Tannoy Speaker Owners

Thanks to everyone who’s responded.  This has given me a lot to think about.  My plan is to stay with separates, and to try a tube amp.  I hope to audition the Audio Mirror Reflection 45 WPC SET mono blocks within the next two weeks and go from there.

I’ve read great reviews of Atma-sphere amps and @snackeyp your comments make we want to audition them as well.  I’ve considered Primaluna and have a local dealer that I plan to visit.  They also have Rogue, Luxman, and a few others.

I haven’t had an integrated amp since the 70’s when I was a huge Pioneer and Marantz fan.  I’ve been using separates since the early 80’s and don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future.  I like the idea of being able to swap out a component for something better.

I’ve bee quite 

Big fan of Tannoys here! They sound pretty great with any decent amp that’s not on the dry, bright, or analytical side of things. I’ve even heard them sound good from the old PS Audio class D amps of the 2000s, so I’d bet your much more modern NAD sounds pretty nice there (I like NAD gear too). I play loud and I like a lot of power. Yes, I can shamefully admit I’ve once even hit hard clipping given 60 Watts/ch tubes into 93dB / Watt Tannoys before! Hence my focus on push-pull amps of KT88-types. So consider that context when I describe my amp experiences.

I’ve ran Rogue tube amps for the vast majority of my 12+ years with Tannoy speakers. Started with the basic Atlas (non-Magnum) and went all the way up to the Apollo Dark monos. Great value for money with Rogue, and great service/support. They’re really great sounding amps with Tannoys, especially as you roll in NOS small tubes to match your needs. I never liked their use of 12AU7 driver tubes much, so I sub in 12BH7 and get better sound. The only downside of Rogue amps with Tannoys is they tend to have a very high gain, so this places a higher burden on your preamp to have a very low noise floor in order to not be audible from the high sensitivity Tannoys. You could always pick up a used Stereo 100 just to play with and see how you like Rogue - it should sound great, especially after some NOS tube rolls. And the older Zeus is a killer deal used (usually under 4K), and is basically the same as the Apollo monos (sans dark upgrades) - if you can handle its 200 lbs!

I’ve recently moved on from Rogue though - to VAC Signature 200iQ monos, which I like even better than the Rogue monos, good as they were. A used VAC 170iQ stereo amp would be well in your price range. Or maybe a used 300.1 Phi for close to your price - if you get lucky. VAC amps have always sounded great with Tannoys! Definitely look into them.

But also - for your budget, consider going for an upgrade of Tannoys - it’s fun to climb up their lines, past or present. You can almost get Churchills for that money, which are truly end-game speakers.

@mulveling Thanks for the feedback. Never heard VACs. I’ll have to talk to some of the local dealers.

 I hope to audition Linear Tube Audio’s reference power amps next week. LTA is a local manufacturer, who will be at the upcoming Tampa audio show. 

I think muleys got good point. upgrade to some used Tannoys from 
the Scottish made line. Get a 12'' or 15" Dual Concentric.
You can push these with any amp. 
VACs are pricey and quite good. Rogue would be the way I'd go.
Now that said I do have Tannoy FSMs I bought used. Made in the late 80's, mine are in excellent condition. I was using a Cary 120MKS ll 60wpc triode. Sound was lush, warm and enraturing. Then when the amp went in for service I picked up a used pair of Pass Class A diy monoblocks at 6 wpc. $350/pair.
The new clarity was an eye opener. Sold the Cary and now am shopping
used Pass Labs gear.
Good luck and keep us posted please!

@oldschool1948,

"I've given him my NAD M12 pre/dac w/ BluOS module, M22v2 amp, vintage Technics SL-1600MK2 TT, and vintage DCM TimeWindow 3 speakers."



Good man!

That's possibly the most heart-warming thing I've read here on Audiogon. 

Well in that case you should be able to enjoy auditioning as many tube amps as you want!

I know next to nothing about how good modern tube designs sound but I don't know any that look better on the eye than the Leben integrateds.

https://www.audiostream.com/content/leben-cs600-appreciation

Perhaps one day I will be able to donate my Creek amp to my son or daughter (or future son-in-law) and follow your example.

Anyway, good luck with your auditioning.