mulveling Posted July 27, 2007 Report Posted July 27, 2007 Sold my Legacy Signature III's last week and so was without floorstanding speakers for a total of, oh...3 hours before I hopped on audiogon and dealt a perilous blow to my unwitting Visa Now my speaker ownership history looks like this (* indicates previous favorites): Ascend Acoustics 340, 170 Polk LSi 15, 9 *Tyler Acoustics Taylo Reference Monitors *Tannoy Eyris DC3 Tyler Linbrook Signature Monitors *Legacy Signature III Tannoy Dimension TD10 <-- new So yesterday my new Tannoy Dimension TD10's arrived. They are very "interesting" looking - I love 'em I'll try to get some pics up soon. I really should get them in a bigger room than the one they're in, but I've had enough experience with other speakers in this room to make somewhat valid sonic judgements so far. The Tannoy Eyris DC3 I previously owned is positioned (significantly) under the Dimensions in the Tannoy line. I loved the Eyris - sweet, coherent sound that was incredibly well integrated from top to bottom. Great tone, slightly warm mids, and the sound didn't get messy when the music got fast and furious (great PRaT). Superb imaging and soundstage were also its hallmark. The Legacy Sig III's definitely killed the Eyris in bass slam and edged 'em out in transient response. Too bad the Sig III's were damn near impossible to satisfy in terms of amplification and room. Often something seemed slightly off, like the transitions between drivers wasn't exactly perfect. I probably heard them at their "best" a few times and something felt "off" every other time. When they're off the imaging is pretty bad and easily localized to the big boxes themselves. At their best, it's pretty good. Under ideal conditions I'd definitely rate the Sig III above the Eyris DC3 and Taylo monitors, but they never sounded great out of anything less than the Parasound Halo A21 or JC-1 amps (oddly, they sounded quite horrendous out of a 1200W/ch Sunfire). The Tyler Acoustic Taylo monitors had the cleanest, snappiest mids of all 3, and imaging/soundstage was up with (if not slightly better than) the Eyris. Unfortunately, being monitors, they had no bass extension or impact to speak of. These new TD10's seem to take the basic Eyris DC3 sounds, improve upon it noticeably in all areas (especially transient response) and add in serious bass slam without weakening the top-to-bottom integration. The TD10's look to be the undisputed best of the lot, as well they should be given the retail price of $8K. Looking forward to giving them a real workout in the coming weeks. I've got some VAC Auricle tube monos on the way that I plan to run them off of - I've got a nagging feeling they'll pair better with tubes than the high-powered sand of these JC-1 monos (plus I'm sick of lugging the 150lbs JC-1s every time I change rooms/setup). I've also heard the $1K/pr Tannoy Sensys DC1 monitors at the local hifi shop, and they're just killer for the price, IMO (can get them for like $640 online). I'm becoming a big fan of the Tannoy dual-concentric speakers.
mulveling Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Posted July 28, 2007 In the pics above, note how these are not like the average bear: * trapezoidal cabinet design * note the twin-roll fabric surround on the main driver, in contrast to the ubiquitous rubber surrounds * the main driver is a 10" dual-concentric with the tweeter horn-loaded into the throat of the woofer (the thing on the top is a super tweeter that only handles signal above 16kHz). All 3 drivers are positionally time-aligned. * super tweeter thingy on top is carved out of solid metal block * black velvet covering much of the front surface - this also helps damp reflections from the super tweeter
JBLoudG20 Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 * the main driver is a 10" dual-concentric with the tweeter horn-loaded into the throat of the woofer (the thing on the top is a super tweeter that only handles signal above 16kHz). All 3 drivers are positionally time-aligned. Kef started this trend. Very nice rig!
TheSloth Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 Kef started this trend. Very nice rig! Though, I've never heard a UNI-Q array (kef) that sounded quite right to me. First speakers I had were Q15's, then Q35's - then went to the best concentric arrangement of them all, current gen QUAD's (IMO, IIRC etc. blah. fish.). Maybe the current gen, but they always had to sacrifice a bit of tonal balance for the concentric arrangement (the outer driver acts as something of an odd horn for the inner driver, making tonal balance a bitch to get right with such designs). Nice idea if you can master it though. Oh, and mulveling, what did you think of your Ascend acoustics stuff? The Sierra 1 looks like an impressive speaker. Are those GIK panels in the corners?
Iron_Dreamer Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 So it's the Eyris DC3 on steroids, eh? Where do I sign up?
mulveling Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Posted July 28, 2007 Kef started this trend. Very nice rig! Ah, but Kef was founded in 1961. From what I've heard, Tannoy started manufacturing dual-concentric drivers in 1947 http://www.44bx.com/tannoy/
mulveling Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Posted July 28, 2007 So it's the Eyris DC3 on steroids, eh? Where do I sign up? Heh, Eyris DC3 on steroids - that's actually an excellent way of describing the sound! Yeah, I always liked those Eyris - incredibly musical. Missed them dearly once I sold 'em. I signed up on audiogon since the retail price of $8K/pr is too hard to handle $4.5K shipped for the TD10's with the TDC center. That center weight almost 75 lbs, btw, and features 3 8" drivers (one of them dual concentric) plus a super tweeter - what a beast! Don't know what I'm going to do with the center yet - I figure I could sell it for at least $1800, making the deal on the TD10's alone quite a bargain IMO.
tkam Posted July 28, 2007 Report Posted July 28, 2007 Congrats on the new speakers Mike they look great!
mulveling Posted July 28, 2007 Author Report Posted July 28, 2007 Thanks guys! I've been lusting for the Dimensions for quite some time now, and finally got a good opportunity right after the sale of my Legacy Sig III. Can't wait for the VAC tube amps to get back from the factory with upgrades Check out the stock connectors on the binding post panel (bill is for size reference): Those fat pink-ish cables are the STOCK jumpers - "Van Den Hul MC The Wind Mk I Hybrid Halogen" is what they've got printed on them, whatever the hell that means. Looks to be 11 gauge. Jumper terminations are WBT "Pure Copper" and the binding posts are also WBT. By far the highest quality stock connections I've seen yet.
Dusty Chalk Posted July 29, 2007 Report Posted July 29, 2007 Looks good. I like the black room treatments, too. And of course I've heard good things about Tannoys.
Patu Posted July 29, 2007 Report Posted July 29, 2007 Beautiful setup you have there. Those super tweeters look actually very good on TD10, unlike they do on the cheapest models (on which they're made of some kind of plastic I guess).
n_maher Posted July 29, 2007 Report Posted July 29, 2007 I find myself at a lack of words to describe that rig. Damn, just... damn.
purk Posted July 29, 2007 Report Posted July 29, 2007 Looking good Mike. Nice looking foamie in the back too. I really need to visit you and check out your new speaker.
Augsburger Posted October 24, 2007 Report Posted October 24, 2007 Daaaaammmmnnnnn! Damn nice and I bet Visa sends their love too.
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