Tannoy KENSINGTON GR-OW

At 37 kg and standing over a meter tall, these speakers don’t just fill a room — they command it.

Overview

The Tannoy KENSINGTON GR-OW is a floorstanding loudspeaker that occupies the second tier from the top of Tannoy’s Prestige Gold Reference line, a series built for those who demand both legacy and precision. Though production years for the GR-OW variant remain undocumented, its sibling model, the Tannoy Kensington SE, was produced from 2010 to 2014, placing the GR-OW within the early 2010s high-end audio renaissance. These are not speakers for the faint of space or budget: massive in stature and ambition, they combine vintage-inspired form with modern execution. Owners report a presence that’s both imposing and elegant — a rare balance achieved through meticulous construction and a design language rooted in over half a century of speaker engineering.

Despite their weight and size, the KENSINGTON GR-OWs are very easily driven, responding well even to modest amplification. Reviews note successful pairings with low-powered class D streamers like the Pro-Ject Stream Box DSA and integrateds such as the Naim UnitiQute2, though there's a strong suggestion in the audiophile community that tube amplifiers bring out their full character. The dual concentric driver — Tannoy’s signature innovation — is central to their performance, contributing to a cohesive, spacious soundstage. Setup plays a key role: optimal performance is reportedly achieved when the speakers are aimed directly at the listening position and used without grilles, though they look striking with them in place.

Specifications

Manufacturer	Tannoy
Product type	Speakers
Design type	two-way distributed port design
Driver type	dual concentric driver
Tweeter description	large 2”/52mm aluminum/magnesium alloy diaphragm loaded into a very long gold-anodized steel horn
Woofer description	10”/250mm mid/woofer cone made from paper pulp with synthetic micro-fiber additives
Frequency Response	29 Hz - 27 kHz (-6 dB)
Sensitivity	93dB sensitivity (2.83V/1m)
Nominal Impedance	8Ω nominal impedance not crossing 5Ω
Dimensions (H x W x D)	1100 x 406 x 338 mm
Net weight	37 kg
Cabinet material	18mm veneered plywood
Cabinet finish	All wooden surfaces are waxed rather than lacquered
Terminals	fantastic WBT Nextgen speaker terminals on the rear
Terminal count	there are five terminals, the odd one out a ground connection for the driver chassis

Key Features

Dual Concentric Driver with Pepperpot Horn

The heart of the KENSINGTON GR-OW is Tannoy’s dual concentric driver, a design first developed in 1947 and still considered the "pearl in Tannoy’s crown." The tweeter features a large 2”/52mm aluminum/magnesium alloy diaphragm loaded into a long gold-anodized steel horn — the origin of the "Pepperpot" nickname due to the characteristic holes in the throat. The diaphragm’s Mylar suspension includes venting holes, and a damped acoustic rear cavity helps reduce resonance. The aluminum voice coil contributes to fast transient response, while the horn geometry ensures controlled dispersion and high efficiency.

10” Paper Composite Woofer with Alcomax 3 Motor

The mid/woofer is a 10”/250mm unit constructed from paper pulp with synthetic micro-fiber additives, offering a balance of stiffness and damping. It’s driven by a powerful Alcomax 3 motor system — an iron/nickel alloy enriched with aluminum, cobalt, and other rare metals — known for high magnetic density and stability. The driver is mounted in a robust die-cast basket painted gold and secured with ten golden bolts, reinforcing both mechanical integrity and visual flair.

Distributed Port Design with Vertical Baffle Slots

Rather than a traditional port, the KENSINGTON GR-OW employs a distributed port system where the rear of the driver is loaded by narrow vertical slots along both edges of the front baffle. This design helps reduce port noise and turbulence while extending bass response. The approach contributes to the speaker’s ability to produce deep, articulate low frequencies despite its sealed aesthetic.

Cryo-Treated Crossover with Premium Components

The crossover operates at 1.1kHz using second-order high- and low-pass filters. It’s assembled point-to-point with 99.99% pure silver wires, and the high-frequency section uses 99.9999% pure PCOCC copper leads. Polypropylene capacitors bearing the Tannoy logo and a mix of iron-core (low-pass) and air-core (high-pass) coils are used for signal filtering. The entire crossover assembly undergoes deep cryogenic treatment, a process believed to stabilize molecular structure in metals and improve long-term performance consistency.

Gold-Plated Baffle Switches and Grounding Scheme

Mounted on the front baffle are gold-plated switch terminals that allow adjustment of treble level and roll-off slope, offering some tonal flexibility depending on room and preference. A dedicated ground connection is provided via one of the five rear WBT Nextgen terminals — the odd terminal among the standard bi-wire set — intended to reduce system noise when properly implemented. Shielded internal wiring connects the crossover to the terminals, enhancing signal integrity.

Reinforced Veneered Plywood Cabinet with Waxed Finish

The cabinet is built from 18mm veneered plywood with internal chipboard bracing for rigidity, minimizing panel resonance. The exterior finish is waxed rather than lacquered, giving it a soft, natural feel that ages gracefully. While one source describes the construction as particle board with high-density material, the 6moons documentation — a primary technical reference — specifies veneered plywood, which is accepted as the authoritative description.

Historical Context

The form factor of the KENSINGTON GR-OW traces its lineage to the Tannoy Autograph, first introduced in 1953, preserving a design language that has become iconic in high-fidelity audio. The dual concentric driver, developed in 1947, remains central to Tannoy’s identity and is a key reason these speakers continue to draw attention decades later. Though the GR-OW itself lacks a documented production start or end date, its place in the Prestige Gold Reference line reflects a continuation of Tannoy’s commitment to hand-built, no-compromise loudspeakers for discerning listeners.

Collectibility & Value

Original pricing for the Tannoy Kensington GR varied significantly across markets and time. It was tested at £9,950 per pair in 2015 according to What Hi-Fi?, while a 2023 Facebook listing for a pair bought new in April 2023 cites an MSRP of £19,995 — suggesting either regional variation, inflation, or different configurations. In the US, pricing was reported at $9,895 per speaker or $18,000 per pair around 2019. Today, the market includes certified pre-owned units through dealers like TMRAudio, and private listings show "as new" pairs being offered at or near original MSRP, indicating strong residual value. However, no data exists on common failures, maintenance issues, or spare parts availability.