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New Spendor SP200 speakers

How do you think that the owner of a 25kUSD speaker will report here, at PinkFishMedia forum, what type of sound he thinks the new SP200...?

Otherwise - it would have been a real report.
Rather than High End Show reports - these ones have lost the connection to the real living audiophile listenings - at home.

Maybe SP200 has excellent musical sound.
Maybe not.
There is a quite confused situation at Spendor line.

Just see the Classic line only.
SP100 is a great and legendary speaker. Many say - me too - that S100 is better.
The new SP1/2R2 - outperformed by the old SP1/2 any time and any equipments. Always. It's almost a scandale: Harbeth SHL5 with disgusting metal domes is far-far-far better than SP1/2R2.- Please remember that Harbeth was not a legend at all. At that time HL5 was a 'good BBC speaker' - nothing more.

And what about an old Spendor SP2 and new Harbeth 30.1:
Here is a review, BBC calling - a real indignity for the Harbeth....

So what should we think about Spendor SP200 now?
I don't know.
 
chord said:
How do you think that the owner of a 25kUSD speaker will report here, at PinkFishMedia forum, what type of sound he thinks the new SP200...?

Otherwise - it would have been a real report.
Rather than High End Show reports - these ones have lost the connection to the real living audiophile listenings - at home.

Maybe SP200 has excellent musical sound.
Maybe not.
There is a quite confused situation at Spendor line.

Just see the Classic line only.
SP100 is a great and legendary speaker. Many say - me too - that S100 is better.
The new SP1/2R2 - outperformed by the old SP1/2 any time and any equipments. Always. It's almost a scandale: Harbeth SHL5 with disgusting metal domes is far-far-far better than SP1/2R2.- Please remember that Harbeth was not a legend at all. At that time HL5 was a 'good BBC speaker' - nothing more.

And what about an old Spendor SP2 and new Harbeth 30.1:
Here is a review, BBC calling - a real indignity for the Harbeth....

So what should we think about Spendor SP200 now?
I don't know.
Click to expand...

Well i will tell you what I think of the SP200 when I have them here on demo. . . . . .
 
My dealer has confirmed the demo is happening next week. I will report . . .
 
He is getting them in specially for me . . .

They will go back to Spendor when I have listened to them or maybe stay with me . . . .
 
This is going to be fascinating.

There's the 'Harbeth camp.'
and
The 'Spendor camp.'

I am in both with BC1s and P-3ESRs, but I am really interested in the reaction to the
SP200s.
 
It should be interesting. I will of course be comparing the SP200 to my 25yr old S100 speakers. There will be other tasty bits of kit being used. A Chord Blu2 MScaler with Chord Dave DAC and Icon Audio MB845Mk2 valve power amps with Music First Silver passive preamp.

I have never heard Harbeth so I will have to listen with my Spendor tuned ears. :)
 
The demo SP200 speakers will be arriving just before lunch today . . . .

A friend with good ears is also coming over to listen.

More anon.
 
25k speakers.
meanwhile, in cuba, people makes 20 cuc per months
and in yemen, the biggest famine in the world is on going


rant over
 
I have now had the SP200 on home demo for about 10 days. When the dealer came to deliver and install them we first listened to my system with my S100 speakers. Having swopped to the SP200 the initial reaction was that they sound similar, well anyway a similar family sound.

Amongst many other tracks we tried Agnes Obel, Red Virgin Soil. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tin Pan Alley. Holst Planets - Charles Dutoit on Decca. All of these sounded head and shoulders above my S100s.

The bass on the SP200s is deeper than the S100s and tighter. The mid and top range seemed more open and contributed to a wonderful sound stage where each instrument could be located with pin point accuracy. Stevie Ray Vaughan on Tin Pan Alley was just a complete joy. The Planets Suite was mighty but also clear and uncongested. Each individual instrument was seemingly 'just there' even in the height of thunderous music.

I had no intention of buying, this demo was organised by my dealer in the spirit of both of us wanting to hear the SP200. He also wanted to hear my system for himself and see how the various bits of kit he has sold to me fitted in.

But then after a few days I began to think that I have had the S100 speakers for best part of 25 years and maybe I still have 25 years left in me for another pair of speakers that I would keep for the same length of time.

Now, after 10 days of playing all sorts of music I just beginning to wonder whether the same characteristics that make the SP200s handle the show piece tracks so wonderfully might in the end be their downfall, at least for me. Is that mid and top just a very small fraction hard compared to the S100? Is it just that I am so used to my S100s that it is difficult for me to get my head around the different sound?

There is no doubt that the SP200 speakers are absolutely world class. I am listening to music through them that is simply the best I reproduced music I have ever heard. There is just a very small (and I mean very very small) nagging doubt about whether they are producing music that I would be happy to sit down and read a book at the same time. They demand your full attention (and equally reward it as well). Is that what I want?

Luckily I suspect I will have them for a few more days so it will be interesting to see how we get on together.

The rest of the system for anyone interested is Chord Blu2 MScaler CD player, Dave DAC, Music First pre amp, Icon Audio MB845Mk2M mono amps.
 
Fourlegs said:
I have now had the SP200 on home demo for about 10 days. When the dealer came to deliver and install them we first listened to my system with my S100 speakers. Having swopped to the SP200 the initial reaction was that they sound similar, well anyway a similar family sound.

Amongst many other tracks we tried Agnes Obel, Red Virgin Soil. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tin Pan Alley. Holst Planets - Charles Dutoit on Decca. All of these sounded head and shoulders above my S100s.

