Tannoy & VAC in an old-world loft

Owner

@lalitk

You definitely want the original A2.120SE (v1), NOT the v2. I got a v2 that quite honestly seemed like it was still in the process of being debugged, and all the natural warmth and beauty of the original version was missing. I sent it back and got another v1. Maybe the v2 ends up being great - it sure read like it was going to be great with a CPU-auto regulated bias, more class A bias, and a reworked input stage - but from what I heard in my system, with Canterbury GR, it needs a lot more work to get there.

mulveling November 15, 2021 17:02

@mulveling, How is the Phison A2 120 amp sounding? Did you go with SEv2? I am considering this amp for Canterbury GR’s so your feedback will be super helpful. Thank you!

lalitk November 15, 2021 13:56

Love the Tannoys!

knollbrent June 29, 2021 20:03

Owner

Thanks Terry! Good to hear from ya again! And happy to hear you still have those beautiful Kensington GR. I still want a pair even though I wouldn't know where to put them yet. How are your longer-term impressions of Kensington GR vs. Canterbury GR now (despite the different room)?

I know when I went from Kensington SE to Canterbury SE, it certainly wasn't a cut-and-dried win for the latter. In fact in retrospect, I sort of had a hot day vs. cold day problem with the Canterbury SE, and seemed to be constantly chasing an elusive balance with upstream gear. The Kensington SE was more consistently enjoyable - just a superbly balanced speaker - but when the Canterbury SE had an "on" day it was even more enjoyable. Then when I got the Canterbury GR, I felt it was a big improvement over the SE model. No more hot vs. cold days! Still, I can't help but be curious about the Kensington GR!

mulveling June 25, 2021 19:14

Mike - Your system looks amazing and I’m confident that it sounds even better. Awesome setup. Let me know if the SuperTweeters don’t work out. I’ll take them back and try them again on my Kensington’s.

tweet June 24, 2021 04:25

Owner

Well, yes and no. Supertweeters have been disconnected for the last few months. A friend lent me a Phison A2 120 amplifier (Danish solid state) around that time, and I have to sheepishly admit I've been blown away. The match between A120 and my Tannoys is clearly superior to that of the push-pull high power tube amps I've been using for years. In fact a single one of these amps (it has bridge and stereo modes) handily bests my pair of VAC 200iQ. I now have a pair of "new improved" A120 on order, and these will come with a new switch to bias heavily into class A (of course at the expense of extra heat). Perhaps I should have revisited solid-state amps a long time ago. I'm not the kind who listens to an endless rotation of Diana Krall, etc - I need a system that's able to rock my head off.

Anyways, since I've had the A120 in place (long-term loan till the monos arrive), the balance between it, the Tannoys, the new VAC Master preamp, and everything - has been so amazingly perfect I've forgotten all about the tweets. I should give them a try but I can't imagine further improvement there - if not then they go up for sale. The old Canterbury SE model needed supertweets to help fill in the upper range of the main tweeter and increase its tiny sweet spot size, but this deficiency is largely mitigated (if not eliminated) in the GR model.

Anyways the new VAC Master has worked out splendidly, at least! It's singing so damn beautifully with the A120 amp.

mulveling June 23, 2021 17:21

@mulveling.....I guess congratulations in order for Tannoy SuperTweeters. How do you like them?

lalitk April 17, 2021 23:54

mulveling,

I have used GAIA I’s on my B&W 800D2’s and they are unequivocally one of the best speaker footers on the market. Alternatively, I have seen some folks using wooden platforms to raise the Tannoy’s height. If you want to explore that option, reach out to Arnold at Core Audio Designs and he can build you platform that will be virtually indistinguishable from your Tannoy’s. You can see his exquisite work in my virtual system.

Great to hear you are enjoying VAC phono and Ortofon A90 (good find). I’ve heard that Amperex/Hollland 7308 is the holy grail of 6922’s. Also the good NOS ones are very rare to find and expensive. I am taking it easy with my analog setup. It’s a slippery slope when it comes to carts and phonostages :-)

Enjoy!

lalitk March 22, 2021 23:55

Owner

@lalitk

Yeah, lots of Tannoy fans seem to love the Gaia's. I see them (reasonably) often now on the Tannoy Facebook groups. Some impressions seem to indicate this can make a big improvement. I'm really tempted. Just wondering whether I can affect the same degree of tilt as in my current setup, or use them on top of the same HRS spacers without having them sliding around during loud listening - I had that problem with the SuperTweeters and had to resort to mild adhesive strips LOL.

