Precision. That’s the goal of Tannoy’s latest range of mid-priced speakers – to deliver your music as accurately as possible.
Of course; precision is a word that, arguably, could be attributed to any of Tannoy’s loudspeakers – or perhaps I’m biased. Having loved the Revolution DC6T SE’s, and subsequently the budget-oriented V1i’s, naturally I jumped at the chance to place Tannoy’s new Precision 6.1’s in my system.
Features
A relatively compact standmount speaker, the Precision 6.1 contains a single, 6” driver in its beautiful, curvy cabinet. Not just any driver, either – it’s one of Tannoy’s famous Dual-Concentric, single point source drivers. BY placing the 1” titanium dome tweeter in the throat of the 6” mid/bass driver, the driver creates a single point source for all frequencies – bass, mids, and highs.
This ensures that all frequencies arrive at the listener’s ears at exactly the time – making the sound very coherent, with accurate timing and an excellent sound stage. The tweeter also features Tannoy’s tulip wave guide, which helps with dispersion – further widening the sound stage and aiding instrument placement.
The 6.1s contain an updated crossover, optimized for the new precision driver. Rather than mounting their crossover on a PCB, Tannoy opted to hard-wire each component – resulting in a clean, short signal path, with low signal loss. This crossover, combined with the precision driver, result in a speaker that is detailed and expressive – able to accurately convey the message in the music.
Packaging
The Precision 6.1s come packaged in a relatively flimsy box. Keeping things in place are 2 identical, full-sized blocks of polystyrene. These are thick and strong, and provide more than adequate protection for the speakers inside – they’re much better than the cheap, flimsy polystyrene used to protect the budget V1is, and indeed many other, more expensive speakers.
The speakers come wrapped in plastic bags – removing the bag reveals a speaker draped in cloth. A very nice touch – which is also effective in protecting the glossy finish.
In the box, you’ll find the manual, some rubber feet and the wire jumpers used to configure the speakers to run in single-wire mode.
Initial Impressions
The first thing you’ll notice when lifting the 6.1s from their box is the weight – while certainly not as heavy as some other standmounts, these speakers are nothing if not solid. The hi gloss, deep lacquer cabinets, with their curved sides designed to reduce internal standing waves, are a welcome departure from the common plain square designs employed by many speaker manufacturers.
The grilles feature a woven cloth material, wrapped around a wooden frame – they’re solid and well-made, with no flex. They’re held in place with strong magnets, concealed within the front baffle – there’s no chance of them falling off or rattling as is the case with the plastic grilles found on lesser designs.
The front houses the single dual-concentric driver, surrounded by an aluminium trim. The drivers are mounted using DMT (Differential Materials Technology) – acoustically coupling the driver magnet to an internal cabinet brace. The mounting screws are hidden beneath the aforementioned trim, making for a clean, beautiful-looking installation.
A single Tannoy name plate is situated at the bottom of both the front panel and the grille – its subtle branding that blends in well with the rest of the speaker.
Situated on the rear of the 6.1s are the large bass port, and the terminal block. The terminal block contains the usual HF and LF terminals for bi-wiring, as well as a fifth terminal used to earth the speakers to the amplifier chassis.
In certain parts of the world where RF interference is an issue, connecting a wire to a speaker effectively transforms it into an antenna – and, in certain areas, a radio – which is obviously not desirable behavior. Tannoy implemented this terminal as a means to reduce (and in some cases, eliminate) this effect – cleaning up the midband performance in the process.
This is entirely optional, though – the speakers were used exclusively in single-wire mode throughout this review
Rather than the usual thin metal jumper plates, Tannoy supply a set of wire jumpers to link the terminals together. These jumpers are fitted with a spade connector on 1 end, and a banana plug on the other – meaning you have a choice of which connection you wish to use if using single wire mode.
The terminals are solid – there’s no flex when turning the large, plastic screws or inserting banana plugs. Plugs slide in and out easily; though remain firmly held in place once installed.
Positioning
As is the case with any speaker that uses a single point source driver, great care must be taken to position the speakers for the best results. The first consideration is the height – the 6.1s will require a pair of stands that place the tweeter as level with your ears as possible, when in your listening position.
