2. speakers
  3. 1100856017

Upgrade from Spendor BC-1: need ideas

For more than twenty years I have been living with a pair of Spendor BC1's that I love. When I bought them, I lived in NYC, passed via London a few times, and had a lot of time to listen and compare. Looking back, I did well. Starting with zero knowledge of anything, I ended up with a short list consisting of Quad ESL, but no way they would fit in my room, and the BC-1, which I did purchase.

I am beginning to think about a possible "upgrade", under circumstances that are similar as well as different. My apartment still has no room for the Quads! So it has to be a tower like design again. I don't have time or circumstances to easily listen to and compare a large number of good speakers. That's why I turn to you for advice. If you know BC-1's or similar sounding models (KEF, Rogers, B&W, etc), please suggest specific models that would constitute a meaningful upgrade now,

A few words of clarification:

1. I mainly listen to classical music, but then everything from symphonies to solo flute or vocal. I am not trying to duplicate the concert hall acoustics in my room because I know that is impossible and even good halls sound different anyway. I don't know most singers and musicians personally and don't know what they or their instruments sound like. In other words, while I want my speakers to be "accurate" in the sense of avoiding obvious distortion, I don't have the "original" reference to judge "accuracy". I know and accept that it is all an illusion, and want the illusion to be as beautiful and convincing as possible. I would be happy if chamber and solo sounded like artists were right there. Such effect is difficult with complex orchestral works but I'll take what I can get.

2. The speakers cannot take up too much floor space. The BC-1's footprint is fine. They could be taller though.

3. My present amp is Audiolab 8000S (60w/ch). The room size is 15'x18' (x12' ceiling). But this could change. Therefore, while the speakers should work well with what I have, they should not be overly fussy.

4. Certain brand names keep coming up. Friends suggest Spendor, Dynaudio, Proac in almost the same breath. However, I am also open to smaller less known brands. If there is an extremely talented person making much better speakers in some small town somewhere, let me know!

5. Please suggest specific models. They need not be current models, I am open to discontinued and used. Please give me an idea what a good used pair might cost though.

My plan is to make a short list and see what I can do about finding a pair to listen to (I am in Chicago area). If there is one outstanding candidate, proverbial head & shoulders above all the rest (as Quad 988 would be if it was 1/2 its size!), then I may buy a pair anyway, listen to them and BC-1's side by side for a few months, and then sell one or the other.

Thank you.
aktchi

Showing 7 responses by aktchi

aktchi OP
274 posts
 
Thanks Labtec. As for the drivers aging, well they *are* >25 years old. The BC1's power handling was never legendary, and I have always been careful with volume so as not to blow the tweeter. In fact Spendor once brought out a BC2 just to address that issue but it wasn't well-received, or so I understand.

However, I don't plan to do anything in haste. If nothing better which is affordable too turns up, I may just settle for Spendor SP1/2 (e?) which is supposed to be the "final" version of BC-1, actully very good, just differently numbered.
aktchi OP
274 posts
 
Drubin: I am very happy with my Spendor BC1's and under no pressure to buy something in a hurry. I continue to educate myself and audition contenders as and when opportunities arise, but haven't run into anything that would be just right. I have heard SP1/2 and a couple of Harbeth and Proac models, and they did somethings better than BC1's, but I didn't perceive enough of an improvement to justify the expense.

In a way this is not surprising: I bought my speakers after searching far and wide and even after buying them kept checking them against other contenders, always deciding to stay with them. So they match my taste and while it may be possible to better them, that should not be easy. I am curious about newer manufacturers like Salk, Tyler, or Zu, but have't had a chance to hear them.

Jtgofish: Sorry to hear about your Tangents, never heard them, but always heard good things about them. Didn't they get a really glowing review in one of the high-end magazines once?

Your advice is good. Even if I get something esle, I will be in no hurry to sell my BC1's. In fact I plan to listen to both side by side and compare them at least for a few months in my own room. It is almost silly to throw them away for a few hundred dollars in today's used market, if I had space I'd rather use them in second system.
aktchi OP
274 posts
 
Mrtennis: When I am buying something for the first time or replacing something I can't live with, then I shop aggressively and work with a budget. When upgrading something I am happy with, my approach is more relaxed, a component has to sell itself to me. That said, there are always "constraints" and I probably couldn't go beyond "a few thousand" without having to sleep alone on the couch for an intolerably long time. :)

This process is necessarily slow. Unlike my first purchase, I am not spending all of my weekends at local dealers or driving several hundred miles to one. That a credible direct sale model has emerged bypassing dealers is a new opportunity and a complication as well.

Choices I see at present fall into two broad groups.

(A) I can remain within the British family with Harbeth, Spendor, Proac. But the models I have heard, even when they seem better than BC1's, don't seem enough of an improvement to justify the expense. Still, if a good used opportunity comes along, I may take the plunge. At least I will gain a few hz of extra bass and better power handling.

(B) I am intrigued by newer direct-sale models like GMA, Salk, Tyler, Zu. Unfortunately these are difficult to compare among themselves. Still, I will learn what I can as I find opportunities

But I am not in an active search. I have very good speakers and great music. I am simply open to change if an opportunity seems just right.
aktchi OP
274 posts
 
Drubin: Thanks. I will dig the archives when I have more time, but if you just happen to know, are there reports of direct comparison between the Daedalus DA-1 and the speakers I know (Spendor, Harbeth, Proac, Quad) or otherwise mention (GMA, Salk, Tyler, Zu)? What drivers do they use?

BTW, does anybody know if it is possible to do AND/OR searches at A'gon, for example "spendor AND harbeth", "spendor OR harbeth" etc. ?
aktchi OP
274 posts
 
Drubin:

Thanks for the link to DA-1 review. Since DA-1 costs $7000, I was not shocked to hear that it is better than Harbeth Compact 7 which costs around $2800! A comparison with Harbeth M-40 would be more meaningful.

I do understand that one can only compare what one happens to have on hand, but it is also our job to place the result in perspective.

I feel A'gon community should slowly accumulate A/B comparison results among models that people swear by: GMA, Tyler, Zu, Daedalus, etc. We don;t have dealers to rely upon, and media reviewers were never reliable for such purposes. Perhaps formal and informal groups of audiophiles can organize local listening sessions and share their findings with the rest of us.
aktchi OP
274 posts
 
Hbarrel: Thanks. I have heard of Shahinian but never heard them. It may be irrational, or call it Bose effect, but I have tended to shy away from speakers that emphasize "reflected" or "omnidirectional" features. Still, if an opportunity came along I'd give them a listen.
aktchi OP
274 posts
 
No need to stay within the BBC family, however. I would certainly enjoy hearing about any comparison between British speakers---as an old Spendor loyalist, I sadly must say that the torch appears to have been passed to Harbeth, ATC, and Proac---and comparably priced modern ones: Tyler, Salk, Zu, Silverline, etc.
More to discover