Sound:
I found these monitors more detailed than the Mackie HR824 during an audition at my local music store.
I also found the bass was not as generous as in the Mackie HR824s which translates to a punchier bass on other systems. I recommend listening to these beauties.
The sound comes from a single source (dual concentric design) and this is noticeable. I found the Tannoys more comofortable to listen to than the Mackies.
Low frequencies move a lot of air at high SPLs and you can hear the air flow in and out of the rear port, which is not a good thing in my view. At normal monitoring levels this is not a problem.
The mid range is fantastic, I liked the mid range of the Tannoys much more than that of the Mackies, particularly with vocals. It appeared as thought the singer were standing in front of me when I closed my eyes.
Feature:
Comes with a built-in eq so you can calibrate the monitors for your room's specific acoustics.
It also has a built-in Digital to Analogue converter @ 96kHz, which I wish was a 192 kHz one, as my audio interface can work at 192 kHz.
It would be useful if the power switch were at the front of the cabinet. There is a standby switch at the front, but it's not quite the same. Having said that, I have a main switch to turn the whole studio off so for me that's not a problem.
These monitor is rear ported, it would be nice if it were front ported so that I could place it near to a wall. The Mackie HR824 does not use ports which is an advantage as you can place the monitor anywhere.
Finally, I wish the spec sheet were as detailed as the one that comes with the Mackie HR824.
Ease of Use:
Plug and play, as usual. The EQ takes time to set up but following the user manual it's easy. Other than that, it's just a monitor.
Quality:
The cabinet is sturdy, but I find that the front, which is painted gray, can be easy to scratch and damage at the sharp 90-degree corners. In this respect the Mackie HR824 win without a doubt: the Mackies look and feel more robust. The cabinet is quite thich and sturdy, 18 mm thick (19 mm for the Mackies). The cabinet is large and heavy.
In my opinion this monitor could be better built. When you buy two products that are suppossed to look identical but they do not, something has gone wrong. I found minor cosmetic differences between the two. The sound seem to be identical on both however so I am more concerned with sound than looks in this case, and the sound seem identical from both monitors.
Value:
I think the price is right. I got a pair for £619 whic was ok.
Manufacturer Support:
Good support, the tech guys picked up the phone quickly and answered my questions. They said they'd call me back and they did not though, I guess I could call them again...
The Wow Factor:
They do look sexy and unusual due to the dual concentric design. Note one thing: the Tannoy Precision 8D is large. Read the spec in case they don't fit on your desk.
Overall:
Overall, mmm, I some times think the Mackie HR824 would have been nice to have. At the shop I did not have a chance to turn up the volume up as much as at home. It would have been great to have the two models at home and do some test during a whole week. I can only afford one pair, so this was my choice. My choice was based on the sound quality. I must say I liked everything about the Mackies except the sound, which in my opinion sounded flatter in the Tannoys. I spend a good six hours comparing the two with a variety of material.
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