In this review, we will be comparing F703 and Kensington, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Fyne Audio and Tannoy.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F703 and Tannoy Kensington first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F703 | Tannoy Kensington |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Tannoy
United Kingdom · founded 1926 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Woofer | 10" | — |
|---|
| Frequency response | 26-26k Hz | 29-27k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 93 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20- 250 W watts | — |
|---|
| Weight | 48.31kg / 106.3lbs | 37.00kg / 81.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 46.5" x 17.2" x 18.3"
1181.1 x 436.9 x 464.8mm | 43.3" x 15.9" x 13.3"
1099.8 x 403.9 x 337.8mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F703 and Tannoy Kensington speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Fyne Audio F703 |
Tannoy Kensington |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that F703 is a 3-way design whereas the Kensington is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio F703 |
Tannoy Kensington |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 10-inch
|
x -inch
|
F703 features a " Tweeter and x 10" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 200 Hz, 850 Hz. On the other hand, the Kensington features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer.
Frequency Response
F703 has a frequency range of 26-26k Hz whereas Kensington has a frequency range of 29-27k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the F703 can go slightly deeper then the Kensington's min frequency of 29Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
F703 and Kensington have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. F703 sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the Kensington's is at 93 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F703 a more sensitive speaker compared to Tannoy Kensington, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
F703 features Binding post type posts and Kensington has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Fyne Audio F703's and Tannoy Kensington's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F703 has external dimensions of 1181.1 x 436.9 x 464.8mm (46.5 x 17.2 x 18.3inch) whereas Tannoy Kensington has external dimensions of 1099.8 x 403.9 x 337.8mm (43.3 x 15.9 x 13.3inch).
Fyne Audio F703 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 33mm wider, 81.3mm taller and 127mm deeper than Tannoy Kensington.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Fyne Audio F703 needs about 49% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F703 is 127mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F703 is 81mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Fyne Audio F703 is approximately 2030.7cm2 / 314.8inch2 and base area of the Tannoy Kensington is approximately 1364.3cm2 / 211.5inch2. The F703 requires 49% more surface area than the Kensington which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Fyne Audio F703 weighs 48.31kg / 106.3lbs and the Tannoy Kensington weighs 37.00kg / 81.4lbs. This makes the F703 31% heavier than the Kensington.
Here is a comparison of how F703 and Kensington's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
93 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
29 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
11999USD
vs
24000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 High Frequency Response |
27k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
1099mm
vs
1181mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1364cm2
vs
2030cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Fyne Audio F703 |
Tannoy Kensington |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Tannoy |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
93 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
26-26k Hz |
29-27k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
|
| Woofer Size |
10" |
" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
200 Hz, 850 Hz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1181.1mm (46.5") |
1099.8mm (43.3") |
| Width |
436.9mm (17.2") |
403.9mm (15.9") |
| Depth |
464.8mm (18.3") |
337.8mm (13.3") |
| Weight |
48.31kg (106.3lbs) |
37.00kg (81.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
These sit in different price classes - Tannoy Kensington costs roughly 2x what Fyne Audio F703 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Fyne Audio F703 digs deeper - 26Hz against 29Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (94dB vs 93dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Size | depends | Tannoy Kensington is easier to place; Fyne Audio F703 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Fyne Audio F703 is cheaper - $11,999 against $24,000, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fyne Audio F703 B Tannoy Kensington
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Fyne Audio F703 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Fyne Audio F703 the better fit for a large room and a very large room, and Tannoy Kensington for a small room and a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Fyne Audio F703 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Tannoy Kensington is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.