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Tannoy Turnberry SE Imaging and Breaking In

So I just replaced my Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor Ms with a new pair of Tannoy Turnberry SE with plans of possibly going SET. They have maybe 12 hours on them at this point and coming from the Auditors, which produce very precise, realistic images, I am finding that attribute to be lacking somewhat substantially. Particularly with orchestra, I can't seem to place violins front-left, trumpets center-rear, percussion rear-left, cello/bass right, etc. nearly as well as with the SFs. Images are also more diffuse and less well-defined and soundstage is not as wide. Does this get a whole lot better with break-in? I have played with varying degrees of toe-in from just a bit to crossing over in front of the listening as recommended in the manual but it doesn't change things a whole lot. The sound is also less clear and transparent than the Auditor M, though in my experience this is something that does improve greatly as speakers break in.

Now, that aside, the tone, texture, and body of instruments is incredible! This makes the speakers so musical, expressive, and just plain addictive. I actually get a real sense of a violin bow bouncing on the strings, which is something I've never experienced. And piano... wow. The sounds are not as sweet or saturated/dense as the Auditors, but definitely more "organic". Perhaps these traits come with the pepperpot/alnico models?

Overall I feel this move will bring me more enjoyment as it is, but I do hope I can regain a lot of that "in the room" presence.
eugene81
mart46
1 posts
 
Hi guys,
My first post, be gentle...... joined 5 minutes ago!
I was interested to read your thoughts on the Turnberry's, I've just purchased the Kensington SE's & my father is thinking of buying a pair of Turnberry's using his SimAudio amp & cd (he's 87!) .
My Kensingtons are still breaking in but sound great. Funnily enough, I had the Sonus Faber's you had too but enjoy the "bigger picture" that I get from the Tannoys.
I wish all you guys well and enjoy the music!
Mart
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,468 posts
 
My feeling is that Tannoy speakers don't play "audiophile", they just play music. If you go to a live classical concert that's not been "worked" by mics, you really won't hear trumpets over there, behind the violins, etc. Tannoys eschew the stuff that we audiophiles look for, but somehow get to the soul of what music is. Enjoy!!
eugene81 OP
270 posts
 
2 weeks later: these guys are imaging very well! I have to disagree that Tannoys don't do "audiophile tricks", they just don't do them in an exaggerated way. Soundstage placement is no longer an issue and I hear even better distinction between instruments in orchestra than the Auditor Ms. It's remarkable how you can hear so many different instruments playing at the same time and yet they come together so beautifully. The scale and impact is the best thing about these speakers next to the body and timbre. They really fill the room and have a huge sound that is very engaging. The midrange and treble have sweetened as well and the slight hardness experienced during break in has definitely balanced out. Looks like I am hooked on the Tannoy DC sound!
douger
104 posts
 
Again, congratulations! I was pretty sure you would reach that conclusion, although my early experience in the 70's and early 80's was rocky. Tannoy DC's are very much GIGO, and all I had was garbage! (Seriously wounded B&O 3000 tt, and very noisy Dyna SCA80 int.amp)
I hung in there and am very happy with mine!
mulveling's avatar
mulveling
1,913 posts
 
Congrats! Lovely speakers. Of course only time will tell for your case, but I became a fully realized Tannoy DC "life-er" about 5 years ago. I'd had a lovely experience with a pair of Eyris DC3 a few years before that, but foolishly experimented with other brands before I stopped fighting my nature and settled down. Unfortunately, "settling down" probably won't preclude lusting after the bigger alnico/pepperpot models - it certainly didn't in my case!
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