Spendor SP-1 Loudspeakers with Spendor Stands

[The Grand Wazoo]

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.




http://imageshack.us/a/img689/8100/spendor1.jpg

Also available: Quad 34 / 306 / FM4 Pre and Power Amplifiers with Tuner (http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=24234)


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


http://imageshack.us/a/img441/8144/spendor2.jpg


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


http://imageshack.us/a/img689/3035/spendor3.jpg


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.
http://imageshack.us/a/img341/7598/spendorrear.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img841/2989/spendorboxes.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img822/8357/spendorstands.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img843/7389/spendor5.jpg


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.

[Thing Fish]

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...:doh:

[The Grand Wazoo]

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.

[The Grand Wazoo]

More photos showing condition:

http://imageshack.us/a/img402/5084/rhtop.jpg http://imageshack.us/a/img515/753/lhtop1.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img855/4963/lhtop2.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img404/3741/rhrhside2.jpg http://imageshack.us/a/img541/2891/rhrhside1.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img708/7070/rhlhside2.jpg http://imageshack.us/a/img202/3797/rhlhside1.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img542/2784/lhrhside3.jpg http://imageshack.us/a/img203/914/lhrhside2.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img28/8169/lhrhside1.jpg http://imageshack.us/a/img4/4229/lhlhside.jpg



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:


http://imageshack.us/a/img19/8148/img1380pu.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img541/2148/img1381oex.jpg

[DSJR]

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.

[Tim]

Stunning, if I didn't have my Harbeth's I would be all over these like a rash :eyebrows:

[hifi_dave]

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.

[The Grand Wazoo]

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

Heh-heh-heh....!

[Tim]

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

[Thing Fish]

PM sent

[The Grand Wazoo]

The Spendors are still available folks.

[synsei]

If funds were more freely available I would have these myself. Good luck with the sale Chris... ;)

[Alex_UK]

I love mine, can't ever see me parting with them, and having listened to a lot of alternatives haven't heard anything vastly better - I love the legacy of the BBC research steeped in the "2 cubic foot" design of these and their ilk, and if you've ever enjoyed the same, fancied a pair of top-notch "monitors" or just love the honesty of a pair of speakers with a midrange to die for then these really are worth looking into.

[The Grand Wazoo]

Thanks for the good words boys.
Alex, you were looking for some speakers for the dining room. These would fit the shelves if you put them on their sides!!!
Just kidding.

[wee tee cee]

PM Sent.....

[The Grand Wazoo]

SOLD to the man from Glasgy!

Thanks to everyone for their interest.

[DSJR]

Thanks for the good words boys.
Alex, you were looking for some speakers for the dining room. These would fit the shelves if you put them on their sides!!!
Just kidding.

I've seen where they've got to go, and I'm afraid they're just too big whichever way you try to shoehorn them in :lol:

Glad they're sold now and hope the new owner likes 'em :)

[brian2957]

Well done mate . They look superb . When can the troops come over for a listen to them :eyebrows:

[peelaaa]

Great condition, lucky buyer. how would these compare to the sp2/2??

[wee tee cee]

Well done mate . They look superb . When can the troops come over for a listen to them :eyebrows:
Let the dust settle for a bit......might have to arrange something in the next couple of weeks.....