The port here is tuned to a relatively high 58Hz, though this does, at least, provide some compensation for the modest drive unit area. Although far-field in-room measurements show decent port-related output, when the speakers are in free space, clear of walls, output was well down 60-120Hz.

As expected, wall reinforcement boosted that octave significantly, but after considerable experiment best results under our conditions were found with the speakers 33cm out from the wall. It's still not particularly smooth, especially through the bass region, but the overall balance stays within impressively tight limits above 300Hz.

Strong coherence

Although there was no way such a small loudspeaker would deliver serious bass weight or extension, or dramatic dynamic expression for that matter, those are the main down sides and most of the rest is very positive.

Best of all is the overall coherence and openness through the broad midband, which brings considerable expressiveness and believability to human voices, sung or spoken. This is arguably the most important trick that any speaker can pull and the bonus here is that the speaker is free from any heaviness or chestiness and has a fine agility and freedom from boxiness.

Then there's the dual concentric bonus, which brings fine imaging to the table, alongside superior off-axis consistency, so a good stereo image is well maintained across a generous listening zone.

Stunning vocals

One might criticise the Revolution DC4T for some lack of smoothness and sweetness and slightly limited air and transparency, but those are essentially minor criticisms of a speaker that transcends its limitations and is always informative and thoroughly engaging.

Unaccompanied voices are particularly thrilling, as is spoken word and while it doesn't offer the sort of performance that with thrill lovers of Massive Attack or Basement Jaxx, never mind The Prodigy, it does work very well indeed within the inevitable constraints its size imposes, and we daresay it would respond rather well to the addition of Tannoy's Revolution Sub 1001, or similar subwoofer.

Hey there, good looking

On its own, a pair of Tannoy Revolution DC4Ts will give a very good account of themselves provided the scale of the material they're fed isn't too demanding. The fact that they look very nice and take up so little room space will always win friends, though the lack of plinth and consequent poor stability is a handicap.

However, their superior voice-band coherence makes a powerful argument in favour of what is by far the smallest variation on the dual concentric theme that Tannoy has produced to date.

The undoubted quality of this little drive unit through the midrange and treble, makes one wonder how long it will be before Tannoy introduces a speaker that combines it with the serious bass action which was always a hallmark of the original Dual Concentric legacy.