I've had my Tannoy System 15 DMTii studio monitors for 20 years now, and they still blow me away. While not as polite or refined as some of my other speakers, I feel more CONNECTED to the music via the big Tannoys. They make music fun & exciting, and I just don't want to turn them off. So glad Steve finally got around to them.
Then you have a good list. I have a pair of SRM-12B's that have been my go-to reference for many years. I just haven't heard any reason to downgrade. :-)
@@robertm.5816 That's where I bought my Ardens from and I paired the with Mono blocked MC275’s and a c2600. I'm happy to say the least. Living in Alaska i wasn't able to listen to them first so I'm pretty and im much stuck with them. I would liked to have heard the klipsch cornwall iv first before making that commitment. Those things are beautiful speakers but I guess they are made to listen to to Nd not look at.
Me: Hey bank, can I get a Chevy Cobalt financed? Bank: Sure. Me: Ok. Can I get a Tannoy Cheviot financed? Bank: Is that a car? Me: It is a vehicle to audio nirvana. Bank: Get out.
The Cheviots are a range of hills on the border with Scotland. They are pronounced with a hard CH (as in church), not a soft CH (as in Chevrolet). You're welcome.
I came close to buying a big Tannoy a few years ago and backed out and lately I have been thinking about it again so this review comes right on time. Thanks.
I own a pair of Tannoy GR Sterlings. It's a beautiful speaker and to my ears it's the best speaker I've ever heard. When my budget allows I'll be moving up the GR line or go with Cheviot. Anyway, I'm going with Tannoy from now on.
+1. .. For Tannoy's dual-concentric speaker arrangement. .. A pair of Tannoy System 10 monitors brings fond memories. .. Luv my ATC SCM100 actives though ...
This is the speaker pair i landed on after listening to endless brands and music genres. I settled with Gallo accoustics and a rel sub 2 weeks ago, waiting to gather the money for these. Very very nice speakers.
I said it in response to a statement below already. The new Legacy series looks like the Arden and Cheviot from the 70s. But back then the Tannoy HPD drivers were used. These "Pepperpot" drivers were Alnico drivers with a completely different construction of the compression chamber tweeter. It is simply not the truth when today's Cheviot or Arden are praised for mixing the "dark side of the moon" and other legendary recordings. Today's Legacy Series uses cheaper ferrite magnets. These drivers do not sound bad. I had a DMT15 once. But you can't compare it to the HPD drivers. The drivers that were in the real Cheviots and Arden of the 70s are now offered by Tannoy in a slightly modified form only in the Prestige series, which has been available only since the 90s. The prices of this series are painful. And since Behringer took over Tannoy a few years ago, the prices for the Prestige Series have risen again by around 60 percent. That's absurd...and actually, I could think of a subtle way of letting these proud and outstanding speakers die. After all, if a Tannoy Canterbury costs $30,000 USD a pair today, how few people still buy it? And this Canterbury has such a 15 inch driver, now called Alcomax drivers with only slight changes if any, formerly called HPD, which was in the original Arden. Only the beads used to be made of rubberized foam (in the 90s Canterbury did too, later the beads were hard edged which doesn't sound better in my opinion). The original HPD beads are broken after 15 to 20 years. For 90 USD you can have them replaced. These beads were made in Germany and this company still exists. So after this treatment the HPD sound like new again. They will last again only 15 to 20 years but rest of the driver lasts very long. So whoever has an original Arden or Cheviot from the '70s Treat it with love if you like the sound of it. Replace the beads well and for a fair price, but don't trust anyone who wants to buy them cheaply, just because the beads are broken. An HPD 385 or HPD 315 Alnico driver without cabinet will soon be more valuable than a pair of new Legacy Arden. Another tip, if you have an original Arden or Cheviot, leave the crossover as it is. Only clean the potentiometers or the rotary switches.
The Tannoy is a great musical instrument! With good audio gear a listener can often hear the differences in recording venues. The Tannoy Royales are incredibly smooth sounding musical speakers without artificial bass and high frequencies. The big Tannoys conveys realistic forward and lateral depth.
I have always wanted to hear a pair of tannoys because I have always been fascinated by the dual concentric design. I remember when I was in my late teens when I first saw tannoy gold on ebay and drooling over them and I knew that they had to be something special because of what they sold for back in the early 2000s and that was before I knew anything about the dual concentric design. However know that I have heard a few pairs of old Jensen speakers that were made like that I would be worried about standing waves.
I got the bigger vintage brother the Berkeley (15" drivers) from a charity shop uk (thrift store) for just £50 I saved them from going to the skip. Of course they need a refurb, the common foam surround rot issue not to mention the as yet unknown electronic issues but there seems to be good after market suppliers for this speaker range. They are going to be a future project to restore. They are large intimidating beasts and maybe too large for my small UK living room.ha 🥴😁😁 Always admired tannoys so happy to have these vintage beasts. 😊
YOU SCORED !!!! REBUILD THE WOOFERS , MEASURE THE TWEETERS AND REBUILD IF NEEDED ALSO SOME NEW HI QUALITY CROSSOVERS YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY !!! AND YOUR ROOM WILL B JUST FINE !! ITS THE WIFE THAT WILL TAKE SOME WORK ! YER NEIGBORS WONT LIKE U EITHER
Do not change the crossovers, just get the foam surrounds replaced. Clean the switches in the crossover and in the 4 pin plug that goes to the driver. The crossover uses high quality parts that don’t need replacing unless someone severely overpowered them in which case the speakers would be blown too.
Steve congrats on 100k subs. I have these speakers and they are great with rock...was listening to The Wall last night and Blondie. Also brilliant with Jazz and Electronic music. There's a comment below on price. I bought my pair ex dem and traded in 25 year old speakers against them, so saved alot of money that way. I drive them with a 26 watt class A tube amp and that's plenty of power. But I think tube power is different to transistor power. Keep up the great work. Thanks. A
i had a pair of these which I bought 1981, now 40 years later i gave them to a friend when i moved country, 40 years of musical bliss, i remember when driving them hard you could feel the ports blow air in your face from across the room, i had a dual mono block amp which i also had for 40 years
I've have the Cornwall IV's for several months and as you suggest, surprisingly, they sound best to me at low to mid loudness levels (compared to other speakers). So, I'm enjoying them, but like all decent speakers, they have some big plusses as well as some significant drawbacks.
@Jason Reyes My other negatives about the speaker have to do with their dispersion pattern and imaging. These are mostly, I beleive, inherent to their design, not amp related.
I've noticed dispersion patterns with Magnepans and Tannoys, and a few others. PMC speakers had the best spread of soundstage, but there are things to nit pic about them too. Some people will mod their speakers, others will change the room around. Most of our rooms are deficient in many ways.
tarquineous great point. It’s far too easy to blame the gear instead of our own ears and the space they’re in. Though, I too have noticed Klipsch Cornwall and Heresy both sound great at lower/modest levels or cranked way up; but not really so much in between. I also find I have to tame the Heresy’s in the sibilant area just a tad (~3db) but that’s because I used to play drums so I have a freq band that distorts earlier than the rest so I can get fatigued if I’m not careful (thanks cymbals). My experience/opinion; ymmv
I think that's why a lot of us "tune" our systems, sometimes obsessively, but it can be fun. And you learn a lot by all these efforts. For the "sibilant area", some would try different components, cables, and even get into the speaker to damp the horn, experiment with a capacitor or resistor, in other words the crossover. Some go further and change the driver or horn. There's even mod kits you can buy. Have fun with it and good luck !