I bought a pristine low-hours Ortofon A90 on a whim, mounted up on my Phantom Supreme. I gotta say, I'm loving it so far! It displays none of the issues/complaints I had with Jubilee MC or Windfeld MC in the past (to be fair those were a LOT of system & source upgrades ago). Sounds almost closer to a supercharged Cadenza Bronze. Both very detailed and very musical.

Also the VAC Master just keeps getting better with tube rolling. The Philips/Holland E88CC were awesome, but now the Amperex/Hollad 7308 raised the bar even further. I was pretty happy even with the Electro Harmonix 6922! Now I'm simply ecstatic about the Master.

mulveling March 22, 2021 23:19

@mulveling

I chuckled at hockey pucks comment :-) I have been thinking about redoing my flooring to all wood and GAIA’s are on top of list to try for my Tannoy’s.

lalitk March 22, 2021 21:26

Owner

Thank you sir! The feet are a combination of the stock Tannoy cones & brass cups, plus black solid aluminum HRS "spacers" from their nimbus feet. I have a thinner spacer on the 3rd back spike to cause the speakers to slightly tilt upwards so that the dual-concentric horn tweeter is aimed perfectly at my listening position. I'll look into the ISO Acoustics Gaias that people seem to love.

But also I have 3 CMS Black Platinum shelves & spike sets on the way to properly support my amps & the Niagara power conditioner. No more hockey pucks!

mulveling March 22, 2021 03:03

You get a Triple Bam on your setup. Without actually listening to it, she's beautiful! Excellent job sir. What feet are under the Tannoy? AT616 perhaps?

knollbrent March 20, 2021 20:10

Owner

NEW PREAMP INBOUND: VAC Master. I have a loaner unit here now (see 2nd pic). I've actually borrowed this same unit last year, and it didn't blow me away. I just had to give it a 2nd try with how much I've loved the Renaissance SE phono and 200iQ amps, and how much everyone raves about this Master.

So I think I've figured out the culprit was the Amperex 8416 (USA - 1980s?) tubes in this particular loaner. Switched over to simple Electro Harmonix 6922 (stock tubes in the Renaissance V), and WOW. Big, beautiful, rich sound. Either those 8416 were worn and tired, or I just don't like the tube.

Now I've also got a pair of 1960s Amperex Holland 7308 tubes on the way since I know from past experience those are amazing and should beat the EH in detail while retaining all sweetness.

The ARC Reference 6 was really an amazing preamp and reliable partner for 4 years. Superbly balanced and musical from top to bottom. Awesome for rock and heavy metal, too. It's just slightly *slightly* dry in the midrange compared to VAC. Almost like the little bit of transistors in the circuit path are making their presence known. Anyways, I still fear that I might feel a tinge of regret selling the Ref 6, but the VAC Master has really won me over and long-term relationships with VAC gear is a good place to be as an audiophile!

mulveling March 09, 2021 18:17

Tannoy! Yes! Also big fan. Nothing like them.

zufan December 23, 2020 03:08

Mulveling...I installed some Isoacoutic Gaia footers on my Canterbury GR and the results were amazing. Speakers now sound like the weigh 1000lbs. Beautiful setup you have.

bullot February 17, 2020 12:40

Now you're talking. Never have been a Rogue fan myself having owned a Cronus Magnum years ago. I realize this is way down the chain from what you had but I couldn't help thinking you could do better w/your great setup. I heard the VAC amps at a show in Fla where I live and where VAC is built. Kevin is a brilliant designer, a genuine nice guy and invited me to visit the factory years ago which I hope to do someday. Huge congrats and enjoy!

pehare November 27, 2019 19:36

Good choice.

I owned a lot of Arms, but the FR-64s is a class on its own. Specially with Koetsu Stone Bodies. It shows a pysical presence in the soundstage no other Arm can show ...

Did own the Koetsu SUT but I gave it away quickly. Average, overrated ... maybe it is a kind of sound religion, but when looking for details, holographic body and speed .. it did not survive in my System

syntax November 27, 2019 16:05

Mulveling,,

A big congratulations on your new amps. They are a sizeable investment in your system, but your Canterbury's deserve nothing less.

I guess I don't really need to say "enjoy", as I know you will.

