2. speakers
  3. 1329468063

Amp recommendations for Tannoy Canterbury SE

I have just purchased the Tannoy Canterbury SE speakers and am driving them with my existing Ayon Audio Triton II KT88-based monoblocks delivering 100 Watts per channel. My only source Ayon CD-5 is connected directly to the Ayon monos, since the CD-5 has got a decent volume control. I listen to mostly very fast and dynamic music including rock, techno and others.

My initial impressions are that I am not getting speed, punch and tight bass. I am wondering if this is possibly due to an amp mismatch. While the tube amp's 100 Watts seem more than adequate for Canterburys 8 ohms and 96db spec, I wish I could get better results.

I am seeking recommendations on what could be the best suitable amp for the Tannoy Canterburies. I am open to both tubes and solid state.
- What could be some of the best Tube Amps as well as Solid State Amps that could be a good match ?
- Existing Tannoy Prestige series speaker owners - what amps do you use ?
- Should I be looking at tube amps which are based on tubes other than KT-88 ?

If you have any other recommendations in positioning/configuring the Canterburies please let me know too.

Many thanks in advance
Wilfred
wilfredt
60 responses Add your response
dover
2,243 posts
 
Charles1dad, yes I heard the Kondo it in a shop and it opened the soundstage up and sound much more natural than the Nordost, but when used in a known system at home even the MIT Shotgun 3.3 ( well down the pecking order ) highlighted the issues in the upper mid. I dont doubt that many cables - the Kondo and LFD are examples - have been designed by listening in a specific system and hence the variable results.
wilfredt OP
36 posts
 
Thanks for your inputs. Another interesting option would be the Auditorium speaker cables.

From Tannoy's website we can see that the Canterbury uses Acrolink cables inside. Pasted below :
"The Canterbury SE benefits from Acrolink® cable right through from terminal panel to crossover, crossover to drivers and the LF board wiring itself; not forgetting the bi-wire links."
Based on this, will it be better to consider Acrolink cables for better synergy ? Any opinions on Acrolink speaker cables ?
dover
2,243 posts
 
Wilfredt, one thing I would strongly recommend is to finalise your amplifier before making the final decision on cables. The acrolink are very good, very high quality materials, basic construction but quite musical.
wilfredt OP
36 posts
 
Dover, thanks. Yes, it makes sense to first finalise the amp and then finalise on the cables.

On a separate note, last weekend when my friend visited my place he suggested to use the 4 ohm tap on the Ayon amps instead of the 8 ohm tap I was using. Although Canterbury was rated 8 ohms, I tried connecting them to the 4 ohm tap and then it was suddenly very interesting. The Tannoys were much faster and with tighter and well controlled base ! I presume this means that the Tannoys present a more difficult load than the specs imply.
sksos1
387 posts
 
Dover a very good customer of mine uses the Canterbury SE speakers and we have tried the Kondo SPz and he also found it not full bodied and lacked bass control over many other cables he settled on some Purist Audio cables, a much better match.

(dealer disclaimer)
lancer181
4 posts
 
Hi Wilfredt
With my canterbury's I run a Bakoon 35 watt class a amp which sounds fantastic. Best to have biwire cables and connect the earth wire as Tannoy say's in there manuel
jburidan
803 posts
 
Art Audio Jota
douger
104 posts
 
Hi Wilfredt
When you originally posted I had ordered a Decware Zen Torii MkIII amp and was anticipating using it. I had been using a pair of Bottlehead 300B Paramount monoblocks, wonderfully clear and musical 8.5 wpc. Very good until I wanted a high volume rock concert or Beethoven's Ninth. Very close, but not quite enough. Next I got a Primaluna Prologue 5, 36 wpc, KT88's, no NFB. Plenty of power, very good sound, just not quite as transparent as the 300Bs...

After I read about the Zen Torii I decided that it would be
good to try it out... el34s, 25 wpc, strong transformers, tube rectification and fully choked. It is advertised as
giving the clarity of 300Bs but more power. I have had mine since early June and it is living up to the promise. I put the Tannoy footers on and realized much better detail and clarity as well. The amps mentioned above by others are certainly quite good, but the Zens are about 3 thousand dollars plus shipping. You may read and decide for yourself at www.Decware.com. There is around a 3 month wait while they build yours, and though you secure the order with a credit card you are not billed until it is shipped.
robertwolfee
28 posts
 
The Tannoy Kensington replaced a pair of Maggies 3.6 and the amplfier now is a Audionote kit one with caps replaced by VCaps.
Sound source is Tentlabs, a DIY cd player selling for more than 3.500 Euro.
It is the best I have ever heard.
Amp used before, the usual: Audio research, Krell, Passlabs, EAR, VAC, Cary, Quicksilver and I do not believe all these will beat a 9 watts SET: once you have heard a SET, there is no going back.
Tannoy is efficient enough to be played loud.
Go listen to a good SET; like Audionote or Kondo.
mikedimitrov's avatar
mikedimitrov
160 posts
 

The best amp so far to use with my Tannoy Westminster are class A 80w per channel tube monoblocks with SE-833 , just incredible, the best cables so far are Kimber KS 3035 or 3038 or more expensive 6035 or 6038, using very neutral and natural soundind dac Tambaqui and Pink faun streamer will cause huge addiction to keep listening this system at all times, and big room is very important for speakers like Tannoy Canterbury and especialy Westminster is very crucial. Music is the best 

Log in to respond
More to discover
80x80
Wolf Von Langa 12739 Ultima Loudspeakers
80x80
Arion Audio Apollo
80x80
Sonus Faber Amati Tradition