Introducing Tannoy’s new XT speaker range…
I was struck with a sense of déjà-vu this week, greeted as I was by a new set of Tannoy floorstanders. It’s only been a few weeks since my previous Tannoy review (on that occasion the fabulous Precision 6.4) so the opportunity to take on another set from the world’s oldest loudspeaker manufacturer so soon was a welcome surprise. On previous occasions I’ve emphasised how important and revered an industry figure Tannoy is, so I won’t go on too much again here. Needless to say, however, was that clearing a page in the diary for a listen to new wares from such a respected marque was an absolute given. So what is it we’ve got this time around?
Tannoy XT 6
All new for 2015, the new XT series of speakers takes in three models, from the XT 6 bookshelf to the XT 6F floorstanders, and their bigger brother, the XT 8F. Today we’ll be looking at the smaller floorstander – but it’s important to note that as a range, the speakers do share many key design features. Returning to action is Tannoy’s patented Dual Concentric high / mid-range drive unit. A stalwart throughout Tannoy history, this speaker features a tweeter that is mounted in the throat of the principle driver. Benefits found from such a design include better time-alignment, and a more balanced dispersion of sound. This year’s version has seen dramatic changes to the core mechanics of its predecessor, most physically noticeable in the new bullet-shaped phase plug, which in turns hides a donut-shaped high frequency dome. Tannoy themselves say that the long and short of this new take on their technology is an even more natural and expansive sound – something I was eager to hear for myself.
Elsewhere, the cabinet used is very similar in most regards to the lower ranged (non-XT) Revolution speakers, working with the award-winners trapezoid design to help reduce standing waves caused by internal vibrations from the speakers themselves. The biggest change found from their stablemate, however, is the shift from a rear-ported design to a bottom-port instead. From a practicality perspective, this means the XT series should be much easier for most to place in the room, without the need for bass performance to be compromised. It also adds its own aesthetic flourish by creating a need for the XT’s little chrome legs leading to their inbuilt pedestal. The speakers are a real eye-catcher, and whilst not as understated as previous models, they’re certainly tastefully done.
The other differences are part and parcel of building speakers with different size cabinets, and for most it’ll come down to size limitations with regards to the room they’ll be in, or just a personal preference on the sound. All of the speakers are a relatively easy load for an amplifier, and a low minimum of 25 watts is recommended to get them singing.
Partnering our review model’s Dual Concentric driver is a matching sized bass driver, again keeping with previous designs on older Revolution models. Tried and tested is sometimes the best way to play things, and its inclusion here is unsurprising, but again welcomed.
As with all new speakers, 48 hours of solid running in was given before real critical listening was undertaken, and regular checking-in found noticeable changes to the sound during this time. Partnering the XT’s were Cambridge Audio’s 851A and 851C amplifier and CD player. Sonos was also on hand via the 851C’s handy onboard DAC, and was used alongside the more traditional format.
Tannoy XT 6F
First up were female trio The Staves and their superlative Dead & Born & Grown Live album. New to me but plenty familiar to fans of Jools Holland’s BBC2 show, the three ladies are at their captivating best in front of a live audience. The haunting melancholy of Facing West showcases the sublime melodies that make them such a wonderful listening proposition. Here, they were sounding as evocative as I’ve heard them, their beguiling, organic sound lapped up by the XT 6F’s new Dual Concentric. Stridency was kept in check, and the delicate guitar and ukulele playing was expressive and clear. Female vocal tracks are not always a difficult test of what a set of speakers can do, with a lot of favoured demo discs being from female artists. But it’s not always the case that they sound great, and certain songs can really reveal where a speakers flaws may lie. Fortunately, that was very much not the case here, and if you’re planning to audition the XT’s and you can grab yourself a copy of this album you’d be very well advised to.
Wanting to test out how the newly remodelled speakers would handle the lower registers, it was time for something with a bit more ‘oomph’. Australian producer Nick Bertke AKA Pogo specialises in taking quotes, melodies and found sounds from the world of cinema, chopping them up, rearranging their order and wonderfully interspersing them throughout his own music. Go Out and Love Someone from his Wonderpuff album relies heavily on vocal samples from a Carry On… film of all things. Set to repeating piano chords, a shifting drum pattern, and a smattering of strings, the song is a real test of dynamics across the whole frequency range. In the demo room’s usual speaker spot, the bass on the track managed to hit out full and deep. Pulling them further forward into the room didn’t affect this in the usual way. It was certainly on the more sonorous side than the earlier Revolution models (the DC6SE being my benchmark here), and as well-reviewed as those speakers were, some found their bass performance a tad dry for a floorstander. These XT 6F could be exactly the right balance for those wanting the Tannoy highs and mids, but with a stronger showing in the lower region as well.
All told, I really enjoyed my time with these new Tannoys. They were the perfect counterbalance to the DC6SE, sharing all of the predecessor’s benefits, but putting it’s own twist on bass reproduction and aesthetic styling. If room placement issues rear their head when picking out your new speakers these are a must-listen, but even if you’re free to choose where they’re to go, the Tannoy are an excellent proposition all the same.
Author – Chris, Liverpool store
