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hifi_dave
07-10-2009, 22:29
Heard a rumour today that Spendor has been bought by a Far Eastern company. Does anyone know if this is true ? :scratch:

Stratmangler
07-10-2009, 22:38
Nothing on Google news, or the IAG group site (assuming that IAG have just bought the company).

Time will tell.

Chris:)

Barry
07-10-2009, 23:18
Wouldn't surprise me if it was the same group that bought IAG (Quad, Wharfdale, Leak etc.).

Yet another British company in foreign hands - and to make matters worse it's likely to be the Chinese! :steam:

Regards

NRG
08-10-2009, 08:42
Heard a rumour today that Spendor has been bought by a Far Eastern company. Does anyone know if this is true ? :scratch:

Oh Crap! :(

hifi_dave
08-10-2009, 08:51
Wouldn't surprise me if it was the same group that bought IAG (Quad, Wharfdale, Leak etc.).

Yet another British company in foreign hands - and to make matters worse it's likely to be the Chinese! :steam:

Regards

Apparently (I've heard it from two souces now) it's not Chinese but an Indonesian company.:scratch:

Marco
08-10-2009, 13:47
Interesting and indeed sad, if true...

I'll give Philip a call at the factory and ask him, shall I? ;)

Marco.

hifi_dave
08-10-2009, 16:00
I don't think he actually goes there often, he's still counting the money from TAG.:eyebrows:

hifi_dave
09-10-2009, 14:49
Got it wrong in the translation :doh: apparently it's 80% owned by an Indian company, not indonesian. Allegedly...

aquapiranha
09-10-2009, 16:02
I would rather these companies remained in British hands, but rather they were owned by overseas investors than go out of business.

DSJR
09-10-2009, 19:58
Since someone else started this, I heard that a debt last year has been turned into shares this one for a stakeholder (bank?). The figures were obtained (not by me) from Companies House by someone who studies these things.

One reason Harbeth deliberately keeps its business under very tight control.

Mick Parry
10-10-2009, 16:52
Chaps

In case you did not realise it, we are in a little thing called the global economy. Different people and organisations own lots of things both in their own country and foreign ones as well.

It help to keep prices down and stimulates the world economy and keeps lots of people in a job.

It also means that countries are less likely to declare war on each other, after all the Russians will not be keen on bombing the stuffing out of us when then own a fair chunk of our industry and vice versa.

Applaud it and welcome it and relish in it. It is progress.

Regards

Mick

Marco
10-10-2009, 16:54
Hi Mick,

Nice to see you here again. Hope you're having a pleasant weekend :)

Marco.

REM
10-10-2009, 16:59
Hello MP

Never did find out what pair of jeans you ended up with, do tell:lol:.

Mick Parry
10-10-2009, 17:07
Greetings Marco

I am patiently waiting for Mrs Mick to finish applying her make up before we dive off to the local Italian restaurant. Pork in a Calvadas sauce seems tempting tonight sloshed down with a good bottle of Barolo. Credit where it is due, Italy has the worlds best food.

This proves my point, you Italians, make good food, you make good suits and you make good shoes. You make money out of it and then you come over here and if I remember correctly, you fix yourself up with a pair of Holland and Holland shotguns made in the UK. Money circulates etc etc and we all do well out of it.

REM

My jeans were made to order (friends in the right place etc etc) and I ended up with two pairs (one blue and one black) of a boot fit 501s if that makes sense to you. I have yet to wear the bloody things.

Regards

Mick

Marco
10-10-2009, 17:20
LOL! Sounds excellent, Mick. I think I might be tempted to order that, too :)

Do me a favour, will you? Ask the owners (if they're there) where in Italy they come from? Presuming, of course, that they are Italian...

I'm curious to know if the Italians around your neck of the woods are from my part of the country (Tuscany), or perhaps more southerly than that, then come back and let me know.

If you fancy something different in the wine department from Barolo, for a change, and like a full-bodied red, try Amarone or Brunello di Montalcino. If it's a good restaurant they should have them. Trust me, either of them will blow your mind :eyebrows:

Enjoy your evening, old chap!

Marco.

REM
10-10-2009, 18:55
Mick

If you ever do get round to wearing them, for heavens sake don't put a hankie in your back pocket whatever you do.
Enjoy your evening, ATB

DSJR
11-10-2009, 17:01
I do fully understand Micks viewpoint on the main subject matter, but it's still a shame that Spencer's vision is in danger of being diluted - I can't help it if I'm still very much enjoying a pair of his early designs..

