I finished up my article on my new Tannoy Westminster Royal Special Edition loudspeakers and submitted it to Ye Olde Editors Dave and David at Positive Feedback Online, so it should be going live before long (I’ll update with a link when it goes live). I love these speakers!
Jeff, Reviewed your site and its great, can you give me the dimensions of your room for the Tannoys please. Thinking of getting a pair.Thanks Zi
Thanks for the kind words, Zi, very much appreciated. I’m on the road at the moment, but as soon as I get home I’ll measure my room and post the information for you.
Hi Zi,
My room dimensions are:
Length 27 feet 6 inches
Width 20 feet 4 inches
Height is variable from 9 feet to 20 feet or thereabout.
I hope that helps,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I’ve been trying to find a dealer or enthusiast with a pair of Westminsters Royals to audition in order to decide on them vs. some other brands. I don’t have any experience with horns since my JBL days back in the 70′s
Hi Redell,
What part of the world are you located in?
Best,
Jeff
Additionally, I’m in the Washington, DC area
Hi Redell,
I was going to say to come by and give mine a listen, but I’m in Washington State, about as far from D.C. as you can get while staying on the same continent.
The next best thing to do is to contact Darrin Kavanagh (Tannoy representative for the Americas). You can reach Darrin by e-mail at darrink@tcg-americas.com . Darrin should be able to tell you where the closest pair of Westminsters are to you.
Kind regards,
Jeff
Jeff,
I will contact Darrin.
I have another concern: Why do I get such a negative response from dealers when I ask about horn speakers? I was very disappointed by the rep of a very well known east coast dealer who acted as if I had used profanity by asking about Westminsters. He was pushing Wilsons. He retorted that “how could I think that 50 yr old technology could compare to Wilsons? I had auditioned Watt Puppys yrs ago and ended up buying TDL Reference Standards. So I’m familiar with the Wilson sound. I’m looking for my “lifetime” speakers.
Hey Redell,
I think dealers are more interested in promoting what they carry, and most of them have never heard Westminsters, particularly the newest Special Edition versions.
While the Tannoy Westminster may visually look like a vintage horn design, it is not. Rather, the Westminster Project was initiated at the request of Tannoy’s longstanding Japanese distributors, TEAC Esoteric, to serve as a noteworthy successor to the famous Autograph corner horn that was designed by Ronald Rackham so many years ago. Alex Garner, the Technical Director at Tannoy at the time of TEAC Esoteric’s request, did the acoustic development for the first version of the Westminster (those colorful reports that they are a long lost and born again design of Guy R. Fountain are merely a bit of delightful fiction).
In 1987 Dr. Paul Mills joined Tannoy as a Senior Design Engineer (and is now Director of Research and Engineering), and helped Alex Garner, then the Technical Director of Tannoy, put the finishing touches to the Westminster Royal, the successor to the original Westminster, which was launched that year. Dr. Mills then took over development of the Westminster Project and has continued to develop the concept to make the Westminster Royal Special Edition what it is today – a modern and ultra high-performance horn loaded loudspeaker.
My review of the Westminster Royal SEs will be up in the new edition of Positive Feedback Online in a couple of days, so check it out if you get a chance.
Best,
Jeff
Jeff,
Thanks for the great insights into the development of the Westminsters in their current form. The progressive evolution of a technically and physically sound engineered speaker system though 50 yrs old is still valid if it sounds good.
I guess my other questions about imaging, bass extention, and resolution will be answered in your upcoming review. I’m greatly looking forward to it.
regards,
Redell
Hi Jeff,
Darrin informed me that there are no dealers in the US demo’g Westminsters . Wow that is shocking ! One of the most prestigious and historically great speakers in the world is not available in this great nation. Maybe theres a business opportunity here?
Jeff
Darrin informed me that there are no dealers in the US demo’g Westminsters. That was a shock . One of the most prestigious speakers in history is not available in this whole country? Maybe there is a valid business opportunity here? Is there just too little market here?
Hi Redell,
I suspect that because of the tough economic times many dealers cannot afford to put a pair on the floor, which is really too bad.
