Tannoy Westminster Royal

[Nascimento]

I think the main requirement for buying a Tannoy Westminster is not having money, be it new money or old money! Westminster was designed for people used to going to theaters and rooms where good quality classical or jazz music is played, people used to music without electronic amplification, an electronically reproduced violin cannot and should not be higher than a violin played only a few meters from the listener!
Unfortunately, today people don't usually go to these temples where the music is played to its fullest, because I understand these reasons, I don't condemn those who think that Westminster lacks bass, treble and all kinds of pyrotechnics from modern speakers!

This is my current room, it measures 8mts x 7mts x 2.74mts.

My first Westminster goes back 30 years, it was a Westminster TW, in this period I had several other loudspeakers, but none stayed, including B&W 801!

Today my amplification is Accuphase E-800 (class A) but I've used it with several other configurations, from this Airtight 300B with 8w power, to the Mark Levinson 33ref, Reimyo CAT777, Shindo, Audio Note Kit, Mcintosh, and others! Equipment goes in and out, but the Westminsters are still in the room!

 

[watchnerd]

Westminster was designed for people used to going to theaters and rooms where good quality classical or jazz music is played, people used to music without electronic amplification, an electronically reproduced violin cannot and should not be higher than a violin played only a few meters from the listener!

I'm both a symphony season ticket holder (just got back from the first post-Covid symphony), an amateur jazz bass player, and regular small jazz club attendee.

What you're describing, completely un-amplified acoustic performances, is incredibly rare, even among those who regularly attend live music.

The symphony has spot mics and reinforcement speakers.

The jazz club has a PA system.

Even my local biker bar with live blues and country-western music uses a PA system. The local coffee house with acoustic guitar players -- they have small PA systems, too.

Buskers often are using amps.

Except for youth orchestra, I can't remember the last time I heard completely un-amplified classical music or jazz.

 

[Nascimento]

I'm both a symphony season ticket holder (just got back from the first post-Covid symphony), an amateur jazz bass player, and regular small jazz club attendee.

What you're describing, completely un-amplified acoustic performances, is incredibly rare, even among those who regularly attend live music.

The symphony has spot mics and reinforcement speakers.

The jazz club has a PA system.

Even my local biker bar with live blues and country-western music uses a PA system. The local coffee house with acoustic guitar players -- they have small PA systems, too.

Buskers often are using amps.

Except for youth orchestra, I can't remember the last time I heard completely un-amplified classical music or jazz.

This is one of the main sals in the city where I live, as you can see, it has several mycophones and many return loudspeakers!

 

[watchnerd]

This is one of the main sals in the city where I live, as you can see, it has several mycophones and many return loudspeakers!


View attachment 156076

This is a small venue.

And if it really is completely acoustic only (I can't tell from the pic), it's highly unusual.

Most full size symphony halls (not chamber music) have sound reinforcement systems.

 

[sergeauckland]

This is a small venue.

And if it really is completely acoustic only (I can't tell from the pic), it's highly unusual.

Most full size symphony halls (not chamber music) have sound reinforcement systems.

Here in the UK, I've never known any classical music to be amplified, large or small venue. If it were, I'd ask for my money back as being cheated.

S.

 

[LTig]

Here in the UK, I've never known any classical music to be amplified, large or small venue. If it were, I'd ask for my money back as being cheated.

S.

I second that for Germany. While our local opera house has line arrays and big woofers permanently installed they are used for sound effects only, or for musicals, not for opera or concerts (an organ would need the PA though).

 

[pma]

Rather a piece of furniture than a loudspeaker . The sound is “original”, inaccurate and not good to me.

 

[watchnerd]

Here in the UK, I've never known any classical music to be amplified, large or small venue. If it were, I'd ask for my money back as being cheated.

S.

I don't know where you're going, but Barbican Centre in London absolutely has sound reinforcement.

It was pretty obvious last time I was there, as there were hanging spot mics on the soloists.

See the big line arrays?

 

[Tom C]

I think the main requirement for buying a Tannoy Westminster is not having money, be it new money or old money! Westminster was designed for people used to going to theaters and rooms where good quality classical or jazz music is played, people used to music without electronic amplification, an electronically reproduced violin cannot and should not be higher than a violin played only a few meters from the listener!
Unfortunately, today people don't usually go to these temples where the music is played to its fullest, because I understand these reasons, I don't condemn those who think that Westminster lacks bass, treble and all kinds of pyrotechnics from modern speakers!
View attachment 156070

This is my current room, it measures 8mts x 7mts x 2.74mts.

My first Westminster goes back 30 years, it was a Westminster TW, in this period I had several other loudspeakers, but none stayed, including B&W 801!

Today my amplification is Accuphase E-800 (class A) but I've used it with several other configurations, from this Airtight 300B with 8w power, to the Mark Levinson 33ref, Reimyo CAT777, Shindo, Audio Note Kit, Mcintosh, and others! Equipment goes in and out, but the Westminsters are still in the room!

View attachment 156071

View attachment 156072

View attachment 156074

That is an incredibly impressive room. I’m sure it sounds quite beautiful, and is a wonder to behold.

 

[Tom C]

This is one of the main sals in the city where I live, as you can see, it has several mycophones and many return loudspeakers!


