Thank you. First choice would be a tube amplifier in the range of $5 to $6K. Sorry it would be an international call and will cost you. Thanks again, bj
Thank you for posting. I only check this thread every few months! That sounds like a very nice speaker, two questions, do you prefer tubes or SS? What is your budget range? Right now I am using my Prima Luna Prologue 5 with 6550 tubes, good power with very good detail. Are you in the US or Canada? If you give me your phone number I would be happy to call you. Doug Reid Omaha, NE
Hi, I could buy the Limited Edition of Tannoy Turnberry GR speakers released recently. It is similar to Kensington with Alnico magnets and Pepper port design. Now I am looking for an amplifier for it. Any suggestions.
Douger, it's great to see you're still enjoying your Tannoys. My 300B amp sounded so good, I splurged on some EML 300B XLS tubes, wow, was it worth it!
I've sold my much-loved VAC PA 35.35, and bought a Pass Labs First Watt M2, a perfect match with the Tannoys. Nelson told me the M2 was designed and voiced with 15" Tannoys, not sure which variety, but a great match.
It allows me good listening for those times when I watch tv, and also saves hours on the tubes in the SET 300B.
Hi, thanks for the compliment! I am still very happy with the Zen Torii MK3, and do not take back any praise. That said, in 2012 I ordered an Odyssey Stratos SS amp just in case tubes became prohibitively expensive, and Klaus assured me he could bias the Stratos similarly to tubes. The caution was that it would take 6 months to break in the caps and until that time it would sound quite harsh... It did, but 6 months later it did indeed settle down and now I use it for convenience and a little stronger treble. I have acquired new tubes for the Torii and will update it within a week or so when I will have time to listen extensively. I will update again...
Hi Dan, Congratulations on the 300B's! I live in Omaha, NE, but was born in Twin Falls, ID so feel great kinship with the Northwest. One of my favorite things on my Lottery List is traveling a lot, including up there! Enjoy the music!
I finally managed to round up an Assemblage Audio SET 300B, which I had new caps and resistors factory-installed. Some Chinese Mesh-Plate 300B's from Upscale Audio made quite an improvement over the EH output tubes.
As you noted with your Bottlehead 300B monos, these 300B powered amps work wonders with Tannoys.
Hi Charles1dad, Sorry to take this long to reply. I use only the speaker cable from Clarity, my digital cable is the least expensive Audioquest, but seems to work well. I need to stick to my budget which is not large. Thank you very much for the compliment, yours is also very nice!
Thanks for the kind words, they are much appreciated. I opted for the Hard Edge conversion for one, never having to worry about refoaming them, two, I'd read good things about the conversion, and my aim was for going all out for the best sound possible, which I have done, without spending crazy money on Dueland capacitors and such. You have no such worries with your Golds, and as I recall, even before the new cones/surround and new crossovers were added, the speaker sounded absolutely great, and that was before the VAC came into the system.
So, you aren't missing out on much with what you have, that's for sure. I still would like to hear the Tannoys with 300B's driving them. I'll have to take stock, and see what I can sell, so I can get a Decware Torii III.
Hi Dan, thank you for posting. I have actually read about your system for a couple of years but haven't posted, I am a pathetic typist... Your system is lovely and almost inspired me to seek a HE conversion for my 12" Monitor Golds, but I love how the Canterburys load my room perfectly. My Bottlehead 300B Paramounts are in the $2000 neighborhood factory assembled. Your VAC's cannot be slouches at all... When I put el34's in my PL Prologue 5 it was also quite good. The Torii simply offers better detail and depth at a very attractive price.
I enjoyed reading your thread, as I have some old 12" HPD that I've reconed with Hard Edge surrounds (as in the current Prestige drivers), crossovers custom built, as are the 150 liter bass-reflex enclosures.
I have long wanted to try 300B-tubed amps, but they are usually out of my price range, so I've been making do with an old factory-upgraded VAC PA 35.35 (EL 34 output tubes). I will have to look into Decware's Zen Torii III.