Best,
Jeff
Jeff,
Many dealers in the US display far more expensive speakers than the Westminsters. I suspect it is the dreaded horn prejudice linked with Tannoy’s lack of commitment to this market. There is so little information available to most of we audio buffs who are evolving in our quest of audio nirvana. However I do applaud Tannoy’s dedication to the Westiminsters by keeping them in production. And the ardent expositor who wrote so ardently about them Harvey Rosenberg. Else I would not know they existed. Hopefully you will keep the knowledge amongst the cognescti.
Hey Redell,
I do think Tannoy is committed to the American market, as they maintain a dedicated operations center in the Americas – TC Group Americas – as opposed to just utilizing an importer, which they could easily do.
I suspect the reason that the Westminster is not more well known here in the States is that it was developed as a Japanese market product in concert with TEAC-Esoteric, to appeal to the Hi-Fi enthusiasts there who are generally more sophisticated and discerning in their tastes than the typical American audiophile, and the production of Westminsters is pretty much sold out to them. So to promote it outside of its intended market would only result in problems for them in meeting the demand for what is essentially a hand-crafted low volume product. So they don’t, as the product is already a complete success for its intended purpose.
Given that the Westminster is a hand-crafted, small volume product, I think Tannoy is to be applauded for making it available to enthusiasts at all, anywhere, as it certainly isn’t a profit center for them. While it is an expensive product at $35K USD, after living with it I find it remarkable that Tannoy can even sell it at that low of a price considering the level of quality, performance, and hand labor involved. I suspect that is part of the benefit of being a large multi-national corporation which can absorb costs across a large financial base.
In general, when you look at the products that many American audiophiles like to buy, they tend to want modestly sensitive multi-driver loudspeakers that excel in reproducing the whiz-bang non-musical sound aspects of recordings at the expense of the musical performance (soundstaging, imaging, extreme detail recovery, and the like, versus the elements that make up music itself like timbre, tempo, rhythm, melody, and the like). Most audiophiles in America simply do not ‘get’ a speaker like the Westminster, which is designed to play music supremely well, rather than just merely reproduce impressive ‘sound’ as is the custom of many American audiophiles (although it does that well too).
You know what? That’s ok by me. I’m just really thankful that Tannoy makes these speakers at all, and that they were willing to allow me to purchase them given they are not even made for this market. I must say, Tannoy has been a complete delight to interact with, something that I don’t see often in my interactions with Hi-Fi companies, so it has been an altogether refreshing experience.
Ah yes, Dr. Rosenberg. Now there was a man who really understood what reproducing music through a Hi-Fi system was all about. I wish he were still around so he could experience the latest version of the Westminster Royals, the Special Editions, as I think he’d be ecstatic about their musical prowess.
Anyways, time for me to get back to the music.
I wish you well in your musical explorations, Redell, may they all turn out well for you.
Kind regards,
Jeff
Jeff,
What a great article. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I really like the way that you described the Westminsters playing familiar selections of music. Joe Henderson and I are from the same hometown and my best friend’s father(Joe Henderson too) were first cousins. Mr Henderson owned a record store-the Bronze Boutique along with another cousin and helped to introduce me to Jazz when I was about 11 or 12. He would not sell me 45′s until I had listened to one of his favorite jazz cuts, which also included musical biography lesson. Pretty soon he had me buying LP’s and sent me off on my own jazz quest. By the time I was 18 I had about 300 albums. So much for my memory lane brain fart.
I still want to hear the Westminsters for myself. Hopefully it won’t have to be in my home first – sight unseen.
regards,
Redell
Hey Redell,
Thanks for the kind words – appreciated.
That’s a really cool recollection about the Bronze Boutique, the link to Joe Henderson, and jazz – many thanks for taking time to share it.
Your recollection reminded me of when I was a youngster – it must have been first or second grade – while living in Portland, Oregon. My mother Jaine, a jazz fan, took me to see Louis Armstrong at an outdoor venue. I remember him up on the bandstand playing and singing, and I think that is the moment my love for jazz ignited.
Have a terrific Sunday!
Kind regards,
Jeff
Jeff,
Wow!!!!!!!!! Now that was an experience. The greatest Jazzman of all time live in the flesh.
Redell
Hey Redell,
If you ever get over Washington State way you’ve got to stop in and listen to some jazz on the Westminsters with me!
