beatcomber
AK Member
A number of years ago, the first hifi system that got me interested in "good" sound was a friend's rig, which had a pair of '90s Spendor SP2/1's. Those speakers always represented kind of an aspirational benchmark for me.
I recently came into a bit of cash after receiving an insurance settlement, so I decided it was time to upgrade from the Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary speakers I'd been using. I've enjoyed the Dentons quite a bit - they definitely have that classic British sound - but, you know, they're still $499 speakers ($399 on sale), made in China. I wanted some real British speakers.
A London-based member on another forum suggested looking at secondhand offerings from UK dealers, which I hadn't considered, figuring that the cost of shipping would be impractical. He pointed me towards a pair of "B grade ex-demo" Spendor SP3/1R2's at Analogue Seduction in Whittlesey, offered for £915.83 (minus VAT) plus £166.67 for shipping (£1,082.50 total). So for approximately $1400 shipped, I bought a pair of speakers that typically retails new for $3195 in the US!
The package arrived yesterday. To the credit of Analogue Seduction, the box was very carefully prepared for the long journey across the sea, with an extra layer of bubble wrap on the outside of the carton! Knowing that these were demos, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I was very happy to find that there isn't a single mar to be found, they look brand new.
It was mentioned to me that Spendors need a little bit of running in if they've been sitting unused for a while, and that matches my experience last night. At first listen, I was disappointed to say the least. They sounded rather dry and flat, but by around the first hour mark, they sounded noticeably better. By the second hour, they sounded spectacular, delicately nuanced, rich and detailed. Although the are some shared characteristics, the Spendors are quite a few notches better than the Wharfedales, as one would expect.
The SP3/1R2's are only rated down to about 55hz, but I've switched off my subwoofer. In my 8' x 12' room, the Spendors provide more than ample bass, and frankly I don't think my RBH subwoofer is good enough to use with these fine speakers. To be sure, the Spendors' real strength is their natural, realistic midband, so the loss of some bass extension is a worthwhile trade-off.
I really need to tidy up my music room, but here are some images...
I recently came into a bit of cash after receiving an insurance settlement, so I decided it was time to upgrade from the Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary speakers I'd been using. I've enjoyed the Dentons quite a bit - they definitely have that classic British sound - but, you know, they're still $499 speakers ($399 on sale), made in China. I wanted some real British speakers.
A London-based member on another forum suggested looking at secondhand offerings from UK dealers, which I hadn't considered, figuring that the cost of shipping would be impractical. He pointed me towards a pair of "B grade ex-demo" Spendor SP3/1R2's at Analogue Seduction in Whittlesey, offered for £915.83 (minus VAT) plus £166.67 for shipping (£1,082.50 total). So for approximately $1400 shipped, I bought a pair of speakers that typically retails new for $3195 in the US!
The package arrived yesterday. To the credit of Analogue Seduction, the box was very carefully prepared for the long journey across the sea, with an extra layer of bubble wrap on the outside of the carton! Knowing that these were demos, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I was very happy to find that there isn't a single mar to be found, they look brand new.
It was mentioned to me that Spendors need a little bit of running in if they've been sitting unused for a while, and that matches my experience last night. At first listen, I was disappointed to say the least. They sounded rather dry and flat, but by around the first hour mark, they sounded noticeably better. By the second hour, they sounded spectacular, delicately nuanced, rich and detailed. Although the are some shared characteristics, the Spendors are quite a few notches better than the Wharfedales, as one would expect.
The SP3/1R2's are only rated down to about 55hz, but I've switched off my subwoofer. In my 8' x 12' room, the Spendors provide more than ample bass, and frankly I don't think my RBH subwoofer is good enough to use with these fine speakers. To be sure, the Spendors' real strength is their natural, realistic midband, so the loss of some bass extension is a worthwhile trade-off.
I really need to tidy up my music room, but here are some images...
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