Tannoy Stirlings on the way!

As a Tannoy owner, as you see from my avatar, I can state without
reservation that you will love them!!

should sound nice with your McIntosh gear.

Thanks!  I hope so.

I went from the Tannoy XT8F and wanted the Arden’s, but the shop I bought from asked me as many questions as I asked them. Finally, we determined the Turnberry GR would be a better fit for me than the Ardens. I’m must admit I’m happy as a Lark. The imaging is fan-frickin-tastic. Phantom center is locked-in. Great depth and throws a big soundstage. I think these do all the "tricks" rather well. Someone mentioned toeing them in. I tried none, a little and a little more and they do sound better with some toe-in. I’m not sure where you got them from, but hopefully they told you they need a long break-in. When I got mine, I thought I made a very expensive mistake. They sounded very thin and no bass, but after 50 hours or so of listening, they came alive! Now they just get better and better. I was gentle on the break-in and just let music play even when I was in the next room. I did notice after 10 hours, the sound was much improved and keeps getting better. I think I probably have about 200 hours now.

Those Ardens seem like big boys.  The dealer did not mention a particularly long break-in.  I pretty much ignore most of what I hear from a new pair of speakers for a good while.  Like you, I'll be playing them in the next room a lot.  Easy to do when I'm locked up at home.

VERY happy to hear about the imaging/soundstage.

Next project is I’m going to make some nice stands to get them right at ear level. They sound great, but I think ear level will be better.

As mentioned above, I asked the dealer about that very thing.  They told me the feet adjust to provide a backward tilt that should be enough.  Are you finding that's not the case?

I hope someday I can step up to the Canterbury, but if not, these are just fine and I’d be happy with them.

Why stop there?  Westminsters for everybody!

Congrats trentmemphis! I hope you enjoy them Tannoy’s as much as I do mine.

Thanks!  And congrats on yours, as well.

should sound nice with your McIntosh gear.

Trent when the Stirlings are in your system you need to setup a virtual system here so we can see them!

Will see what I can do.

Wow! Great choice! I’m sure you will love them. I own the Tannoy Legacy Eaton standmounters, the biggest stand mount speaker I’ve ever seen lol.

Haha.  Yep.  The Eatons are actually where my Tannoy shopping started.  Like I said, I was looking for something different, but I have limited space, and if I turned my Linton stands sideways, the Eatons would fit just about perfectly. :)  Then I eyed the Cheviots.  Then I thought, "Hm, it wouldn't be TOO much trouble to just move those Wharfedales..."

 

Man, they sound terrific, especially paired with a nice class A amp/integrated. Try the sugden A21 SE if you have the opportunity, it’s a great match. My eatons will most likely be my rest of life speakers..I still have my wharfedales, but these tannoys are in another world or league. Made and designed in the UK, Scottland.

I imagine I'll be sticking with my MC152 for a while.  Haven't had it long.  I've avoided McIntosh gear for a long time, but I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about, and got the 152 and a C49.

This is an excerpt from a review of the Tannoy Eatons, which will most likely apply to your tannoys as well....
"in Ravel’s Nocturn from Daphnis and Chloé (Serge Baudo, Czech Philharmonic) the view of the pastoral landscape was portrayed so seductively that I froze in the listening chair - the space was literally walkable for hours."

And another....
"And I especially fell in love with its depth - imagine deep and absolutely clear water, everything is moving, smoothly and continuously, you see colors and clear outlines to a depth of a few meters and you have an immense desire to dive to that depth."

I'll have what those guys are having!

I liked the one at AVSForums (I think?), where the guy said he felt like he could get up and walk around the lead singer.

OP: Just curious...what amp are you pairing them with?

@aj523 They do have a certain romance about them. What did you end up getting?