Best,
Jeff
Jeff,
I do apprecieate the invitation. I have a business relationship with an investment banking firm in Seattle and a close first cousin that I owe a visit so I will be in the state some day soon.
Have you ever listened to Fanfare For the Common Man -Atlanta Symphony-Telarc version ? If so, how does the opening sequence sound on the Westminsters? Another cut is For Duke-M&K version I think- Tuba seqence on Earl “fatha” HInes cut?
thanks,
Redell
Jeff,
That CD is the one by Bill Berry and it includes Honor thy Fatha. It’s the Re-Mastered Gold CD version. Birdland cut.
Redell
I’ve got that exact CD, I’ll give it a listen and let you know what happens.
Best,
Jeff
Hey Redell,
I don’t have that version of Fanfare, but I’ve got For Duke on CD – I’ll give it a listen and report back. When you get ready to come out Seattle way e-mail me at jeffday777@gmail.com and I’ll let you know the particulars of how to find your way to where I’m at. It’s a bit of a drive from Seattle, but I think you’d enjoy it.
Best,
Jeff
Congratulations with these outstanding loudspeakers (both sonically and design) !
I have had a single long listening session to the Westminster’s at a studio, and was deeply impressed… So impressed that I am considering buying a pair (not this year, though).
Do you know their side-width dimension when the packing is included ? (or a ca. number)
My room is 4.5m times (in the length the speakers would have been placed) 4 meters, but has a half-open kitchen solution with an additional approximate of 20 squaremeters.
Sketch of the room:
4.5 m
——————————————–!
! !
! !
! 4 m !
! !
! 2.5 m !
———————! ———–
! !
! !
! ca 20 m*m !
! PC !
——————————————————-
Breaking the 2.5 m wall is not an option.
Do you think the room is too small for the Westminsters ?
When I listen to music, I sit at along the 2.5 m wall or by the PC.
Best regards,
Mr_Zeropage
I think I understand your room diagram, so not counting the partial wall dissecting it, the distance from the wall that the speakers would be on to the wall where the PC is located is somewhere around 8 meters? And the wall that the speakers would be on is about 4.5 meters?
It could work, but I think it’d be tricky because of the short wall dissecting the space. For example, outside edge to outside edge is approximately 4 meters on my speakers, and they sit out about a meter away from the wall behind them, and a couple of meters from the side walls. My listening position is about 4 meters back from the front of the speakers, and there is about 4-5 meters of open space behind my listening position. It’s a tough call whether the Westminsters would work well or not in your room, and I hesitate to recommend it because I really just don’t know – sorry about that.
I can answer the question about the shipping crates – each shipping crate is 43 inches wide, by 64 inches high, and 26 inches deep.
I hope you are able to figure out a solution.
Kind regards,
Jeff
Yes. I agree. New speakers (in the Westminsters’ class and size) will not be considered before I have a big living room, unless I simply can’t resist buying them
.
It is respectful of you to hesitate to recommend them in this room (although you love these speakers).
Thanks for the shipping crates information.
Your room looks to be well suited for the Westminsters.
It is a mystery to me that the Westminster’s are not more popular. I guess the reason simply is that so few hi-fi freaks have listened to them.
Post a lot of more pictures of them and your room
This is eye-candy and it is great joy reading your (and the others’ too) words on them.
I think you’re exactly right about the Westminster’s popularity, not many people have had a chance to listen to them. Once one has listened to them it’s hard not to be deeply impressed with them, and after that it’s nearly impossible to put them out of one’s mind.
I’ll be posting some more photos in the near future so you’ll be able to get a better idea of how I have mine positioned, room size, and so forth.
One thing I can say about the Westminsters, is that they have been the easiest speakers to position in my room for getting superb sound out of any of the speakers I’ve had through here. In fact after initially positioning them, I’ve hardly moved them around at all, as they’ve just sounded so good. I’ve never had it so easy on that front.
Best,
Jeff
Tannoy introduces a new flagship speaker: Tannoy Kingdom Royal.
Two pictures of it are found on this page:
http://avforum.no/forum/arrangementer/102317-reportasje-highend-2010-muenchen-3.html
The Tannoy release announcement:
http://www.tannoy.com/news.aspx?id=190
The new flagship speaker’s look is OK, but (in my opinion) by no means as great as the Westminster’s.
