Spendor BC1 or S8e?

[F575M]

Hello,

I have a chance to get either a pair of BC1 [42 years old] £599 or a pair of S8e, £799, very different speakers.

Both are in mint condition. I am inclined for the BC1, they are excellent for classical music, but I think that the only long-term problem with the BC1 speaker is the midbass coating starting to peel off due to use and age whereas the S8e is a newer unit. Both speakers are in mint condition.

Any opinions?

Please see links.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195942565617?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110 013%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIMRXI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20 211130130958%26meid%3D3636bc3b696c429798ec84feda6c 57bf%26pid%3D101469%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D2042 19381001%26itm%3D195942565617%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0% 26pg%3D3650466%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebNoTor aCoCoViewsNoHighIdfOrSortByFinalScoreBlenderWithPr omotedViewItems%26brand%3DSpendor&_trksid=p3650466.c101469.m2822&amdata=cksum%3A1959425656173636bc3b696c429798ec84f eda6c57bf%7Cenc%3AAQAIAAABQMpMpG5jsey2nau7193eR2bW EHaDZK2z6FIaklTOXvhztYor%252FjczxSgbXpkpZZAZEESJp% 252BVJ95i4nx3IdciskewdT%252BR5GsMtqDUWRtmMA7dki1ph Ov8vfXDRuXozq%252Fgg3P%252B35AAyUbiLzRqOZzaYRigW97 PyHttGnCdS1k4X8gwphMeJ6jyMuHFaYHi0gDWpLxSVu7MCTI00 IiFsqrUcU5UjJNXvs74T8aPferuuhy%252FkWrRJ5QP398faCe pB%252BE%252F58lcS7A%252BCfyz0QfHSWPo%252B9nGq7wHT W4Zm66feYdIwLbYNq%252BNE6A%252FjZtnJxWJD0IsBAj4FZk F4EMFEPpWYRdyGEWbecTNIyApkE5LXLYjXYTYTZt29n0%252Bb B4u4ekroFL5dUZz3pd41NzKVREMbJlZqwp45Q%252FT6M0TdnQ yYqF1c4%252BY8%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A3650466

https://www.ebay.com/itm/195942560450?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110 013%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIMRXI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20 211130130958%26meid%3D3636bc3b696c429798ec84feda6c 57bf%26pid%3D101469%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D2042 19381001%26itm%3D195942560450%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0% 26pg%3D3650466%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebNoTor aCoCoViewsNoHighIdfOrSortByFinalScoreBlenderWithPr omotedViewItems%26brand%3DSpendor&_trksid=p3650466.c101469.m2822&amdata=cksum%3A1959425604503636bc3b696c429798ec84f eda6c57bf%7Cenc%3AAQAIAAABQMpMpG5jsey2nau7193eR2bW EHaDZK2z6FIaklTOXvhztYor%252FjczxSgbXpkpZZAZEESJp% 252BVJ95i4nx3IdciskewdT%252BR5GsMtqDUWRtmMA7dki1ph Ov8vfXDRuXozq%252Fgg3PXjnADPtZ7%252BWLSp%252BZxGtn tGZTa7XYQYo7ENRRqSgqnbjuBuHZp5i6%252FoIYLMHtLbi6gc ANv710MylpogXH7P2YOl6jWAPA2qABfHVvP8uYHsruTPUqkRhk fFMc%252B0xeR6%252B%252FQ5wQqey8ktpXprDqOs6skbDSBH VJRKUYkLB7bsGocxIBs7buIOsr1vzM6Ktq1BWzxhlTXJLRNGPJ ULwHxkuRbs4GP6p2LIEgB3FhEtgKsl2IUgAUVYtUUwmaUtSL2L fd1Lr6U0E%252Fog%252B%252BDsP6UPJM5Ao6GZdry5BhvvRp KrnIOF%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A3650466

[Pigmy Pony]

Probably comes down to music tastes and how you listen. BC1 would be great for Eva Cassidy at low to moderate volume, The Prodigy cranked up to eleven not so much. The S8 more of an 'all rounder'.

Buy both :D Then choose.

[walpurgis]

I wouldn't buy any speaker where the drive units couldn't be inspected. And I don't recall seeing BC1's with bolted in grilles.

[F575M]

Right you are, I was very surprised to read that the grilles were bolted in. I had a pair in the mid eighties, they replaced my Mission 770s, they had removable grilles.

