Tannoy D700 speakers

[joemell]

Hi I have a pair of Tanny D700s paired with an Audiolab 8000C/8000P Combination. I have always been a little disappointed in their performance and recently found out that there is a compatability issue with this set up. I am now looking to upgrade my amp/power amp to improve this situation. Any suggestions of a suitable replacement up to around £1000 would be appreciated. I have seen a recommendation to pair with Norwegian Abrahamsen power amp but would appreciate further advice.

the speakers are in a 6x10 metre room

all suggestions appreciated

 

[Electro]

There are few if any amps that will better the Abrahamsen amp to drive your Tannoys under £1000 unless you are willing to buy second hand and even then it may be difficult imo.

Rest assured the Abrahamsen will outperform the Audiolab combo by a large margin and in every possible way imo !

If you need an inbuilt DAC then the Hegel H80 would be a good alternative but it is a little over budget. .

 

[CnoEvil]

There are few if any amps that will better the Abrahamsen amp to drive your Tannoys under £1000 unless you are willing to buy second hand and even then it may be difficult imo.

Rest assured the Abrahamsen will outperform the Audiolab combo by a large margin and in every possible way imo !

If you need an inbuilt DAC then the Hegel H80 would be a good alternative but it is a little over budget. .

I was going to say the same thing - and it should work very well with the Tannoys.

 

[plastic penguin]

Holy f###

You two are unbelievable. *stop*

Convinced you are being paid to promote a unheard product.

 

[Al ears]

Holy f###

You two are unbelievable. *stop*

Convinced you are being paid to promote a unheard product.

I think electro may actually have heard one... might be wrong....

I'd agree with the Hegel though (that I have heard with Tannoys, although not D700's) but, as stated it is going to be over budget (so not sure why I mentioned it either, unless one can be found ex-demo).

 

[CnoEvil]

Holy f###

You two are unbelievable. *stop*

Convinced you are being paid to promote a unheard product.

It's not rocket science.....Abrahamsen will have a great deal in common with the ECI 3, which I am very familiar with, especially through Tannoy speakers. All descriptions from owners bear out my assumptions, so not just shooting in the dark

 

[plastic penguin]

Cno, you never purchased any product and found it hasn't lived up to the review or hype (washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cars blah blah)?

I'm quite shocked hearing this from you. Usually your views are well balanced and considered.

I'm going to change my name to Bjorn Sven Bolocksson.

 

[CnoEvil]

Cno, you never purchased any product and found it hasn't lived up to the review or hype (washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cars blah blah)?

I'm quite shocked hearing this from you. Usually your views are well balanced and considered.

I'm going to change my name to Bjorn Sven Bolocksson.

Let me lay it out for you, in a balanced and considered way.

The OP has big, expensive (when new), revealing speakers and has an amp budget of £1000. Today's equivalent Tannoys are the DC10Ti, which cost. £6k. IMO. No "normal" £1k amplifier (new) that I know, will do them justice, as the D700s need a lot of current to keep the 2 x 10" drivers under control. They can also sound a little upfront and forward if paired with an amp that shares these qualities....which is why the Abrahamsen should work nicely with them, as it ticks all these boxes.

Given the pedigree and track record of the designer, you are basically getting an old school Electro on the cheap (current Electro designs have a more modern and upfront sound)....ie. loads of current, robust transformer and that high bias Class A, traditional Electro sound.

If you can come up with a better suggestion for £1k, be my guest.

 

[Al ears]

Cno, you never purchased any product and found it hasn't lived up to the review or hype (washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cars blah blah)?

I'm quite shocked hearing this from you. Usually your views are well balanced and considered.

I'm going to change my name to Bjorn Sven Bolocksson.

Let me lay it out for you, in a balanced and considered way.

The OP has big, expensive (when new), revealing speakers and has an amp budget of £1000. Today's equivalent Tannoys are the DC10Ti, which cost. £6k. IMO. No "normal" £1k amplifier (new) that I know, will do them justice, as the D700s need a lot of current to keep the 2 x 10" drivers under control. They can also sound a little upfront and forward if paired with an amp that shares these qualities....which is why the Abrahamsen should work nicely with them, as it ticks all these boxes.

Given the pedigree and track record of the designer, you are basically getting an old school Electro on the cheap (current Electro designs have a more modern and upfront sound)....ie. loads of current, robust transformer and that high bias Class A, traditional Electro sound.

If you can come up with a better suggestion for £1k, be my guest.

Anyroadup, I was about to suggest a second hand Quad 909 and 66 preamp off eBay ...... this should also tick all the boxes.

 

[plastic penguin]

Cno, you never purchased any product and found it hasn't lived up to the review or hype (washing machines, vacuum cleaners, cars blah blah)?