By the way, thanks for the extensive article on the Westminster on Positive Feedback.
As you are a owner and fan of the Westminster, I hope your homepage will be a kind of fansite for many Westminster Royal fans in special, and also the other top speakers of Tannoy.
What about also posting other person’s pictures of the Westminsters ?
(I can help you with some pictures, although I unfortunately am not an owner of the speakers: Just send me an e-mail)
Some time ago, there was a tannoy-forum (www.tannoy-forum.com or something like that), but I don’t know any such general forum on Tannoy only But I suppose several other forum’s have sub-forums for Tannoy fans.
Something happened with the right wall of the room, but I hope the sketch is clear.
The PC is placed down in the right corner of the 20 m*m part of the room.
Enjoy your Westminsters.
Hi Jeff,
Great review. Makes me want to go out and sell my car to try and buy them. Well… maybe I’d have to steal a car worth that much first. Do you think I can hook up a motor to them for commuting to work? You said they have casters.
One thing you didn’t talk about in the review is horn coloration. I think it’s something that certain people are more sensitive to than others. Do you find any horn honkyness coming out of these?
By the way, I’m also a recent VPI classic owner. Love the table. I’ve got a Benz low output S on mine and it’s fabulous. Waiting on a new pair of JM Reynaud Bliss Silvers and I can’t wait to hear some vinyl through them. I always thought the Reynaud line would have been a great addition to the “Music Lovers” series. Have you ever heard them?
Take care,
Drew
Hey Drew,
You’re exactly right, I didn’t talk about horn coloration with the West’s. There isn’t any, unlike my previous Avantgarde Duos that honked like a goose. Tannoy did a superb job designing the Westminsters.
Cool on the Classic. I’m really liking mine too, and haven’t listened to digital for a total of 5 minutes since getting it. I’m not dissing digital cuz I like it too, but man, this VPI Classic has just been a blast.
I’ve never heard the JMRs, but I’ve wanted to for years. From what I gather, they excel at the sorts of things I really value in a loudspeaker. Let me know how like your Bliss Silvers after you get some time in on them, I’d be interested in your perceptions.
Cheers,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
have you explored other Tannoys, especially in the Prestige line? The Kensingtons seem to be mentioned quite a bit on the forums, as well as the Churchhills ( I believe that’s what they’re called, Eveanna Manley was said to use a pair at shows). Are the Glenairs in the Prestige line?
Thanks
Charlie
Hi Charlie,
I haven’t heard the Kensingtons, but I’ve listened to the Churchills, and they are very nice but no longer in production. I’m intrigued by the Glenairs (yep Prestige), and Marja and Henk did a nice writeup of them on 6Moons, as did Stereophile (ditto the Churchills). Considering the Glenairs rather affordable price, I’m a little bit tempted to buy a pair for use in one of my other systems.
Best,
Jeff
Great review of the Tannoys – one of those speakers everyone has heard of, but very few have heard (I wonder if your article will increase their distribution in the U.S.?). Did you get a chance to listen to live Grateful Dead on your system? I’m just wondering how they would handle that rhythmic type of bass. Also, how about identifying the three guitars on your home page? Keep up the great work!
Hey Jay,
Thanks for the kind words my friend. The Westminster Royal SEs really are amazing speakers, and I think if more people in North America had a chance to give them a listen their popularity would surge. It’s speculation on my part, but my impression is that Tannoy can barely meet demand in their primary market, Japan, for the Westminster Royal SE, which essentially is a low volume and hand-built specialty product that is a nod to Tannoy’s heritage.
The guitars are, back to front, an Eastman archtop, a Gibson Advanced Jumbo, and a Larrivee parlor. The one I play the most these days isn’t pictured, a Collings short scale OM cutaway, which is really an amazing guitar.
I’ll have to add The Dead to my list of albums to listen to and report back.
Best,
Jeff
Hi Jeff, May I know the optimal or the toe-in that you are currently using for the Westminsters Royal?
Thanks
David
Hi David,
I’m not sure there is an optimum setup for everyone, it really depends on what you’re trying to achieve, the sound of your room, and the sound of your system in general (I refer you to Jim Smith’s excellent book ‘Get Better Sound’ http://www.getbettersound.com/ , which if you don’t have a copy, is a must to help you dial in your system for your room and preferences).