At the end of the day, I suppose it's as much to do with the senior staff in charge of design. I think I may know who one of them is and I don't think he'd let the BC1 legacy die in a hurry, as I think it's the chap who can restore and update BC1 bass units.

hifi_dave
11-10-2009, 18:58
It is a great shame when these good old British companies lose their original direction. For some time now, Spendor have been going along the styling path and forsaking their roots for slim line cabinets, fancy veneers and trendy styling. From what I heard a while ago, they might well drop the 'heritage' products entirely, if they haven't already. Maybe that's what happens with foreign management ?:scratch:

DSJR
11-10-2009, 20:58
Phil S certainly told me shortly after his takeover some years ago that the "classic" range was really kept for the far-eastern market, but since my leaving the industry the emphasis on the classic models seems to have been brought back, at a price - £3K for the last SP1 variant I understand.

Just think, all those centuries ago when I started, the BC1 was around £150pr - has the cost of living really gone up by this amount, or the component parts increased so much in price?

Marco
11-10-2009, 21:11
For me, the 'Classic' series were the real Spendors, based on their BBC heritage. The 'S' series were merely second-class citizens in comparison tailored for the domestic market - their sonic balance was entirely different (more 'commercial'). I know, having owned the top models in the Classic series (SP100s), and also most others in the range at some point, and having heard S6s, S8s and S9s.

The other thing is that Philip never had much passion for the Classic series, as it was an established part of the Spendor range long before he joined the company. All his efforts went into the 'S' Series ('S' for Swift perhaps?), and this is the range which was heavily promoted in the magazines and distributed to dealers.

Quite simply, if you want a 'proper' pair of Spendors, then look to the classic standmount-designed, BBC heritage models. I mean, think about it, do Harbeth make any floorstanding designs? Not that I'm aware of. They're all high quality stand-mount type (or 'bookshelf') loudspeakers in the classic BBC-style. There's a good reason for that ;)

Marco.

Mick Parry
12-10-2009, 15:57
Marco

The Italian waiters were mainly born in Swindon but all spoke an Italian accent. Their familes originated from Florence.

The meal was brilliant, I had some sort of stew with potato dumplings, bloody superb. We were with friends and somewhat overdid it on the gin and tonics and we had a few bottles of Barolo.

Returning to the topic of this thread, I am finding that I am sourcing more products back from the UK, mainly at the expence of Germany and France.

So it proves that things go up, then down and back up again etc etc etc.

I am off out for another dinner tonight, so may catch you later.

I find this world economy thingy exciting and stimulating.

Regards

Mick

Mr. C
12-10-2009, 16:10
My word, the naim high preist (square inhabitor) himself good afternoon Lord Parry how is life treating yourself in retirement sir?

DSJR
12-10-2009, 16:25
As I remember, the originators for the "S" series by Spendor were conceived by Derek Hughes (son of SPENcer and DORothy). My colleagues at the time heard some S6 prototypes and found them thick, dull and "port-boomy." Changing a few components for better ones, wiring and a new styling transformed them IMO, but I have a niggling feeling that the Polypropylene derived cone material is in need of a change, as it's too self-damping and very subtle spatial and harmonic effects get absorbed into the cone, rather than transmitted out, I understand.

I know hifi Dave will back me up on this, but I honestly think that it's Harbeth who are genuinely taking the BBC legacy forward today, retaining the impeccable reproduction of speech (a BBC design necessity), and taming the boom while keeping the natural warmth of a good recording. Many far eastern Harbeth owners use valve amps of all sorts and the easy impedance loading of Harbeths in general makes them a perfect speaker for this kind of amps.

hifi_dave
12-10-2009, 18:17
Off hand, I can't think of another company progressing with the BBC heritage than Harbeth. When we were Spendor dealers we were definitely discouraged from showing any interest in their 'legacy' models - they were 'for export'.

Harbeth have taken the BBC principles and improved the sound - lower colouration, cleaner, better bass, more communicative and greater clarity. Add to this the beautiful traditional cabinet work and there is little wonder they are so popular in the Far East.

Marco
12-10-2009, 18:45
Good evening, Mick.


Marco

The Italian waiters were mainly born in Swindon but all spoke an Italian accent.


