When it all falls apart...

[Minio]

Can't find anything about Tannoy MC15 on the web.

I think they are a dressed down version of M20's of three decades ago. With a Tannoy house sound: efficient and a bit in your face, not a NFM. Recommended by Hifi Choice at the time.
I think of them as a LS50 for the nineties.
I prefer the MC15's

 

[Minio]

Are you guessing or have you measured your room?

I guess I'm guessin'.
I don't really have an issue with my room because I don't have an issue with what I'm hearing. Bass seems to be an issue for those with awkward rooms, but not for me, as long as I don't go isobarik
It seems more like what sq225 and James are saying. If I was to push the envelope I would take their advice on cone area and so forth.
My op is more of a academic question of others experiences.

 

[stevec67]

Yes I can hear that effect when you push them. You get what you pay for.
190 quid in 1990 may be £800 with today's money.
But like I say, pushing them is not like the majority of my listening.

More like 400-500. Prices have doubled since 1994 according to the RPI calculator s.

 

[Minio]

More like 400-500. Prices have doubled since 1994 according to the RPI calculator s.

• My rates have gone up 5 times. A pint of beer similarly. House prices similarly blah blah.
• Anyway I'm happy to believe my MC15's would cost £900 if bought now.
• I can dream!

 

[tvheadhunter]

I would measure it. You can do it simply by downloading an app and playing pink noise 20hz to 20khz. It won’t be as accurate as real measuring tools but will give you some idea of what’s happening in your room.

 

[Minio]

I would measure it

I'll look into that.
I've noticed that as I've recently changed to ported speakers that there is a fuller bass.
I also notice that some bass notes resonate more than others. Which is why I've used sealed box types for some time.
It depends on how annoying the bass unevenness might become.

 

[torstoi]

You are firing down the long side of your room ?

A photo from your listening position would help perhaps.
Not strictly scientific, but with a bit of listening experience some educated guess is possible..

 

[Mr Pig]

This is basically a system limitation. Where the weakness lies is open to debate but it is the kit.

You can build equipment that goes crazy loud cleanly, it's used in night clubs, theatres and concert halls all the time. We often labour under the notion that our domestic Hi-Fi competes with this level of sound system. It doesn't.

But I guess it depends on what you mean by loud. If you are talking concert volume then it's a pretty bad idea to listen to music that loud anyway. If it's a lower volume, it's still the kit. I had a 250 running Isobarik and frankly, it just wasn't powerful enough. Not the same amp and speakers as you but the bottom line is that to do high volume cleanly you need a lot of power, very efficient speakers and the speakers need to be up to the job. Most domestic speakers will expire before they'll do concert volume.

 

[Heckyman]

Chiefly I'm thinking - the speakers, the amplifier or is it my ears or the room or even the source?

Could be any or even all of the above, but speakers and room would be the first place to look.

 

[Minio]

I had a 250 running Isobarik and frankly, it just wasn't powerful enough

That reminds me of one of the most underwhelming dems I ever had.
The dealer was demonstrating different CD players using an Audiolab 8000A into Linn Isobariks.
They all sound the same I said.
Actually they all sounded awful. Like the sound of a totally mismatched amp and speakers regardless of the CD player.

 

[Mr Pig]

The dealer was demonstrating different CD players using an Audiolab 8000A into Linn Isobariks.

The 8000A was a very overrated amplifier but even so, that's a particularly bad pairing.

Briks will work ok with even a Nait, at low volume. The problem is that when you crank the volume up to eleven most Hi-Fi amplifiers run out of talent and most Hi-Fi speakers break. They're just not built for it.