For example, you can use toe-in to adjust tonal balance and imaging. If you position your speakers so they’re pointing directly at you get the best imaging and the deepest sound-stage, but I often find this position to be a little bright and to diminish width of stereo imaging with a lot of speakers. Positioning the speakers straight ahead usually gives the optimum combination of widest & deepest sound-stage, but can compromise high-frequencies somewhat.
With my room, system, speaker positioning, and tastes, I like to run speakers somewhere in between these two extremes. I currently have my speakers angled in towards the listening position so when I’m seated the inside flare of the high-frequency horn appears to be just between the two sets of pepper-pot holes in the horn throat.
I don’t know that this positioning will work well for you, given that you’re running the optional super-tweeters (which I suspect affect optimum position of toe-in for your setup), but you could give it a try and see what you think. It would also be very worthwhile to try various positions in between no toe-in at all and pointed straight at you, until you find the one you like the best.
I hope that is of some help.
Kind regards,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Just an update. I decided to follow the Autograph positions and shifted my Westminsters to the room corner pointing 45 degrees into the room, listening position about 1 metre away from the intersection point of both speakers. Holy @#%&, the sound is totally transformed. The bass now has whack, worthy of the horn loaded 15″ woofer which was missing hitherto. Sound stage broke free of the room boundaries and music seems to be suspended in air. I know its hard to believe because no modern speakers are recommended to be position that way, but somehow it works for the Westminsters. I think fundamentally, the front horn design and folded rear horn did not change from Autograph to Westminsters, the room boundaries seems to extend and reinforce the bass response. Controls are now back to the LEVEL positions. I spent the whole of last night listening to music. In Japan, they say that the Westminsters are God’s gift to music lovers. Could not agree more.
Cheers
David
That’s very interesting, David, and I’m glad it worked for you. Tell me a little more about your room, and how far the speakers are apart.
Best,
Jeff
Hi Jeff
Your new speakers look wonderful in your audio room.
I have had experience with the Tannoy Westminster Royal HE models and loved the way they sounded, very musical speakers.
My good friend John had a pair of the Tannoy WR HE for many years powered by the Kondo Audio Note Ongaku stereo amplifier & Kondo Gaku On mono blocks.
He then changed to a pair of my 300B SET mono blocks which he enjoyed more emotionally with his Tannoy`s.
I am sure your will many years of musical bliss with your new speakers and the Leben amplification.
Thanks Jason.
Hey Jason,
Thanks for the kind words – appreciated. Like your friend John, I have enjoyed the 300B amps I’ve tried with the West’s too, but I keep coming back to the Leben … there’s just something special about the way the combination handles the music.
Best,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I am from India. I have just read your superb review on Westminster!
I am a great Tannoy fan since ages and I am using Westminster Royal HE in Bedroom and have Tannoy System 215 DMT in my brother’s room. We have a home theatre of Tannoy System 1200DMT as LCR and System 800 as surrounds!! In short, we both brothers are Tannoy freaks and I am driving the Tannoy Lovers group name “Prestige” here in my city. And we are almost 30 more Tannoy Freaks in this group!!
We have following Tannoys in our group:
Tannoy Definition D900
Tannoy Definition D500
Tannoy Definition D300
Tannoy Dimension TD12
Tannoy Glenair10
Tannoy Monitor Gold HPD15
Tannoy System 1200
Tannoy System 800
Tannoy Saturn S10
Tannoy Saturn S8
Tannoy Definition Install DC12i
Well, I am glad that after your review, people in USA will see Tannoy as a respected brand! Otherwise I have always found that people in USA (dealers) don’t prefer them!! But trust me they don’t know what they are missing!!
RIP Dr. Harvy Rosenberg!
Cheers man!
Regards,
J
Hi Jignesh,
Greetings from the Pacific Northwest of the US!
That sounds like a terrific assemblage of Tannoy enthusiasts in the ‘Prestige’ group you have formed in India, and I’m with you, Tannoy loudspeakers really are wonderful to listen to music on.
You have some really nice systems.
Thanks for stopping by!
Best,
Jeff
Congratulation on having so beautiful and musical loundspeakers!