The bass on the SP200s is deeper than the S100s and tighter. The mid and top range seemed more open and contributed to a wonderful sound stage where each instrument could be located with pin point accuracy. Stevie Ray Vaughan on Tin Pan Alley was just a complete joy. The Planets Suite was mighty but also clear and uncongested. Each individual instrument was seemingly 'just there' even in the height of thunderous music.

I had no intention of buying, this demo was organised by my dealer in the spirit of both of us wanting to hear the SP200. He also wanted to hear my system for himself and see how the various bits of kit he has sold to me fitted in.

But then after a few days I began to think that I have had the S100 speakers for best part of 25 years and maybe I still have 25 years left in me for another pair of speakers that I would keep for the same length of time.

Now, after 10 days of playing all sorts of music I just beginning to wonder whether the same characteristics that make the SP200s handle the show piece tracks so wonderfully might in the end be their downfall, at least for me. Is that mid and top just a very small fraction hard compared to the S100? Is it just that I am so used to my S100s that it is difficult for me to get my head around the different sound?

There is no doubt that the SP200 speakers are absolutely world class. I am listening to music through them that is simply the best I reproduced music I have ever heard. There is just a very small (and I mean very very small) nagging doubt about whether they are producing music that I would be happy to sit down and read a book at the same time. They demand your full attention (and equally reward it as well). Is that what I want?

Luckily I suspect I will have them for a few more days so it will be interesting to see how we get on together.

The rest of the system for anyone interested is Chord Blu2 MScaler CD player, Dave DAC, Music First pre amp, Icon Audio MB845Mk2M mono amps.
Click to expand...

When can I come and listen to your system?
 
Martyn Miles said:
I am at the moment.
In Easenhall (?) on my Wife's College Reunion.
Witney, Oxfordshire, is my home 🏠 town.

Martyn
Click to expand...

I suspect your wife might not welcome a big detour on your way home! I am near Melton Mowbray if you are ever in this area.
 
A SP200 postscript.

I have now had these speakers on home demo for about three and a half weeks. My earlier post made it clear that although I thought the speakers were world class I was also unsure whether they were something that I could live with long term.

Did I prefer my old Spender S100 speakers? Or did I prefer the Living Voice OBX-RW3? Initially the answer was yes, I did, either in preference to the SP200s. They were just more relaxing to listen to.

And then during the second week of listening I found myself reverting the SP200 speakers more and more.

And when I was back with the S100s or the LV speakers I found myself more and more wanting to go back to the SP200s for their wonderful open sound and that real proper deep bass.

And the realism. Several times I had my back to the SP200s and some voice came on through the CD or radio and I turned round thinking someone had walked into the room.

Now I have lived with the SP200s for more than 3 weeks. That possible unforgiving top end has mellowed. Has it mellowed as the speakers have run in or has my brain recalibrate my ears? I have no idea but it is no longer an issue for me. Giving the speakers slightly less toe in also helped.

So, how does this end? I am afraid it is going to be in the style of the “readers, I married that man” type of ending.

I have sold all my extra kit, speakers etc that I can lay my hands on and I have sealed the deal to keep the SP200 speakers. They are hugely expensive but a realistic stock take and then a fire sale of my surplus kit has meant that in reality I can afford them.

My Spender S100 speakers have been with me the best part of 25 years and I will do my best to keep the SP200s for that length of time. (I cannot bear to part with the S100s so they will move to the study).
 
My fantasy (?!) is to own a pair of these SP200s.
I would require:

(a) A large amount of cash
(b) A large house with a dedicated Listening Room.
(c) A compliant (!) Wife.

I can dream...
 
Martyn Miles said:
My fantasy (?!) is to own a pair of these SP200s.
I would require:

(a) A large amount of cash
(b) A large house with a dedicated Listening Room.
(c) A compliant (!) Wife.

I can dream...
Click to expand...

Martyn,

I had (a), (b) and (c).

Now I have (b) and (c)

and (d) A big smile on my face.
 
It seems that Spendor are tidying up their Classic Range. The SP200 will become the Classic 200 and will be exactly the same speaker but with a new badge.

The SP100R2 becomes the Classic 100 and gets the new mid range and bass units from the SP200 together with a redesigned crossover because of the new drivers. That should be a tasty speaker.

The other speakers in the Classic range get similar makeovers and renaming.

It will be worth keeping an eye on them.

Meanwhile my SP200 speakers just keep on getting better and better. I listened to some old Ben Harper last night from his 'Fight For Your Mind' album. The title track (and many others) is sonic bliss and the SP200 speakers give the most realistic sound I have ever heard. So many other speakers give a 'good' or 'pleasant' sound but the SP200s are simply realistic.
 
It seems Spendor are ( at last ) rationalising their range.
A while ago I thought they'd got too many speaker ranges.

( Reminded me of British Leyland and their 'Badge Engineering' days )

OK, they can't return it their 'Glory Days' of the '70s / '80s as the speaker
market has changed.
I have always had a soft spot for Spendor and will never sell my BC1s...
 
h.g. said:
A large 7" poly midrange crossing high at 5kHz to a small tweeter on a flat baffle is certainly going to have a characteristic rather than neutral sound. Given the high price, resonant cabinet, passive crossover, characteristic sound, old fashioned look, history of the brand, etc... it seems designed to appeal to a particular segment. Good luck to them although my first reaction was that it looked fairly DIYable for little more than 10% of the price asked (so long as you count time as zero cost fun time of course).
Click to expand...
Exactly my first thought when I looked at the specs and the price. I wont say that these are bad speakers, just the opposite, I'll go and listen to them and maybe even buy them, but the price is definitely not accordingly. (maybe buying all the chassis and the crossover as spare parts and putting it together with some better housing, at half the price or even less?...)
 
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