View attachment 156076

May I ask where this is? I’d love to attend a concert there some day.

 

[Tom C]

I don't know where you're going, but Barbican Centre in London absolutely has sound reinforcement.

It was pretty obvious last time I was there, as there were hanging spot mics on the soloists.

See the big line arrays?

Last public opera performance I attended was September 2019, about six months before COVID shut everything down. That was at La Scala in Milan. I thought I was listening to straight acoustic only, no sound reinforcement. Is that not the case?

 

[Nascimento]

May I ask where this is? I’d love to attend a concert there some day.

http://www.salasaopaulo.art.br/paginadinamica.aspx?pagina=historia&Cultura=en-GB

I'm glad you liked it!

 

[Nascimento]

This is a small venue.

Space for over 1500 spectators, it doesn't seem small to me!

 

[LTig]

I don't know where you're going, but Barbican Centre in London absolutely has sound reinforcement.

It was pretty obvious last time I was there, as there were hanging spot mics on the soloists.

See the big line arrays?

The question is whether the PA system is actually used for this concert. Mics hanging from the top are usually used for recording, not for sound reinforcement.

 

[Frgirard]

The question is whether the PA system is actually used for this concert. Mics hanging from the top are usually used for recording, not for sound reinforcement.

A concert hall do not play only classical music. Pop, one woman show... Jazz or company seminar.

 

[Feelas]

I think the main requirement for buying a Tannoy Westminster is not having money, be it new money or old money! Westminster was designed for people used to going to theaters and rooms where good quality classical or jazz music is played, people used to music without electronic amplification, an electronically reproduced violin cannot and should not be higher than a violin played only a few meters from the listener!

I don't mean that as an offense and respect what You mean, but a lot of what makes music really thrilling is related to the processing. Listen to a guitar amp un-miked and microphoned and compare what is heard. These are not minute differences, the bass propagation patterns and so on contribute a lot. I guess that even jazz guitarists wouldn't bother to talk through the fact, that they rarely run around with their amps unmiked.

 

[Nascimento]

I think your post is very timely and I don't see it as offensive!
In some ways I agree with you, but this is a characteristic of this loudspeaker, she gives her best in this type of music, I also don't want to be disrespectful to you, who was very kind in your post, but who doesn't like or doesn't agree, it's very simple, don't buy!

 

[Moulin]

I own a pair of Westminsters Royal GR. Best speakers I've ever had, and I have had many, all shapes and sizes, and still do. Plenty of opportunities to compare with other high-end alternatives. All I hear in this thread is people who have not heard the speakers, except perhaps 30 years ago in a show or whatever, making silly judgements based on no evidence, probably because they cannot afford them and that makes them upset and angry. I had a pair of Paradigm Persona 9H (at 35k) recently and while they are good in terms of resolution with fancy Beryllium mid and tweeter, and plenty of bass with 4x 8inch powered by 1400W in each speaker, voted high-end speaker of the year in multiple places, they are not in the same league as Westminster in terms of dynamics, the way the soundstage is just MASSIVE, and the "live" feeling you get. I sold the Persona's and kept the Westminsters, it was not even a close call! The element is a brand new design, nothing 1940 monophonic about these, OMG how ridiculous that comment is given how extremely well the Westminsters "images" compared with a pair of B&W 800 for example.

As for the looks of the Westminsters.. Yes they look like big old furniture. But the finish is just to die for. Either you like it or not. But you cannot argue about the sound unless you've heard them... Here's my listening corner:
View attachment 110953

in a couple of years ago I was lucky enough to find a pair of new old stock 12 inch monitor gold units. Then said about thinking what kind of a cabinet should I put these in. Consulting a lot of tannoy websites with some very knowledgeable people threw up all kinds of interesting thoughts. Most interesting to me, because I was thinking of making the ultimate cabinets cause I had a really good cabinet maker on standby, What is the thinking that the rear horn did not actually do that much for the sound. Because of the tuning of the rear horn accentuated some frequencies and was actually detrimental to the overall sound. No, I don’t know if this is true or not, because I’ve never actually heard them. But I certainly didn’t want to spend an awful lot of money with a cabinet maker and find out that I didn’t like the result. So I made a pair of speakers according to a different design for the rear, which was an open baffle. The front was the same horn load design you see here. And the sound quality is absolutely amazing! I’ve heard a lot of speakers in my time with a lot of amplifiers paired to them and these are right up there with anything I’ve ever heard so I’m happy.

 

[Moulin]

It was my beer when I was visiting

What did it sound like?

 

[anmpr1]

Today my amplification is Accuphase...

You don't encounter traditional Tannoy product too often, but when you do, Accuphase electronics are sometimes part of the deal. One can think of reasons for that.

While slumming the 'Net I recently came across a short blurb on Soho (sort of a Chinese Yahoo) about one of a lifestyle of the rich and famous--Yao Chen, popular actress. Her apartment photo highglighted a rather haphazardly connected system, with an Accuphase integrated amp and what looks like the Tannoy Kensington.

Tannoy is part of the Music Tribe operation, with a significant presence in China--I think (not unexpectedly) some of their products are made in China. Accuphase (at least as far as I know) is still manufactured in Japan.

You know that you are too much of a gearhead when the first thing you notice is the stereo, and not the...