Try to achieve an equilateral triangle between you and the speakers. I found that, in my listening space, positioned roughly 1.5M apart, seated 1.5M away – with the speakers angled in 20 degrees or thereabouts – was optimal. The 6.1s also require a decent amount of room to breathe – placing them too close to a wall results in overpowering bass and a reduced sound stage – so I’d avoid placing them on a shelf or wall stand.
Sound
The acoustic version of ‘Night Drive’, taken from the All American Rejects’ Move Along album, demonstrates the Precision 6.1s… well, precise nature. The delicacy and detail in the hand drum was particularly impressive – as were the vocals and acoustic guitars. The timing demonstrated during the staccato piano was spot on, too – and the same could easily be said for the acoustic guitars. There wasn’t a single note out of place – apart from the slightly dodgy backing vocals towards the end, which the Tannoys weren’t to blame for.
Norah Jones’s ‘Nightingale’ shone through the precision 6.1’s, too – again, guitars were delicate and, well, precise – and her vocals are simply breathtaking. Organisation and placement are spot on – the open, airy sound stage spreading out before the listener in a wide 3-dimensional arc.
The 6.1’s may only have a single 6” mid/bass driver, but that doesn’t stop them excelling in the bass area – the deep, heavy bass line and thudding kick drum were delivered perfectly. There’s a real blend between the lows, the mids and the highs that only a single point source driver, such as the Tannoy dual-concentric driver can manage to pull off.
The 6.1’s aren’t as forgiving with poor recordings – and the same goes for bright recordings. Bon Jovi’s ‘Something For The Pain’, taken from their One Wild Night live compilation, is 1 such track – while it’s certainly not the worst live recording, it’s definitely up there. It’s a shame – it’s a great track – but a mixture of over-bright guitars, feedback from ambient mics, and over-compressed vocals let it down.
The 6.1’s do a fair job at smoothing things out – though the sound stage isn’t nearly as wide as it could be, and they have a tendency to veer towards being over-bright, almost shrill at times. That said, it’s perfectly listenable – which is more than can be said when playing the same track on lesser speakers.
Lastly to some Evanescence. Spin ‘Everybody’s Fool’ from the Fallen album, and again some of that brightness makes an appearance. that said, the 6.1’s do a great job of delivering the heavy bass line.
There’s a delicacy to the performance that seems to be a recurring theme with the 6.1’s – it’s particularly evident in ‘My Immortal’ – a track that, arguably, sounds great on pretty much any system. The 6.1’s deliver a stunning performance – that sweet piano, those violins, and Amy Lee’s emotional, expressive vocal all coming together, engulfing the listener. It simply has to be heard.
It was listening to ‘Hello’ though that I finally had an epiphany. Sometimes, when listening to music, there’s a moment when everything falls into place. There’s perfect synergy between you, your system, and the track itself. You’re taken away from your listening chair – taken on a musical journey. You feel exactly what the artist felt when he or she was writing, or performing the track. The pain. The happiness. It hits you; and you become lost. “Has no one told you she’s not breathing? Hello? I’m your mind… giving you someone to talk to… hello?”
for a speaker at this price level to have such an impact, is simply astonishing
Summary
These are by no means the “best” speakers money can buy. Audiophiles spend thousands trying to achieve musical perfection; sometimes with disappointing results. They go through a constant cycle of upgrading cables, equipment, and even their listening spaces – and even then, they can still be left dissatisfied; only more so because it’s cost them a small fortune.
The Precision 6.1’s are the kind of speaker music lovers look for; the kind they place in their system and simply say ‘yes, this is the one’. Hats off to Tannoy for creating such an incredible product, and sharing it with the rest of the world.
Forget the occasional brightness; if it bothers you, leave the grilles on. Chances are if you have a system good enough to support these speakers, you won’t be spinning low-quality recordings.
These are worth the money – and then some. Highly recommended.
Hello. I want to put my two front REVOLUTION DC6 in other system and replace them with REVOLUTION XT6 or PRECISION 6.1. I understand PRECISION 8.1 are in theory better than XT6/DC6 but I have read some reviews that say the same: 6.1 lacks in upper bass-midrange. You have listened all… I can not listen them, and I do not want replace my DC6 with one than sound worse… Please tell me. Thank you.