Original Ardens here, and yes they are the "bees knees" you might say. I listen to them around 4 hours/day while at work, I'm spoiled! In the past have also had Quad ESL 57's, Beveridge 5's, Bozak B-305's, Apogee Centaur, RCA LC-1A, Sony SS-M7, Legacy Focus, and many others sitting where they sit now. Something about the Tannoy...very clear, dynamic, involving, and organic sound. with that said I have some Janszen Valentina electrostatics on the way and also some KEF 107's and LS50's so it will be hard to decide what to keep. Maybe all of them LOL.
Proud owner of the vintage Tannoy HPD range, Eaton 10", Cheviot 12" and the 15 inch Berkeleys. Still fiddling around with the amps. Currently Sony V-FET's but slowly moving towards tubes.
Finally!!! I've been asking for you to review the Cheviot for years. Thanks. The Cheviot has a signature sound that is very addicting. Big but can be subtle. Never fatiguing.
Steve....... have you heard of "listening bars" ? Started in Japan after WW2 now opening up in the west. Are there any in NewYork? Have you ever been too one? Finally a way to expose highend sound to the masses.
I always liked the recordings that Lee Perry made at the Ark because they had that quality of air and space that Steve speaks of. "Roast Fish and Cornbread" is a good example of that.
Haven't heard these, but the best Tannoy's I've heard besides the original Black 15's are the 10" Monitor Gold IIILZ from the 60's. You can score still I think for about $1500 pair. Work well in most cabinets and even well on an open baffle with a sub crossed in at about 100 cycles.
Didn't altec make the 604 Duplex speaker before Tannoy? Steve, you should review the altec 604, they are amazing speakers! Modern 604 speakers can be purchased from Great Plains Audio, but the original vintage Altec 604 has something magical about it
Bi-amping uses two channels of amplification to power a speaker that has two sets of input terminals. Bi-wiring uses just one channel of amplification to power the same type of speaker. Bi-wiring is useful when you have a single stereo amplifier as your power source. Bi-amping is the way to go. Makes much difference.
I've A/B auditioned both the Arden and the Cheviot.. Arden is much much better than the Cheviot.. Arden sounds different from the B&W's 800 series.. Arden performs very good even at moderate room size.. The frequency on the female vocal is big and continuous, without sag and without hump.. It just sounds good even at low volume! I want to have this speaker someday..
I've been searching everywhere online, but can't find any comparison with these and the original 70's cheviots. do the originals come close to the new ones? I realize the new ones have new technology etc, but maybe it doesn't make that much of a difference? please let me know your thoughts.
My thoughts,also.As steve appears to be a high end guy,I'd say that is a Versace.I almost bought one at Caesar's in Vegas.It goes well with the Tannoy's.
Thank you Steve for yet another great vid. I've seen a few comments about the cost of the Tannoys in the USA. Dear fellow commenters, have you ever tried to purchase Klipsch overseas? I greatly envy what USA citizens pay for them. I suppose that shipping alone accounts for some of the price difference. In other words, don't be too hard on the Tannoys pricing, because that's exactly how it feels for most of the rest of the world purchasing American brand speakers. Like I said, I envy your domestic pricing 😁
Steve, it seems that the Cornwall IVs may not have been a fair comparison with the Tannoys. How would you compare these Tannoys to the Klipsch Forte’s and the Heresys? Thanks!
Agreed, the Tannoy speaker that compares with the Corwall IV is the Arden. They're almost the same exact physical dimensions. Unfortunately, you're not going to read a lot of Arden reviews in North America due to their size/weight and the pain of having them shipped from Scotland. They're more popular in Japan...use a good translator. :-)
However.... absolutely fair in that they are nearly the same price. Tannoy is more $$ overall due to the shipping oversea, and far more expensive cabinetry. The larger Cornwall is 75 lbs, and the smaller Cheviot is 90 lbs.... Now you tell me who has better bracing & damping!!
I heard some Tannoys (big ones) some years back in a room build for them (shop in Copenhagen) powered by McIntosh ... sweet. Wooden instruments on Tannoy sound fantastic.
Nice Steve! Thx. I have a bit of a Tannoy curiosity... Specifically the Tannoy Westminster Royal SE... Unfortunately it would not work with my decor... 😂
I'm not Steve but I have the ardens running off dual schiit Aegir monoblocks fed from a primaluna Evo 400 preamp with an Abbasaudio tube clock r2r DAC, Cambridge cxn V2, Sony es series FM tuner. All my cables are DIY, using top grade components. If you can afford it go for primaluna monoblocks, maybe Evo 300 preamp and 2x Evo 300 power amps.
Good observation, Robert. I played with my Cheviots' position for months. I use the Tannoy spikes into Herbie's Audio Lab Decoupling Gliders on wood floors, so repositioning is a snap. On a lark, I adjusted the rake angle to approx 4 degrees up. In my room it made all the difference. HUGE sweet spot and soundstage. Like going from a studio venue to a concert hall. (I'm saving for IsoAcoustics. We'll see.) Here's another tip -- might seem counterintuitive -- add a REL T/7i sub. It doubles the pleasure all the way from the bottom end to the top. (How does REL do that?) FYI, my front end -- also counterintuitive -- all-PSAudio electronics with their BHK Preamp/250 amp. There are so many great practical qualities of the Cheviots, one of my favorite is they sound very comfortable only 12 inches from back wall. And the tone controls are really nice too. I got sooo tired of 3-way tower speakers that all sound too analytical and sterile/fatiguing - B&W, Focal, I'm looking at you. One final tip -- try Tannoy Gold 5 monitors or your desktop -- unbelievable value. Throw away your Sennheisers. :-)
@@HAL9007 l have alot of experience with their Prestige series. I own the Canterbury SE. All of them including the GR series improve dramatically by adding a super tweeter. I would go so far as to say that it's a must. Better soundstage and bass. This is especially important on the older versions where the 2" or 1,25" tweeter starts to roll off after 16khz.. It also solves the problem of tweeter height. It lifts the treble to ear level. I use their ST200 on mine. They have been around for a long time and can be found for a reasonable price used. It's also very noteworthy that they can play down to 14khz so they can blend with the 2" treble. Give it a try, you can thank me later...
Steve, thanks for the review of the Tannoy speakers. I am considering getting the Turnberry. I was originally considering the Cornwall IV but I think the more refined Tannoy's might be more my cup of tea. Still trying to audition them but they are no dealers here in Miami. The only dealer I am aware of is Upscale Audio.
i still have a pair of Tannoy Cheviot Mk2 Speakers i bought new in 1978 for £300 but the cones have started to degrade being made of rubber & cardboard type paper and i have not used them for about 20 years but i am seriously thinking about getting them re-coned
I have the same speakers. They need new foam surrounds installed, after which they’re good as new! If you’re in the UK you should be able to find a good Tannoy specialist to repair them.
