Tannoy Glenair 15?


I have the opportunity to pick up these speakers at a really good price. I am hoping to get an audition at a dealer in the next week or so, but interested in hearing feedback from owners or those who have had the opportunity to hear them in a home environment. I would be going from Totem Forests which although they employ much smaller bass drivers have effective punch and bass slam. I will run them with a PASS X-250.
mickeyf
I like them a lot, though I slightly prefer the upper Prestige range (Kensington/Yorkminster SE). At under 10K, the Glenair 15 is a (relatively) great value. I'm a heavy drinker of the Tannoy dual-concentric kool-aid, so do keep that in mind.

A while ago I turned away from the compact towers/bookshelves; sure they can put out an impressive amount of sound "for their size", but that's too heavy a qualification to go with $$$$ hifi systems. Unless you always listen at low-moderate levels, you just can't do proper dynamics AND bass extension without a good size.

To me, the Glenairs are of a proper size for a hifi speaker -- and they're just incredibly well integrated from top to bottom. There's no hint anomaly or disjointedness from bass to mids, etc. That's one of the major contributing factors towards their musicality. The balance is excellent -- they shouldn't present themselves as warm nor bright/analytical. I think you'll be quite pleased.

Also take note of efficiency parameter -- at 95dB/Watt, the bigger Tannoys are a godsend for tube amp lovers, and I still think you'll reap substantial benefit with your beastly Pass amp. You'll certainly be spending the vast majority of your listening time in the sweet class-A part of their output. The Glenairs do sacrifice that last bit of bass extension for their 95dB efficiency (check out the Yorkminster for some amazing extension @95dB/Watt in a slightly larger package), but they're still leagues ahead of lots of hifi speakers having no better extension coupled with terrible (in)efficiency. I was shocked at just how significant a difference there was in the mere 2dB from my Kensingtons (93dB/Watt) to the Yorkminster (95db like the Glenair 15). It is QUITE audible! Going from 87dB to 95dB per Watt is like multiplying the power of your amplifier by 6.4!
Thanks for your reply Mulveling. I'm really having trouble rounding up a pair to audition around Toronto. At the same time, at the price available there's not much risk if i dont love them. I may pull the trigger in the next couple of months. At the same time I dont 'unlove' the Forests, they really get along well with the beastly amp, rarely ever get out of the class A zone.
You go to a dealer to audition knowing you are not going to buy? Is that fair?
My friend owns these and I have spent lots of time with them being fed by small tube amps to pure class A Pass Lab room heater mono blocks. They do sound great and can be listened to longer than many speakers with no fatigue especially at louder levels. I do think they need a super tweeter and always have no matter the amps used. Great speaker! My bud eventually did add a Zu sub and wow they went up a level with that slam! You need 50w Min SS from my experience and 25w tubes to have enough power to open them up. The Pass Labs run too hot in summer is why I know in detail what other amps sounded like. Cheers