I have had for years a pair of tannoy canterbury SE to go with BAT VK 55SE (with 6c33c, 6sn7, 6h30 tubes).
share with your the happiness of having fine music through so glorious loundspeaker.
there is a tannoy fan group within yahoo. if registered, you can have a hundred of email from tannoy fan for both vintage and new loundspeakers.
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/tannoy/
Regards,
Thanhvu
I am very curious about the diffrence between HE and SE version.I know crossover is made from better parts,what else is diffrent?Thanks Mike
Hey Mike,
I talked to the Tannoy people about your question back when I was writing the article about the Westminster Royal SE for Positive Feedback Online. They were not particularly forthcoming (understandable) about the differences between the HE and SE, but gave me a few hints: the crossover is different, as well as using different component parts, and all the wiring is different. The bracing and damping used in the cabinets is different, and so forth. Not having had an HE to compare to I really can’t speculate how those differences translate in musical and sonic differences though, so I’m afraid I’m not of much help on that front. Here’s an excerpt from the article on the crossover:
“The crossover of the Westminster Royal SE is bi-wired for low and high frequencies, with hard-wired low-loss components in a passive design. The crossover is second-order on the low frequencies and second-order compensated on the high frequencies. Earlier versions of the Westminster Royal used a similar crossover design with only minor differences, but with the Westminster Royal Special Edition the crossover topology has been refined and the design has been taken to a new level of performance by using state-of-art Clarity Cap polypropylene capacitors, non-inductive thick film Vishay resistors, very low loss laminated core inductors custom made for Tannoy, and a combination of proprietary high purity silver & Acrolink six nines (6N) purity copper hard-wiring. The crossover allows the owner to adjust the high frequency energy and roll off.”
Best,
Jeff
Thanks for your response.I just have found out that you residing in Seattle.Damn,I lived in Renton Highlands prior to my return to Czech rep..I could have had TW a lot sooner,I just obtained used pair of Tannoy WR edition,prior this I owned Tannoy Canterbury HE and what a huge diffrence íin sound.I could not believe my ears,so much more neutral sounding.I was wondering how my version and your SE version differ in sound.I love Tannoy and I will never sell them unless I find out that SE version is a lot better,I doubt,they already sound incredible.
Congratulations on the Tannoys, Michael.
Tannoys really are one of the miracles of Hi-Fi, and once you hear those big Tannoy 15-inch drivers it’s impossible to settle for anything else.
Kind regards,
Jeff
Jeff,
Michael is wondering about the SE VS HE.
I also have the Canterbury SE and now Michael is going and spoiling it for me with the hard sell about the Westminster Vs the Canterbury.
I am going to shoot an email to my audio retailer on the damages…
Hey K,
I haven’t heard the Canterbury, but every person I know that owns them absolutely loves them. That’s the highest praise I can think of.
I do love my West’s, and with them my speaker search has ended forever. They do everything I’ve ever wanted from a speaker, and even more than that, a lot more, which means it’s been an ongoing passionate musical love affair for me that never ceases to take my breath away. Every musical date is the best date I’ve ever had. The Westminsters are amazing. Amazing. AMAZING.
Be sure to check in and tell me what happens, although I have a pretty good idea!
Kind regards,
Jeff
Hi Jeff:
As you know I have the same Tannoy speakers as you and I know you like the Leben amplifier. I have the urge to do some listening with a different amplifier. Changing from KR 340 Mk ii to Leben CS-600. I’m a bit conrfused. I’ve been reading that the Tannoys go well with a SET amplifier and KR is SET but the Leben is push-pull. Anything you say will be appreciated.
Kind regards,
Frank
Howdie Frank,
With my Westminsters I have found 300B SET amps to be an amazing combination. There seems to be a special synergy between 300B amps and Westminsters. I use my Leben CS600 with my Harbeths for a stunning real world music lovers system in my smaller listening room (a spare bedroom). It’s amazing too. Perfect for my smaller listening room. In the big room the Westminsters with 300B amps are unparalleled. Stunning is all I can say. I do know Jim is getting amazing results with 845 SET mono amps on his Canterbury SEs, and that is something I’d like to try one of these days on my Westminsters.
