Experience with Tannoy Westminster Royal Gold Reference


I own these great looking speakers for a few months, and i am looking for views on its sound quality and people who have long experienced these speakers with different amps, electronics, and rooms, etc..
Based on my short experience, it seems that they are very easy on power quantity as being very efficient speakers, but require absolute quality watts to sound their best.
It feels as if they have infinite potential for sound quality and power, as long as you have what it takes to feed them, so how far can i, should i go with these in terms of associated equipment?
I hope that experienced audiophiles out there can help me realize the full potential on these beauties.
Thanks
128x128hddg
hddg,
I currently use a modified Marantz 7 tube preamp with Brown Electronic Labs power amp built by Richard Brown. Unfortunately Richard Brown has passed away and no circuit diagrams exist, so I would recommend trying some more current amps. The only thing you have to watch is that the power amp has a high input impedance relative to your Coincident tube preamp to ensure you get no bass rolloff issues. I would not be too dogmatic about class A - class A can sound too smooth and gluggy sometimes - go for speed and transparency, this will ultimately give you more satisfaction in the long haul. Try before you buy if possible.
One really good thing with the Rowland amps is that you can adjust the input impedance and gain to match your system. Their later 625 series would be on my list to try.

thanks very much to all for your interventions. I appreciate very much. Lots of wise advise. The main reason i am here, is that i haven't got much chance to try many things out before buying, since i am not based in the US. I live on a small island in the Indian Ocean called Mauritius, hence the search for other experienced audiophiles.
That preamp/ amp impedance relation seems an important factor to consider, but so is the amp's output impedance i believe, which is determining of damping which in turn is necessary for large and hard woofers' control. My preamp output impedance is 500 ohms, would an amp input of 10K ohms be fine??
As for class operation, i have used many good ClassA/B and ClassA amps in my life, but i must say that to my ear ClassA has always been superior by far, with a sound as quick and transparent as AB, but adding a more complete, livelier, vibrant and musical sound. I would never accept a soft or sluggish or too warm tube like sound. I want thee sound, the one that is complete, balanced, with full harmonics, highly dynamic, full resolution, neither tuby nor dry, but one which is alive like the real stuff, with the full message, bringing tears in the end!!
I have tried several good AB amps on these Tannoys, but they just look at these amps with disdain, saying; you cannot move me and bring me to life!! In the actual setup, at all times, all ClassA amps (using zero negative feedback) i've tried have always been better. I guess the zero NF issue is an important one too with the Tannoy, which seem to demand the full signal. They are very good speakers, but they are difficult to bring to full blossom, as earlier said they seem to have "unlimited" potential.
I guess the likes of FM Acoustics and other very good AB amps are the exception to the rule, but again the prices are stratospheric. I heard the best of Ayre, very good amps but does not beat the Coincident Dragon MkII, so that would not be an upgrade!! I think Vitus, Pass, Boulder, Gryphon, Soulution and the likes will be the way.
Can we agree on this??

hddg:

Congratulations on your wonderful speakers. I do hope you are using an audio grade  A/C wall  outlet and audio grade fuses in your preamp and amp. I am impressed with and use the Synergistic Research  Black outlets and their Black equipment fuses.

Audio Magic by reports also makes a very nice sounding fuse that is damped with beeswax.

The Synergistic Research  products are sold with an excellent 30 day return policy.

I do know my horn system and my Terasonic speakers have both  really responded to upgraded wall outlets and fuses.

David Pritchard

hddg OP14 posts10-14-2016 7:23pmI guess the likes of FM Acoustics and other very good AB amps are the exception to the rule, but again the prices are stratospheric. I heard the best of Ayre, very good amps but does not beat the Coincident Dragon MkII, so that would not be an upgrade!! I think Vitus, Pass, Boulder, Gryphon, Soulution and the likes will be the way.
Can we agree on this??
From all that you’ve described hddg, and having owned or heard many of the amps you mentioned, I think you would most like the Vitus SS-103 - http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/172886/vitus-ss-103-debuts-at-munich-high-end, or a 2nd hand Vitus SS-102 - http://www.vitusaudio.com/en/114879-SS-102. Vitus aims for a sound which offers the best of both worlds between tube and ss which is non-fatiguing and natural. That is a good summary. If your finances don’t reach that high, I would look at a new Wells Audio Innamorata Signature -  @$15kUSD which is a very musical sounding amp.