Classic Dual Concentric Design REINVENTED | The Tannoy Stirling III LZ Loudspeaker

Tom Martin interviews Kevin Deal of Upscale Audio and David Mccaffrey of Tannoy to learn about the Tannoy's III LZ reinvention of the classic Tannoy dual concentric design, its updated cabinet, other specs, and more...
About Tom Martin:
Tom is a long-time audiophile. He began his reviewing career after acquiring the The Absolute Sound magazine in 1997 and then hi-fi+ magazine in 2002. He has worked closely with Harry Pearson and Robert Harley at TAS and with Roy Gregory and Alan Sircom at hi-fi+. Since Tom and his teams expanded the TAS and Plus platforms in the digital domain, he has served as Chief Content Officer.
What Is The Absolute Sound?
The Absolute Sound magazine has been a leading publication in high-end audio since 1972. Since the early 2000s, The Absolute Sound has expanded to include web, newsletter, digital magazine, social media, KZbin and Substack platforms. The Absolute Sound platforms have a global audience of over 500,000 audiophiles.
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[@roblawrence4792]

Recently bought the Autograph Minis… best midrange I’ve ever heard, and I’ve owned and enjoyed many many small talented monitors. No BS with these Tannoys, just great sound. Glad I took the plunge…traded a very good pair of speakers for them, but well worth it!

[@peace-yv4qd]

The man standing with the microphone name is Kevin. He owns Upscale Audio. He sold me my set of Tannoy Sterling's back a few years ago. They're beautiful speakers and sound fantastic. I have several sets of speakers and the Stirling's are my favorites.

[@gregmiller3630]

5:38 Unless I'm missing something, the guy from Tannoy didn't answer Tom's question about the tweeter loading correctly. It is a 2" diameter concave aluminum-magnesium dome firing through a high compression ratio phase plug converging into a narrow horn throat, so yes it is "loaded". I had the pleasure of spending a couple of afternoons with a pair of Alnico Kensingtons that had come into a friend's store on consignment, and they were delightful. While not the most analytically detailed speaker I've ever heard, They sounded warm and rich on pretty much any type of music I threw at them, and were really easy to listen to for extended time periods. If the new Stirling sounds anything like the Kensingtons, it should be a winner at 60% of the price.

[@nobelstone9714]

I recall about Joh Dahlquist giving a lecture at Chestnut Hill Audio in Philadelphia about 50 years ago about the virtues of alnico magnets versus the ceramic magnets taking over the industry.

[@jeffkalina7727]

So glad to see that Upscale picked up Tannoy. I owned Altec and Tannoys. Special stuff. Great low level sound. If they would incorporate a BE dual concentric speaker I think I would have to have it!

[@DSupremeLounge]

Very happy w/my Tannoy Definition DC10A’s

[@mitchparker7652]

I’m Asia-Pacific…to be specific…Australian. I have Tannoy Ardens from the 1970’s. They play low and they play loud. They’re simply the best at sound reproduction .

[@briancampbell7712]

So one of the best is the Tannoy Arden MKl...❓

[@mischadickerhof5375]

... running a pair of 60 year old «Corner GRF» for years. Good enough for my needs.

[@jeffreypicciolo7706]

Very entertaining video, well done.

[@HAL9007]

Love my Tannoy Cheviots. I shopped 3-way tower speakers for 10 years. I owned four high-reputation sets, but none sounded right -- too disjointed and edgy. A wise speakerhead suggested I might have ultra sensitivity to timing and phase errors inherent in 3-way tower speakers. Once I heard Tannoy dual concentric, my problem was immediately solved. I also own KEF LS50Ws and they are pretty darn good. Cheviots are easy to place and have adjustable frequency response to tailor to your ears and your room. Plays well with lots of SS watts (250W PSAudio) or tubes. or combination (Linear Tube Audio Z40).

[@techmed-rainer]

I really do love my Tannoy Legacy Eatons and I'm thinking about getting a pair of Westminster. I'd love to have the opportunity to visit tge Upscale Audio store and meet Kevin Deal in person and of course Kat Ourlian as I'm a violinist as well. Another dream would be visiting the UK factory. Greetings from Germany 🎶

[@kevind2760]

Hey you are always welcome at Upscale!

[@a.dejager7062]

Enjoying my Tannoy Gold 8. Different price point, but nevertheless amazing sound!

[@abxaudiophiles]

One of my favorite rooms at Axpona 🎉🎉🎉. We would LOVE to review those sweet peaches. 😊😊😊

[@kimchee411]

Kevin is a great salesman!

[@labalo5]

I want these!

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

BUY two pairs .............sell a pair later and enjoy partly payback of your speakers !

[@gadymarcus2362]

Magnifico.👑👑👑👑👑👑

[@philgrimes7838]

beautiful , would love to try some of these . I believe drivers are made in China and cabinets in Poland . I guess assembled in Hamilton ?

