Magnepan 3.6, 3.7 or Tannoy Westminister SE

Does this means that Tannoy in the Prestige series lower than the Westminister SE can't compete with the Maggies?

At the price of the Tannoys, I think the competition isn't with the 3.6 or 3.7, but the new 20.7.

Hi Robertwolfee, as you may have also already noticed, they are not competing as having different approaches to sound reproduction (flavors). I would categorize them as 'musical' transducers, ie.not the utmost take in neutrality--measurements and all, but are Imo, both musically engaging speakers albeit with rather different set of strengths. Maggie is more about life-like scale and sound staging, whereas, Tannoy's virtue is more that of tonal beauty and timbre hues.

I did went back-forth between them earlier.. MGIIIa in mid '80s (driven by Krell KSA80, VTL300), Tannoy Westminster then the Royal in mid '90s (Many tube variants, ranging from Cary 211, 805, VTL90 to Ichiban, Ongaku etc.), then in mid '00s the MG20.1 (Jadis JA200, ARC REF600). Listening to Ella, Nina, Louis the likes, and smaller acoustic ensembles via 300Bs driven Tannoy will always remain the magical highlights of my audio journey.

Hence, if given a 'must' choice to go back to either one at this point in time, I would probably choose to live with the Tannoy with some fine tube amps and be done with it. Having said that, as always, room, taste, and musical preference, will play an important role in deciding between these two fine speakers.

I'd go with Tannoy and a high-current SET, e.g., Art Audio Jota HC.

Robert, Do your best to own both, if possible. You seem, as I was, torn between desire for two fundamentally different sounds based on two radically different technologies. You will not obtain a dream speaker which does it all; no one can as such a speaker does not yet exist. One has to make trade offs and choices in regards to aspects of performance which they consider more desirable and let the others go.

You must determine how you are wired; that is, you must realize whether you are a System Builder or simply an audiophile. The audiophile is content to buy and play, and they may use one technology for decades. The System Builder is always wanting to explore the system's capabilities, always curious about different technologies and their sound, and will jump between them in his/her rig. There is usually a constant yearning for having both aspects of different technologies at the same time, something which is currently technologically impossible. Suppressing these desires may work for a while but dissatisfaction sets in and the search begins again.

The solution is simply to own both technologies so that one can exchange them whenever wanted. It is perhaps the most satisfying solution to system enhancement I have found in decades of being an audiophile. Feel free to observe my virtual system and contact me if you have any questions.

If it is of help to you I have written up reviews of both the Tannoy Glenair 15 and the Kingsound King for Dagogo.com

If ownership of both is not feasible I feel for you sincerely, as there will remain a gap in your desire to have it all; there is no getting around that. In such a case you may want to consider a hybrid like the Legacy Audio Whisper DSW, which I also reviewed. It combines extremely well attributes of the dynamic and panel speakers accentuating their strengths. You can also see it in my virtual system.

The most obvious difference sonically between a hybrid speaker like the Whisper DSW and the Tannoy would be in terms of coherence; one does hear the multiple drivers of the Whisper vs. the concentric of the Tannoy. Each has particular characteristics which are desirable, and the prospective owner has to determine which set of features is the most engaging.