The Leben CS600 sounds really nice with my Westminsters, but I do think the more powerful SETs (300B or 845s) are a better choice for them for most people, there just seems to be a special synergy there.
Best,
Jeff
Jeff is the man here, and he may well differ, but from my experience, the Tannoys do well on great SE amps, great push-pull amps, and even on great lower-powered class A SS amps.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they didn’t do well on some of the better big amps as well.
In fact, I’d rather have the Tannoys on any of those amps than one of those amps without the Tannoys.
YMMV…
Jeff,
Your not the only one using 300B and Westminster SE. I use my Ushida 300B with W SE. A perfect match.
Andreas
Hi Andreas,
The 300B amps really do seem to have a terrific synergy with the Westminster SEs. I’m really loving what I hear from the combination!
Best,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I am a Tannoy Prestige dealer in so. Cal. I am trying to promote the new Kingdom Royal. I have 3 pair on order and would be willing to loan you a pair to do a review on them. Tannoy has not yet gotten any reviews on this amazing flagship speaker. You did a great job on the review of the Westminster royal. I would be will to deliver them and set them up for your audition at no cost to you. If you are interested please let me know if you have interest in the idea.
kind regards,
Eric
Hi Eric,
That sounds very interesting. I’ll drop you an e-mail offline to discuss.
Kind regards,
Jeff
Hi Eric,
I hear wildly conflicting reports about the Kingdom Royals.
Glad to hear you like them!
In what areas do you feel they are superior to the Westminsters, or even the Canterburys like I have?
Thanks!
Jim Smith
Hi Jeff,
The Westminsters are very interesting to me.
Currently with a pr of Harbeth 40.1.
The rest is Pass Labs and Basis.
The thing is they are so big. I don’t think my wife would go for them.
I understand you live in Washington State. Me too, Olympia.
Any chance I could check them out?
If they are just over the top in terms of dynamics, etc. it would be really hard for me to let them out of my sights.
Thanks,
Mike Werner
Hi Mike,
You’ve got a really nice setup in your Hi-Fi rig. The M40.1s remain my favorite small room monitor loudspeaker.
So are you buying Westminster’s for you or your wife? Women are all over the place, Westminster Royal SEs are much more rare – priorities my man!
Seriously, the West’s are big, but you already knew that, and only you know if they’ll fit in your domestic environment. If they will fit while still maintaining domestic bliss I can’t imagine you’d not go nuts over them.
A visit: I’m not opposed to the idea, as I rather enjoying getting together with friends to listen to music, and if you haven’t hear a pair of West’s you’re in for a treat. The trouble is finding a time to do it with my work and travel schedule. Let me give it some thought and I’ll offer some suggestions as to when that might work.
Kind regards,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the reply.
I have just found out that Hawthorne Stereo there in Seattle has a pr. of Westminsters an display so I will make plans to check them out there.
My room isn’t too big so really I am very happy with the 40.1′s. They sound fantastic, very natural. The biggest issue now is finding great recordings of excellently performed music. That is where the big differences exist for me now.
My Best,
Mike
Hey Mike,
We’ll have to figure out a time to get you over here to give the West’s a listen too. Even if you decide they’re not for you, it’s still quite the experience! I’ve got the new Fi 300B mono amps on them right now and they are sounding pretty spectacular.
I’ll tell you what, there is so much good vinyl coming out right now it’s hard to keep up. You can’t go wrong with the 45 RPM reissues from Analogue Productions, and pretty much anything from Speakers Corner is amazing too.
More to come!
Kind regards,
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I would like that very much.
I’ll be in the Seattle area the week of July 8th. Does that work for you?
Email me and maybe we can set somethin up – I’ll send you my number.
Mike
I got the Tannoy Westminster Royal SE speakers after reading your review. Currently setup include Garrard 301 -> MFA MC Reference -> Audio Note Kondo Kegon 300B Monoblocks (w/ Sophia 300B Royal Princess). Thanks for the great review, Jeff. My audio equipment journey stop here!
Hi Chan,
What a beautiful system! Thanks for the note, and if you get a chance, I’d love to see a photo!
Kind regards,
Jeff
I had a chance to hear the Kingdom Royal in my system, but decide to keep the Westminster Royal SE. How do I email/upload photo on your blogs? Thanks!