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Opinion on Spendor SP-1, British Sound?

Mark_71

Mark_71

Member
What do you make of vintage Spendor SP-1?
(Original owner, purchased in 1992, near mint, everything original)

Here's my dilemma. I've never owned enough speakers to make a good comparison so looking for opinions. I owned cheap Bose 2.2's and now have JBL L20T's. Space has always been an issue so I never went big floor standing. I like the JBL's.

Listen to The Beatles, Kinks, The Who, T-Rex, Love, Donovan, The Cars, The Cure and other 80s stuff, folk, Nick Drake, soundtracks, and even George Shearing. And Led Zeppelin of course, but nothing else super hard, no metal, no huge bass stuff, no rap, no house, etc. And I don't listen super loud (apartment living).

Current System: JBL L20T near mint bookshelfs (from around 1988) with a near mint Technics SA-700 (100 wpc) receiver, and seriously mod'ed Technics SL-D202 w/ a Grado Green 1 Prestige cartridge. Plinth sound damped, upgraded cartridge wires, platter mat, Sorbothane feet, etc. Good speaker cables.

QUESTION:
I've tried to understand what is meant by this "British Sound" but without hearing it, not so easy. I read excellent reviews about Spendor SP-1's, but there's always the caveat, "oh, but it's that British Sound, so... mid-range great, there's limitations, weak bass, etc." Considering my vintage audio systems, my music preferences, and my listening room (medium size) would Spendor SP-1's be a good addition. I'm not getting rid of the JBLs. Worth it from a new sound perspective? Would Abbey Road sound like the British musicians really wanted it to? Articles on "British Sound" suggest it wasn't meant for rock, but rock could be The Beatles "In My Life" and I bet that would sound good; that's not bass heavy. And is bass today, different than base of the 60s and 70s, I expect so.
 
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No weak bass with these but more of a even rendering of the frequency range...They are not bass heavy but the low end is there when necessery.
Not meant to be driven at ear breaking level. I think they are smooth, envelopping with great stereo image.
The Technics should be fine with these unless a tad bright amplifier to my taste.

Brit sound is smooth, rich warm and punchy when needed.

Beware of a pair that had been overdriven by a cheap amp. Check and double check every driver for good operation... bring a cd with acoustic guitar
or a cd with female voice. Check for sizzling in the midrange and tweeter.

Replacement driver are rare and pricey.

Have some Rogers Monitor myself..... same league as the Spendor... very nice lisening experience.

Finally that's Spendor... Splendor is not a speaker manufacturer.

Good Luck and get them fast if all working.
 
When I auditioned a bunch of speakers when getting my first high end-ish system, the SP-1 were favorites although I ended up buying something else. I auditioned all candidates at the time with Talk Talk 'The Colour of Spring' and other similar bands. They sounded very good with that material. These hold their value very well; the last time I checked a pair locally were going for about the same price as they were in 1986.
(BTW, Spendor is Spencer and Doris, his wife I believe)
 
kirk57 said:
You and I like the same kind of sound in a loudspeaker, it would seem (I have 2 pairs of Highboys)
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At first I had some cognitive dissonance going on that they couldn't sound so good.
The rosewood veneer on the SP-1 was extremely attractive, though.
 
I wouldn't call it a British sound, so much as a BBC sound. The BBC specified requirements and even specific designs for their speakers, and licensed several manufacturers to make them. Spendors are in very good, accurate company: Harbeth (another couple: Harwood and Elizabeth), Rogers, Chartwell, Stirling, Graham. In close company was Kef, whose drivers powered many early versions of BBC designs.

Don't believe the lack-of-bass complaints. Run, don't walk. :)
 
Mark_71 said:
I'm watching them. Local pickup. Wants $700 so I need to sit on that much for a while. I can be a terrible impulse buyer. But I kinda want them.
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Whoooa... 700$ Kind of on the high side. I know what you mean.. impulse is a terrible adviser.
 
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