[Pigmy Pony]

I wouldn't buy any speaker where the drive units couldn't be inspected. And I don't recall seeing BC1's with bolted in grilles.

I wondered about that too. How would you even manage to bolt them from the back? This is what the baffles should look like - just plastic plugs as far as I can tell.

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ftEAAOSwVQRkL9qi/s-l1600.jpg

Might be a bit snug fitting, but would come off with care. Seller either scared of damaging something, or trying to hide something.

[F575M]

How about "Red Alnico" drivers?

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650011538-spendor-bc-1-loudspeakers/

[walpurgis]

The Alnico drivers are very old and as there's no front view of them it's impossible to guess their condition.

Me personally, if I was in the market for a BBC Monitor speaker derivative or related design, I'd be looking at Harbeths.

[struth]

ive 7 alnico drivers(about 10" I think) 6 being fitted to two sets of speakers i built. they are quite old but mostly in near perfect nick. onlt about 3 ohm and 20 watt but they do sound great, especially the double set that are 6 ohm in big cabs.
i liked both but dont use speakers any more.
if you cannot see the fronts then i'd pass
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230822/f4076a229d8a539d2983575f394683ca.jpg

[Macca]

The Alnico drivers are very old and as there's no front view of them it's impossible to guess their condition.

Me personally, if I was in the market for a BBC Monitor speaker derivative or related design, I'd be looking at Harbeths.

They're so expensive though, practically Veblen goods.

I think the old B&O speakers from late 70s early 80s do the same sort of thing and you can get them for a lot less.

Those Chartwells are good too. BBC sort of balance but large enough to have a bit of presence. Rather have them than BC1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/266321041754?

[F575M]

I chatted with Paul Westlake last weekend regarding the Grahams LS3/5, they are too small for me. I would have bought the LS6F monitors but he won't ship overseas due to courier damage.

The chap with the Alnico drivers won't take to grille off under any circumstances, they are way too expensive.

These seem to be nice even though a little bit overpriced.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649993692-rogers-studio-1-speakers-rare-vintage-bbc-monitors/

[F575M]

Reduced to $850 [£667].

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649993692-rogers-studio-1-speakers-rare-vintage-bbc-monitors/

[Macca]

Reduced to $850 [£667].

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649993692-rogers-studio-1-speakers-rare-vintage-bbc-monitors/

I think you could do a lot worse. Sorry I did not spot that you are in the USA.

[walpurgis]

I preferred the Rogers interpretations of the BBC based design to the Spendors. The use of the Celestion HF2000 upper tweeter instead of the Coles unit sweetened the top end to my ears (at the time, many years ago, but my hearing is so bad now I doubt I'd hear the difference :)).

[bumpy]

I preferred the Rogers interpretations of the BBC based design to the Spendors. The use of the Celestion HF2000 upper tweeter instead of the Coles unit sweetened the top end to my ears (at the time, many years ago, but my hearing is so bad now I doubt I'd hear the difference :)).

My understanding is that the Celestion HF2000 would be a replacement for the HF1300, not the Coles :)

[F575M]

Chaps,

Please take a good look at these photos of the Rogers Studio 1 - see one of my previous posts for the link. The owner kindly sent them to me.

Is there anything I should be worried about, how about the white hairlines on the cones?

[walpurgis]

My understanding is that the Celestion HF2000 would be a replacement for the HF1300, not the Coles :)

Rogers used the HF1300 and the HF2000 (as the upper range tweeter) together, as did Celestion in the Ditton 25. It's a nice combination.

[walpurgis]

Is there anything I should be worried about, how about the white hairlines on the cones?

If you mean the light looking line to the upper/outer edge of the cone, I'd suggest that just adhesive trace from manufacture. Ask for a close-up photo.

[struth]

Look ok in that pic.

[Clive197]

Walk away from the BC1’s as condition of drivers cannot be ascertained. At their age the cost of buying and shipping leaves you open to being mugged off.
The S8e’s are exceptionally good speakers which I’ve owned in the past and I only parted with when I purchased my D7’s. I’m a big Spendor fan since I 1st heard a pair of BC1’s in the early seventies. I wasn’t able to afford them at the time but I promised myself that one day……
The D7’s are my 3rd pair (S6, S8e and finally the D7).