I’ve had Legacy Ardens for around 10 months now. I use them with a system based around a Luxman L590AX-II class A integrated. I really like the Ardens but fine-tuning the sound to suit was not a quick process - I tended to find myself yearning for a touch more sparkle in the HF response than I was getting. To cut a long story short, I think my original use of the Tannoy-supplied plastic feet (not spikes) onto my carpeted, suspended wooden floor, was somehow robbing me of a few dB of upper midrange/lower HF detail. I’d tried to compensate by using the foam bungs to reduce the perceived bass, but it was only when I added IsoAcoustic Gaia II feet and the matching spiked cups that I finally got the balance spot-on. I’m now very, very pleased and the hifi journey is effectively over. And those Gaias really live up to the hype, at least in my system.
I took the plunge and purchased a pair of Cheviots. I'm looking forward to getting them setup this weekend. Updates to follow...
Great. I really enjoy the sound of the Tannoy legacy speakers when I listen on youtube(I know not the same as being there).
This was an open box pair, so there was already some break-in (although I’m not sure how much). We just hooked them up a couple hours ago. Initial impressions are nice clarity, but not overly detailed and slightly warmer than neutral. Nice low end extension with definition... enough for me, but I’m also not a sub user. As they were just out of the box and my components hadn’t yet been warmed up, I’m giving them a couple hours before raising the volume a bit. Nice initial impression all around thus far though.
Post weekend update: Really pleased so far with the Cheviots. Just about everything we've listened to so far has been a joy. These speakers are dynamic enough to enhance mediocre classic rock recordings. The level of clarity and space from the tweeters, however, really allows well recorded tracks to shine. We spent a lot of time listening to classical and flamenco guitar on Saturday night and I've never heard acoustic instruments sound so vivid through a stereo. It was totally mesmerizing. With respect to soundstage, I would describe it as being fairly wide with the Cheviots, with some degree of depth and a limited sense of height. The depth issue might be more of a function of my funky room arrangement and acoustics. The limited height is also likely emblematic of this being a relatively short speaker. The overall presentation from the dual concentric drivers, however, is different from a normal stacked/separated driver layout typical in box speakers. The sound just seems more coherent/less disjointed in a very subtle way. Finally, I have to say I just love the look of these speakers. The retro 70s modern style is simple, but still constructed well enough to blend with both midcentury modern and also present day design aesthetics. They are just a beauty to look at.
They just look 'right' those Cheviot legacy- and the originals too, which amplifier are you using as your profile shows two different ones.
So far, I've only tried the Cheviots with our (tube) PrimaLuna EVO 300 integrated . The source component has been our PS Audio DirectStream DAC (alternating through the internal network bridge and also via the Matrix/Roon Nucleus combo). I'll probably try some records with it this weekend, although we've been streaming a lot more lately. I'm looking forward as to how these sound with our solid state Yamaha A-S3000, but that might not be for a few weeks. I've also just received an Audioquest Niagara 3000 power conditioner for the system that I hope to install in the next week or two which I'm hoping will add to the overall dynamics. (I'm currently using one of the cheap AQ power strips.) I listened for another hour before bed last night. As I mentioned earlier, mediocre recordings still sound alright with these, but this speaker does lean on the side of being more truthful/revealing. It struck me as to how different some of my favorite recordings sound now through the Cheviots. "Unvarnished" is maybe the best way I could describe it... I thought I wouldn't like hearing some of the warts/rough patches in certain songs, but it's actually comes across more real and engaging (for me at least). One more item to note: We still haven't tried adjusting the treble jumpers to see how that shapes the sound. I've been pretty impressed with the baseline sound so far, so I don't know if we'll end up preferring any different settings in our room.
I’ve been in high end Hifi for about 25 years now, and have owned more speakers than I would like to admit. To my ears, my vintage Tannoy Cheviots are the best speakers I have ever owned. And I picked them up totally unexpectantly for only about $800. I put another $200 into a pair of new crossovers some enthusiast does out of England (that included shipping across the pond) and about $60 for new “vintage” cloth. Every time I listen to more expensive speakers, I always come back to the Tannoys. They just do something the others don’t. I have always liked speakers that are time aligned (going back to the Spica TC-50’s), and maybe this is why. Anyway, I run them with low power tubes and never want for power.
I bought a pair of lightly used Tannoy Legacy Cheviot. I use them with a Luxman L-590AX amplifier. The CD player is an Oppo BDP 95 EU It’s the best sound I’ve ever heard! I’ll never sell them! If the recording is of excellent quality, the sound reproduced is fantastic!
I’ll elaborate a bit. When playing the Japanese CD Jim Reeves - The Last Recordings (ABC (Int’l) Records) It’s the best I’ve heard of Reeves on digital. Not all of the recordings are aural pleasures, but when they are they’re breathtakingly detailed. Another superb recording is this album: The Derailers - Genuine (2003) When playing it quite loud it almost hits you in the face / body. The bass is driving, the vocals are beautiful and right there in front of you. The guitar sounds fabulous! This is how a stereo system should sound. Reproducing the recording so that it is lifelike and alive in it’s presence in the listening room. My next project is playing LP records on the equipment. I bet it can sound great too!