Best regards,

Dan

islandmandan November 26, 2019 22:38

Owner

NEW AMPS inbound. VAC Signature 200iQ monoblocks. I've been auditioning a loaner pair for 2 weeks. I wouldn't say they're quite "night & day" better than the Apollo Darks - but there are several key areas they improve on and/or clean up compared to the Rogues, which adds up to a very significant cumulative effect.

Mids are more organic and beautiful (less dry). Imaging is much more 3D, soundstage is bigger, with stage depth quite notably increased. The top end is super clean and has removed a tinge of glare and harshness that had been a bit too forward on average recordings - without reducing perceived detail (actually increasing perceived detail since it's a more pleasant listen). The dynamics and bottom end are subjectively more powerful and exhilarating, despite actually having less Wattage power (200 vs 275+). The net result is a better connection to the music, with delineation of layers and details increased in a way that serves musical enjoyment, rather than leading down the path of analysis or boredom (not that I felt this about the system before).

And I haven't even rolled the 200iQ's 6SN7 tubes yet. I rolled the hell out of the Apollo's small tubes, and felt I had improved its performance significantly over stock.

The Apollos were great amps for me, almost 10 years now (my first pair being the original version, followed by the "Dark" version 2 years ago), but I think it was finally time to move on and match the rest of the system which has changed quite a lot in that same time period. Like the VAC Reference SE phono, these 200iQ's are a piece that instantly felt "right" when plopped into my Canterbury GR system.

Still using the Audio research REF 6 as my preamp. I recommend getting an audition of the 200iQ amps if you're able!

mulveling November 26, 2019 19:01

Owner

Wow thanks for your comments pdreher, it means a lot to me!

As for the Tannoys - I was relatively new to high end audio in early 2000s when I heard Tannoy for the first time, and they blew my mind (even though just the modest Eyris DC3 model). Coming from high-end headphones, I missed the coherence of a single driver that the Tannoy dual-concentric point source driver uniquely and fully delivered - this was at a time when I feel many other speaker options failed badly at this. Now of course, things have moved on and many of the modern high end speakers I hear today have excellent coherence and integration, even with separate drivers. However, it's hard to separate from first love so I'm still sticking with Tannoy for the long haul. And yes, the efficiency is a huge advantage. An honest 96 dB per Watt here! Tannoy hasn't remained static either, as I enjoy the GR series Canterbury a lot more than the prior SE series.

Tannoy looks to be doing OK under the new ownership, though there was worry for a while that they'd either eliminate the Prestige series or move its production to China. Seems to have stabilized, and Kevin Deal (from Upscale Audio) just recently picked up distributorship for Tannoy, so I think (and hope) he sells a boatload of them!

mulveling September 27, 2019 21:47

You have one of the most visually appealing systems I've seen posted. I think it's a combination of aesthetics of the gear you've selected and your excellent photography skills. I really like the look of your turntable, cartridges and the headphone amp. I've never heard Tannoy speakers, but love the vintage look and value their high efficiency.

pdreher September 27, 2019 18:36

Owner

Koetsu Blue Lace with Diamond Cantilever is the BOMB. Unambiguously the best cartridge I've ever heard. The diamond cantilever raises detail, speed and dynamics of Koetsu to a next level, without pulling it towards analytical. In fact, this change actually allows MORE of the famous Koetsu musicality to pour through the speakers. Added in March of this year. Mounted on the FR64S (this arm is now clearly superior to the Graham Phantom Supreme for Koetsus). I've also switched my SUT to the Choir Audio unit based on Hashimoto HM-7. My EAR MC-3 and Koetsu SUT (pictured here atop the VAC) also sound great with the Blue Lace, but the Hashimoto sounds HUGE with lifelike dynamics. Another change is rolling tubes in the VAC phono: 1 pair Mazda 12ax7 chrome plates (my favorite), 1 pair RCA black plates 12ax7, 1 pair Mullard reissue 12ax7 - this results in a tonal balance similar to the stock tubes, but with enhanced detail, 3D imaging, and bass impact. If it weren't for my need to closely track the stock tonal balance (because that works well with my system), I'd have all 6 Mazda chromes in there - and the Mullard pair is there because it's warm enough to counter the Mazda's top end (otherwise, it's a serviceable but not stellar tube). Stock tubes were VAC's selected PentaLabs (Chinese) 12ax7. The latest system pic shows a Rogue RP-9 preamp on the bottom rack shelf, but I still use the ARC REF 6 as my primary preamp. I'm also back to the Shelter Harmony on a Clearaudio Universal 12" for my 2nd arm, which I try to mix in to save hours on Koetsu - I haven't been very successful at this, however! As good as the Harmony/Universal combo is (for a while I was going back & forth between this and the non-Diamond Koetsu stone bodies), the Blue Lace just takes everything to another level.

