Bookshelf Speakers — ToneWinner TD-C6

The TD-C6 is a passive two-unit shelf speaker made by Guangzhou Tonewinner Electronics of Panyu District, Guangzhou, and the Chinese maker says it was aimed at younger listeners who are starting out in hi-fi. It belongs to the TD series, a family of passive speakers whose history the company traces back to 1997 and which several generations of Tonewinner designers have worked on. Two finishes are offered - TD-C6-A in walnut with visible wood grain and TD-C6-B in a textured black-grey tone that Tonewinner calls cosmic black.

Key specs that matter

A 1 inch dome tweeter sits above a 6.5 inch mid-bass driver, and bass is reinforced by a rear-mounted reflex port. Tonewinner gives a frequency range of 38 Hz to 20 kHz, sensitivity of 86 dB (quoted as 86 dB +/- 3 dB) and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. The suggested amplifier power is 35 to 100 watts. Each cabinet is 200 mm wide, 395 mm high and 310 mm deep. A pair weighs 17 kg net, or 8.5 kg per speaker, and 19 kg in its shipping carton, which measures 392 x 512 x 470 mm.

Engineering and use context

Tonewinner had the tweeter made to its own specification, and it is a custom part with a PET film dome made from Tetoron fabric, a material chosen for its stability in both heat and cold. The mid-bass cone is a high-damping, high-strength mica paper, mounted on a rubber suspension designed for low loss and low distortion. Senior engineers at Tonewinner built the crossover around a linear phase filter after repeated rounds of testing, analysis and adjustment, choosing the components for it, so signals of different frequencies pass through it with the same time shift, and the maker says the resulting response is flat across the full range. The rear reflex port is integrated into the cabinet itself, and its angles and radii were shaped to cut the noise created by air rubbing against the port walls. The enclosure is made from MDF based on natural plant fibre, which the company describes as moisture-proof and resistant to insects.

Pairing

With a nominal 4 ohm rating the TD-C6 needs an amplifier that is specified for 4 ohm loads, ideally delivering its power inside the 35 to 100 watt window given by the maker. Tonewinner suggests three systems from its own range - the TY-30 CD player with the AD-86D amplifier, the AD-89D all-in-one that combines a CD player, digital player, decoder and power amplifier, or the AD-66DPRO amplifier.

Alternatives

For a different bookshelf option Tonewinner also lists the TD-3, which likewise uses a rear bass reflex design.