Nice to find a Lee Perry fan :) you should check out Dub Syndicate on CD if not already . I have been lucky enough to go and see and experience the Jah Shaka sound system a couple of times. The amps where custom designed and hand built valve power amplifiers and custom built speakers. Best bass I have ever heard - made your pants flap if you went near the bass drivers :)
Speaking of Klipsch, would you possibly be able to explain the Klipschorn’s geometry and how the horn is folded into the box? (Or know of an already existing article or video doing this) Idk how would be the best way to approach this explanation and also IDK why I still can’t wrap my head around the black magic that is the Klipschorn. My uncle had a pair of klipschorns and I was always super fascinated at how effortlessly they fill pretty well any size room with an even bigger maelstrom of sound, still am. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I’m a big Tannoy fan. I have had 12 inch golds since the early 70’s. My favorite speakers. I have had many speakers but I will never sell these. They pair well with a McIntosh 2505 or a Marantz Model 19.
Wow, these are £6784 in the UK. I haven't heard these but at that price they are up against some top sounding speakers from the likes of KEF, Spendor, Martin Logan, Neat and Klipsch (Cornwall 3) and PMC. I hope that I can hear this speaker at the Bristol HiFi show.
If you had 6K budget which one would you choose? I’m local BTW (Brooklyn). I am pretty set on Klipsch Cornwalls which should work well in my room and have synergistic qualities with my front end as well as my choice of music and majority of listening done in moderate to low SPL levels. But I have heard Tannoy’s much larger speakers years ago and they were marvelous with tubes (that’s what I use). Doubtfully these Tannoys compare to what I have experienced but I’m curious. Keep in mind that Klipsch were my first speakers I’ve ever own, so it’s sentimental thing as well. Will be getting new speakers within 1-2 months. Thanks
Sounds to me like you'll be thinking you should have bought the Klipsch, if you don't. Besides, they should sound better at low to mid volume then the Tannoy's anyway. The Cornwall's are known for that. You know you love Klipsch, and you probably already know how good Klipsch speakers, especially the Heritage one's, sound on tube amps. Even very low powered one's. Good luck either way. ✌️
HH Scott Thanks. Audition of both speakers is a bit tricky. Side by side comparison is close to impossible task. Cornwalls seem like a “fuller, more dynamic, larger presentation” speaker in comparison to Tannoys. At least that’s what I’m getting from these reviews. And yes, 90 percent of my listening will be done at lowish to mid listening levels. So, I guess the choice is somewhat clear. Besides, 99db Klipsch to 91db sensitivity Tannoys could be a factor. I’ll be using 300b in parallel (about 18wpc) monos. Wonder if biamping Cornwalls could help with bottom end. Something like class “A”(ish) Shiit Audio amp..... Any benefits of that setup? Aim would be to improve bottom end and snappiness of that 15” woofer. Any thought?
@@Grooverski Well we're both just guessing here, and relying on past experiences. However, we both know that until you get them in your room. It's all just that. A guess. However, I would avoid the bi-amping thing myself, especially using completely different amps. I know Steve said these work good that way, but bi-amping is tricky, and can mess up the phase of the drivers. Besides I'm guessing 18wpc might have enough oomph for them anyway. It will certainly get loud enough for you to enjoy it, and leave some headroom. But, again, if this is a big concern. Get the Klipsch. All signs point to the Klipsch IMO. I know it's tempting to go for the fancy Tannoy's, but I've got friends whose endgame setup is low power tube amps, and Klipsch Heritage series speakers. My one friend runs a classic Scott amp (222C) w/Khorns, and it's fabulous. Higher efficiency speakers should sound better at low volume also. There is only one caveat with the Klipsch. Klipsch can be bright, and they don't go that low. So that's where your knowledge of your setup, and your room comes into play here. This is where you'll know best. If your system likes a warmer speaker, and if you're okay with that. Get the Tannoy's. They're probably a little more musical, and enjoyable for people like me that get fatigued easily. And while I've never had that problem with any tube amps, myself. I've never heard your setup in your room. It may be a little on the bright side. Why don't you try to find a dealer, since you're in NY, that will let you audition both? Or two dealers that will let you audition each one? I know side by side is impossible, but it's a start.
HH Scott Sorry for a bit of confusion. I’m leaning towards Cornwalls. I’ve already contacted one of the dealers nearby if he could get them for me. So it is pretty much settled. However, every now and then, someone comes out with the next best/greatest and it blurs your confidence in choices you make. Tannoys made their top of the line speakers almost unobtainable for a regular Joe. So when Steve reviewed these pair in more friendly budget, it seeded some doubt. As to system characteristics.... eventho my amps are 300b, they’re super revealing, detailed and transparent without much of that lush reverb that tubes are known for. Preamp is the same way, build by the same person. Phonostage is a bit on the warm sound, so is the CD player. Room is about 2600 cubic feet with very high ceilings. I have heard Cornwalls at the show but that can’t be used as reference for obvious reasons. I’ll try to find Tannoy dealer but everything points out in Klipsch direction. Thanks again.
@@Grooverski Hmmm, your sources sound good for the Klipsch, but I'm a little worried about your amps/preamp. The Cornwall's are known for being very revealing, and transparent too. If that's your bag (it's not mine though) then you'll probably be in heaven. But if you're like me, and like warmth and musicality. Fullness, and richness, etc. Then it might be too much. Of course you'll never know till you try them. So whatever you decide to do. I just highly recommend you have an out, just in case. Whether that's just a good return policy, or an in home trial. It doesn't matter. But I wouldn't just buy them without trying them first. For a good while too. Hopefully a whole month. That's the best advice I have. It's not easy to spend a lot of money like that on HiFi, and end up happy. But it's also quite possible. Just take your time, and be smart about everything. ✌️
Thanks for the review.There are not many reviews out there of the Legacy Cheviot.How much did you played around with the settings for the Treble? How did you experenced the soundstage since these speaker are not so high?
Does Tannoy use any internal bracing or damping material to control cabinet resonances? It seems that Klipsch does not, even for the Heritage line. This especially critical for playing music at high volumes, when cabinet resonances are excited and blur the sound. (Both ~$6000 per pair.)
Yes! If you look them up on Tannoy's website (which has a terrible layout, btw) you will see they have extensive cabinet bracing. Tannoy has always focused on quieting their boxes. This likely has something to do with Steve finding them more detailed & refined than the Klipsches.
I own the larger Legacy Arden. They are braced more solidly than earlier versions and high volumes are only limited by how much bass you want to load your room with. At that point, you'll want to be utilizing some of the (6) port plugs.