Absolute sonic heaven with any halfway decent record!!

mulveling September 27, 2019 18:09

Owner

Thanks for the tube recs, guys. It's been some years, and I've optimized and changed everywhere else, so the tube blend could use a revisit. Sylvania TM BP 5751 are certainly one of those variants I should've tried by now. The 1960s Slyvania 5751 gray plates are just awful, but given my experience with Sylvania 12BH7 I know that the 1950s BPs can sound a world away from the terrible 60s GPs.

For several weeks now I've settled in with the Koetsu Coralstone mounted & dialed-in on the Fidelity Research FR64S tonearm. This is without question the finest vinyl reproduction I've ever had, by some margin. The pairing is legendary for good reason. Since I've switched from the Graham Phantom II Supreme, I've been appreciating the 64S's difference even more with time. The Koetsu sounds much more robust, dynamic, impactful, and vivid on the 64S. It wasn't bad on the Graham, but in retrospect too polite and laid back. Imaging is also notably more 3D and holographic on the 64S. I'll be posting the Graham up for sale. I've also switched the Shelter Harmony from Clearaudio Universal 12" to a Fidelity Research FR64fx. Still evaluating this arm swap. It sounds excellent, but the performance gap to the 64S / Coralstone is readily apparent - the latter is just far too good compared to anything else I've ever heard. It feels much more believable as a performance rather than just a recording reproduction!

Almost forgot to mention I switched from the Bob's Devices Sky 40 to an E.A.R. MC-3 step-up for the Koetsu. That was also a significant move in the right direction! Very sweet sounding. The arm & SUT changes have effected such a large leap in performance; I feel kinda stupid for letting things be so held back for so long!

I now have a Blue Lace with diamond cantilever on the way, and I'm eager to see if this can exceed the boron Coralstone on 64S.

mulveling January 27, 2019 23:49

Nice system but before you settle on Mazda 12AX7s as nirvana (yes, they are very good); try NOS late '50s Sylvania Triple Mica 5751 black plates in the input positions of your amp; especially with Tannoys. The Sylvanias (better than any 12AX7 I've tried including Mazda silver plates, Telefunken, Bugle Boy, & Philips Miniwatt among others) will add the upper midrange detail that the Mazdas lack, while providing treble sparkle of the Mazdas but with more bass. I too tried the RCA 5751 triple micas and they did not compare. Google Joe's Tube Lore for details; that's where I initially learned of them (I would have never considered trying Sylvania). BTW, my system: David Berning ZOTL amp, Joule Electra LA-300ME, Avantgarde Duo Grossos, etc; extremely revealing.

db2sub1 January 26, 2019 16:07

Lovely set-up. I'm curious to revisit the Mazda chrome plates. I had some back in the day but thought they sounded, er, very silvery and colorless. I do prefer a neutral (non-Mullard) sound. I'm using Shuguang Black Treasure 12AX7 and find them excellent. http://psvanetube.com/wordpress/store/products/shuguang-custom-12ax7-lx-special-edition-pair-low-noise-triple-mica/

If you can find one, the black plate Brimar CV5042 is an insanely good replacement for the 12BH7A.

noromance January 24, 2019 14:04

Showing 51 - 75 of 147 posts

Description

Room Details

Components Toggle details

Tannoy Canterbury GR

VAC Master 300 Musicblocs

VAC Master

VAC Signature 200iQ

VAC Renaissance Phono SE

Clearaudio Master Innovation

Critical Mass Systems MAXXUM

Audio Research REF 6

Koetsu Coralstone Diamond

Koetsu Onyx Platinum

Koetsu Jade Platinum

Ortofon MC A90

Rogue Audio Apollo Dark

Bob's Devices Sky 40

AudioQuest Niagara 7000

Rogue Audio Ares Magnum

Rogue Audio Hera II

Clearaudio Innovation Wood

Graham Engineering Phantom Supreme

Head-amp Blue Hawaii SE (BHSE)

Stax SR-009

Stax L700

Audioquest (All analog cabling)

Sonic Frontiers Phono 1 SE+

Phison Audio A2.120SE

Phison A2.120 SE

Comments 147

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