Kef Eggs v Tannoy 5.1

A

Andy1

Guest
I believe the Kef 2005.2 eggs are very well regarded, but are they really THAT much better than the Tannoy 5.1 set up.

To explain, this is my first venture into HC and I am looking to buy the Pioneer VSX 812S plus a suitable speaker package, cables and two stands. If I scrimped and saved I could probably get to a budget of around £1100 but I am perhaps a bit uncomfortable that I am spending so much on a big boys toy.

The room is around 5m x 4m, and the system will primarly be used for movies / TV.

I could buy one of Creative Audios’ packages with the Pioneer amp / Kef eggs & stands @ £79 for £1069.

OR

I could buy the amp & cables for about £375, and using Richer sounds to undercut HiFi Bitz I could buy the Tannoy 5.1 set up for £139. Add in stands for £55, and the total cost would be around £570.

Is it really worth spending an extra £500 for the Kefs ? Is my room too big for the Tannoys ?

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

PS – I have no particular desire for whopping standmount speakers, before anyone suggests that much better value can be had from more traditional speaker packages.
 
I was in the exact same position as you - Kef Eggs.2 or Tannoy's and although my heart was saying KEF, the wallet was screaming Tannoy's and I haven't regretted it so far. I had a demo of the Eggs @ Creative Audio in Shrewsbury and thought they sounded great so was expecting a considerable reduction in quality when I rigged up the Tannoys.

I was very pleased then that the Tannoy's sounded superb. If the Eggs get 10/10 then I'd say the Tannoy's are 9/10 and like you say for the best part of £500 cheaper then go for it. They got rave reviews when priced at £480.

Woz
 
I had the same problem. I was also looking at the KEFs, but my wallet (and wife) were looking at something cheaper. In the end, I settled with the Canton CD1's, which Hornydragon refers to above.
I've heard the MS Premiers, and was impressed, but haven't heard the Tannoys. In the end, it came down to looks and budget for us. (Wife like the looks of the Cantons over the Premiers.)
I'm happy with the CD1's. The only thing I'd say against them is that the midrange is slightly lacking on Music playback. For movies, though, it's fantastic!! Midrange improves slightly when the volume is turned up. I'm running them with the Yamaha RXV740.
Let me know if you have any questions. If I could have justified the extra price and if I could have maintained peace in the home (with the wife) I might have sprung for the KEFs. In the end, they were just too expensive.
Jim
 
The FX51. are really really good, but at 5x4m room, I think it might struggle a bit if placed near the walls. The only solution would be if you still wanted the Tannoys, do what the tester did in this review - http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/Tannoy_FX5.1_review_p1.html - get stands and place it nearer to the listener and limit the sound field. But at £139 incl speaker cables, it is sooo cheap.

Otherwise, hornydragon and rainbow6 has given 3 top choices.

BTW, are you wall mounting or and do you have enough spaces for them to stand on it, without needing to buy stands?

The Oreus are a super sat package, but they don't come with floor stands (comes with table and wall), and 600 is for a 5.1system, so a 6th rear satellite, cost another 100 = 700 without floor stands and speaker cables. A very very detailed review in German here - http://www.areadvd.de/hardware/infinityoreus.shtml

The MS premiere, another very good system. I don't know if this has enough to shake your room, but it should be a touch more powerful than the FX5.1, a different style and look speakers - http://www.hificonfidential.co.uk/moreinfo.cfm?id=223 - can be had for £260 (unless, you give them a call and ask the instore price) when using this link for price match with RS . Or they have also a newer plus version, with a really beefed up sub for £420 - http://www.hificonfidential.co.uk/moreinfo.cfm?id=346

About the Cantons, I don't know much about the CD-1's but, they should be very good, having assisted with some research on the swedish forums for rainbow6, and coming from Sweden, Canton as a speaker brand are extremely popular there, due to extremely low prices when importing from Germany, and in North America, they are also regarded as good as say B&W, AE etc.

KEF, needs no introduction, I think you have probably found so much info on them. Anyway here is a very very detailed review in german - http://www.areadvd.de/hardware/kefkht2005mk2.shtml - again with the creative package, if you can afford, def well worth a 6th satellite for another £80.