I grew up on Tannoys in the studio, Red's and Gold's and also owned a a pair of System 12DMT studio monitors. While all Tannoy's have a big warm bottom, the 'size' of the mid and top image can never keep up to the low end unless you are sitting directly at mix position. The advantage of the dual concentric design is phase coherency-- essential in a studio, a non issue for home playback. p.s. The dual binding posts are for bi-amp not bi-wire and the cross overs are meant to accommodate this-- makes a HUGE difference.
@@keithmoriyama5421 Proper decay of instruments, and imaging. Speakers that fail at phase coherency produce diffused imaging that lacks depth and definition, in my experience. They tend to make vocalists sound as though their mouths are three feet wide. It's the type of sound I get from my Heresys and other such speakers.
Steve love your reviews always full of enthusiasm :-) One thing though the pronunciation is (Cheeviot) godamn the English heheheh. Keep up the great work
Great review Steve. Thanks. Do you think the Tannoy Cheviot (or Eaton’s) are the answer for someone who’s looking for a large KEF LS50? Much appreciated.
Great video Steve!. I live in The Netherlands now and I have an Accuphase E-360 integrated amp. I think to buy a Legacy Cheviots, my room is 48 X 100 cm. I listen blues, jazz, 50s rockabilly and classic rock. My question is about the match of this speaker with my accuphase. What do you think? Thanks in advance! :)
Love Tannoys and the sound they produce. Just one little thing, it’s pronounced with a hard CH as in Cheese not a soft CH as in Chevy. The name comes from a series of hills that straddle the border between England and Scotland
If you want spoiling for life, get to listen to the Westminster Royals!! Fantastic, huge and massively expensive!! I have a pair of DMT12's, which are late 90's pro studio monitors. These sound superb on good material but take no prisoners if the studio didn't know their job, which is their mission I suppose. They also take massive power wjithout flinching, one of the reasons I chose them. Very big though and very heavy. Another excellent old Tannoy is the little red monitor.
Sir, what would it take to get a review of Cerwin Vega SL12 or SL 15. I know how this brand is generally regarded... but i don't know why because no one ever reviews them. CV was great in the 70s... are they really not so good now? Big, 3 way speakers... anything is appreciated.
As I watched your video my 15" Tannoy Monitor Golds were playing downstairs and what you said about the Cheviots, exactly can be said for the Gold's - a single point source - coherence. And the Monitor Golds have a sensitivity of 93dB / watt.
Steve, i guess this is more of a technical question or maybe one of your listeners would answer. if watts are watts and build components are the same. Now i understand different manufactures have different sound signatures. but when a more powerful amp say from Pass labs just sounds better is it because of more watts? or does the damping factor or slew rate make it better?
Gennaro Tricola Yes, all those factors make a difference. Some amps are more able to handle impedance fluctuations from speakers than others. The speaker resistance becomes part of the amplifiers circuit, and some speakers exhibit a wide range of resistance based on frequency, they are not fixed at 4 or 8 ohms but typically resistance fluctuates in use. Also speakers generate power as the cone returns to resting position (after excursion) and this will also affect amplifiers to varying degrees. Excessive power from amps is not necessary and will not really help, but adequate power (power needed must be well below clipping) is required. Watts are not watts ! Two amps with the same rated output (watts) will often perform differently based upon power supplies (transformers and size of capacitors used). Usually better amps have better (or more oversized) power supplies. Bass will usually be more solid with better power supplies. Different amp topologies will also affect perceived performance (regardless of measured performance) but that is not by definition "technical" so not going there.
@@kirarittberg5088 Awesome what a great explanation! Much appreciated you taking the time. it just never made complete sense before. sounds like the quality of the amplifier is much more important then just how many watts providing it's sufficient.
The new Stirling III/LZ got an less than stellar review from What HiFi, and somebody pointed out the parent company Behringer started making the drivers in China. Have they started making the Cheviot drivers in China?
I've had my Tannoy System 15 DMTii studio monitors for 20 years now, and they still blow me away. While not as polite or refined as some of my other speakers, I feel more CONNECTED to the music via the big Tannoys. They make music fun & exciting, and I just don't want to turn them off. So glad Steve finally got around to them.
Tannoys have always been at the very top of my speaker wish list.
Then you have a good list. I have a pair of SRM-12B's that have been my go-to reference for many years. I just haven't heard any reason to downgrade. :-)
Yes
Most people with knowledge aim to own a good pair of tannoys.
Upscale has a boat load of them, even 0 percent financing
@@robertm.5816 That's where I bought my Ardens from and I paired the with Mono blocked MC275’s and a c2600. I'm happy to say the least. Living in Alaska i wasn't able to listen to them first so I'm pretty and im much stuck with them. I would liked to have heard the klipsch cornwall iv first before making that commitment. Those things are beautiful speakers but I guess they are made to listen to to Nd not look at.
bought these when they came out, couldn't be happier. i run them with PrimaLuna gear and its a great match
Steve, your enthusiasm is very contagious...thank you for sharing!
Me: Hey bank, can I get a Chevy Cobalt financed?
Bank: Sure.
Me: Ok. Can I get a Tannoy Cheviot financed?
Bank: Is that a car?
Me: It is a vehicle to audio nirvana.
Bank: Get out.
its not a car, it just resembles the down payment for a car!!
more like.... Bank: Is it expensive and will you owe us a bunch of money?
Me: Yes
Bank: Come into my office... would you like some water, coffee, tea?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I'd love to hear Neil Peart on these, 2112 of course. RIP Neil.
wow thanks had no idea Neil Peart had died going to play now !
Great review steve thx! Love Tannoys, the sound, the heritage. RIP Neil Peart
Always appreciate the content. Thanks for what you do Mr. Guttenberg!
The Cheviots are a range of hills on the border with Scotland. They are pronounced with a hard CH (as in church), not a soft CH (as in Chevrolet). You're welcome.
Must have been full of bandits and fugitives! Yay UK!
If there is one thing that speakers need in general it's adjustability.
I came close to buying a big Tannoy a few years ago and backed out and lately I have been thinking about it again so this review comes right on time. Thanks.
I pulled the trigger about 9 months ago. Awesome speakers. Give them time to burn in. Sound horrible out of the box.
@@gregorypellar6236 Just got a pair last week and completely agree. They need a lot of break in. Just getting better every time I listen!
I own a pair of Tannoy GR Sterlings. It's a beautiful speaker and to my ears it's the best speaker I've ever heard. When my budget allows I'll be moving up the GR line or go with Cheviot. Anyway, I'm going with Tannoy from now on.
+1. .. For Tannoy's dual-concentric speaker arrangement. .. A pair of Tannoy System 10 monitors brings fond memories. .. Luv my ATC SCM100 actives though ...
This is the speaker pair i landed on after listening to endless brands and music genres. I settled with Gallo accoustics and a rel sub 2 weeks ago, waiting to gather the money for these. Very very nice speakers.
You landed on Tannoy Cheviots but settled with Gallo acoustics? So which speakers did you choose? Lol, very confusing.
Thanks for the review. i've been thinking on the Cheviot for a while and am happy your enjoying them.