I went from the Tannoy XT8F and wanted the Arden’s, but the shop I bought from asked me as many questions as I asked them. Finally, we determined the Turnberry GR would be a better fit for me than the Ardens. I’m must admit I’m happy as a Lark. The imaging is fan-frickin-tastic. Phantom center is locked-in. Great depth and throws a big soundstage. I think these do all the "tricks" rather well. Someone mentioned toeing them in. I tried none, a little and a little more and they do sound better with some toe-in. I’m not sure where you got them from, but hopefully they told you they need a long break-in. When I got mine, I thought I made a very expensive mistake. They sounded very thin and no bass, but after 50 hours or so of listening, they came alive! Now they just get better and better. I was gentle on the break-in and just let music play even when I was in the next room. I did notice after 10 hours, the sound was much improved and keeps getting better. I think I probably have about 200 hours now.

Next project is I’m going to make some nice stands to get them right at ear level. They sound great, but I think ear level will be better.

I hope someday I can step up to the Canterbury, but if not, these are just fine and I’d be happy with them.

Congrats trentmemphis! I hope you enjoy them Tannoy’s as much as I do mine.

Trent when the Stirlings are in your system you need to setup a virtual system here so we can see them!

Wow! Great choice! I’m sure you will love them. I own the Tannoy Legacy Eaton standmounters, the biggest stand mount speaker I’ve ever seen lol. Man, they sound terrific, especially paired with a nice class A amp/integrated. Try the sugden A21 SE if you have the opportunity, it’s a great match. My eatons will most likely be my rest of life speakers..I still have my wharfedales, but these tannoys are in another world or league. Made and designed in the UK, Scottland.

This is an excerpt from a review of the Tannoy Eatons, which will most likely apply to your tannoys as well....
"in Ravel’s Nocturn from Daphnis and Chloé (Serge Baudo, Czech Philharmonic) the view of the pastoral landscape was portrayed so seductively that I froze in the listening chair - the space was literally walkable for hours."

And another....
"And I especially fell in love with its depth - imagine deep and absolutely clear water, everything is moving, smoothly and continuously, you see colors and clear outlines to a depth of a few meters and you have an immense desire to dive to that depth."

That's awesome. I  strongly considered Tannoy in my search as well. Love the mystique 

@chorus I currently have a McIntosh MC152.  Over the years, I've had everything from a Yamaha integrated to Electrocompaniet monoblocks, but I'm pretty happy with the Mac right now.

What amp do you use? Did I miss that?

The Stirling’s look similar in size to my Berkeley’s, but with better cabinets. I have to put mine on small wooden benches to get the tweeters up to ear height, at around 6 inches from the front wall.

I asked the dealer about that very thing -- the tweeter axis.  He at first said, yeah, he'd try to help me find a pair of stands of suitable size.  The next day he called back and said the feet had enough adjustability to tilt the speakers to the proper axis.  That sounds okay to me, since the drivers are coincident.

If they have that classic in-house Tannoy sound they should sound more like real music than any of your previous speakers.

They’ll never be the most accurate speakers or the ones that image or disappear best, but they should be amongst the easiest to relax and listen into.

To my ears there is something so correct about the Tannoy ’olde worlde’ paper coned dual concentric presentation that is very difficult to find elsewhere.

That's kind of what I wanted.  Something very different from what I have, and easy to kick back and luxuriate in. 

I do care a lot about imaging/soundstage, though.  For me, that musical illusion is a huge piece of the enjoyment.  From what I've read elsewhere, it sounded like Tannoys are rather excellent at that, due to the driver design.  That's not your experience with your Berkeleys?

Got a pair of new Stirling GR's last year - you're in for a treat - they are my last speakers...congrats & enjoy!

Thanks!  Certainly sounds like you are enjoying yours.  Any tips or tricks?

The Stirling’s look similar in size to my Berkeley’s, but with better cabinets. I have to put mine on small wooden benches to get the tweeters up to ear height, at around 6 inches from the front wall.

If they have that classic in-house Tannoy sound they should sound more like real music than any of your previous speakers.

They’ll never be the most accurate speakers or the ones that image or disappear best, but they should be amongst the easiest to relax and listen into.

To my ears there is something so correct about the Tannoy ’olde worlde’ paper coned dual concentric presentation that is very difficult to find elsewhere.

At any price.

Got a pair of new Stirling GR's last year - you're in for a treat - they are my last speakers...congrats & enjoy!

As you said, it’s a adventure! I don’t know if anything is ‘forever’ in this crazy hobby, but I do see myself living with my Tannoy Canterbury’s for a very long time. Once they are in your possession, you may realize that they are built to very high standards and worth every penny to hoard them in your permanent collection :-)
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8046

Wow, my room wants to be your room when it grows up!  Those Canterburys must throw an incredible soundstage in that space, with lifelike dynamics, to boot.  I'm hoping to start building a house in a few years.  I've got a listening room in the drawings.  For now, it's the living room.

I'll be using REL subs with my Stirlings, as well.  A pair of T9i, in my case.  REL seems to have the reputation of being able to pair well with most anything, so they seemed like the right choice for somebody like me. :)  They've been working well with my Lintons.

My electronics are SS McIntosh, fed from Qobuz (via Roon) and a Michell Gyrodec SE.

“These definitely won’t be my last speakers. :) I’m too much of a speaker slut. That doesn’t mean I won’t keep them in the collection forever, though. We’ll see about that.”

@trentmemphis,

As you said, it’s a adventure! I don’t know if anything is ‘forever’ in this crazy hobby, but I do see myself living with my Tannoy Canterbury’s for a very long time. Once they are in your possession, you may realize that they are built to very high standards and worth every penny to hoard them in your permanent collection :-)
https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8046

GREAT speaker bless you enjoy very much

Thanks, ebm!

Very curious. They were highly recommended to me...though I couldn't get to hear them and went with something else.

Yeah, I couldn't give them a listen, either.  It's an adventure!

As an owner of the Tannoy Legacy Arden I’m confident you will love the Stirlings. So classy. Congrats!

Heed Tannoy's suggestion on toe in. Mine sound most coherent when crossed a couple of feet in front of my head. Your mileage may vary. Let us know how it goes!

Thanks, yakbob!  I looked pretty hard at the Cheviots, too.  That Legacy line seems like it's got something special.  In the end, it came down to the throwback looks of the Prestige line, as much as anything.

The toe-in thing is going to be a bit interesting in my current room.  I'm practically nearfield.  We'll have to see how it all works out.

Congratulations on your purchase. You’re going to love these speakers....that dual Concentric driver is very special, get ready for some long listening sessions!

Thanks, lalitk!  I'm really looking forward to doing some musical exploration with them.

I've wanted to hear Tannoy GR speakers forever and never have. I hope they are your last speakers!

I haven't heard them, either, jond.  You would think Memphis, of all places, would have some decent hi-fi dealers.  Nope.  Our last one shut down about 10 years ago.  At this point, I live in the middle of a big hi-fi desert.  I just have to do a lot of research, then buy online and hope.

These definitely won't be my last speakers. :)  I'm too much of a speaker slut.  That doesn't mean I won't keep them in the collection forever, though.  We'll see about that.

GREAT speaker bless you enjoy very much.

Very curious. They were highly recommended to me...though I couldn't get to hear them and went with something else.

As an owner of the Tannoy Legacy Arden I’m confident you will love the Stirlings. So classy. Congrats!

Heed Tannoy's suggestion on toe in. Mine sound most coherent when crossed a couple of feet in front of my head. Your mileage may vary. Let us know how it goes!

Congratulations on your purchase. You’re going to love these speakers....that dual Concentric driver is very special, get ready for some long listening sessions! 

Congratulations! I've wanted to hear Tannoy GR speakers forever and never have. I hope they are your last speakers!

Thanks!  Yeah, those Kensingtons were calling my name, too, but the leap to those from Stirling/Turnberry territory . . . the heart was willing, but the bank account was weak.

Will do, paul.

Congratulations! Once you have them sorted out a bit, let us know what you think.

Congrats. I've always wanted a regal Italianate with high ceilings and a pair of Kensingtons.