+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 20

Thread: Spendor SP-1 Loudspeakers with Spendor Stands

  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Lancaster(-ish), UK

    Posts: 16,937
    I'm ChrisB.

    Default Spendor SP-1 Loudspeakers with Spendor Stands

    Spendor SP-1 Loudspeakers and stands

    I am helping a friend to sell his equipment. He wants it to go to a home where it will be used and cherished. There’s no ‘middle man’ cut going to me - I’m just helping by putting buyer in touch with seller.






    Also available: Quad 34 / 306 / FM4 Pre and Power Amplifiers with Tuner


    Spendor SP-1 Loudspeakers with Spendor stands

    Walnut finish
    Serial No's: 4405 & 4406
    Complete with Spendor stands (and optional castors)
    One owner from new, bought in April 1987





    Size (h/w/d): 63.5 x 29.5 x 30.5 cm
    Cabinet volume: 44 litres
    Cabinet construction: Thin walled multiply, heavily bitumen damped and lined with acoustic foam. Reflex tuned with large offset ducted port.
    Sensitivity: 87dB
    Bass roll-off: 41Hz
    Recommended amplifier power: 12-150 wpc
    Recommended placement: Free space mounting on open stands





    The SP-1 has three driver units but two of them are tweeters, so it more like a two-way than a conventional three-way speaker system. The 8” bass-mid driver is polypropylene and crosses over to the mid-tweeter at 3 kHz and then to the super-tweeter at 13 kHz
    The tweeters are the Celestion HF 1300 and the Coles 4001G.


    The Spendor SP-1 speakers are somewhat legendary, having been developed as an offshoot of the BBC loudspeaker research project that produced the LS3/5a among others.



    Condition is excellent apart from a few very minor scratches. One of the stands has a very small amount of crazing and cracking to the paint where two of the castors attach to the frame.
    There is a small plastic hook attached to the rear of one of the speakers with a self adhesive pad, which was used to hang spare speaker cable.









    Contemporary Reviews
    Hi-Fi Choice (June 1988):
    The SP-1 has evolved into a subtle and musical sounding performer in the true Spendor tradition.

    Offering an easy amplifier load plus improved bass power, articulation and clarity, reduced midrange distortion and a higher sensitivity, the SP1 can give a decently high acoustic level. It possesses a clean, neutral tonal balance and should be equally valuable for medium level monitoring or domestic use.
    The SP-1 receives a warm recommendation.



    The Absolute Sound:
    This visually attractive medium-sized box speaker offers startling tonal accuracy and midrange coherence. It has the unusual virtue of doing (tonal) justice to excellently recorded material while being relatively forgiving of inferior input.

    …. a precisely focused "holographic" image is generated, with good depth, though less width than wide-dispersion, forward-pointed speakers can generate.

    ….the midrange coherence and tonal accuracy make the SP-1 an exceptionally satisfying speaker, one of the best anywhere near its price. The apotheosis of the British box monitor, and a classic.




    Price: £500
    The current equivalent model from Spendor is the SP1/2R2 which, if bought new, will cost you £3,995.00!

    Collection only. Lancashire - Preston/Southport area.
    This sale is only open to AoS members with 50 posts or more.
    If you are interested, please send me a PM.
    Last edited by The Grand Wazoo; 02-03-2013 at 14:50.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Feb 2011

    Location: Sarf Lunnon

    Posts: 2,068
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    I've always fancied trying some of these speakers but can't have them more than 6" from a rear wall.

    They also always seem to be far away and as I don't have a car can never pick them up...
    In - Tweaked Lenco GL75, Linn Ittok, Ortofon Cadenza Black
    Through - Croft Micro 25 RS LS, power R monoblocks, RIAA R. Ortofon ST-80 SE SUT.
    Along - Tellurium Q Ultra Black cables
    Out - Harbeth SHL5 Plus XD's

    Street photography


    Dave

  3. #3
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Lancaster(-ish), UK

    Posts: 16,937
    I'm ChrisB.

    Default

    It's a shame Dave, as SP-1's are superb speakers, much liked by several AoS members. They really do need to be out in the room a bit further than 6" though.

  4. #4
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Lancaster(-ish), UK

    Posts: 16,937
    I'm ChrisB.

    Default

    More photos showing condition:















    As mentioned above, there is a little degradation to the stands. It's very hard to see when they're in use, but it is there nonetheless, so in the interests of honestly declaring the true condition, here are some photographs:




    Last edited by The Grand Wazoo; 02-03-2013 at 19:25.

  5. #5
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: A Strangely Isolated Place in Suffolk with Far Away Trains Passing By...

    Posts: 14,535
    I'm David.

    Default

    Crikey, these things have rocketed in price in the last few years.

    The SP1 is a more modern speaker than the venerable but very dated BC1, which is fetching collectors money now. Power handling is good for rock at reasonable if not deafening levels, the bass quality is in a different league from older "BBC Derivatives" and the mid is quite lively and not at all overshadowed by a bloomy bass as the BC1 could be.

    The trolley stands are valuable too and, although I'd suggest a simple frame type 12" to 14" stand for them, the trolleys have good WAF about them for wheeling them against a back wall when not in use.

    The sound of these SP1's is far closer to modern Harbeth and Spendor types than away and the Harbs only really better them in the more subtle areas I feel - an evolution rather than a radical change. Listen to them separately and the differences are so small I doubt many "non-we ordinary people" would notice much if any difference, which is as it should be I think.

    Amps? You can get a far more dramatic sound out of SP1's than the 34/306 will allow, they're excellent with Naim and all "our" usual favourites as Alex_UK will confirm. The impedance curve should be kind to valvey people too..

    Sorry everyone - got to give a plug for these speakers. Not for everyone I freely admit, but they ARE good and present the recording in a coherant and even way with no exaggeration.
    Tear down these walls; Cut the ties that held me
    Crying out at the top of my voice; Tell me now if you can hear me

  6. #6
    Join Date: Feb 2011

    Location: South Wales

    Posts: 7,487
    I'm the'greatunwashed'.

    Default

    Stunning, if I didn't have my Harbeth's I would be all over these like a rash
    "People will hear what you tell them to hear" - Thomas Edison

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex

    Posts: 7,087
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    Nice speakers and if I didn't have a heap of Harbeth and some Tannoys and etc, etc, etc, I would be clearing a space right now.

  8. #8
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: Lancaster(-ish), UK

    Posts: 16,937
    I'm ChrisB.

    Default

    Perhaps the pair of you two gents might like to consider mono systems?

    Heh-heh-heh....!

  9. #9
    Join Date: Feb 2011

    Location: South Wales

    Posts: 7,487
    I'm the'greatunwashed'.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by The Grand Wazoo View Post
    Perhaps the pair of you two gents might like to consider mono systems?
    "People will hear what you tell them to hear" - Thomas Edison

  10. #10
    Join Date: Feb 2011

    Location: Sarf Lunnon

    Posts: 2,068
    I'm Dave.

    Default

    PM sent
    In - Tweaked Lenco GL75, Linn Ittok, Ortofon Cadenza Black
    Through - Croft Micro 25 RS LS, power R monoblocks, RIAA R. Ortofon ST-80 SE SUT.
    Along - Tellurium Q Ultra Black cables
    Out - Harbeth SHL5 Plus XD's

    Street photography


    Dave

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •