These loudspeakers completely overturned my perception of music, they were references for a long time, and whenever I did not confront their sound with other, often many times more expensive loudspeakers – they always came out unscathed. Nevertheless … it was not always colorful. Actually, I was rarely completely satisfied with them, because when I bought them – I had no idea what I was buying.
Tannoy LGM – History
LGMI encountered y by accident – wanting to buy Leema Tucan 2 – the seller mentioned that it also has nice loudspeakers in perfect condition. He took it out, looked at it and I liked them very much visually. The sound was also very good (they were driven by Manley monoblocks on the 300B). I finally bought Leema, and I mentioned the speakers to a colleague who was playing Tannoy Cheviot at the time. He went and liked it so much that he bought it
After the listening sessions, however, he stated in his room that Cheviots were more suited to its room (a living room with a kitchen is nearly 50 sq m), and after selling Rhea, I was looking for something new. And that’s how they landed with me.
It turned out that I bought loudspeakers with an absolutely reference diameter, monstrously difficult to match and, in addition, very invariable.
In short, I got into the swamp, from which I had no idea how to dig out – on the one hand, I liked them very much visually, they played great quietly (12 inches does a job here!), They had a scale, dynamics, great Contour in the game and excellent – fast bass.
On the other hand, the sound was clear, insistent, with a small amount of bass. With most of the amplifiers I tested them, they sounded simply unbearable. Especially with Leema Tucan 2, which I bought a moment earlier – this quite open upper midrange and quite energetic sound duplicated their characteristics and did not mask their flaws.
I was furious with myself, because I disassembled a brilliantly playing set straight from the Polish manufactories of Haiku Sol II + Audio Academy Rhea – and not only was it not better, but it was also thick periods that could not be listened to.
So I tested various materials, various amplifiers, I traveled with my LGM in Poland to listen – on the one hand, being aware of their prominence – on the other hand, their disadvantages.
And so the years flew, and at that time I threw dozens of tastes, various cables, sources … and thanks to that I understood everything about this game.
Tannoy LGM: Sound
The character of LGM has never been changed, but I found a few sets in which they simply played spectacularly.
Tannoy Little Gold Monitor – this is as the name suggests studio monitors. They were used to make albums, and not necessarily listening to poorly mastered recordings for car radio.
LGM play with open, contour, quite fast sound. They are great as near field monitors. They recreate vocals and acoustic instruments fantastically. They do not have a low descent bass, but its quality is very good – although you can definitely find more multi-colored loudspeakers in this area. The top for this type of converter is very good.
Creme de la Creme is a midrange – tangible, realistic, colorful – although on the bright side it is also great for male vocals. Fantastic in all kinds of acoustics.
Connected with the Chinese tube pre Xiang Sheng and the vintage Luxman 5M21 tip, they were able to shake the room. In tandem with the French Jadis DA30 or Verdier 220, we managed to squeeze a great tonal balance with Mich, and a full, colorful and incredibly tangible diameter. I will especially remember the vocals on Jadis, which were so perfect that you could actually focus only on such a repertoire. Leonard Cohen, Eva Cassidy, Mercedes Sosa, Norah Jones, Marek Dyjak, or my favorite ‘Ink’ Celińska played for me almost every day.
However, I got the most spectacular connection from Haiku Sensei 300B – here the synergy was simply incredible. Although there was no meat that Jadis or Verdier gave, it is also an amplifier with a slightly different purpose.
As it turns out, you can also appreciate various things in the diameter and everyone has an impressiongood diameterinterprets a bit differently. For one it will be a mass, a push, full and present vocals. For another, a multitude of textures, colors, shades, hard contours and great freedom. And for yet another it will just be a detail and fragmenting sounds so as to catch something new.
Sensei from Tannoy gave a presentation closest to the latter. The number of shades, colors without excessive weight, unusual microdynamics, contour, delicate gilding of the top, but also extraordinary readability devoid of insistence.
With a well-chosen material, this set gave such sensations that none of what I heard before and after that did not match it. I remember going from Sensei to listen to Klipsch Forte III to a friend who seemed to me two years earlier – it was fantastic, but in the 2nd grade it was worse. I remember Kensington from that sensei and with the Moon set for 40,000k – a whole store set for nearly PLN 100,000 – I returned home and … I felt a great zeal. In the meantime, I was also listening to the powerful monoblocks of the big diy loudspeakers on the Accutons – a similar experience to the Kensingtons.
Don’t get me wrong – all the others were really good presentations – objectively with many advantages and advantages.
However, it does not change the fact that they did not have these sets of such sophistication, taste, such lightness, naturalness … They did not have as much soul as my set.
They couldn’t even put me in the mood that LGM gave me from the first sounds. And I know that even weeks of listening would not change that.
On the other hand, I must admit that this set was not very versatile – jazz, blues, vocals, ECMs, act, soft rock – it was phenomenal to listen to. Worse projects, heavier rock, pop – there was definitely a lack of meat and energy, which was given by, for example, Verdier or Luxman 5M21.
Tannoy LGM: Summary
I recommend Little Gold Monitors to listen to everyone … Although I know that not everyone will like it. This is very specific, picky when it comes to the repertoire of the column.
They have to be put together very well, otherwise they tire quickly. I do not recommend lovers of louder listening – then they tire very quickly.
For me, they play best with the lamp, and the most universally with PushPull amplifiers with a slightly thickened sound. It is also worth experimenting with the height of the stands (in my opinion, better closer to the ground).
