Everything You Need to Know About Tannoy Systems

A Tannoy system is a complete public address or sound reinforcement setup built around Tannoy loudspeakers. Tannoy, founded in 1926 in London, is one of the oldest and most respected names in professional audio, and the brand's name has become so embedded in British culture that "tannoy" is commonly used as a generic term for any PA announcement. The actual Tannoy company produces a wide range of professional loudspeakers for live sound, fixed installation and broadcast applications.

What Makes a Tannoy System

At the core of any such setup is the loudspeaker. Tannoy is best known for its Dual Concentric driver technology, which places a high-frequency driver at the acoustic centre of a low-frequency driver. The result is a single point source rather than two separate drivers producing sound from different positions. This arrangement improves time alignment and coherence, particularly noticeable in the critical midrange region where speech intelligibility is concentrated.

In live sound and installation contexts, a Tannoy system typically combines one of the company's speaker ranges — such as the VQ, Quantum, Precision or VLS series — with appropriate amplification, signal processing and cabling. The specific configuration depends on whether the application is a live music venue, a house of worship, a conference space or an outdoor event.

Fixed Installation Applications

Tannoy has a particularly strong presence in fixed installation markets. The company's speakers are widely used in theatres, concert halls, airports, train stations and educational facilities. In these settings, the installation is typically engineered for the room's acoustic characteristics, with DSP processing used to apply delay, EQ and limiting appropriate to the space.

The VQ series is among Tannoy's most specified installation products, offering pattern control and a point source design suited to medium and large venues. QFLEX is a column array range designed for intelligibility in reverberant spaces such as churches and sports facilities. Both ranges are designed to be integrated with third-party amplification and control systems.

Live Sound and Touring Use

For live events and touring applications, Tannoy produces portable line array and point source systems. These are designed to be deployed quickly and provide consistent coverage across a range of venues and event types. Tannoy's live sound products are used by hire companies, venues and production companies across the UK and internationally.

In a live context, a complete tannoy system includes the main speakers, subwoofers, monitor wedges or in-ear monitors, amplifiers and an audio console. Tannoy speakers function as one component in that chain, and their performance depends on the quality of the equipment and signal processing used alongside them.

The Brand's Dual Concentric Heritage

Tannoy introduced the Dual Concentric driver in 1947 and it remains central to the company's identity. The design has evolved considerably over the decades, with different variants used in studio monitors, home audio and professional PA applications. In professional PA contexts, the Dual Concentric is valued for its smooth dispersion characteristics and consistent tonal response across the listening area.

Choosing the Right Application

Not every Tannoy speaker is suited to every application. The company's catalogue covers fixed installation, live touring, studio monitoring and home audio, and products are designed and specified differently for each context. A speaker appropriate for a permanent ceiling installation in a shopping centre operates under different demands from one designed to be packed into a road case and set up in a tent.

For anyone evaluating a tannoy system for a specific project, the starting point is the application: room dimensions, intended use, required coverage pattern and expected sound pressure levels. Tannoy's UK distribution and the company's online specification tools are useful resources for matching products to requirements.

For advice on what to look for when purchasing, see the complete buyer's guide. For beginners, see the beginner's introduction.

Frequently Asked Questions