[@cotandiet6096]

Can someone tell me what wood veneer they use on this speaker box? Is it teak?

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Alnico ...................FINALY !

[@syr1964]

I thought the UK factory shut down? Are the legacy speakers still being manufactured there?

[@grahamhendry458]

Shut down long ago.

[@briancampbell7712]

i thought Tannoy only had the Alnico in the older vintage models...so please help me understand... Tannoy is still using the Alnico today❓...also I've heard the New Legacy speakers can't match the sound quality of the original vintage models... for instance, the original Tannoy Arden mkl Vs todays Legacy Ardens❓

[@kevinbeckenham3872]

Guy Fountain who was founder of Tannoy, also invented world very first sold state d.c rectifier

[@MsCorbacho]

A lot of comments here , but I am still very confused about tannoy ! Is it Made in China , is it not ? Since it belongs to Behringer now ,…is it still made with the same quality and care ? Still a lot of doubts , It seems that with the legacy cheviots there were a lot of clients in which the speakers the pads that fixed the surround in place started to let loose and dry . Still a lot of questions to be answered in a clear way from Tannoy it seems , nothing is explicit and clear enough

[@MsCorbacho]

Just going on about new models and that so much marketing is not going to make the trust come back, at least not for me , I tend to analyse and not trust first , I like everything on the table from the side of speaker makers , and from Tannoy nothing until now . When I look at the new classic vintage models from fyne audio ,….that seems more like Tannoy to me nowadays . Do not take me wrong , i loved Tannoy , have had a lot of them in the past , and that’s exactly why I tend not to trust the new Tannoy

[@upscaleaudio]

@@MsCorbacho This is Kevin Deal - you hit the nail right on the head. Fyne Audio is what Tannoy COULD be. These new model speakers are crap in my opinion.

[@scottwolf8633]

Alnico isn't," Voodoo". Its an alloy that manifests a stronger Field than the typical Strontium/Barium Ferrites commonly used. Although I prefer the NeBFe alloy in my Lowther DX 65's and Raal 140-15D's for even greater Field strength.

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Indeed ! ..............besides the motor design is also different , the magnet is inside the voice coil ..........Alnico sound BETTER than usual ! NO discussion !

[@scottwolf8633]

@@frankgeeraerts6243 Morel has used magnets inside the voice coil as has Dynaudio for decades. As to better than usual? Better than NeBFe? I'd say no way, due to the increased Field strength, afforded by the newer alloy, and the constraint of Newton's Second Law of Motion. I agree, better than Ferrites. Due to increased control afforded by the greater F in F=MA, permitting greater Second Derivative of Space with respect to Time, Acceleration, exhibited by AlNiCo vs Ferrites. Personally, the Lowther, to my knowledge is the only full range moving coil with the coil cooled by ferro fluid too. If you know of another manufacturer who does employ it let me know. Just Curious.

[@bruceamitchell]

He's a salesman, whaddya expect?

[@scottwolf8633]

@@bruceamitchell In a hobby with its basis in Science and Engineering, a little more fact based discussion. Its not too much to ask, magic it ain't.

[@grahamhendry458]

It was known as the 'three LZ (III LZ)" not the triple LZ. Nobody left there who has a clue about legacy.

[@TheMrgonzalo05]

Kevin is right about women having sensitive ears. I can't even mumble a thing without my wife getting upset

[@yttean98]

someone should conduct one to one showdown of this pair against Andrew Jones' Source Point 10, a big different in their respective price point, Tannoy's =$12,000 and Andrew Jones' =$3699. Guess who would win?

[@Audfile]

I Googled Alnico. Why use this material again? Seems like more money for lesser magnet.

[@yippie6862]

$5500 more than the standard Stirling speakers!

[@kimchee411]

Much better driver in these!

[@bencausey]

Just wanna know how it sounds. 😢

[@MegaM563]

Kevin can sell these speakers to a deaf man

[@LS-ti6jo]

$12k is a nice price. Does Tannoy ake a matching center channel for us heathens who also are into home theater?

[@thomasschafer7268]

Shure? 1 Chassis and a little wood. Never ever!!

[@LS-ti6jo]

@@thomasschafer7268 Huh? Haven't got a clue what you're talking about mate.

[@gleamtarrest6310]

$14k

[@АлександрПопов-и8з2м]

Alnico uses in guitar pickup, it’s not woodoo😀

[@raoulduke1914]

not really a technical guy from Tannoy I guess

[@edd2771]

ironic how bad the audio quality on this channel always is

[@barney6888]

I think that all this hype is nothing more than pretentious people trying to look sophisticated by playing whitewashed jazz on overpriced pieces of cheap furniture junk. "Audiophiles" are the biggest suckers in the world. "A fool and his money are soon departed."

[@GK-rw2op]

Just like a 38 " Gong it's a better value then a 40" !