Tannoy or Volti

@charles007100 

The larger Tannoy speakers have sounded pleasant enough when at their best- ability to play big, loud, smooth and midbass exaggerated.  What has been missing for me is that important bit of clarity and transparency that gives them an overly polite sound.  I did also hear an occasional ringing in the upper midrange frequencies with certain models.  Lastly the bass was never as well defined as I would have liked.  

The Fyne Vintage series are still super smooth and easy on the ears but the clarity was the first thing that hit me about them.  It gives them a more live, life like sound.  Personally I am not a fan of that vintage furniture look in a speaker but I instantly put that aside when I heard the Fynes.  Possibly the best sounding speaker of its type that I have heard except for the new greek symbol speakers (phi?) that I heard.  Those are amazing but super expensive.  

OP

Looks like you found the speaker you are going to enjoy, the Volti Razz. i have not heard a Volti, but its reviews are very good. 

if it were me, i would see if i can get to audition a Fyne, just to cover my bases. I know it quite difficult to listen to all speakers, but if you happen to find what you wanted, then stick to it. I used every opportunity to listen to gears in audio shows. So, i can determine what i want. it's not the end all, but to benchmark what I wanted. Hopefully the Volti is your end game. Then build the corresponding amp combination around it

Or hop on the motorcycle and make a trip of it! He has been very accommodating and helpful. It makes me want to go that direction potentially when you are dealing with someone like that. I got that same help from Aric. Made in the US, great customer service and genuinely nice people. 
My issue becomes, Louisiana is my last state to visit and it’s so close to Tennessee! How do I not extend the ride even more. Good problems to have. 

@earthbound 

what is it 500 to 600 for a ticket and it sounds like Greg the owner is super cool with auditions…

I would definitely hold on to the Aric gear and find the right speakers, wasn’t he designing speakers for his gear…seems I read that on his FB page a while ago..

I can't speak for the Tannoy but certainly can for the Volti.  I see @charles007100  visited a local Volti owner and had a great experience,  I am driving my Volti Razz with a First Watt F8 and have the Modwright LS99. tube preamp as part of the lineup.  The pairing is superb.  Do yourself a favor and contact Greg.  He is engaging to talk with and a craftsman.  I have also done the Pilgrimage to Baxter and spent a night on the shop floor camp cot - very comfortable.  I listened to my Razz in Gregg's living room and we boxed them up and I left the next morning after an espresso with Gregg.  Learned quite a bit as to speaker building and quality.  

Thank you Charles. I’m thinking the same thing with Audio Note, all in with Soro amp and speaker upgrade. Just not sure I want to continue down that avenue and run into the same issue. Thank you for the Aric reassurance. It’s my first venture into this realm and I always second guess myself. I did notice that the Volti’s are 99db efficiency. That gives me even more room for greater volume and dynamics at lower volumes, hopefully! I need to listen to them for sure. Damn it’s a bit far but do not want to make a mistake. Thanks again and good luck in your search. 

I've heard most of the Volti Line going back to when they were made in Maine as well as most of the "still made in Scotland" Tannoys. All lovely but for less than your $16k budget and in a similar category I'd be looking at Devore O 96's.

@helomech Thanks, I will definitely listen to them before buying anything.

I actually had a pair of JBL, L100 I think around early 1970 …I really appreciate you chiming in, several people have said the same thing about the JBLs..I will find a way, to listen to them..

charles007100

A couple of points:

The Volti's are NOT a sideways move from Klipsch, they are brilliant in every way in my experience; especially the Luceras and Rivals. I get to hear them regularly at my friend's house, the Luceras 99db are in his family room driven with Aric Audio Motherlode II preamp and a First Watt amp (I can't remember the model at time of this writing). The Rivals 100db are in his dedicated audio room driven by Don Sachs/Lynn Olson's Raven preamp and Blackbird monoblocks,