Finally, for a room size of yours, I think it is definitely worth a 6.1 set up, unless you have your sofa right next to the wall and don't want to move it out a bit.

Wasabi
 
Thanks for the input.

Looking at the middle ground is, of course, a valid option but based upon the Tannoys' original price of approx £500, I would hope the quality of the Tannoys to also be middle ground rather than cheap.

If I look at alternate speaker packages mentioned above (costing perhaps £400 - £600) when adding back the cost of cabling, the amp etc I am approaching the price of the Kef package again. WTIM, pound for pound, the Kef package is likely to give better results I assume.

Wasabi - you mention an 6.1 set up would be beneficial. Extra speakers for the Tannoy set are less than £50 - would this help to overcome the possible problem of the Tannoys being underpowered for my room size ?

Finally - what about the Aego P5 package (speakers only) - I think these could be secured for about £380 and they are well though of. I believe there successor is due out in February - any early feedback yet ?
 
Correction to above - Superfi are selling the AE Aego P5 speakers / sub for just £199 !

Very well regarded by Westy, could add a centre rear at reasonable price. We are now back around the £650 mark for Pioneer 812, speakers, stands & cabling.

Any thoughts ?
 
I am in the same position, I am looking to buy some new speakers for my room which is 12ft by 10ft and to go with a dennon 2803 amp.
Should I buy the Kefs (i have my heart set on these) or should I buy the Tannoy £500 cheaper might even buy a new tv with money I save. I might go and find a stroe at the weekend to have a listen to them just wanted your advice really on what to go for.
 
Andy1,

When I meant 6.1 beneficial, I was thinking more that you get a much better surround as the sides can concentrate on the side sound, and the rear can concentrate on the rear, but it still won't overcome the lack of power, I reckon, your room is probably too big. The best thing is if you could buy from RS and test it, stating that your room size and if you think it is not enough, get a confirmation from the sales person, to have the right to get a refund.

oops, I forgot you are focusing on the aego p5, I don't know much personally about them, apart that westy is really promoting them, rightfully, after being awarded so well in the mags a couple of years ago, and at 200squids it is a extremely good price. But again, I think you will struggle to power the room properly.

crazzy kopite,
2803 is way too good for the Tannoy's. It's like having a Nissan 350ZX and its rubbers are the entry Michelins. You need Kef's or say Oreus, to really benefit from the receiver.

Wasabi
 
Kefs it is then. Are the kefs good for music as well as movies and is 6.1 ok for a room my sixe 12ft by 10ft.
 
For a sat system, kef is well good with music, and for movies it is superb. Hm a 6.1 set up, it all depends on where you intend to sit. If you can have your sofa a bit out, say 1meter (3.2ft I think) then yes, you will hear the benefits of 6.1, but if ur sofa is next to the wall, well if you could take it out 1ft, then you could either place it on the floor behind the sofa, pointing up or above the sofa pointing down, and you will still get some benefits, but not as much as if your listening position is further out.

Is your tv placed on the smaller wall side? It is always better to set the home cinema up like the cinema format.

Wasabi
 
My tv is in the longest part of the room. I plan to have left ,right and centre speakers all in the wall equal distance.
I was planning on putting the back speakers either side of the wall at the back and the 6th speaker on the back wall in line with the centre.
My room is a square room, would it be ok for the back speakers either side of the side wall or should they be on the back wall? I just thought I would get better benefit if the back speakers are lined up either side of my ears rather than behind me.

I currently have the front speakers about 4 foot high and the back speakers abo0ut 7 foot high and facing towards where I sit.
 
Originally posted by Andy1

Finally - what about the Aego P5 package (speakers only) - I think these could be secured for about £380 and they are well though of. I believe there successor is due out in February - any early feedback yet ?

Aego P5II
Strange design full width but slim unit, sounds even better and prologic2 brings it up to date.
Speaker covers changed to cloth.
Snazzy blue display (Like PURE DRX Range)
All in all very good and still only £600 Retail.

Possibility of a built in DVD version to follow???
 

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