REVIEWS TANNOY MERCURY 7.2 £230 Q&A Dr Paul Mills Director of development, Tannoy IN SIGHT 1 2 1 28mm polyester dome tweeter Bass reflex port (bungs supplied) 4mm binding posts 152mm multi-fibre mid/bass unit 2 3 4 DP: What would you say is the Mercury 7.2’s raison d’être? PM: It has been our entry-level ‘real’ hi-fi loudspeaker for three decades. We have always put a great deal of effort and resource into ensuring each generation of Mercury has lead the field for technology and performance. Mercury 7 is no exception and we have undertaken a major design overhaul, with completely new, larger drivers and improved electronics, to ensure class-leading performance at the price. Ironically, being at the cutting edge of technology and performance does not go hand in hand with very low price points, so we have developed the forthcoming Eclipse series for audiophiles on an even tighter budget. In what way is the new generation better than the last? Mercury Vi, with its metal dome tweeter, had a very upfront and energetic sound that was not overly tolerant of hard-sounding amplifiers. The goal with Mercury 7 was to make it the best all-round budget speaker available today. It is smoother and more refined, but loses none of the energy and impact required for more dynamic music. Its key strength is in its ability to communicate the power, passion and emotion of music, without adding its own colour to the mix. What’s the ‘multi-fibre’ cone material exactly? The actual fibre mix is a closely guarded secret, but the base mix is purely organic, being a ‘paper’ pulp. We have tried literally thousands of cone material mixes over the years, from plastics and polymers to carbon and even Kevlar fibres, but the best price/performance ratio keeps coming back to organic fibres embedded in a doped paper pulp. The new Mercury 7 driver cones have the stiffness for well controlled bass, excellent midrange damping for pure, uncoloured vocals. HOW IT COMPARES ELAC’s Debut B6 standmounter (HFC 406) is a close rival to the Tannoy Mercury 7.2, albeit pricier at £299. It’s similar, offering a slightly wider front baffle and a fractionally larger diameter mid/ bass unit than the group norm. Both speakers are quite similar sonically – both major on musicality and have more welly than you’d expect from their size. The Tannoy is a little less punchy and powerful, but sounds fractionally tidier across the midband, yet has a subtly brighter low treble and a slight lack of high top end. The ELAC is marginally smoother tonally, but like the Tannoy places musicality above strict neutrality. Both are very strong designs, and deserve auditioning. 4 motion. It’s also surprisingly weighty for such a small box. Move up the frequency spectrum and it throws out plenty of detail, although by the standards of more expensive speakers it’s rather opaque. The point is that there is just enough to work with, and I’m drawn into the recording. Unsurprising for a Tannoy is the excellent soundstage. It images wide, throwing elements of the mix far left and right, giving an immersive feel that belies its size. True, it doesn’t hang instruments back as accurately as some, but it still has a good stab at recreating the recorded acoustic or studio mix. Factor in its obvious transient speed, and this makes it great for pop, dance or rap music. Moving to something that’s far better recorded – I drop Steely Dan’s Aja into my CD spinner. All of the Mercury’s fine qualities continue to impress on the superb title track, but I begin to get the measure of the speaker better. The tweeter begins to announce its presence – Tannoy has obviously voiced the speaker for bite and speed with pop, but with the deliciously subtle and sonorous hi-hat work on this classic rock album, it sounds slightly coarse. Admittedly, its price rivals aren’t obviously any better, but you’re definitely reminded that you’re listening to an entry-level model. Even though it’s highly musical, you’ll need to spend more for the last word in refinement. The lack of air and space right at the top end of the treble is another reminder of the Mercury 7.2’s mortality. Overall, this speaker’s excellent breeding gives it an instinctively musical gait. Even with far less well recorded sixties rock music – such as The Kinks’ Arthur – it proves a joy to listen to. It gives a big-hearted 3 performance, full of life and happiness. It captures rhythmic nuances brilliantly, and again proves dynamic and unconstrained considering its size. It’s a little speaker with a big sound, if it is anything. Ray Davies’ voice is beautifully carried, with a very emotional rendition of Victoria, complete with soaring guitar work and drums. Conclusion Most small speakers give a rather downsized, diminished and partial account of the music they’re asked to play. So often when buying a budget box, it’s a case of trying to find the least bad compromise. Not so with Tannoy’s Mercury 7.2, which is an enjoyable and engaging little loudspeaker in its own right. Indeed, it’s the sort of thing you could happily live with after spending time with substantially more expensive transducers. Of course it’s not perfect, but Tannoy has cleverly ensured that its sins are those of omission – it doesn’t add anything unpleasant that gets in the way of enjoying the music. Heartily recommended ● OUR VERDICT SOUND QUALITY VALUE FOR MONEY BUILD QUALITY EASE OF DRIVE OVERALL LIKE: <strong>Hi</strong>ghly tuneful, musical sound; fine dynamics DISLIKE: Nothing at the price WE SAY: Charming small speaker with huge appeal 48 MAY 2016
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