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Weak Bass from my SP 1/2s

I've lived with Spendor 1/2Es (circa 12/97) for about a year now and love them. However, I have noticed that they just have very low bass output under anything below about 70 Hz (to my ears) though they are rated for +/- 3db at 45Hz. Interestingly enough, my old SP 2/3s, which were smaller and rated down to 60Hz, clearly had significantly more extension connected to the same front end. I have moved them around to no avail and am scratching my head, as I KNOW they are capable of more. Additionally, the woofers move surprisingly little when reproducing low bass at higher dBs levels (less than my 2/3s). Are there any SP1/2 owners out there that have experienced the same thing, and if so is the key a beefy amp? (I am driving them with a 25W SS NAD).
bojack
goheelz's avatar
goheelz
291 posts
 
In my opinion, you are way underpowered with the NAD 25 watt unit. I run my Spendor SP1/2E speakers with a McIntosh MC352 stereo amplifier, and I supplement the bass with a REL Stentor II subwoofer. Before getting the REL, I was not happy with the bass response. But I'm happy now. Even with pretty good amplification, the Spendors just don't have enough deep bass to go full range, and so they benefit a lot from a decent subwoofer. So beefy amp, yes, although I've heard others talk about lower-powered tube amps with these speakers. No experience there, so I can't say whether this is true. But I can confirm that having a subwoofer in a Spendor system is the way to go.
chayro
2,927 posts
 
It could also just be the way the speakers interface with the room. I've had experiences where smaller speakers with supposedly less bass response produced a bigger and fuller bass in my room than larger speakers. It just works that way sometimes.
loomisjohnson
1,903 posts
 
i had the sp 2/3s, which i drove with as much as 150w of good ss power. i could never coax sufficient bass out of 'em either and always felt a sub was essential.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
You need more power as already suggested. I might try something with much much more juice like a Wyed4Sound amp, as big as you can afford, It is class D o it won't be as rich as some other amps (class A or A/B) but the price per watt ratio goes up dramatically.
And before someone gets on their high horse and tells me that it's the quality of the power not the amount I am well aware of that. In this case I am not suggesting junk and would say get a Pass XA150 but I don't think the OP can afford it. Maybe I am wrong and yes if the first watt sucks what goo is 300 more of them.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I also use RELs but the Spendors can have good bass. Back in the early 80s I use to use SP 2s to demo Krell amps when I was a Krell dealer. But I had a live end/ dead end listening room with a concrete floor.
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