Magnepan 3.6, 3.7 or Tannoy Westminister SE

From a price standpoint, you're looking at $5500 for a pair of Maggie 3.7s or $35,000 for a pair of Tannoy Westminster Royal SE's.

Maggies present a challenging load for amplifiers; the Tannoys practically demand a quality tube amp. They are two entirely different ways of creating an illusion of live music. I haven't heard the Tannoys, but I'm familiar with what good tubes powering high sensitivity speakers sounds like. Since I favor emotional involvement and immediacy, I have to say that if I had the coin and space I'd go for the Tannoys.

Still, to be fair pricewise, you could get a pair of Magnepan 20.1's *plus* a pair of JL F212 subwoofers (an excellent match), and although they would sound different from the Tannoys, it would certainly narrow the performance gap.

I've heard both. The right choice is very room dependent. The Maggies I heard, 3.7, did not have a sub so I may have missed something. Assuming you have the right room, I would go with the Maggies plus subs. Otherwise, Tannoy would be my choice.

I prefer Tannoys as I listen to a lot of orchestral and to me the Tannoys produce a more effortless presentation of a full orchestra and a more seemless and coherent sound. If you do listen to the Tannoys though I would recommend you listen to the Canterbury's rather than the Westminster as they are more neutral than the Westminster, no front loaded horn, but still have the 15" alnico drivers.