If you want Scottish gear, I'd definitely consider Fyne Audio over Tannoy. Maybe Tannoys were the gear to have in year's past, but most of the major creative team from those years have been at Fyne since 2017....including Dr. Paul Mills. Even Upscale Audio's Kevin Deal has dropped Tannoy (thus the huge discounts) in favor of Fyne Audio

@earthbound 

I was just over reading the post you put in and you definitely have the right amp and preamp, I almost bought his gear. There is a Audio Note  dealer close to me,I loved the sound but for me I would have to go all in with Audio note amps, dacs everything otherwise it didn’t do anything for me switching up with other brands to go with the Audio note speakers if that makes sense. 
I am sitting here drinking my morning coffee and my mind is swimming thinking about the sound of the Volti,I haven’t experienced this before. I won’t buy anything with out spending a lot of listening time, if I buy Volti or anything else I am going to buy a plane ticket. That’s my advice don’t buy without listening in person..

I like the JBLs because they produce a more linear sound without any obnoxious peaks. And they don’t really suffer from horn coloration the way Voltis, and to lesser extent, the Tannoys do. 

Your amps would have no trouble driving the JBLs to high levels. 

Caveat here is that everyone has different ears and preferences. I would try to audition the JBLs somewhere beforehand or buy them used. Some listeners prefer the sort of exaggerated dynamics that a non-linear speaker like the Voltis produce. I get some of the same phenomenon from my Borresens. They are not very linear but that’s what makes them sound so nimble and dynamic. The JBLs produce less of that but are a technically better speaker. 

@helomech How would my amps do with the JBLs?..Alan Eaton monos, Pass Labs XA-25 First Watt Sit-3 and the Jeff Rowland 125…I need to find someway to listen to those..tell me why you like them more…

Hey Charles. I’ve started a thread as well and am interested in the Volti as well. I’m currently in the process of changing my system and I go from selling everything to just replacing some things. So I’m currently a mental case. Full disclosure! I don’t mean to hijack and will shut up if asked with no issues. I’m the owner of Audio Note e/lx and am debating the Volti horns. There is a lot to like about the AN’s, mainly realism and NO EAR Fatigue. This is my concern with horns. You seem to have experience with different speakers. Is there anything with the horns that you recently listened to that should I should be concerned about? Thanks for any advice

I’d go with the JBL 4367s over either Volti or Tannoy any day. 

Those in the know will tell you that vintage Tannoys actually perform better than their modern counterparts, so there’s that. 

Thank you for the point of view and experience, so far I am loving the Volti after yesterday. Thanks to Chuck for inviting me into his house to listen to the Razz, in a nice quiet space. 

I’ve been listening for the last couple years to a restored pair of Tannoy 12” golds in  the Cantata cabinet.  The original Tannoy’s used alnico magnets, which Tannoy now reserves for their prestige line.  I personally don’t find the Tannoy’s warm, it’s a metal horn tweeter after all.  My take on why someone might be attracted to Tannoy’s are that they can be slammed against the wall, they sing with 80 watts of solid state amps or a push pull tube, so very amp friendly.  They have very good soundstaging thanks to the coincident design, and they are extremely affordable, prestige level not withstanding.  I’ve heard the Razz’s at the shows and I liked them alot.  I also heard the latest Vittoria (way too big for the room). Tannoy’s really aren’t very similar to Volt’s line.  They are a very old design that had huge success professionally and at home, but they aren’t progressing, just constant iterations which probably occur because of forced material changes.  Please stop comparing Tannoy to Fyne, the Fyne’s are so much more expensive.  We all know that Audiogon readers mostly buy used and not list from a dealer.  At used prices, Tannoy’s will give you a lot for your money, if you like their presentation.  Oh and the GRF’s that you were thinking about were never very representative of the GRF lineage and even received low marks from the UK press.  In your situation, I think you chose well to walk.  