A pair of ex demo Eatons with 300mm stands arrive on Wednesday for a 14 day trial and really looking forward to hearing what they do! Will be hitched up to Primare i30 amp via kimber 8pr and listening to afrobeat, jazz, acoustic and ambient on Qobuz via the Exogal dac. Room is approx 7m x 5m and with pitched ceiling open to ridge. Speaker location is along the long wall. Any recommendations on speaker placement or views on potential synergies? Would the Eatons be better closer to floor on a short tilted plinth? Mainly am hoping for a far wider 'sweetspot'.
Put them with the center of speaker at same height as your ears. Made a huge jump on everything for me. Tannoy replied me that is the position they are designed to be used at. I custom built my stands from Rogoz in Poland. They don't charge extra for custom built stands and charge like 70 EUR for shipment to my door in Sweden. Quality of those stands are awesome and they should be filled with sand (or similar). Home - Rogoz Audio
Set up the Cheviots tonight after work. Still adjusting the placement with painter’s tape all over the rug. Coming from a smaller two way floorstander from Opera(Italian company), the bass extension was most notable difference. I wondered what Miles Davis would sound like and was blown away by the trumpet compared to the smaller speaker. Much sweeter sound and a little less brash. This was on an early pressing of In a Silent Way. Built to Spill’s Conventional Wisdom and Wilco’s Side one of A Ghost is Born surprised me a little as the bass difference from the smaller speaker was less noticeable. These have always sounded full on my system and still do now. However, the guitar sound and overall coherence when turned up was much better now. I have them pushed back against the wall a few inches more than the prior speakers due to their overall size. They are a little over a foot away from the corner bass traps. I’m 72” from each speaker and they are about 75” apart measured from their inner edges. I have a projector screen coming that may need them to be this far apart.
We've had the Cheviots for a couple months now and are very excited to keep these for the long term. After some initial break-in period, everything just sounds better with these... even poor recordings. I've played around with placement, but haven't noticed a massive difference. The speakers just sound great in almost every position and from a wide listening area. The other great bonus is that they look like quality furniture pieces that can actually blend into a real world living environment. One other item that I'll note is that I normally have our PrimaLuna tube integrated in that system with the Cheviots. I had to swap in my Yamaha A-S3000 solid state amp last week to do some system testing. The differences were noticeable. While the Yamaha features more power and slightly more detail in the sound which is perfect for our other system in the house, I just really missed the tube magic through the Cheviots. The PrimaLuna was back in the system by the end of the day.
Today I realized I had the Cheviots playing through the 4 ohm taps I had used for the prior speakers. Changed them to the 8 ohm taps and think the sound has improved, more body and extension. Anyone play around with their ohm taps? I have not found an impedance curve for the Cheviots. Anyone seen one?
Very well, thanks! Took a few evenings of positioning to get them right and a few more evenings micro positioning and adjustment of treble and roll off to get them sweet. Put them on some small tables, but ideally need to be 150cm higher for tweeter to be at ear level. Presently in 3.5m triangle toed in just in front of listening settee. Soundstage is wonderful and tonality and accuracy seem spot on. There's maybe a bit of mid/upper bass boominess on some louder music but hopefully that will diminish with further run in, some proper stands and isolation and curtains behind. Right now I'm most pleased that they met the brief of really conveying the music rather than the upstream kit - something that the Regas started to differentiate and separate the sound as other upgrades occurred. I and my partner are also enjoying the far wider sweetspot.
I was looking into the Eatons last year and was going to go with the Atacama Audition series stands which appear to be modeled specifically for the Eatons and other larger standmount speakers. I've also heard great things about the Atacama Atabites stand filler which is supposed to be a lot better at taming resonancy/vibration than the traditional dried sand/pebble approach.
Eaton update: tried some cheapo sorbothane semi spheres and no real change or improvement in bloom in mid / upper bass / low mid (depended on tracks) still remained. Plumped for the iso pucks - 3 under each speaker and its tightened up that bass rather well and no longer feel vibtations through wooden floor. Result! Getting lots of run in play and they just get better week by week.
Cool, will get them too For stands I recommend Rogoz. They custom build for same price as their standard stands. Massive stands. The Atacamas which I had earlier looks and feel very cheap in comparison. Well worth it. Home - Rogoz Audio
Thought rolling my Gold Lions back into my amp would be the perfect match for the Cheviots but pop/pop later and they blew the fuse. They have a good many hours on them. So back to the EH KT 88s. It took a week for me to get a fuse. Cheviots are back singing now. Look forward to getting them better isolated from the carpet in the future given everyone’s suggestions.
Thanks dionas. Some 600mm high hardwood tables are on order - finish same as speakers. With the isopucks they'll hopefully be ok. Cheers, Gi.
I've owned a pair of Tannoy Legacy Ardens for about 6 months and love them. Keen to see pics of rooms and placements! How far do you have them from the wall, best angle, etc?
