Any experience with Tannoy loudspeakers?

Mulvening, I have to be honest with you, I didn't actually build them myself. At the time I started the build, I didn't have the necessary space, or the tools and skills to make them. Frank Wyatt of Wyatt Woodworking built them for me.

I have, since then, sanded and polished the finish (Frank attempted his first high gloss finish, which he had much trouble getting right). There was orange-peel, and a few runs as well. They still looked nice, I but I wanted them better. I replaced the woofers with ones that Lockwood converted to hard edge surrounds for me. I also built the crossovers, and wired the speakers.

My woodworking skills have improved, which is evident on my plinth for the Garrard 401.

The SET 300B amp is an Audio Assemblage which was built by Sonic Frontiers, which was sold in kit form. This particular amp had been built for a reviewer, with all the available upgrades. After I purchased it, I sent it back to them, and had the caps and resistors upgraded, and bought EML XLS 300B tubes to run in it, which made the amp sound very nice indeed. The amp has a set of quite large transformers, which has a great deal to do with why it can drive the Tannoys to very satisfying levels.

I apologize if you feel mislead about the speaker enclosures, I feel, after having spent years working on them, including the fact they were built to my specifications, that I feel I had a great deal to do with the outcome of what they are today.

I have admired your system for years now, and I know how much you must enjoy it. The fact that you are able to listen to the music you do shows what Tannoys are capable of. They are what I would call agnostic regarding what music they will play well.

Best regards,
Dan

@twoleftears,

Here is the link to Tannoy’s Prestige line,

https://www.tannoy.com/Categories/Tannoy/PRESTIGE-GR/c/Tannoy-PRESTIGEGR?colExpFlag=,PRESTIGE%20GR&a...

I have Tannoy 8 dcTi from their Definition line.  The Tannoy's are positioned about 3' from the back wall and 3' from each side wall. My room size is 12' wide, 13' long, with 9' ceilings.

I use a NAD M12 pre/dac and NAD M22 v2 power amp.  I listen to jazz and old school R&B streaming Tidal and ripped CDs from a Innous Zenith MKII via Roon, and vinyl from a Technics SL-1200G with Ortofon Quintet Black cart.  I love the music, sound of the vocals, and I get a nice tight bass.  The music is crystal clear and the sound stage is quite good.

I have the Kensington's.  I agree with Mulveling on the recommended toe in - baffled is a good word (because presumably the manufacturer knows what they are talking about).  They did not seem to image well when I tried it.  My room is 21 x 14 and they fire towards the length of the room.  I have wondered if their toe in would make sense if you had something like the Westminsters in a huge room in the corners, spaced very widely apart.  By toeing them in (such that they cross over in front of the listener), perhaps it would lessen the first-wall reflection .  But who knows.  

There is a good reason why tannoys cost so much - enclosures are what they seem to excell at. They may look simple on the outside, but...
https://www.google.com/search?q=tannoy+enclosure+pics&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CeKpLE5U2wHlIjiCmXQ-...

I steer clear of DIY when it comes to speakers, especially if selecting expensive drivers, simply because companies invest millions in design/tooling/glues/construction methods and finish, which immediately puts the DIYer at a disadvantage.

I did try building PA speakers, which are not as complex as hi-fi speakers, but even that took some effort to get right.

I've also had a friend that tried to build open baffle speakers, where cabinet design is less complex, but just as critical to "get right". Alas, the crossover proved to be a significant challenge.

I know that Gershman takes their speakers to a lab in Ottawa to prove and refine their cabinet/driver/crossover combinations. That is something most DIYers do not have access to. 

I am a keen DIYer for things like cables and isolation tweaks, and I did build my own turntable plinth, which proved to be an exceptional performer. 

But I choose to leave speaker designs strictly to the professionals.

Regards - Steve