Tannoy Platinum B6 Bookshelf Speakers, Black (Pair)

The Tannoy Platinum B6 is a 2-way bookshelf speaker that combines a 25mm silk dome with a 165mm paper composite cone in a rear-ported bass reflex cabinet. The black finish is the most understated in the series: a speaker that sits on the shelf and simply does its job instead of dominating the living room.

Tannoy is a brand usually associated with very large, very expensive point-source speakers. The Platinum B6 is the entry point – and, honestly, proof that the Scots can do affordable too.

Why the Platinum B6?

Because it gets right the things that tend to get cut in this price class. The diaphragm has a smooth profile and does without a dust cap – which audibly improves midrange dispersion. The cabinet is braced inside instead of hollow, and the terminals are gold-plated and accept spade, banana or bare wire. At 86 dB efficiency and 8 ohms, it's no amplifier's nightmare: 20 to 80 watts is plenty.

What you hear

A mature, unfussy sound with cleanly drawn voices and a bass that's dry rather than thick. That's intentional. Anyone looking for a booming low end from a bookshelf speaker is in the wrong place – anyone who wants speech intelligibility, timing and a stable stereo image finds it here at a price you wouldn't normally expect. Up top, the silk dome stays polite rather than pushy, even on somewhat edgier recordings.

Who is the Platinum B6 for?

For small to medium rooms, for the living-room shelf, for the office, as an honest first step into a sensible stereo system. It also cuts a good figure as a rear pair in an existing home cinema.

Plainly put: the low end stops at around 50 Hz. Anyone expecting organ pedal, kick drum in the gut or home-cinema thump needs either the bigger F6 or a subwoofer alongside it. And honestly: pushed right up against the wall, the rear bass reflex port booms. Give it ten centimetres of air and it'll thank you for it.

Our verdict

The Platinum B6 is one of the speakers we like to recommend because it disappoints no one. It doesn't promise anything it can't deliver – and in return gives you more sound than the price would suggest. If you're not sure whether a bookshelf or floorstanding speaker suits your room: call us, we'll sort that out in five minutes.

Technical Data

• Type: 2-way bookshelf speaker, bass reflex (rear port)
• Tweeter: 25 mm silk dome, neodymium magnet system
• Woofer/midrange: 165 mm paper composite diaphragm
• Frequency response: 50 Hz – 20 kHz (-6 dB)
• Crossover frequency: 2.5 kHz
• Power handling: 40 W continuous / 160 W peak
• Recommended amplifier power: 20 – 80 W
• Efficiency: 86 dB (1 W / 1 m)
• Nominal impedance: 8 ohms
• Connection: gold-plated screw terminals (banana, spade, bare wire)
• Cabinet: MDF, internally braced, brushed aluminium trim
• Dimensions (W × H × D): 230 × 360 × 235 mm
• Weight: 6.6 kg each
• Color: Black

Frequently Asked Questions

How much amplifier does the Tannoy Platinum B6 need?

Between 20 and 80 watts at 8 ohms. With 86 dB efficiency, the B6 is uncritical and runs cleanly even on small integrated amplifiers or streaming amplifiers. More power doesn't hurt, but isn't essential – the quality of the amp stage matters more here than raw wattage.

Does the Platinum B6 fit in a small room?

Yes, that's what it's built for. In rooms up to about 25 square meters, it plays in a balanced way. Some distance from the back wall is important, since the bass reflex port fires rearward. About 10 to 20 centimeters is usually enough to keep the bass clean and dry.

Does the Platinum B6 need a subwoofer?

For music, usually not. The frequency response reaches down to about 50 Hz, which covers voices, guitar, jazz and pop well. For home cinema or electronic music with deep bass, a subwoofer makes sense – we're happy to help you find the right crossover point.

Does the Tannoy Platinum B6 need speaker stands?

Not strictly, but it's worth it. On a sturdy stand, with the tweeter roughly at ear height, voices detach audibly better from the cabinet. On a shelf it also plays cleanly – ideally standing as freely as possible and not wedged between books. A solid base does more than any accessory.

Why buy the Tannoy Platinum B6 from HD Zürisee?

Because we've been at home in hi-fi for decades and know which speakers bring joy day to day and which ones start to annoy after two weeks. We advise you on room, placement and matching amplifier, deliver and set up on site if you'd like – Mauri, our technician, has been doing this for years.

Pairs well with

A clean integrated amplifier from our amplifiers, decent speaker cables and – more important than many think – a sturdy speaker stand. A 600-franc speaker on a wobbly sideboard is a 400-franc speaker. More from the brand: Tannoy.