I'm quite shocked hearing this from you. Usually your views are well balanced and considered.

I'm going to change my name to Bjorn Sven Bolocksson.

Let me lay it out for you, in a balanced and considered way.

The OP has big, expensive (when new), revealing speakers and has an amp budget of £1000. Today's equivalent Tannoys are the DC10Ti, which cost. £6k. IMO. No "normal" £1k amplifier (new) that I know, will do them justice, as the D700s need a lot of current to keep the 2 x 10" drivers under control. They can also sound a little upfront and forward if paired with an amp that shares these qualities....which is why the Abrahamsen should work nicely with them, as it ticks all these boxes.

Given the pedigree and track record of the designer, you are basically getting an old school Electro on the cheap (current Electro designs have a more modern and upfront sound)....ie. loads of current, robust transformer and that high bias Class A, traditional Electro sound.

If you can come up with a better suggestion for £1k, be my guest.

This perhaps.

Apart from about 3 people on this forum who've purchased from Colin, the old Scandanavian is largely unknown. You mentioned it's an Electro on the cheap, yet we all know that things are cheap for a reason... no such thing as a free lunch, regardless of what product it is.

My Pulse was factory sealed, by that I mean the inner plastic packaging was still heat sealed from the factory (no ghastly packing tape, apart from the main cardboard box, or staples). But I had two issues with the headphone socket. I'm lucky that headphones are hardly used on the hi-fi.

But to be honest to the OP he won't find any amp at £1000 to do those Tannoys justice, certainly if you said they cost (typical retail price) of he newer versions are around £6k

 

[The Mad One]

BIG +1

Rest assured the Abrahamsen will outperform the Audiolab combo by a large margin and in every possible way imo

Speak to colin at I Q Speakers he will advise you whats best for you also he'll offer you a 30 day return policy.

very fine chap indeed

 

[CnoEvil]

This perhaps.

That is a good shout, but the game changes when you are looking at the used market....and there is no guarantee that it will go for £1k or less.

 

[CnoEvil]

Anyroadup, I was about to suggest a second hand Quad 909 and 66 preamp off eBay ...... this should also tick all the boxes.

It certainly would, but they are getting harder to find....people tend to hang onto them.

 

[Al ears]

Anyroadup, I was about to suggest a second hand Quad 909 and 66 preamp off eBay ...... this should also tick all the boxes.

It certainly would, but they are getting harder to find....people tend to hang onto them.

Decent one on eBay right now otherwise I wouldn't have suggested the pairing. Oh, and the OP never mentioned 'new'.

 

[CnoEvil]

Oh, and the OP never mentioned 'new'.

Correct.

I went down the new route, as the used one is more of a minefield......though the Quad pair do look tempting.

 

[Al ears]

Oh, and the OP never mentioned 'new'.

Correct.

I went down the new route, as the used one is more of a minefield......though the Quad pair do look tempting.

Don't they just. Possibly even the 606, however if the OP wants to get the best out of his D700's I'd suggest the 909 if only because it is newer.

Agree with minefield comment but Quad's normally pretty bullet-proof and can be easily serviced if required unlike some Japanese, or indeed Norwegian, exotica.

 

[joemell]

thanks for that, I'm glad I seem to be heading in the right direction. I could possibly pay more for an amplifier but due to living in the UAE I cant demo or home trial equipment. To really push the boat out on purchase price I would hope that a D700 owner could provide confirmation of their experience with these speakers. In effect I will be 'mail ordering' the amp.

 

[wilro15]

Maybe I can chip in something relevant. I own the Abrahamsen V2.0-UP, purchased direct from Abrahamsen. I also run Tannoys, the admittedly cheaper, Precision 6.2s. The sound for me works really well. It is on the "warm" side of neutral, but I find this to be better for long listening sessions such as when I work from home.

 

[Electro]

There are few if any amps that will better the Abrahamsen amp to drive your Tannoys under £1000 unless you are willing to buy second hand and even then it may be difficult imo.

Rest assured the Abrahamsen will outperform the Audiolab combo by a large margin and in every possible way imo !

If you need an inbuilt DAC then the Hegel H80 would be a good alternative but it is a little over budget. .

This used Electrocompaniet ECI5 MK1 is just the second hand buy I was talking about at £895, they do not come up for sale very often so be quick if it interests you !

http://www.hifiwigwam.com/showthread.php?122135-Electrocompaniet-Eci5-integrated&p=2137695#post2137695

ECI5 MK1 spec .

http://www.electrocompaniet.com/products/classic/integrated/eci5.html

 

[Electro]

These should do the job quite nicely *yes3* .

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161775177585?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I can vouch for the brand having owned one of their products for many years *good*