I was able to drive the HPD's with a Sophia Baby (10Wpc) to a relatively repectable listening level, but the woofers need more current to make them really go to work, so I acquired the VAC here on AG. It's been very satisfying, but I sure would like to hear the 300B tube magic with them!
Very nice system, even though we old guys (I'm sixty-five) don't have the best hearing any longer, the music is still very enjoyable!
My Torii has been in the system for 10 days and sounds like it is pretty well run in, so I stretched its legs tonight... Trans-Siberian Orchestra "Night Castles" is a 2-disc CD set that has wide dynamic range and simple to complex music. I averaged 100dB tonight, and it was magical... Anyone who has read 'Meta-Gizmo' by Harvey Rosenberg may recall how he explains that tube amps are best when stoutly choked and using tubed rectification. Steve Deckert has incorporated these in the Zen Torii Mk III. There are many very good amps that will certainly do a great job as well, but the Torii is right at $3000... I am driving the amp directly from my CD player and DAC, and I use my preamp for phono, through the tapeouts.
Hi again, Audiogon system will not let me add my new Decware Torii MkIII amp, but I set it up 3 hours ago... Please read about it on Decware's site. The claims are not timid! Everything I have read and now hear bear it out. Mine has about 30 hours on it and already sounds very captivating! Depth, delicacy, power, clarity and control! 4 month waiting time but well worth it... slightly under $3000!
Congratulations, Dilly! I was going to repost after listening to my 300B's again, they do rock... Read the review by Doug Schroeder on Dagogo about the Clarity Cables, and contact Melissa about pricing. Enjoy your Canterbury's!
Thanks Douger. I don't listen at very high levels (neighbors) & did manage to try a 300B amp on the Caterburys. They sounded amazing! My friend who used 100W tubes were surprised at the control the 7 watts displayed. Short version, I am now a proud owner of Canterburys!! I will research more on the CC cables. Certainly feel privileged to own these speakers, of course you would already know this. Thanks again & happy listening!
Hi Dilly For most music the 300B's are quite adequate and sound great. I enjoy most types of music, and only when it is very complex, such as Beethoven's Ninth, I can find myself wanting a little more power. I am 63 years old and my hearing is not as sharp as it was before all the rock n roll, and I still love the 'wow' factor of high volume. Clarity Cables speaker cable unlocked the fuller bass that I was not getting with 8TC cable, though I did not know that before I got the CC.
If you get Canterbury's new, realize that they will require 20 to 100 hours to break in. After that you will probably be very happy.
You got a lovely system! I too am a SET + Single driver ( Mauhorns) fan. I am considering getting the Canterburys but am concerned about the power of my amps. I own Cary 300B monos with around 10W. Is the 8watts of your amps sufficient for the Caterburys? Appreciate your views pls. Thanks
Please pardon me for taking this long to respond. Congratulations on purchasing your Canterburys! Interesting that you mention 'if I had to be selective', as I have been leveraging my system to see me out...(I'm 63) I do need to be selective, and I end up using the PL Prologue 5 all the time, best combination of power and clarity (36 wpc, no neg fb). My AVA tubed pre is 12ax7 based, and I love and respect it very much. I only consider other preamps in case I would need to replace this. I would likely look to Van Alstine again... Frank has great ears for music.
If your budget allows there are more paths that would beckon, and I love my 300b's until the music gets very powerful and complex, as Beethoven's Ninth. The Clarity cables do take those 8 1/2 wpc very close.
My possible last step is the Decware Zen Torii III that I have on order, will hit by early May, and I'll let you know.
About six months ago I joined the Tannoy camp with a pair of the Canterbury speakers. I was able to listen to the Yorkminsters and the Westminsters before deciding on the Canterbury and I couldn't be happier. I've had everything from original Quads to Avantgardes and these Tannoys just do it for me.
You have quite a collection of amps, pre-amps, etc. What combination of gear would you choose to stick with if you had to be selective?
