In this review, we will be comparing Kensington and D7.2, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Tannoy and Spendor.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Tannoy Kensington and Spendor D7.2 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Tannoy Kensington | Spendor D7.2 |
|---|
| Brand | Tannoy
United Kingdom · founded 1926 | Spendor
United Kingdom · founded 1969 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 0.87" |
|---|
| Woofer | — | 7.09" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-27k Hz | 29-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 93 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Weight | 37.00kg / 81.4lbs | 21.00kg / 46.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43.3" x 15.9" x 13.3"
1099.8 x 403.9 x 337.8mm | 38.6" x 7.5" x 13.1"
980.4 x 190.5 x 332.7mm |
|---|
What size room are the Tannoy Kensington and Spendor D7.2 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* |
Tannoy Kensington |
Spendor D7.2 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 Kensington is a 2-way design whereas the D7.2 is a 3-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 |
Tannoy Kensington |
Spendor D7.2 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
0.87-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x -inch
|
1 x 7.09-inch
|
Kensington features a " Tweeter and x " Woofer. On the other hand, the D7.2 features a 0.87" Tweeter and 1 x 7.09" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 900 Hz, 3.2 kHz.
Frequency Response
Kensington has a frequency range of 29-27k Hz whereas D7.2 has a frequency range of 29-25k Hz.
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
Kensington and D7.2 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Kensington sensitivity is rated at 93 dB and the D7.2's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Tannoy Kensington a more sensitive speaker compared to Spendor D7.2, 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
Kensington features Binding post type posts and D7.2 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 Tannoy Kensington's and Spendor D7.2's external dimensions. Tannoy Kensington has external dimensions of 1099.8 x 403.9 x 337.8mm (43.3 x 15.9 x 13.3inch) whereas Spendor D7.2 has external dimensions of 980.4 x 190.5 x 332.7mm (38.6 x 7.5 x 13.1inch).
Tannoy Kensington is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 213.4mm wider, 119.4mm taller and 5.1mm deeper than Spendor D7.2.
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.
Tannoy Kensington needs about 115% more floor or shelf area. Tannoy Kensington is 119mm 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 Tannoy Kensington is approximately 1364.3cm2 / 211.5inch2 and base area of the Spendor D7.2 is approximately 633.8cm2 / 98.2inch2. The Kensington requires 115% more surface area than the D7.2 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 Tannoy Kensington weighs 37.00kg / 81.4lbs and the Spendor D7.2 weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs. This makes the Kensington 76% heavier than the D7.2.
Here is a comparison of how Kensington and D7.2's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
 Sensitivity |
93 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
27k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Woofer Size |
7.09 inches
vs
inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
980mm
vs
1099mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
633cm2
vs
1364cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
8998USD
vs
24000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Tannoy Kensington |
Spendor D7.2 |
| Brand |
Tannoy |
Spendor |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Sensitivity |
93 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
29-27k Hz |
29-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
" |
7.09" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
|
| Tweeter Size |
- |
0.87" |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
900 Hz, 3.2 kHz |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1099.8mm (43.3") |
980.4mm (38.6") |
| Width |
403.9mm (15.9") |
190.5mm (7.5") |
| Depth |
337.8mm (13.3") |
332.7mm (13.1") |
| Weight |
37.00kg (81.4lbs) |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
| 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 2.7x what Spendor D7.2 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (29Hz vs 29Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Tannoy Kensington is more sensitive (93dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Size | depends | Spendor D7.2 is easier to place; Tannoy Kensington is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Spendor D7.2 is cheaper - $8,998 against $24,000, about 63% less; arguably a different class. |
A Tannoy Kensington B Spendor D7.2
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?
Tannoy Kensington is ahead, but only on 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 2.7x the price. That is a lot of money for a narrow margin on paper - Spendor D7.2 looks like the sensible buy unless something else about the Tannoy Kensington appeals to you. In a large or open-plan room, Tannoy Kensington has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Spendor D7.2 is the easier speaker to get right. If your amplifier is modest, vintage or valve-based, Tannoy Kensington is the safer partner - the other will want more current or more watts to sound its best.
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.