1) Output power and range depending on load, this can give you a clue about its ability to handle difficult loads
2) The various distortion figures, again depending on the class of amplifier, this can give a bit of a clue
3) Type of output device

Really these will only give you a clue and will not really tell you how it will sound within a system and the resultin© synergy or lack of it

Indeed, that's what I would think but I'm just wondering if anything in the specs can be handy in terms of ruling something out ...

I wouldn't expect your Tannoys would present much of a problem to many amps Jules, so you are never going to need a skull crushing sludge pump (SCSP ^© ) of an amp.

Unless you are trying to drive 15" Tannoys with say an SET valve amp, in which case the specs will tell you that in most cases they will flap like a shite house door in the wind.  

Exactly.

They are very efficient but not as easy to match as you might think - I've had several amp 'failures' with my Tannoys.

Bass grip is one issue - solid state or tube amps can come unstuck here.

The other is that they need more juice than you might think - especially reproducing music with very wide dynamic range as often found in classical music.

Transient current response torque not horse power!

Mind you at Munich there were plenty of amplifiers with traction engine performance yet they seem to imbibe all that is bad with solid state

Once again Magico managed to take the award for least inspiring, solid 2 dimensional up front sound on the new S5's impressively worthy of a contender for most overpriced under performing  over 350K Euro sound system also in this illustrious group, the MBL room with the big radar detectors. I have heard this room sound much better, but on Sunday it was ripe, disjointed, lacking any real insightfullnes also very muddy too, bass the usual standard. Normally this room is much better, not a fan of MBL however they can sound much better than yesterday! (384K euros)

The Tidal room had a modest 180K euro system playing with a new affordable range starting at 22K for the speakers, spend a lot of time in this room having a chat to Doug nice American chap who could sell nva electronics to normal people such was his powers of persuasion!

Really do not get the sound at all, more hifi that Magico, again still all leading edge no texture, I could see why a few well heeled ex naimies could be cajoled into the brand.

Lovely build quality, absolutely first class, just not for me, however was ahead of the Magico room!

The new big Moon mono's, Raidho  flagship speakers  and more nordost odin 2 that you could weave a thatched cottage together with. Not good! but still in contention for the prize.

Another room, Rockport speakers and Solution/ Constellation  whooo pretty dire music choice and sound, the  amps are better than this  just so disjointed.

Full marks to the Meitner room, they had all their own electronics on show, again naff music but at least in was coherent, not harsh or up front, a bit safe but they put in a creditable performance.

Kondo had a truly awful sound, which is not usually the case, however they were being played through a pair of butt ugly two way standmounts with a ribbon tweeter that had as much integration as May's Brexit war cabinet never had  I heard a speaker deliver genuinely two aspects of the sound at totally different times, the treble you could could rival Naim speakers yet product an even less incoherent sound. Bass wasn't so much lacking, more of mis timing but about 2.5 weeks, in fact a pair of Neat ultimatum 9's been powered by a flea amp would sound more convincing.

Truly one of the worst sounds I have ever heard a public event and the designer was raving' best speaker for 10K euro's at this show! the poor guy from Kondo was so diplomatic, I really would have closed the room it was pants. Again a lot of ££ worth of Kondo.

Got back very late last night due to thunder storm at Munich, which for me is the highlight of the show, Happily live in Munich no problem at all

Images tomorrow

Overall a very disappointing show for sound quality.

Mind you it didn't stop Roy Gregory (now with the online Audibeat magazine) performing some deep crevasse cleansing in the Magico room with the companies owner, he played some vinyl which also sounded pretty grim.

It really was a sheer assault on the senses, a few people in the room exclaiming wow, though they had been listening to Marshall headphones before hand!

 It reminded me of Naim of yesteryear ala six packs and DBL's just slightly more refined and some large better built drivers. Oh how things have moved on

Even my good friend Andrew Jones in the Elac room with there flagship models powered by Burmester 911 mono's not good his speakers deserve better, again a solid pile driving up front all out attack sound

very, very few systems actually produced a natural involving sound, those that did interestingly were use really good two way monitors and medium floor standers.

Thats all for now

 

Ken K was also schmoozing with AJ from SME and the new little TT they have just launched



 

 

Thanks for the laugh, Tony.

What is it about Magico speakers? I have never heard them sound better than dire. All that money for that cold, clinical and soulless sound. I would truly cry if I were stupid enough to buy them in the first place.

How big a factor is ‘damping factor’ in terms of controlling larger drivers?

Often the only major changes in LFD gear are capacitor, resistor and wiring changes. They believe that the components themselves are what dictate the sound of a circuit, with some sounding ‘special’, like old lateral MOSFETs, mixtures of different capacitors, or tantalum resistors in certain places.