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$10K Budget for Speakers: Martin Logan Masterpiece vs Tannoy

For much under $10K I can get a pair of Martin Logan Masterpiece’s Classic ESL 9 (the new ones retail for $6.5). Alternatively, I might go ahead and get a used pair of the top-of-the-line ESL 13 with all the bolts and whistles the modern electrostatic speakers offer: an unbelievable 3D-almost-surround-like staging and very detailed, life-like sound. Those Martin Logans speakers do have a huge speaker emission surface (the sound radiating "panel") emitting the sound bi-directionally and these speakers are almost the human hight tall.
The same $10K would also get me a top-of-the-line Tannoy Arden speakers (8K per pair). On the used market, if I am lucky, I could get a pair of Turnberries. Tannoy, while does have some unmatched style and a "company history-story" factor, apparently doesn’t even come close to be able to give the same sound experience Martin Logan speakers do. Tannoy speakers radiate sound from a single 10", 12" or at best 15" driver. The speaker themselves are significantly smaller than Martin Logan ones. They are barely hip height.
The esthetics and design is a huge factor for me, I do love Tannoy speakers. But, from a practical standpoint, and because the main reason I am getting the speakers is still the SOUND, and not the speakers design, I am heavily inclined to get a less-by-my-opinion-styled speakers made by Martin Logan. Because MLs, regardless of the price, offer a wider, cleaner, more life-like sound than Tannoy speakers do.
If the sound reproduction is the only concern, why would I choose a smaller, a single driver Tannoy over state-of-the art technology implemented in Martin Logan?

esputnix
wspohn's avatar
wspohn
599 posts
 
The Martin Logans are good sounding speakers but with woofers of a size that they don't do well with low bass, so you'd want a well integrated subwoofer if you like realistic bass levels.

The Tannoys will give you very good bass at the cost of reduced performance higher up, compared to the electrostats.

Bit of an audio dilemma?
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ken7
52 posts
 
Look for a used pair of Harbeth 40.1 or 40.2's....better than both Tannoy and ML....and less expensive.....much more natural sounding unless you're a heavy metal person
fraterperdurabo's avatar
fraterperdurabo
52 posts
 
My all-time favorite speakers are the Quad 57s, so I get loving the MLs.  My 2nd favorite? Big Tannoys.

You'd pick the latter if realistic scale and dynamics matter to you.  ESL's provided a very detailed, but miniaturized version of the musical event.  Their dipole radiation also plays nice in problematic rooms.

But if you want the illusion of a large orchestra from 3rd-row center, the Tannoys can't be beaten.  Less detail, but more scale.  The Tannoys are also efficient and will work with a larger selection of amplifiers.
nordicnorm
313 posts
 
Both ML and Tannoy make very good speakers. What sounds best to you, only you can determine.

I own a pair of ML Spires.

ML speakers require both space and power to sound their best. They are capable of going down to 1Ω which can blow up a lot of amps. They are rated for 20 - 500W.

I drive mine with a pair of 900W monoblocks, fed by a tube preamp. I couldn't imagine trying to drive them with a 50W amp even though, technically, ML says they are rated for that..

I also have tube monoblocks that produce 75W. The ML's sound more musical than the SS amps on some types of music (e.g. jazz, big band, instrumental) but the tube amps definitely lack the slam of the SS amps.

This audio obsession of ours is a funny business. We can discuss measurements obtained from different audio components and systems, but in the end, we cannot measure how we process that stimuli in our heads.

In the end, as long as YOU enjoy the music, that's all that really matters. 

Stay safe.
 
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