Spendor S3/5R

[southall-1998]

Nice little speakers.

On the paper they say 84db, but was told some time ago they measured 82db.

Some members on here using the S3/5R? What are your opinions on these Spendors?

Regards.

[hifi_dave]

I bought a pair of S3/5se when I first moved here. They were the first speakers I heard in my new demo room and I thought 'holy crap, this room is shite' and I panicked..:eek:

The only other speakers I had at that time was an old pair of Rega R1 in the loft. I dragged them out, put them on stone cold and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't the room at all just the S3/5SE's..:doh:

[southall-1998]

Spendors too dull/warm for you :)

[hifi_dave]

Lacklustre, boring, flat, uninvolving. I was very disappointed.

[DSJR]

... and Dave isn't the only one with that opinion either. Far bigger, but the S6 and S8 are in a totally different universe, despite the same manufacturer making them at the time. The current SA1 is a very much better design I understand.

[southall-1998]

Looks to me the S3/5R is a love/hate speaker.

[hoopsontoast]

Lacklustre, boring, flat, uninvolving. I was very disappointed.

Thats much of my experience, the SA1's are a little more involving, but no where as good as the SCM7's in that respect.

[hifi_dave]

I was expecting good things but..:scratch:

[brab]

I don't have the 3/5's but the charge of lifelessness has been leveled against my Spendor 2/3's, and it's true, that as with all components, they need to be carefully matched. With Exposure, Bryston, and Moon amplification the 2/3's were not at their best; however, with VTL tubes, they are as lively as any I've heard. Another possibility is that the classically derived Spendors may be revealing the inadequacies of what's driving them, inadequacies that are masked by the colourations of certain non neutral speakers.

[jazzpiano]

Hi Brian,

Nice to hear a little defense of Spendors. I think you may be right but, people seem to be very divided on tube vs solid-state w/ Spendors. I use an old c-j MV-75 with my Sp1s and am experimenting with my friends inexpensive NAD 216THX for comparrison.

Best and Welcome,
Barry :)