That’s a difficult one because both have strengths in different areas. The 6.1 is in theory the superior speaker, especially if you’re sitting relatively close to it. It does lack a little in the upper bass area, but if anything the XT6 is the opposite. You also need to take great care when positioning them. The XT6 is the direct upgrade for your existing DC6, and while it is better I’m not sure the expense would be justified. I’d probably go with the 6.1s in your case, or the 6.2s if you can accommodate them.
PRECISION 6.1 / REVOLUTION XT6 will not be purchased as an upgrade because my DC6 will be surround channels in other system. 6.1 / XT6 can be found at similar price. 6.1 lacks upperbass but I want to know if this is an absolute fact or this is a fact comparing with similar priced speakers… Because if transiction between upperbass and mid are worse in 6.1 than XT6 or DC6 then 6.1 will be discarded. In case of going to a bigger speaker I will go directly to XT6F. The only I do not want is the new speaker being worse than my actual DC6 in any feature. Upper bass-mid transisction is very important, If 6.1 does it worse than DC6 then I will go to another, and this is what I want to know.
Yes the 6.1 does lack a little upper bass, that is fact. The XT6F is the best of all the speakers you mention.
Ok thanks but, as I said before. I need the DC6 in other system ans I have to replace the dc6… precision 6.1 is worse than dc6 in any aspect, or lack upper bass-mid is comparing with xt6 or similar priced to 6.1 or this lack make it even worse than dc6? thanks. I have heard precision are to be archived soon
None of the speakers you mention (Precision 6.1, XT6, XT6F) in my opinion are worse than the DC6 in any aspect.
I have purchased. a pair of precision 6.1. As I said, they replace a DC6 that go to other system. First listen and I want to write his, because impresion is very… I don´t jnow how to name it.
Build quality is good -this is not a cheap speaker- Is less tall than DC6
Music begins and first of all midrange is amazing. Treble is good too. The controversy is in bass tuning.
Bass level is lower than expected. Bass is there, but ear has to search it… and find it, and even deep, but a little lower than desired. This lower level bass sometiemes disconect bass from medium, a very strange situation with pop themes, but with other jazz pieces -Diana Krall, for example- sound is simple REFERENCE SOUND.
This bass tuning with this low level but precise and deep bass can be considered a supreme good tuning or an unbalanced tuning: Both opinions are possible. Long time listening will decide…
I write this because is a strange situation: Wonderful midrange but when going down speaker turn soft, perhaps lighweight, but precise and deep too…
DC6 is balanced, but midrange is nos as good as 6.1.
Perhaps listening this wonderful midrange you expect the same excelence in bass and this is not possible due to cabinet size… I do not know
I listened some coloratión box at high levels.
I´ll listen and listen. Perhaps this lighweigt can be compensated with a subwoofer, but I don´t know if this is a good idea, because clarity is immense ans a subwoofer can dirt it.
TANNOY PRECISION 6.1 biamped by a ONKYO TX-NR838
Interesting feedback. Firstly you won’t get super deep bass from the 6.1s, because their cabinets are small. The bass you do get is, however, usually more precise. You also need to give them a long run in time, during which the bass response will improve considerably.
Paul Mills, TANNOY chief designer said PRECISION was the evolution of REVOLUTION SIGNATURE series. REVOLUTION SIGNATURE were excellent speakers -a bit bright- but were retired soon because high manufacturing cost (curved cabinets, made in UK etc) and replaced by REVOLUTION series (I think worse than the signature), cheaper cabinets, made in china… PRECISION has been retired soon too… why? Expensive manufacturing, like SIGNATURES again, or defective sound? I own all these series and I can say SIGNATURE are excellent -a bit bright- REVOLUTION are good too, but nos as good as SIGNATURES, and PRECISION seems to be amazing. I own 6.1 and are better than I expect. Some say “lightweight” but it is not so easy like that. I expect 6.2 should have to be supreme… Then ¿why have been retired so soon? TANNOY has a very big matket hole between REVOLUTION XT and DEFINITION. I do not understand…
It probably has something to do with Tannoy having been sold to Music Group.
