Tannoy Arena - how do they rate nowadays?

[Qwalme]

So I have seen these pretty cheap and they look ok to please the other half. They are also now paired with the TS300 sub from a higher spec set. But as they are getting on some, how do they compare to newer speaker packages like the B&W or KEF 3005?

Would pair it up with the Yamaha DSP-763 or 863.

Anyone that has demo'd both side by side would be great to hear your comments.

Thanks

 

[kinda]

Hello,

I've got the Arena, (with the TS300 sub), and I've found it to be great.

I demo'd it against several speaker sets including the KEF 3005SE and 5005, and the B&W MT-30, (don't forget they were around at the same time as the Arena but just haven't gone down in price. In fact in the same group test that the MT-30 got 5 stars, so did the Arena).

For me the Arena was head and shoulders above all the other speakers I demo'd. It had much more clarity and detail than the others, (run close by the KEF 5005s), had the best top end, (the 3005SE was maybe on a par if a bit brasher, but the MT-30s were poor in this area, for both films and music). It was also more musical than any of the other sets, (the B&Ws ran it close here if it wasn't for their problems at high frequency, and the 5005s got somewhere near when paired with the PV1 sub from the MT-30). I didn't detect any weakness in the sub in comparison to the PV1.

All in the Arena was the only speaker set that I thought was good for both films and music, and the only one that I thought gave a cinema sound with films rather than just surround sound.

What I also think's good about it is that there are other dual concentric speakers from the rest of the Tannoy range, not least the Highline 300 and 500, that could be added in later to grow it and keep a similar sound, and look if needed.

These are just my opinions, but I did take a couple of people with me, and have a few different demos. There are also other packages like the Arcam Muso / Logo and Monitor Audios I didn't demo the Arena against.

Hope this helps. I have got the Arena, but I'm not biased as such. I started wanting something else, but the Arena sounded the best.

 

[Andrew Everard]

I still really rate the Arena speakers. I think they'd be a great choice, especially if you're getting a keen price.

Here's a link to the original Gramophone review of the Tannoy Arenas - it's on the Gramophone archive beta site, so excuse the occasional odd bit of OCR!

 

[Davo2008]

Andrew, how would you compare the Arenas with the Mordaunt Short Premiere? The look like they're in a similar sort of bracket. And........ what would you rate as the best speaker package under £1000?

 

[Andrew Everard]

The Premieres would, IMO, just edge it on sound, but the Arenas are still excellent and superb value (and a lot prettier)

Best package under £1000 - why, the KEF KHT2005.3, of course.

 

[Davo2008]

Thanks again Andrew!

 

[cram]

Sort of related to this I am waying up the Tannoy Arenas vs a Tannoy Mercury F4 5.1 package (F4 for front L/R, F1s for the rears) both packages are sub or near £750.

Any views on the relative merits of both?

 

[Andrew Everard]

I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous answer.

 

[cram]

Oops I've been getting my Kef models mixed up and thought those ones were more expensive than they can actually be had for these days.

 

[Qwalme]

Thanks for the replies everyone and also the view on how they sound against the MT's - very interesting. I'm hoping to go demo these tomorrow and then convince the other half they are a 'must buy' lol.

Cheers again.

 

[Qwalme]

Ok so since I actually decided on the Arena's a number of the deals became unavailable or more expensive. Whats annoyed me too is the lack of grills/wall mounts when I've read the small print, and they cost a fortune.

The latest deal on these is Offering the TS500 sub with the Arenas - would this sub be too overpowering for the speaker set?

Now, to add some confusion to my mind and going from your other rec's in this thread - How would the KEF 2005.3 rate against the Arenas if both are priced the same? Would you put the KEF's better?

Also, do the KEF standard 'stands' allow for wall mounting?

Thanks in advance for your answers - now to grumble about the lack of amps......

 

[kinda]

Hello,

Yes, the wall mounts aren't included, (though table-mounts including grilles should be in the full version). I paid just over £1000 for the full set with wall mounts, which I believe is still doable and I thought was a bargain having listened to other speakers.

The Tannoy TS subs seem nice and tight, so I wouldn't have thought the 500 would be a problem, (you could just reduce the volume if it became too overpowering), and should be good for the future. However, I'm no sub expert, so I'll bow to more expert advice.