I hate to say it but the Volti speaker was amazing, it’s like the other speaker had a mask on when playing music compared to the Volti Razz…the midrange in the Razz was crazy good, detailed not bright or harsh in anyway,….

Like a clear window into the music.  Great that you got to hear the differences for yourself vs Klipsch

very musical and took me to a place that consumed me emotionally

Fantastic - finding gear that subjectively resonates with you is the holy grail.  Volti gives a clear window of upline electronics.

Unlike the very limited selection of horn type speakers. Tannoy uses unique dual concentric driver design which will sound significantly different than Volti- best to demo if still interested.  To me, Fyne Audio (ex-Tannoy engineers) seems newer/better tech/sonics - the Fyne Audio F704SP sounded great at AXPONA 2025, Tannoy Sonics never resonated with me.  

As a CWIV owner, I’ve definitely been intrigued by Volti, all the more following this thread. Like a few others on Agon, mine have been upgraded with the Don Sachs recipe of caps and resistors, along with better binding posts and dynamat damping of horns, etc., all of which radically improved them. I’d love to hear a report comparing the Razz or Rival to  Sachs-type modded CWIV. Anyone?

They sounded really fine with the Alan Eatons Monos a couple watts..but the 10 watt First Watt Sit-4 was over the top good…thinking about my experience yesterday, the bass was perfect a good example was with this song by Deepjack Can’t Stop…and Robert Cristian Tell Me Why…

The midrange horn I don’t know what he did to it but the music flows out effortlessly and fills the room and took me to my happy place, the song by Portico, Living Fields 101(feat. Joe Newman) sounds bright on the Forte but the Volti Razz is heavenly..the vocals on the song Perfect by Ed Sheeran is so clear and emotional it will make you love your wife again..lol

Just beautiful…

I am glad to hear you had that opportunity @charles007100 

You described pretty well what I consider the Volti house sound. 

Also glad you got to compare them with some Klipsch. They may look similar on the surface, but surely sound different. My pair of Volti Razz replaced a pair of Klipsch Heresy IV's. The difference is stunning. The volti's never shout or hoot at me, they remain sweet and smooth, even at high volumes. 

In comparing the Razz to the Lucera or Rival, the bigger brothers carry the house sound, just bigger and wider in my opinion. 

I have yet to hear my Razz paired up with anything other than tubes, (a Cary SLI80HS to be exact). I've heard the Razz sound great with First Watt, and PASS amplification as well. 

Listened to them once with border patrol SIT amp, maybe 5 WPC.. still amazing. 

@mulveling 

Thanks a lot for the write up about your journey, I am use to the Klipsch sound, trying lots of different amps for years I just never got there 100%,  and money was always a problem but being retired now that’s not a problem. Yesterday I got to compare the Volti Razz the entry level speaker from Volti to the Klipsch Cornwall and an older Klipsch Forte, I have the Forte IV the newest version. 
I hate to say it but the Volti speaker was amazing, it’s like the other speaker had a mask on when playing music compared to the Volti Razz…the midrange in the Razz was crazy good, detailed not bright or harsh in anyway, very musical and took me to a place that consumed me emotionally. First I i tried the Alan Eaton monos they were so good with the Razz,I love the Eatons anyone thinking about them don’t hesitate. But the amp that really took the Razz to the happy place was the First Watt Sit-4 that my new friend had…compared to any tube amp we tried the Sit-4 was very amazing….so that was my experience with the Volti speakers..and the bass is amazing too…

@mulveling Just looked at your systems Mulveling, all I can say is wow and you definitely know what’s going on with Tannoy….if you had it to do over what speakers would you try?….