I said it in response to a statement below already. The new Legacy series looks like the Arden and Cheviot from the 70s. But back then the Tannoy HPD drivers were used. These "Pepperpot" drivers were Alnico drivers with a completely different construction of the compression chamber tweeter. It is simply not the truth when today's Cheviot or Arden are praised for mixing the "dark side of the moon" and other legendary recordings. Today's Legacy Series uses cheaper ferrite magnets. These drivers do not sound bad. I had a DMT15 once. But you can't compare it to the HPD drivers.
The drivers that were in the real Cheviots and Arden of the 70s are now offered by Tannoy in a slightly modified form only in the Prestige series, which has been available only since the 90s. The prices of this series are painful. And since Behringer took over Tannoy a few years ago, the prices for the Prestige Series have risen again by around 60 percent. That's absurd...and actually, I could think of a subtle way of letting these proud and outstanding speakers die. After all, if a Tannoy Canterbury costs $30,000 USD a pair today, how few people still buy it? And this Canterbury has such a 15 inch driver, now called Alcomax drivers with only slight changes if any, formerly called HPD, which was in the original Arden. Only the beads used to be made of rubberized foam (in the 90s Canterbury did too, later the beads were hard edged which doesn't sound better in my opinion).
The original HPD beads are broken after 15 to 20 years. For 90 USD you can have them replaced. These beads were made in Germany and this company still exists. So after this treatment the HPD sound like new again. They will last again only 15 to 20 years but rest of the driver lasts very long.
So whoever has an original Arden or Cheviot from the '70s Treat it with love if you like the sound of it. Replace the beads well and for a fair price, but don't trust anyone who wants to buy them cheaply, just because the beads are broken. An HPD 385 or HPD 315 Alnico driver without cabinet will soon be more valuable than a pair of new Legacy Arden.
Another tip, if you have an original Arden or Cheviot, leave the crossover as it is. Only clean the potentiometers or the rotary switches.
The Tannoy is a great musical instrument! With good audio gear a listener can often hear the differences in recording venues. The Tannoy Royales are incredibly smooth sounding musical speakers without artificial bass and high frequencies. The big Tannoys conveys realistic forward and lateral depth.
I have always wanted to hear a pair of tannoys because I have always been fascinated by the dual concentric design. I remember when I was in my late teens when I first saw tannoy gold on ebay and drooling over them and I knew that they had to be something special because of what they sold for back in the early 2000s and that was before I knew anything about the dual concentric design. However know that I have heard a few pairs of old Jensen speakers that were made like that I would be worried about standing waves.
Very well presented and thoughtful review - as always. Nice variation of music. Thank you.
Kevin from Upscale Audio raves about Tannoy speakers. He seems like a real Audiophile and music lover besides just "being in the business"..
He's now the dist. for the US, he better enthusiastic!!
Good taste. Tannoys are amazing.
Kevin will sell you anything and make you believe it is gold.
Can You do a review Tannoy Arden vs Cornwall...Both 15" drivers and size..
I got the bigger vintage brother the Berkeley (15" drivers) from a charity shop uk (thrift store) for just £50
I saved them from going to the skip.
Of course they need a refurb, the common foam surround rot issue not to mention the as yet unknown electronic issues but there seems to be good after market suppliers for this speaker range.
They are going to be a future project to restore.
They are large intimidating beasts and maybe too large for my small UK living room.ha 🥴😁😁
Always admired tannoys so happy to have these vintage beasts. 😊
YOU SCORED !!!! REBUILD THE WOOFERS , MEASURE THE TWEETERS AND REBUILD IF NEEDED ALSO SOME NEW HI QUALITY CROSSOVERS YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY !!! AND YOUR ROOM WILL B JUST FINE !! ITS THE WIFE THAT WILL TAKE SOME WORK ! YER NEIGBORS WONT LIKE U EITHER
Do not change the crossovers, just get the foam surrounds replaced. Clean the switches in the crossover and in the 4 pin plug that goes to the driver. The crossover uses high quality parts that don’t need replacing unless someone severely overpowered them in which case the speakers would be blown too.
I love Tannoy d900 amazing speakers
I will be happy with d700 but no luck. I have a berkeley mk1 and a d500 and 637.
Steve congrats on 100k subs. I have these speakers and they are great with rock...was listening to The Wall last night and Blondie. Also brilliant with Jazz and Electronic music. There's a comment below on price. I bought my pair ex dem and traded in 25 year old speakers against them, so saved alot of money that way. I drive them with a 26 watt class A tube amp and that's plenty of power. But I think tube power is different to transistor power. Keep up the great work. Thanks. A
i had a pair of these which I bought 1981, now 40 years later i gave them to a friend when i moved country, 40 years of musical bliss, i remember when driving them hard you could feel the ports blow air in your face from across the room, i had a dual mono block amp which i also had for 40 years
A very interesting speaker. Thanks Steve!
Also RIP Neil Peart.
I've have the Cornwall IV's for several months and as you suggest, surprisingly, they sound best to me at low to mid loudness levels (compared to other speakers). So, I'm enjoying them, but like all decent speakers, they have some big plusses as well as some significant drawbacks.
@Jason Reyes My other negatives about the speaker have to do with their dispersion pattern and imaging. These are mostly, I beleive, inherent to their design, not amp related.
I've noticed dispersion patterns with Magnepans and Tannoys, and a few others. PMC speakers had the best spread of soundstage, but there are things to nit pic about them too. Some people will mod their speakers, others will change the room around. Most of our rooms are deficient in many ways.
tarquineous great point. It’s far too easy to blame the gear instead of our own ears and the space they’re in. Though, I too have noticed Klipsch Cornwall and Heresy both sound great at lower/modest levels or cranked way up; but not really so much in between. I also find I have to tame the Heresy’s in the sibilant area just a tad (~3db) but that’s because I used to play drums so I have a freq band that distorts earlier than the rest so I can get fatigued if I’m not careful (thanks cymbals). My experience/opinion; ymmv
I think that's why a lot of us "tune" our systems, sometimes obsessively, but it can be fun. And you learn a lot by all these efforts.
For the "sibilant area", some would try different components, cables, and even get into the speaker to damp the horn, experiment with a capacitor or resistor, in other words the crossover. Some go further and change the driver or horn. There's even mod kits you can buy. Have fun with it and good luck !
These are just the speakers I've bean looking for, now I just have to wait for them to come up for sale on Craigslist.
Original Ardens here, and yes they are the "bees knees" you might say. I listen to them around 4 hours/day while at work, I'm spoiled! In the past have also had Quad ESL 57's, Beveridge 5's, Bozak B-305's, Apogee Centaur, RCA LC-1A, Sony SS-M7, Legacy Focus, and many others sitting where they sit now. Something about the Tannoy...very clear, dynamic, involving, and organic sound. with that said I have some Janszen Valentina electrostatics on the way and also some KEF 107's and LS50's so it will be hard to decide what to keep. Maybe all of them LOL.
Bozak’s are very underrated.
