Affordable Tannoy Prestige GR with The Stirling & TurnberryCategories: Speakers

If you thought Tannoy’s Prestige GR range was out of financial reach, take a good hard look at the Stirling and Turnberry models.

We’re BIG fans of Tannoy’s wonderful Prestige GR Range, here at The Audio Affair Blog. We’ve recently looked at the GRF and Kensington Loudspeakers, which form part of Tannoy’s traditionalist ‘Prestige GR’ range.

What if I told you though, that the same quality and fundamental ethos of those speakers could be obtained for around a quarter of the price of those models?

Got your attention? Thought so…

Tannoy Stirling & Turnberry GR Loudspeakers

The Tannoy Stirling and Turnberry loudspeakers represent Tannoy’s ‘Entry Level’ Prestige GR Loudspeakers. Now, let’s get something clear, the term ‘entry level’ in the context of the Prestige range could well equate to ‘top of the line’ for some other manufacturers.

Tannoy’s Prestige range is the true heart and voice of ‘traditional’ Tannoy Loudspeakers. Each and every Prestige GR loudspeaker is hand made in Tannoy’s famous Scottish factory; a unique claim amongst Tannoy’s Loudspeaker range.

The Tannoy Stirling and Turnberry loudspeakers feature genuine Tannoy Dual Concentric drivers, and beautiful, handmade cabinetry. The drivers are the modest 10″ models, not the thunderous 15″ drivers of the Westminster, and the cabinetry and crossovers are simplified.

There is no doubt, however, that these speakers are fundamentally crafted with the same ethos and craftsmanship of the rest of the Prestige GR Range. Further, they come in at a price-point similar to which one might have to pay for used, vintage Dual Concentrics, of unknown provenance. They deserve, therefore, a closer look.

Tannoy Prestige GR Stirling

Here they are then, the Tannoy Stirling Prestige GR; a pair of genuine Tannoy Dual Concentric loudspeakers for under £4k, brand new. That’s pretty much the sales pitch for these speakers in a nutshell. Let’s take a close look at the specifications though, and see what you get for your money.

The Tannoy Stirling’s dimensions reveal it to be the ‘little squirt’ of the Prestige GR range. At 850mm tall, they’re still substantial units, but the use of a smaller 10″ driver allows for the use of the smallest cabinet in the Prestige GR Range.

Notably missing, is the dual function crossover of the more expensive models in the Prestige range, which allow for adjustment of HF Shelving and Slope. Not so here; the Stirling has a simplified crossover which allows adjustment of the HF shelving only.

In a similar manner, the cabinetry is free from some the fancier veneering and aesthetic enhancements which are seen on some of the other models, further up the Prestige GR Range. None the less, these are still beautiful cabinets, with a gorgeous oiled wood veneer.

The specifications don’t lie with regards to these speakers outstanding performance, either: 39hZ-25kHz Frequency response with a 91db sensitivity rating are highly respectable stats, in anyone’s books.

Tannoy Prestige GR Turnberry

The Tannoy Turnberry Prestige GR represents something of a ‘sweet spot’ in the more affordably priced end of the Tannoy Prestige GR range. Much of the specification is the same as that of the Stirling, however, the Turnberry features a more substantial, taller cabinet with larger internal volume.

That increased internal volume really seems to wring that little bit more out of the 10″ driver; specifications show an increase in sensitivity – now 93db, plus an extension in the low-frequency response – 34hZ.

If you’ve been wanting to make the jump to the ‘true point source’ listening, that only a Dual Concentric driver can give (and remember Tannoy INVENTED the dual concentric) then the Stirling and Turnberry speakers might just be what you’ve been looking for.