Compared to speakers with real dynamics, on the micro and macro level, which the Westmisters have, the S5 is terribly boring and monotone to me.
The Westminsters are not overgrown Quads. They don't have that stat sound, but much of the stat sound is a sound, not true transparency. Much of the smoothness comes from compressing the dynamics. Sure, yours won't get pinged by a hard cymbal hit on the Quads, but that's because they don't DO the dynamics of that hit. I can imagine what a drummer or trumpet player would say hearing himself through Quads. "Who flattened my sound? "Who turned the compressor way up high?"
Not slamming the Quads, I love their low distortion. But, there is a huge price to pay, in both detail and dynamics.
The pepperpot Tannoys are not shrill. Something was wrong with that system. They are "easier" than pure neutrality, not a lot, but partly from having limitations in high end extension.
Quads are nice, polite, a miniature of live sound. Tannoy W's give you so much of the dynamics, contrasts, power, weight, and for me, on most music, that more than makes up for the not having all of Quad's strenghs.
Loads of Tannoys have been used to mix many of YOUR favorite recordings. Many are still using them for that purpose. There is a reason.
The compression driver is the same on the 12 and 15 Tannoy. the 15 will obviously have more weight, bass power, and depth.
I don't like the Tulip Waveguide as much. It seems that most Tannoy die hards agree.
Tannoys are not the only good or great speakers. But they are on a relatively short list of speakers that audiophiles as well as professionals have used for a decade or decades. You can't say that about many of the "audiophile" speaker companies. That says a lot. And the reasons are easy to hear. That is, if you use your own ears instead of the reviewers' ears. More audiophiles do the latter. A shame.
The Westminsters are not overgrown Quads. They don't have that stat sound, but much of the stat sound is a sound, not true transparency. Much of the smoothness comes from compressing the dynamics. Sure, yours won't get pinged by a hard cymbal hit on the Quads, but that's because they don't DO the dynamics of that hit. I can imagine what a drummer or trumpet player would say hearing himself through Quads. "Who flattened my sound? "Who turned the compressor way up high?"
Not slamming the Quads, I love their low distortion. But, there is a huge price to pay, in both detail and dynamics.
The pepperpot Tannoys are not shrill. Something was wrong with that system. They are "easier" than pure neutrality, not a lot, but partly from having limitations in high end extension.
Quads are nice, polite, a miniature of live sound. Tannoy W's give you so much of the dynamics, contrasts, power, weight, and for me, on most music, that more than makes up for the not having all of Quad's strenghs.
Loads of Tannoys have been used to mix many of YOUR favorite recordings. Many are still using them for that purpose. There is a reason.
The compression driver is the same on the 12 and 15 Tannoy. the 15 will obviously have more weight, bass power, and depth.
I don't like the Tulip Waveguide as much. It seems that most Tannoy die hards agree.
Tannoys are not the only good or great speakers. But they are on a relatively short list of speakers that audiophiles as well as professionals have used for a decade or decades. You can't say that about many of the "audiophile" speaker companies. That says a lot. And the reasons are easy to hear. That is, if you use your own ears instead of the reviewers' ears. More audiophiles do the latter. A shame.