Proud owner of the vintage Tannoy HPD range, Eaton 10", Cheviot 12" and the 15 inch Berkeleys. Still fiddling around with the amps. Currently Sony V-FET's but slowly moving towards tubes.
Tannoys have always been at the very top in terms of sound.
I have the legacy Arden's with a LUXMAN 550ax2 (20w classA) and very happy ... They too are better biwired.
I just got a pair of Tannoy XT8 Fs. I'm really enjoying them.
Speakers from my home Scotland ! , Nice shirt Steve !!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you like tacky, gawdy shirts...
Finally!!! I've been asking for you to review the Cheviot for years. Thanks. The Cheviot has a signature sound that is very addicting. Big but can be subtle. Never fatiguing.
Steve I like watching your videos very interesting you explain we’ll with old and new
Keep up the good work
In Australia in the 60s and 70s, Tannoy Reds and Golds were almost the standard in a lot of recording studios and broadcast monitoring.
yep!! and ALTEC 604 HERE IN THE STATES i have a pair fully rebuilt !!!! love those vintage coaxials
In Canada as well. Vintage Tannoys are pretty common here, not cheap anymore though but at least they’re frequently for sale locally.
Thx I’m one step closer after this informative review!
Steve....... have you heard of "listening bars" ? Started in Japan after WW2 now opening up in the west. Are there any in NewYork? Have you ever been too one? Finally a way to expose highend sound to the masses.
I always liked the recordings that Lee Perry made at the Ark because they had that quality of air and space that Steve speaks of. "Roast Fish and Cornbread" is a good example of that.
I think Triptych is a rough listen for someone new to Reggae. But respect to Perry for sure.
Haven't heard these, but the best Tannoy's I've heard besides the original Black 15's are the 10" Monitor Gold IIILZ from the 60's.
You can score still I think for about $1500 pair. Work well in most cabinets and even well on an open baffle with a sub crossed in at about 100 cycles.
Didn't altec make the 604 Duplex speaker before Tannoy? Steve, you should review the altec 604, they are amazing speakers! Modern 604 speakers can be purchased from Great Plains Audio, but the original vintage Altec 604 has something magical about it
1941, with the 601 and 604 in 44, with input from J B Lansing who then went off to do his own thing as JBL
He had a sad ending.
Agreed on the 604s, although they made me work for it. Mine are now biamped with active crossovers, dsp room correction, and four mono tube amps.
Bi-amping uses two channels of amplification to power a speaker that has two sets of input terminals. Bi-wiring uses just one channel of amplification to power the same type of speaker. Bi-wiring is useful when you have a single stereo amplifier as your power source. Bi-amping is the way to go. Makes much difference.
I've A/B auditioned both the Arden and the Cheviot.. Arden is much much better than the Cheviot.. Arden sounds different from the B&W's 800 series.. Arden performs very good even at moderate room size.. The frequency on the female vocal is big and continuous, without sag and without hump.. It just sounds good even at low volume! I want to have this speaker someday..
I've been searching everywhere online, but can't find any comparison with these and the original 70's cheviots. do the originals come close to the new ones? I realize the new ones have new technology etc, but maybe it doesn't make that much of a difference? please let me know your thoughts.
Best Shirt Ever (BSE) Award! ✨
My thoughts,also.As steve appears to be a high end guy,I'd say that is a Versace.I almost bought one at Caesar's in Vegas.It goes well with the Tannoy's.
Thanks Steve! Rockin to a million.
A doable dream speaker for sure
I hope that Steve will soon review Fyne Audio F502. Fyne Audio engineers are from Tannoy too.
Thank you Steve for yet another great vid.
I've seen a few comments about the cost of the Tannoys in the USA. Dear fellow commenters, have you ever tried to purchase Klipsch overseas? I greatly envy what USA citizens pay for them. I suppose that shipping alone accounts for some of the price difference. In other words, don't be too hard on the Tannoys pricing, because that's exactly how it feels for most of the rest of the world purchasing American brand speakers. Like I said, I envy your domestic pricing 😁
Steve, it seems that the Cornwall IVs may not have been a fair comparison with the Tannoys. How would you compare these Tannoys to the Klipsch Forte’s and the Heresys? Thanks!
Agreed, the Tannoy speaker that compares with the Corwall IV is the Arden. They're almost the same exact physical dimensions. Unfortunately, you're not going to read a lot of Arden reviews in North America due to their size/weight and the pain of having them shipped from Scotland. They're more popular in Japan...use a good translator. :-)
However.... absolutely fair in that they are nearly the same price. Tannoy is more $$ overall due to the shipping oversea, and far more expensive cabinetry. The larger Cornwall is 75 lbs, and the smaller Cheviot is 90 lbs.... Now you tell me who has better bracing & damping!!
I heard some Tannoys (big ones) some years back in a room build for them (shop in Copenhagen) powered by McIntosh ... sweet. Wooden instruments on Tannoy sound fantastic.
Casper Pedersen it’s true you are right. String instruments and vocals. Sublime drivers for that.
i think your just fantastic steve. love the reviews, all that experience with hifi gear really shows. no bs and its great.....cheers man
Well I certainly love the way it looks.
Original series had 5: Arden, Berkley, cheviot, Devon, Eaton.
Not many people could pull off that shirt. But it looks good on ya my man! Great video as usual
Another great review, Steve. Just FYI, it's pronounced chee-vee-it, no shev-ee-ot. Named after some hills on the England/Scotland border.
Those binding posts make me happy :)
Seems the Tannoys are a versatile speaker that will satisfy many. Thanks for sharing.
Nice Steve! Thx. I have a bit of a Tannoy curiosity... Specifically the Tannoy Westminster Royal SE... Unfortunately it would not work with my decor... 😂
In my younger ears, blew off the baffle on my bookshelf tannoy, playing Genesis..
hi Steve,I get a pair of 15” tannoy Arden,could you recommend a amp for these speakers,thx.
I listen a lot of jazz and piano solo.
I'm not Steve but I have the ardens running off dual schiit Aegir monoblocks fed from a primaluna Evo 400 preamp with an Abbasaudio tube clock r2r DAC, Cambridge cxn V2, Sony es series FM tuner. All my cables are DIY, using top grade components. If you can afford it go for primaluna monoblocks, maybe Evo 300 preamp and 2x Evo 300 power amps.
How do you think the Ardens will pair with pass labs int-250 class a/b. The pass labs are high on my list as are the Ardens
Did you elevate these at all? It seems to low to appreciate the full sound.
