling for DC10. In fact he never had anything but glowing praise of the technological marvel that is DC10 Audio. You seem to have picked up the torch right where he left off. Coincidence? I think not. I have every reason to believe that they make fine speakers, they certainly look beautiful. The constant onslaught from you/mountainhigh do not make me want to go out and listen to them though, which is unfortunate for the company.
It is not too far of a jump to see that Berkley and Mountainhigh are alter egos of quadman. You know, the old no such thing as bad publicity; good cop/bad cop. I need to get info out about my company, but can't do it on the forums myself. So I'll conjure up a couple of "customers" that will get every bit of sales literature I have out onto the forums and spread the word. If they sound like enthusiastic customers, no one will question it. And, I get to deny, deny, deny or scold them, whatever the case may be. If you add up all three of them, they have been members of this site for less than 2 years but more than 75 percent of their posts are about DC10.
I'm not in ANY way related to Vapor, please cut the guy some slack. In fact, if you scan through Vapor's thread, you'd find me making criticism to one of his sub-standard finished product there, and also of the numerous backlog order complains by the many would be users.. Get your fact straight.

But sorry to say that your relentless bumping, pushing, waking all these sleeping dc10 threads which obviously not many seems to be interested in is a definite flag raiser, you must either be their dealer or even the man himself?

Forums as these would be better off left sterile for healthy discussions and sharing of opinions, not one freebie promotional selling ground. So pay your due $$ and please advertise in the rightly allocated section.
I concur Csmgolf. These ridiculously obvious posts have soured me to the point that I wouldn't even bother listening to the DC10Audio speakers. Which is really too bad for the manufacturer.

To think that we are a group that is so easily fooled is a grave mistake. On the bright side...I can't wait to see what new poster Mountainhigh will show up as. :-)
Come on Guys / Gals? ..Really?

I work for dc10audio and we are too busy for all this banter and all the silly and probing emails.

We build speakers. Some are modestly priced and some expensive. Are they the best ever made?? That is our driving goal along with making something totally original.

People have to make their own choice and inane comparison on audiogon only HURT what we are trying to do so please stop! Mountain high's posts have soured more than two nice sales for us (that we know of) if he was trying to help..he did not and he no longer posts here. :)

Customers are welcome to write a testimonial if they wish good or bad and we from time to time may post it on our website but even then we are not looking to leverage testimonials into sales because that doesn't work anyway and they make us a little paranoid. When customers ask about posting on audiogon we ask please do not though it does seems silly to request that people do not post about dc10audio if they want to we're a free Country still?

... are we really that big a threat to the "box-o-drivers" Gang? You know who you are.

To the Chap that keeps asking about port turbulence:

Again, 3rd time I will answer: the problem was solved with simple aerodynamics..(yes, both in and out) the resonator helps nullify standing waves offers damping and gives tooth and texture to vocals and strings as well as makes upper bass have more dimension. David (dc) has been building this format since 1980 and sold his first pair of dc10's in 1979 in Reno Nevada.

To the Chap asking about our product being built in a garage?

No, they are not. We have a 2K square foot mill-shop and our building on Academy road (which does have a rolling 12' freight/ garage door) in Santa Fe, NM which is an assembly shop an unfinished listening room, office and two bathrooms you can verify the commercial status of our building by contacting the City of Santa Fe.

Shame on you!!

The true cottage industry was born in a garage. Even apple computer was borne in a garage! Buy polka audio and 20 others like it if you want corporate, boring, crapola!

Let's support the cottage industry.

Let's move on here:

Tannoy? What's better? All things considered..... Nothing!

Q
We hope the have the L'Instrument Grand Voix at the T.H.E. show in Las Vegas this coming January!

Q
Kudos to Quad-man for his honesty in posts and for admitting when a great speaker is great. That along would make me want to check out his products. The posts about great sound also makes me want to check them out.
The only "catch" with Tannoy's in general is they take 6 months to a year to break-in which in my opinion is a minor flaw in the driver design; I think the spiders used are too stiff for the lightweight diaphragms used and would be improved with the use of a stable yet more flexible spider. IMHO

Q
I don't particularly agree about the "glitch" with Tannoys: many speakers I have purchased new have taken similar break in times. And I'll add this: out of the box they were incredibly enjoyable, first 10 minutes. The bass deepened, become more dynamic, and got warmer, but we enjoyed them from day 1. And they were easy to listen to from day 1.
Just remember that the Tannoy will actually sound very good after a 1 year break-in / burn-in!