Looking for speaker upgrade advice

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Paul-H
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#1 Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by Paul-H »

Hi all

I am looking to update my elderly speaker but because of a lack of local dealers or dealers lacking listening rooms I am going to have trouble finding something to buy so looking for advice as to were to start.

My Current system is a Thorens TD-160 Mk1 Turntable

Amplifier is a Pioneer A-70 the original 120 WPC 80's model

Speakers are the Tannoy Mercury M20's

Amp and speakers have been owned by me since new in the mid 80's, the Thorens I have just bought to replace my original Pioneer PL-112D which was the original weak point. The amp I am quite happy with so dont thing I will be changing that "yet"

My music tastes are all over the place from Pink Floyd & Led Zeppelin through Fleetwood Mac & The Eagles to Modern crossover classics.

Any one got any speaker recommendations I could try to hunt down, either floor standing or around the same size as the Tannoys but stand mounted. The size limit is imposed by SWMBO so nothing massive allowed.

Are modern Tannoys better than those from around the time of my Mercurys or are they still about the same, any other brand to look out for.

Price could be upto a grand but would prefer closer to £500.

Thanks for any help with this

Paul
Last edited by Paul-H on Sun Sep 18, 2016 4:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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cressy
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#2 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by cressy »

Hi paul, i would look at a set of quad 11ls. These are the last speakers I bought and we're really nice with a great finish and sound. The 22l was abit bigger.
Cheers ant
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Toppsy
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#3 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by Toppsy »

Hi paul, i would look at a set of quad 11ls
Paul was asking advice for an upgrade to his Tannoy's, I doubt very much those Quads would be much (if any) of an upgrade.

These stand mount speakers http://www.audio-talk.co.uk/phpBB3/view ... f=4&t=6561 that Scott and I have just developed and built will be in your price bracket and a leap ahead of your Tannoys.

I am based north of Manchester just in Lancashire if you fancy coming over for a audition? Being hand made to order the cabinets are finished in real wood veneer to suit the cutomer. I am currently working on making some bespoke matching stands.
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#4 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by chris661 »

Right at the bottom end of your budget, I'd get a pair of Behringer B2031P monitors. They measure extremely flat and sound very neutral. They won't go extremely loud, since its a first-order crossover on the tweeter, but that's my only gripe with them.

The resale value is good, and you can pick up a 2nd hand pair for less than £200.
They're not the best speakers in the world, but they're a very good benchmark, and out-perform commercial HiFi speakers at several times the price.

I haven't heard Colin's new speakers, but have heard many of Colin's projects. If he and Scott say they're good, you'll find it difficult to walk away without taking them with you.

Chris
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cressy
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#5 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by cressy »

[quote="Paul]

Any one got any speaker recommendations I could try to hunt down, either floor standing or around the same size as the Tannoys but stand mounted.

Thanks for any help with this

Paul[/quote]


Quad 11l is around the same size as the tannoys
Have you ever heard the quads?
They are very very good imo
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Toppsy
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#6 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by Toppsy »

Quad 11l is around the same size as the tannoys
Have you ever heard the quads?
They are very very good imo
One mans meat and just your opinion................and yes I have heard them and wouldn't buy a pair myself. Horses for courses. Not a speaker I found very very good but perhaps above average for a commercial speaker at the price. Perhaps I'm biased. But you have to remember that in a £1000 pair of commercial speakers the drivers and XO components are perhaps £100 total. No different in the Quads now they are totally manufactured in China to a price.

However, in the price range Paul is looking within there is little in the commercial speaker world to recommend. As Chris has commented second hand would be my recommendation however I would put up those 2-way stand mounts that have a high quality true ribbon tweeter (£241.50 a matched pair RRP) plus a high quality 8" mid-woofer (£112.99 each RRP) against anything £2k commercially and expect them to shine. You pays your money and takes your choice.
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cressy
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#7 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by cressy »

Yes. My opinion, is it any less valid than that of anyone else?
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andrew Ivimey
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#8 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by andrew Ivimey »

How wonderfully subjective choice of loudspeakers is. It's what you the proud owner likes that counts. How we get to hear possible purchases is so very difficult. I'd listen to 'people who know' and I'd wonder at their personal biases but whatever I chose would be mine and I'd have to live with that choice.

I've no idea about modern commercial speakers though I do have a pair of ridiculously expensive French speakers. I love old Tannoys Quad Esls, ESS &Heil. I have two of our Scott's designs and I like the suggestion for the Quads. Driven well marvellous but in what room,what furniture!?

Listen to as many possibilities as possible: the choice, however has to be your own.

Good luck.
Philosophers have only interpreted the world - the point, however, is to change it. No it isn't ... maybe we should leave it alone for a while.
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#9 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by Paul-H »

Thanks for all the replies

Obviously recommendations are hard as what sound good to one will sound bad to another, its just that I have been away from Hi-fi buying for so long I don't know anything about current products and brands, other than the few that were around 30 years ago, when I last looked, and many of the current brands I have found I have never heard of before.

Any current brands to avoid for either being over priced for the quality they offer or not offering a quality worth listening to.

Thanks

Paul
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pre65
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#10 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by pre65 »

Hi Paul H.

What part of the country are you ?
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Edmund Burke

G-Popz THE easy listening connoisseur. (Philip)
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#11 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by Paul-H »

I am in North Kent
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IslandPink
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#12 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by IslandPink »

Bingo ! Hotbed of activity = Kent Massiv :D
"Once you find out ... the Circumstances ; then you can go out"
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andrew Ivimey
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#13 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by andrew Ivimey »

Yes, you might enjoy the advice available however unsuitable it might be about choosing a pair of speakers from a HiFi shop.

On the whole, would it be fair-ish to say that most of us on the forum, most of the time do not look into HiFi shop windows with lust in our eyes, or indeed ever look ... however some of us do/have listen(ed) to an awful lot of speakers in a wide, open minded (snicker), if rather skewed way?
Philosophers have only interpreted the world - the point, however, is to change it. No it isn't ... maybe we should leave it alone for a while.
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IslandPink
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#14 Re: Looking for speaker upgrade advice

Post by IslandPink »

Yes, good point. Kent Massive : enjoyable but not in the right way.
"Once you find out ... the Circumstances ; then you can go out"
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