LOL - now that I'd like to have heard! :eyebrows:


Their familes originated from Florence.


Ah, nice one. That's not far away from my particular zone.


The meal was brilliant, I had some sort of stew with potato dumplings, bloody superb. We were with friends and somewhat overdid it on the gin and tonics and we had a few bottles of Barolo.


Glad you had a nice meal. Did you not fancy trying Amarone or Brunello for a change, or maybe they didn't have it?


I am off out for another dinner tonight, so may catch you later.

I find this world economy thingy exciting and stimulating.


Haha...classic Mick at his best!! :lol:

Marco.

Marco
12-10-2009, 19:02
Hi Dave,


Off hand, I can't think of another company progressing with the BBC heritage than Harbeth. When we were Spendor dealers we were definitely discouraged from showing any interest in their 'legacy' models - they were 'for export'.


You're right, and that was because Philip wanted to push the 'S' Series models. He had little interest in the Classic Series, perhaps because it was less profitable? The latter was undoubtedly the best sounding, though, and exhibited none of the traits Dave (DSJR) referred to with the 'S' Series.


Harbeth have taken the BBC principles and improved the sound - lower colouration, cleaner, better bass, more communicative and greater clarity. Add to this the beautiful traditional cabinet work and there is little wonder they are so popular in the Far East.

I'd not dispute that, although I reckon that my old SP100s would be very similar in sound to your Harbeth Monitor 40s. Unfortunately, we've got no way of comparing them now!

What I can say, through experience, is that every 'SP' model in the Spendor Classic Series is a highly respectable design in its own right and probably equally as popular in Japan as the respective models are from Harbeth :)

Of course, none of them are in the same league as a big pair of Tannoys!! :lol:

Marco.

DSJR
12-10-2009, 19:58
A problem I had twenty years ago, was that every Spendor model in their "classic" range sounded different from each other, with the SP1/2 being the best of them all IMO. Now, I do realise that this was a very long time ago and in that time, Harbeth have made a number of vital improvements to their models since I owned their warm toned but delightful HL5's from 1989- new heavily researched plastics for the cones, CAD aided design of drivers, crossovers, cabinet behaviour and grille type and format. Alan Shaw is extremely defensive of his methods and refuses to be swayed by fashion..

Marco, I suspect the 40.1's will have certain similarities to the SP100's you owned, but the forced change of bass unit over the "40" model (Audax ceased manufacture) caused a re-think of bass response and behaviour outside of a controlled studio environment.

Apologies all. I have little to no contact with either firm these days, but I hope my experiences then and now count for some sort of support for the "BBC Legacy" as well as fully appreciating what a Tannoy DC or big ATC/PMC can do, as well as a carefully set up electrostatic.

Mick Parry
13-10-2009, 15:03
Chaps

You cannot expect the UK hifi industry to prosper and survive if you keep on buying older stuff.

In order to survive in the competitive global market, any UK company in any sphere of life must come up with new and innovative products that are ahead of the competition. I think Naim and Linn plus a few others manage to do this.

We cannot compete with the Chinese on volume products unless you are prepared to work for 2p an hour.

New products that have you guys foaming at the mouth to the point where you will sell your wives into slavery to fund the purchase is the only way to go.

Regards

Mick

Mick Parry
13-10-2009, 15:08
My word, the naim high preist (square inhabitor) himself good afternoon Lord Parry how is life treating yourself in retirement sir?

Mr C

I am working again on a 9 month contract, contributing to boosting the UK's GDP. However, despite having to work, life is not too bad.

I need to buy a new sysytem next year for my shack in Spain, any suggestions on a sysyem that is small and compact will be mucho appreciated.


Regards

Mick

Alex_UK
13-10-2009, 16:50
I need to buy a new sytem next year for my shack in Spain, any suggestions on a system that is small and compact will be mucho appreciated.

Probably best to start a separate thread on this Mick?

How much do you want to spend? New, or 2nd hand?

How small is small? (i.e. micro system, or the all in one "receiver" type)

What sources do you need - presumably not Vinyl?

Many options for us to consider, depending on the brief! I like spending other peoples' money so let us know and we'll come up with something interesting, I'm sure! :)

Mick Parry
14-10-2009, 09:44
Hi Alex

You make a valid point, I will ask for advice nearer the time next year.

Regards

Mick