Good observation, Robert. I played with my Cheviots' position for months. I use the Tannoy spikes into Herbie's Audio Lab Decoupling Gliders on wood floors, so repositioning is a snap. On a lark, I adjusted the rake angle to approx 4 degrees up. In my room it made all the difference. HUGE sweet spot and soundstage. Like going from a studio venue to a concert hall. (I'm saving for IsoAcoustics. We'll see.) Here's another tip -- might seem counterintuitive -- add a REL T/7i sub. It doubles the pleasure all the way from the bottom end to the top. (How does REL do that?) FYI, my front end -- also counterintuitive -- all-PSAudio electronics with their BHK Preamp/250 amp. There are so many great practical qualities of the Cheviots, one of my favorite is they sound very comfortable only 12 inches from back wall. And the tone controls are really nice too. I got sooo tired of 3-way tower speakers that all sound too analytical and sterile/fatiguing - B&W, Focal, I'm looking at you. One final tip -- try Tannoy Gold 5 monitors or your desktop -- unbelievable value. Throw away your Sennheisers. :-)
@@HAL9007 l have alot of experience with their Prestige series. I own the Canterbury SE. All of them including the GR series improve dramatically by adding a super tweeter. I would go so far as to say that it's a must. Better soundstage and bass. This is especially important on the older versions where the 2" or 1,25" tweeter starts to roll off after 16khz.. It also solves the problem of tweeter height. It lifts the treble to ear level. I use their ST200 on mine. They have been around for a long time and can be found for a reasonable price used. It's also very noteworthy that they can play down to 14khz so they can blend with the 2" treble. Give it a try, you can thank me later...
Steve, thanks for the review of the Tannoy speakers. I am considering getting the Turnberry. I was originally considering the Cornwall IV but I think the more refined Tannoy's might be more my cup of tea. Still trying to audition them but they are no dealers here in Miami. The only dealer I am aware of is Upscale Audio.
Great review, possibly more interesting for me because I am going to audition the Tannoy Ardens soon !
My Tannoys LOVE tubes!
Would you review some bookshelves from Fyne Audio? I would like to hear what you have to say about them. F500 if possible. Thank you!
i still have a pair of Tannoy Cheviot Mk2 Speakers i bought new in 1978 for £300 but the cones have started to degrade being made of rubber & cardboard type paper and i have not used them for about 20 years but i am seriously thinking about getting them re-coned
I have the same speakers. They need new foam surrounds installed, after which they’re good as new! If you’re in the UK you should be able to find a good Tannoy specialist to repair them.
Nice to find a Lee Perry fan :) you should check out Dub Syndicate on CD if not already . I have been lucky enough to go and see and experience the Jah Shaka sound system a couple of times. The amps where custom designed and hand built valve power amplifiers and custom built speakers. Best bass I have ever heard - made your pants flap if you went near the bass drivers :)
You are epic Steve! Long time Audiophile wanna be $$$$. Much appreciated reviews.
hey steve, how do they sound compared to the devore o/93? thanks
Speaking of Klipsch, would you possibly be able to explain the Klipschorn’s geometry and how the horn is folded into the box? (Or know of an already existing article or video doing this) Idk how would be the best way to approach this explanation and also IDK why I still can’t wrap my head around the black magic that is the Klipschorn. My uncle had a pair of klipschorns and I was always super fascinated at how effortlessly they fill pretty well any size room with an even bigger maelstrom of sound, still am. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I’m a big Tannoy fan. I have had 12 inch golds since the early 70’s. My favorite speakers. I have had many speakers but I will never sell these. They pair well with a McIntosh 2505 or a Marantz Model 19.
Very nice. Have you ever had a chance to listen to the 15"s?
@@brendanryan6363 sure many times. But they require a cabinet the size of a refrigerator! You need a lot of space.
Wow, these are £6784 in the UK. I haven't heard these but at that price they are up against some top sounding speakers from the likes of KEF, Spendor, Martin Logan, Neat and Klipsch (Cornwall 3) and PMC. I hope that I can hear this speaker at the Bristol HiFi show.
Paul Leonard so they are £6784 in their country of origin and $6500 when exported to the US? That’s nuts.
Thanks for the great video. How would you compare Tannoy Cheviot and Stirling? Which one to buy?
would you recommend getting a low speaker stand for these? raising them maybe 8 inches?
If you had 6K budget which one would you choose? I’m local BTW (Brooklyn). I am pretty set on Klipsch Cornwalls which should work well in my room and have synergistic qualities with my front end as well as my choice of music and majority of listening done in moderate to low SPL levels. But I have heard Tannoy’s much larger speakers years ago and they were marvelous with tubes (that’s what I use). Doubtfully these Tannoys compare to what I have experienced but I’m curious. Keep in mind that Klipsch were my first speakers I’ve ever own, so it’s sentimental thing as well. Will be getting new speakers within 1-2 months. Thanks
Sounds to me like you'll be thinking you should have bought the Klipsch, if you don't. Besides, they should sound better at low to mid volume then the Tannoy's anyway. The Cornwall's are known for that. You know you love Klipsch, and you probably already know how good Klipsch speakers, especially the Heritage one's, sound on tube amps. Even very low powered one's. Good luck either way. ✌️
HH Scott Thanks. Audition of both speakers is a bit tricky. Side by side comparison is close to impossible task. Cornwalls seem like a “fuller, more dynamic, larger presentation” speaker in comparison to Tannoys. At least that’s what I’m getting from these reviews. And yes, 90 percent of my listening will be done at lowish to mid listening levels. So, I guess the choice is somewhat clear. Besides, 99db Klipsch to 91db sensitivity Tannoys could be a factor. I’ll be using 300b in parallel (about 18wpc) monos. Wonder if biamping Cornwalls could help with bottom end. Something like class “A”(ish) Shiit Audio amp..... Any benefits of that setup? Aim would be to improve bottom end and snappiness of that 15” woofer. Any thought?
@@Grooverski Well we're both just guessing here, and relying on past experiences. However, we both know that until you get them in your room. It's all just that. A guess. However, I would avoid the bi-amping thing myself, especially using completely different amps. I know Steve said these work good that way, but bi-amping is tricky, and can mess up the phase of the drivers. Besides I'm guessing 18wpc might have enough oomph for them anyway. It will certainly get loud enough for you to enjoy it, and leave some headroom. But, again, if this is a big concern. Get the Klipsch. All signs point to the Klipsch IMO. I know it's tempting to go for the fancy Tannoy's, but I've got friends whose endgame setup is low power tube amps, and Klipsch Heritage series speakers. My one friend runs a classic Scott amp (222C) w/Khorns, and it's fabulous. Higher efficiency speakers should sound better at low volume also.
There is only one caveat with the Klipsch. Klipsch can be bright, and they don't go that low. So that's where your knowledge of your setup, and your room comes into play here. This is where you'll know best. If your system likes a warmer speaker, and if you're okay with that. Get the Tannoy's. They're probably a little more musical, and enjoyable for people like me that get fatigued easily. And while I've never had that problem with any tube amps, myself. I've never heard your setup in your room. It may be a little on the bright side.
Why don't you try to find a dealer, since you're in NY, that will let you audition both? Or two dealers that will let you audition each one? I know side by side is impossible, but it's a start.
HH Scott Sorry for a bit of confusion. I’m leaning towards Cornwalls. I’ve already contacted one of the dealers nearby if he could get them for me. So it is pretty much settled. However, every now and then, someone comes out with the next best/greatest and it blurs your confidence in choices you make. Tannoys made their top of the line speakers almost unobtainable for a regular Joe. So when Steve reviewed these pair in more friendly budget, it seeded some doubt. As to system characteristics.... eventho my amps are 300b, they’re super revealing, detailed and transparent without much of that lush reverb that tubes are known for. Preamp is the same way, build by the same person. Phonostage is a bit on the warm sound, so is the CD player. Room is about 2600 cubic feet with very high ceilings. I have heard Cornwalls at the show but that can’t be used as reference for obvious reasons. I’ll try to find Tannoy dealer but everything points out in Klipsch direction. Thanks again.