Hi, I have read your nice review on precision 6.1 which I am currently listening. You said “6.1 does lack a little upper bass.”
Now, what do you mean “upper bass” precisely? In fact, I’d like to adjust the balance by proper equalizing of the frequences. In that case, do you have any recommendations? In what range of frequence should I increase the sound for better balanced sound?
It’s been a long time since I heard them, but if I recall it was around 250Hz or so. Without calibration equipment or a test disc at the very least it would be impossible to balance the sound by ear, so I’d suggest simply adjusting your equaliser until the system sounds good to you, or leaving it set flat.
Thanks a lot for your quick reply! In fact, I am using foobar2000 in which I can preset the magnitude of various frequencies. I will try to increase around 250Hz as you suggested. Do you think it will work well? Or do you have any preset sample of frequencies proper to Precision 6.1?
I’m afraid it’s not something I ever experimented with. If all hi-fi had a totally flat response, in theory it would all sound equal and therefore listening tests would be worthless as any equipment would be ‘good enough’. No speaker is 100% flat, and to achieve a perfectly flat sound would require extensive DSP calibration. I liked the sound of the 6.1s as they were, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a slight colouring of the sound so I never attempted to equalise them.
I think these speakers have been made for being listened “as they are” without any DSP process. I have a pair of PRECISION 6.1 and, after some months I can say they sound amazing… perhaps bass are a bit light -it is a monitor- but sometimes with certain music low end is amazing… it is difficult to explain. The dude I have is why these spaekers are out of production. I´ll want to listen 6.2 but they are archived and TANNOY has not a new line for replacing them
I agree. May be worth hearing the XT8Fs if you were interested in the 6.2s.
Well now I am booked in to demo the 6.1,s, 6.2s and 6.4s. Most reviews have been leading me to the 6.2s. I have a pair of Castle Howard S2’s with a Yamaha A-S500 amp and a Yamaha CDN301 with a Cambridge Audio Dac Magic plus. The amp was a temporary stand in for old Audiolab amps but the truth is I preferred it so it stayed. I am now relieved of my old prejudices and with my wife crying out for a different sound, and look, I tried a pair of cheap Tannoy V1’s. Again I was amazed at how good some new stuff sounded. So with the Tannoy Precisions now at £399, £999 and £1199 respectivly I hope my ears will do the choosing! Next dilemma will be Yamaha’s A-S1100 or AS2100 amps but I haven found any dealer to demo them! Last point, more of a rant, why does a main stream manufacture (Yamaha) spend a fortune on advertising but not make it’s products available to demo? I have been in sales and marketing for many years. You get customers attention, create interest, arouse desire and action, I’d buy it, but where?
Good to hear, I’m sure you’ll be very impressed with what you hear. I would agree with the majority on this occasion and say that you’ll probably walk away with the 6.2s – the 6.4s add a bit of bass weight, but at the expense of sound staging and transparency.
As for demoing Yamaha gear – I 100% agree with you. The problem is that Yamaha are a Japanese brand, and most audiophiles wouldn’t dream of even trying anything that was Yamaha branded. The truth is that Yamaha make some very nice kit, especially their higher-end products, but they’re known for their low-end gear as well and therefore they don’t go down particularly well in many audiophile circles. It’s the same with Marantz – try and find a Marantz PM-15 or PM-11S3 on demo and you’ll run into the same situation. That said, superfi have both of the amps you mention.
Hi Ashley, Thanks for your response. Based on your recommendations, I started building home theatre system in Tannoy Precision series. I’ve bought Precision 6C centre right now to start with. Next I will be buying precision 6.2 waiting for better price. Thanks for your time and replies. Appreciate You!!!
Hi Ashley, considering price of Precision 6.1 is half of Precision 6.2. Is Precision 6.1 on decent stand would sound equal to Precision 6.2 floor standing. Thanks for your time.
No. The 6.2s offer a better sound stage, better stereo image, more bass weight and are just a far better speaker over all. The 6.1s are very, very nice speakers; especially in small rooms. But the 6.2 is the better speaker.