Question for Joel

my kind of speaker

Not been Bowened

If the Japanese can have tiny rooms and huge speakers, why the hell can,t we?

 

Now those Kingdoms don't look so bad (and no doubt sound fantastic). It's the ones based on what looks like 1950's cupboard design that are butt ugly.

Should that have read something like: ideal for a large mansion with dark corners in which to hide the speakers?

 

I can't remember if I posted this before but my wife didn't speak to me for 2 days when I bought the D700s and they are not that big. God only knows what she would've said if I bought anything in the prestige range. Those Kingdom allegedly weigh 170Kgs!!! Is that each?

 

Yes, 170Kg each. Sadly they also ended production of the these yesterday according to the website. A sad day.
At the Tokyo show, Teac were going all out with the Avantguarde horns, which I didnn't like at all (and it was the big mutha rig). TEAC are going barmy for the super esoteric market (mono DACs anyone?).

 

How on earth do you get the positioning sorted? Have them each on a forklift while you try them in different spots???

 

Martin thats why most are plnked in corners. Who gives a toss if they sound better with a little toe in it's not worth the effort for the difference.

 

Dev did you just delete a thread?

It had one of these and a couple of three and four letter words in it.

 

Joel,

You have a PM!

 

Yes I'm afraid so. It was a joke but then I realised that a certain four letter word might lead to a less than healthy debate It was in response to your message above about the weight/placement.

 

The GRF and Autograph are designed so that when placed in the corner the drivers are toed in appropriately.
And the Kingdoms would pin you far too hard to the back wall to be worrying about audiophool nervous tics like "toe-in" anyway.

Duh. I scrolled down the whole page and saw them. Very cool. I definitely will pay a visit next time I'm in the vicinity!

 

There's a shop in Lisbon that has a pair of Westminsters (I think) and I still think they're pretty fugly, in the flesh

In the drawing room of a stately home they might just about look OK.

Michael.

 

I dunno, I think they have the look of a proper speaker about them.

I met a guy a few weeks ago who has, I believe, Westminsters, and a fairly modern listening room. From the photos I saw they looked pretty good in the room. I could probably get used to them.

-- Ian

 

Did you listen to them? If you did, what did you think?, or were you put off by their looks so much that you'd never listen to them?

 

I admire the cabinet makers for using proper pieces of wood, not veneered MDF!! quality surely?

I like them in room corners too. They have a business like look about them, and I think they blend in nicely.

yes please

DEV - I didnt realise they still make them.

 

Joel I was only joking hence the smilie, FWIW i wouldn't mind a pair of westminsters or similar, but I live in a modern house, with a modest sized room, I feel that these kind of speakers would be for large rooms, with suitable decor, they do sound nice though the big tannoys, heard them years ago, was a 12" model can't remember which one, but very nice they were all the same.

 

I didn't listen to them. I was only in the shop to buy a cable and I saw them there and at the time didn't know what they were and was like "what the fcuk are those!?"

Unfortunately, that shop is not the friendliest of hifi shops and a request to listen to them without any intention of buying would likely be met with sneers. They're the dealers/importers for Naim, Accuphase and Airtight...and they're called Atitude - go figure

Michael.

 

If I remember the story correctly, the Tannoy designs originated at a time (after WWII) when you wouldn't go to a shop and buy ready made speakers, but would buy drivers and order (or make yourself) a cabinet to put them in along with xovers etc. I think "current" Tannoy designs, reflect that period, as well as the taste of the moneyed Japanese audiophiles who for many years were almost the only people who purchased these things...
To be fair, the "small" Tannoys such as the Stirling or Sandringham do not look too good to my eyes. The big ones, though, are stunning. The Autograph is really rather elegant, and the Utopia people even do a Jr. version. They also make Altec style "utility" cabs, which are as plain and simple as you could wish for.

edited for correct names of small Tannoys.

 

A few years ago someone from Tannoy told me that their biggest market for the Prestige (and Kingdom I believe) was Japan. Now considering the size of these beasts and what I believe to be a typical size Japanese room seems illogical.

Do they listen to them during the day and then sleep in them or are the Japanese rooms bigger than we are led to beileve?

 

Dev,

I think the average Japanese audiophile takes audio more seriously, does not watch Changing Looms, and probably knows a wife's place

I kind of like the Tannoys - they hark back to an era when every owner would have enjoyed the services of someone from downstairs responsible for changing records

 

I was in Tokyo last month, found time to visit three hifi shops (just places I happened by, no special attempts to seek out exotic locations), they all had "traditional" Tannoy speakers (along with stuff like JBL studio monitors). The Japanese houses I saw were small (and on very small land plots). But on this evidence the stuff sells - as Merlin says - Japanese audiophiles take this stuff seriously.