Thanks Charles! I’ve heard other speakers I’ve liked, but nothing to sway me away yet. Really liked the smaller Acora SRC-1 floor-standers. Paired to VAC Statement iQ mono amps, that came pretty close to my "nirvana". Some of the Von Schweikerts - VR55 Aktive, Endeavours - have been quite enjoyable. I’ve liked Magico’s S-series, but not A-series (the bass sounds awful to me). The Audio Physiks with cone tweeter had spectacular soundstage and imaging, even in a small room. I liked Focal Sopra 3’s, though maybe a tad on the bright / aggressive side for me, long term (just like their beryllium headphones). I really like big line arrays (McIntosh, PipeDreams - my friend has a pair of the latter). But aside from line arrays, the biggest speakers just start to lose me somehow - e.g. big Focal Utopias, the really big $200K+ Acoras, Von Schweikert Ultra 9 and up. It’s kind of shocking to be sitting in front of $1million of gear and NOT be into it AT ALL! Ugh.

I can only speculate that I’m so used to the coherence of a good Tannoy DC implementation, that something inherently breaks the "illusion" when drivers get too spaced out. Room and gear are also a factor - this level of speaker is typically paired to obnoxiously expensive gear that might not actually have the best synergy. And it’s typically placed in a very big room - think I prefer more intimate settings. Tannoys are usually great for that because they’re room friendly and you can even put big ones in smaller rooms (sometimes).

The Canterbury and Kensington models are perfect for an "intimate" setup. The GRF90, like prior Yorkminster, are sort of voiced differently and have a lot more low bass output (they use bass reflex porting unlike the other models' Onken-style "venting"), so that probably requires a larger room and more careful setup. They're also voiced differently in the mids, not really to my liking. 

@mulveling Just looked at your systems Mulveling, all I can say is wow and you definitely know what’s going on with Tannoy….if you had it to do over what speakers would you try?….

I definitely not buying anything without listening for a few hours, that’s a lot of money ….so today hopefully will bear fruit…I actually slept great last night and my ears are clear as a bell…feeling great…

I'll say that even as a Tannoy lover, I've yet to fall in love with with a 12" Tannoy. You'd think that would be the sweet spot for a DC driver, but I've always preferred either 10" or 15" incarnations. The 12" I've heard were more aggressive / shouty than what I like; missing the sweet organic mids for me. I guess this is what some would say "sounds like a horn".

I've also heard Tannoys thar were just BAD due to either mis-wiring or other issues. I've had this set of Kensington GR that just didn't sound right at all, until I replaced both crossovers and drivers (of the 2, crossover was the worse offender) - now they're fantastic, maybe even my favorite. From longer ago, I have a set of Glenairs that were badly internally miswired (easy fix). I wonder how many Tannoys are out there that don't sound "like they should", for whatever reasons. The drivers themselves are VERY robust, so it's not an issue with driver fragility. 

Either way, not a great deal on that used set, so you're doubly right to pass on. 

Good news someone close to me invited me over today to listen to the Volti Razz and has the Klipsch Cornwall so we can compare…this should really help me a lot..

‘Taking my Alan Eatons, First Watt Sit-3 and the Pass Labs XA-25..

‘report back later today..

I haven’t researched the Fyne Vintage series the classic X..

have you compared both at shows? What would you say the difference is?

Not 100% sold on Volti might be to close to the Klipsch sound I am trying to get away from…

@charles007100 

completely agreed about the Tannoys- I kept hearing them show after show and wondered what people are so enthusiastic about.   

Do try to hear the Fyne Vintage series, the Classic X is in your budget range.  

I’d take a pair of both or either. Probably Volti for use with lower power tube amps or  maybe Tannoys otherwise. 

I was lucky to spend all day there while he was working which was nice to be alone..

well there you go. You didn’t like it so I guess you move on and find another set that works for you. Understandable. Don’t get guilt tripped into buying something you don’t want @charles007100 

I spent all day listening and they just didn’t do it for me….I took my Meitner MA3 Dac, Alan Eaton, First Watt Sit-3 Pass XA-25 he had a Decware…just didn’t click..

‘He bought them in 2020 and wants 16500, won’t budge down…

@charles007100 why have you stopped pursuing the Tannoy?