@@Grooverski Hmmm, your sources sound good for the Klipsch, but I'm a little worried about your amps/preamp. The Cornwall's are known for being very revealing, and transparent too. If that's your bag (it's not mine though) then you'll probably be in heaven. But if you're like me, and like warmth and musicality. Fullness, and richness, etc. Then it might be too much. Of course you'll never know till you try them.
So whatever you decide to do. I just highly recommend you have an out, just in case. Whether that's just a good return policy, or an in home trial. It doesn't matter. But I wouldn't just buy them without trying them first. For a good while too. Hopefully a whole month. That's the best advice I have. It's not easy to spend a lot of money like that on HiFi, and end up happy. But it's also quite possible. Just take your time, and be smart about everything. ✌️
Were you comparing the Nordost Flatline Biwire to the Nordost Red Dawn with included jumpers?
Thanks for the review.There are not many reviews out there of the Legacy Cheviot.How much did you played around with the settings for the Treble? How did you experenced the soundstage since these speaker are not so high?
Does Tannoy use any internal bracing or damping material to control cabinet resonances? It seems that Klipsch does not, even for the Heritage line. This especially critical for playing music at high volumes, when cabinet resonances are excited and blur the sound. (Both ~$6000 per pair.)
Yes! If you look them up on Tannoy's website (which has a terrible layout, btw) you will see they have extensive cabinet bracing. Tannoy has always focused on quieting their boxes. This likely has something to do with Steve finding them more detailed & refined than the Klipsches.
Miro Svetinsky - plus Klipsch uses cheap components in their crossover circuits.
I own the larger Legacy Arden. They are braced more solidly than earlier versions and high volumes are only limited by how much bass you want to load your room with. At that point, you'll want to be utilizing some of the (6) port plugs.
I grew up on Tannoys in the studio, Red's and Gold's and also owned a a pair of System 12DMT studio monitors. While all Tannoy's have a big warm bottom, the 'size' of the mid and top image can never keep up to the low end unless you are sitting directly at mix position. The advantage of the dual concentric design is phase coherency-- essential in a studio, a non issue for home playback. p.s. The dual binding posts are for bi-amp not bi-wire and the cross overs are meant to accommodate this-- makes a HUGE difference.
Phase coherency is very important for home listening in my experience.
@@rotorfix Why?
@@keithmoriyama5421
Proper decay of instruments, and imaging. Speakers that fail at phase coherency produce diffused imaging that lacks depth and definition, in my experience. They tend to make vocalists sound as though their mouths are three feet wide. It's the type of sound I get from my Heresys and other such speakers.
Steve love your reviews always full of enthusiasm :-) One thing though the pronunciation is (Cheeviot) godamn the English heheheh. Keep up the great work
Excellent review!
Great review Steve. Thanks. Do you think the Tannoy Cheviot (or Eaton’s) are the answer for someone who’s looking for a large KEF LS50? Much appreciated.
I have 10 years on my Elac FS507 also but I got that after registering them. It was 5 from the beginning.
are the newer Tannoy Legacy Cheviot as good as the originals❓I have heard the newer tweeter gets ear fatiguing😮
Great video Steve!. I live in The Netherlands now and I have an Accuphase E-360 integrated amp. I think to buy a Legacy Cheviots, my room is 48 X 100 cm. I listen blues, jazz, 50s rockabilly and classic rock. My question is about the match of this speaker with my accuphase. What do you think? Thanks in advance! :)
Tannoy Heritage line past and present are my end game speaker(s). End of 😊
Nice, I never got to here Tannoy speakers and always wondered about them.
Love Tannoys and the sound they produce. Just one little thing, it’s pronounced with a hard CH as in Cheese not a soft CH as in Chevy. The name comes from a series of hills that straddle the border between England and Scotland
In Brooklyn it’s pronounced the same way Merriam Webster pronounces it.
Steve ....tannoy ardens mk1 live in my house...they are fab with all music and films i throw at it.
Thanks Steve! I'm considering these Tannoy's to pair with a fisher 800 tube amp.
Newish to the channel. Thank you for the KD Lang information. Yet another one to get through the net. What a superlative album. 😁😁❤️😁😁
I had a Kef rep tell me Kef invented the dual concentric. I knew better. Tannoy will be my next speaker!
If you want spoiling for life, get to listen to the Westminster Royals!! Fantastic, huge and massively expensive!! I have a pair of DMT12's, which are late 90's pro studio monitors. These sound superb on good material but take no prisoners if the studio didn't know their job, which is their mission I suppose. They also take massive power wjithout flinching, one of the reasons I chose them. Very big though and very heavy. Another excellent old Tannoy is the little red monitor.
Sir, what would it take to get a review of Cerwin Vega SL12 or SL 15. I know how this brand is generally regarded... but i don't know why because no one ever reviews them. CV was great in the 70s... are they really not so good now? Big, 3 way speakers... anything is appreciated.
they sound YUMMY! thanks!
As I watched your video my 15" Tannoy Monitor Golds were playing downstairs and what you said about the Cheviots, exactly can be said for the Gold's - a single point source - coherence. And the Monitor Golds have a sensitivity of 93dB / watt.
Steve, i guess this is more of a technical question or maybe one of your listeners would answer. if watts are watts and build components are the same. Now i understand different manufactures have different sound signatures. but when a more powerful amp say from Pass labs just sounds better is it because of more watts? or does the damping factor or slew rate make it better?
Gennaro Tricola Yes, all those factors make a difference. Some amps are more able to handle impedance fluctuations from speakers than others. The speaker resistance becomes part of the amplifiers circuit, and some speakers exhibit a wide range of resistance based on frequency, they are not fixed at 4 or 8 ohms but typically resistance fluctuates in use. Also speakers generate power as the cone returns to resting position (after excursion) and this will also affect amplifiers to varying degrees. Excessive power from amps is not necessary and will not really help, but adequate power (power needed must be well below clipping) is required. Watts are not watts ! Two amps with the same rated output (watts) will often perform differently based upon power supplies (transformers and size of capacitors used). Usually better amps have better (or more oversized) power supplies. Bass will usually be more solid with better power supplies. Different amp topologies will also affect perceived performance (regardless of measured performance) but that is not by definition "technical" so not going there.
@@kirarittberg5088 Awesome what a great explanation! Much appreciated you taking the time. it just never made complete sense before. sounds like the quality of the amplifier is much more important then just how many watts providing it's sufficient.
The new Stirling III/LZ got an less than stellar review from What HiFi, and somebody pointed out the parent company Behringer started making the drivers in China. Have they started making the Cheviot drivers in China?
How do these compare to Harbeths?