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Review 3 of 3
Price Paid:
$350.00
from Secondhand Summary:
The Tannoy 613 is a larger version of 611, also reviewed on this site. It is a floor-standing speaker with an "irregular hexagon" cabinet.
Quick specs:
Recommended power: 10-150W (Max 250)
Impedance: 6 ohms
Sensitivity: 90dB (2.87V @ 1m)
H x W x D: 899 x 276 x 188
Weight: 15 kg
Drive Units :
- 6.5" Dual Concentric
- 6.5" Bass unit
- 6.5" Mass-tuned passive cone
Can be bi-wired
Back in about 1988 I compared a pair of Tannoy Dual-Concentric DC200s with the equivalent offerings from Mission and Kef. Some think that that the D-C design (where the tweeter is mounted in the centre of the mid/bass driver, to create a "point source") introduces too many design compromises. Personally, I was instantly won over by the integrity of the Tannoys - the sense of "being-there-if-you-close-your-eyes." The other speakers sounded out-of-phase by comparison.
16 years, later, I have a pair of Tannoy 613s, and I still love the Dual-Concentric design for the same reason. The only other type of speaker I've heard which provides this integrity of sound are the Quad ESL-63s, which also (in theory) provide a point source. But they are perhaps less suited to the Friday-night Speaker Demolition Derby.
I run the Tannoys from a Quad 66/303 pre/power combination. Vocals and sax in particular come over brilliantly on the 613s. The bass is rich, warm and deep; never boomy, but with enough power to rattle the ornaments off the shelves if you want. On a more practical note, their shape makes them compact in a room - much less than ordinary box speakers on stands. They are visually fairly unobtrusive (although the black ash finish looks pretty dated now).
OK, so I've sung the praises, so what's less good. Well, I find them quite "fussy." For example, it's more important than many other speakers to sit in the "correct" place to get the best out of them. Some music works better on them than others, seemingly independent of genre (although in the main, I'd say they are usually better at classical than rock). The result this fussiness is usually harshness in the treble, a criticism which I have seen levelled at D-Cs elsewhere. Alternatively, it sometimes sounds like it's trying to extract too much detail - i.e recreating all the parts, instead of the whole.
But I'm not an audiophile, so I'd take what I say with a LARGE helping of scepticism. I think that D-Cs sound significantly different from separate-driver units, and as such are worth a listen - if only to find out if they are to your taste. Strengths:
Brilliant imagery, especially for vocals. Deep bass. Compact. Weaknesses:
Quite "fussy", sometimes harsh treble. Similar Products Used:
Never owned any other speakers in the same price range.
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