Buying speakers is a real bummer,a lot of money for a mistake…

I have decided not to go with Tannoy, my friend who has them is hoping the used price will come back. 

My experience with Tannoy was pretty good, but  I think they might be a bit conservative sounding for a Klipsch owner. 

My Alan Eatons would be good with them…I have the Dac 07 too…great Dac for the money…for something different I found a Denafrips Venus at a yard sale for cheap …

Don't rule out Pure Audio Project speakers. I have the Trio15 with the Horn1 and an in heaven,  driven by a 2A3 tube amp. Sensitivity 96dB. No sub required for music IMO. Plays all genres superb sound. Clean, clear, organic. Love the natural sound of the OB bass via dual 15" drivers per side. And the horn provides all detail sounding natural. 

I haven’t heard either of the two models you mention @charles007100 . I do have a pair of Devore Fidelity O Baby’s that I love. For your budget you could look up some of the higher end models. And if you are willing to look outside of the US I also have a pair of Qualio IQs from Qualio Audio, Poland. Semi open baffle. Excellent sound. Between the two, the Devores are my favourite.

Thanks Everyone, great suggestions….

It looks like, based on you Amps you have, a Volti may be your ultimate choice but you would need to audition it. The XA-25 can drive maggies at reasonable levels.

There precious few Klipsch speakers that I would consider very good (maybe none). Klipsch was designed in a time long ago when Amps had no power and the only criteria was loudness. Not much has changed with their designs because the purists demand nostalgia. Volti is a better speaker in every measurable way from driver quality to cabinet construction, etc. If you like Horns, the Volti is a good choice and you can call the designer up on the phone and have a conversation with him! That in and of itself is gold in my book. No offense intended to the Klipsch faithful, I just think there are much better speakers for the money. 

Couldn't agree more with @whiteknee 

I am a proud owner of a pair of Razz that I had Greg add some custom veneer and grill cloth. If one is interested in the journey of auditioning speakers, then a conversation and trip to meet Greg and have a listen is completely worth it. (He also happens to be a great guy to hang out with, listening to great music and eating killer Mexican food). 

For me My Volti check all the boxes, and they are hand built in the US. 

I have always been a fan of Tannoy, I've owned a couple different pair. I was also very impressed with all of the Fyne speakers I've heard at various shows. Still for me there's no moving away from Volti at this point. 

Got many of my ideas for Khorn upgrades from Greg, using his tractrix horns on the Khorns, one of biggest upgrades! I'd go with Volti's, horns are the end game for me, match them with some nice 300B SET, heavenly!

Holy Cow I love those….very very nice…ok I know what to do…thanks a lot…

Btw, the Rivals have a wooden midrange horn designed and fabricated by Greg.  It's sweet!

@charles007100  That's a bridge I had to cross too although I came in with the Rivals in mind.  40 years ago I ordered the Klipsch Belles which were slotted between the Khorns and the Lascalas.  They were less expensive than the Khorns but had similar drivers so it was the logical decision at the time.  While I loved the Belles I always second guessed myself for not spending the extra cash to go with the Khorns.  I didn't want to make the same mistake again. 

The Lucera's are super nice (his newest design) and just a cut below the performance of the Rivals, but may be a better fit for your room.  Look at it this way, you can always trade up if your curiosity gets the better of you.  Sounds like that is what the person did with the used pair.  If you like the Tineo veneer, go for it.

Here are my speakers in Greg's room prior to me picking them up.  

https://www.instagram.com/p/C-F2SCbREss/

I wanted the Type 1 design where the veneer is on the front with no grill cover.  These are in a funky Red Gum that I hand selected.

Call Greg and go listen to them.

Cheers!

@whiteknee I see Greg has a used Lucera at a marked down price and also a Razz marked down…how close is the Lucera to the Rival?…the Alan Eaton 2A3 monos with the Meitner MA3 Dac is my favorite set up…will I be kicking myself if I don’t go all the way with the Rival…