2. speakers
  3. 190968-2603

Is there Tannoy Magic / Should I buy a pair of Tannoys as "accessory" speaker?

I have a decent system, and am running JBL 4367, with either Parasound A21+  (300w solid state) or Canary M600 (50w tubes) and am Tannoy-curious. 

I'm familiar with the current state of the brand, I understand that the "new" speakers aren't made at the old factory, and that much of the "shine" has worn off the brand over the last several years.  I'm also aware of the newer company with much of the former Tannoy brain trust.

I have never heard a Tannoy speaker.

My room is just barely, small, at 16' wide 13' deep and 9' ceilings.  It opens at the rear, almost but not perfectly symmetrically, behind the listening position, via a set of pocket doors that remain open, to a much larger room.  The JBLs, with their 15" driver (thanks to a bunch of acoustic treatments) are not "too much" for the room, so I don't know that the Ardens (for example) would be, either.

I'm not saying I wouldn't get rid of the JBLs, but the plan is to buy a set of Tannoys, hopefully like them enough to keep them, and slip them in the system as desire dictates.

The JBLs do everything that I know of, that I want a speaker to do, I'm just looking to be inspired.

I think I need realistic bass, and so perhaps a 12" or 15" (I don't know, just guessing) model might suit me better.  

Other than figure out how to demo some Tannoy speakers in a store like a normal person would, what do you think I should do?

 

gthirteen

Showing 1 response by oldschool1948

oldschool1948's avatar
oldschool1948
507 posts
 

I have a pair of Tannoy DC8Ti speakers in my dedicated music listening (12’x15’x8’).  I purchased them used five years ago from a local LG TV dealer right off the showroom floor (they sounded fantastic).  At the time, I had a vintage McIntosh system (10 years old) and even older Pioneer system (25 years old).  I hooked the Tannoy’s up to each system and, while they sounded very good, they didn’t sound as good as the store demo (imagine that wink).  

I used that as an excuse to upgrade to my current system and couldn’t be happier.  It took me several weeks to get them dialed in properly, but once I did, the Tannoy magic was all there.  I don’t need a sub; depending on the recording, soundstage, instrument separation, and imaging is excellent and, on most songs, the speakers just disappear.  

My Tannoy’s are driven by a PS Audio BHK250 power amp and LTA microZOTL preamp (I sold my BHK preamp once I heard it in my system).  Streaming source Innous Zenith MKII to Matrix SPDIF-X via i2s to a PS Audio DSD DAC. Vinyl source Technics SL1200G to a PS Audio Stellar phono pre.  

I can’t speak to the state or sound of Tannoy’s current line from personal experience, but I can tell you, the DC8Ti’s are excellent speakers.  The build quality is impeccable, and, with the right gear, the sound is natural, engaging, with no listening fatigue.  

More to discover