I haven't heard the KEF 2005.3s, but having heard the 3005SE and 5005s, I'd be amazed if the 2005.3 was better than the Arena, as for me KEF would have then got their pricing completely upside down.

I admit that the price of Arena stands is annoying, but the performance of the speakers is very good, so I think you have to look at the whole package you're getting for the price. Remember in the WHF review where they got 5 stars with the MT-30, they were coupled with stands, to even up the comparison, which at the time put the whole cost at over £1600. And the speakers with stands do look great, (in my opinion).

Good luck with the demoing and i hope you get something you're happy with.

 

[lobby]

Try Creative Audio they might have deals, last time i looked £799 with £155 cable bundle and grilles and stands.Different sub now in the package, or try RS £599 without grilles and stands.

 

[cram]

those are the Arena lites @ Creative Audio

 

[Qwalme]

Yeah I think both the ones at Creative and the ones at RS are the Arena lites. The RS just says Arenas packaged with the TS500 sub but the link heading has 'Light' in the bar. From what I can see on the Tannoy website, there is no difference between the satellites on the Arena and the Arena Lite - Just the subs.

Forgive my lack knowledge but if the sub is 500w and the Yam 763 amp is 7x95w - does that mean the sub is going to be massively underperforming?

EDIT - nvm realised its a driven sub so it has its own power ><

 

[Qwalme]

kinda:

Hello,

Yes, the wall mounts aren't included, (though table-mounts including grilles should be in the full version). I paid just over £1000 for the full set with wall mounts, which I believe is still doable and I thought was a bargain having listened to other speakers.

The Tannoy TS subs seem nice and tight, so I wouldn't have thought the 500 would be a problem, (you could just reduce the volume if it became too overpowering), and should be good for the future. However, I'm no sub expert, so I'll bow to more expert advice.

I haven't heard the KEF 2005.3s, but having heard the 3005SE and 5005s, I'd be amazed if the 2005.3 was better than the Arena, as for me KEF would have then got their pricing completely upside down.

I admit that the price of Arena stands is annoying, but the performance of the speakers is very good, so I think you have to look at the whole package you're getting for the price. Remember in the WHF review where they got 5 stars with the MT-30, they were coupled with stands, to even up the comparison, which at the time put the whole cost at over £1600. And the speakers with stands do look great, (in my opinion).

Good luck with the demoing and i hope you get something you're happy with.

So I ended up getting the Arena's with the TS500 sub. They look so nice!

I have'nt got speaker cable or an amp yet, but looking at the manual and the speakers themselves, they show the cables being connected without any end plugs. Kinda- do you know if you its best to use end plugs or did you use the wire on its own?

Kinda, did you also use the floor stands or wall stands? It looks like you cant fit the plugs through the slots in the stands anyway - can you comment if you think you could or not?

Thanks

 

[kinda]

Hello,

Hope you got a good deal, and I bet the TS500 is a great sub. Glad you think it looks good; it should all sound really good as well.

My speakers have got chromed screw down terminals, so I didn't think plugs could be used. However, I use the bare wires, with no problems. I also use bare wire at the amp end. I'm not 100% sure, but I think plugs are more for convenience than improvement in sound quality.

I used wall stands all round. I think the floor stands look great, but I didn't want to use up the floor space, and I also wanted to hid the wires in the walls. I think it would be tricky getting plugs through the wall stands, but I don't think plugs work at the speaker end anyway.

I got oxygen free copper 14 gauge cable, nothing fancy, and I've found that to be fine, getting a performance similar to that in the demo.

What amp are you thinking of getting?

Hope you enjoy it.

 

[Qwalme]

Thx for the reply, makes getting cable a little simpler even though I just got 2 lengths of terminated ones for the rears. I'll see how they fair through the brackets when I get em.

Amp wise - I'd really like to get the Yam DSP 863 but it is probably out of my range since im buying everything this time. I've just ordered a 763 which ill try and can palm off on my bro if a really must get a bigger one.

The amp is something I can upgrade later if need be once everything else is sorted.

 

[Qwalme]

Kinda,

Thanks for your comments on this thread - I just want to pick your brains one more time.

I've pretty much got the system now and am planning to connect it up this weekend and configure everything. I ended up with a Yam 863 that I got 2nd hand. The system does look fantastic in its gloss finish!

I was wondering what you have the speakers and sub set to in terms of crossovers etc and how you have the sub dials configured?

Thanks

Rick