Spendor Classic 100 - An itch I want to scratch!


I have an itch that just needs to be addressed.  Over the last 20 years, I've yet to try a classic BBC monitor or its progeny.  The Spendor Classic 100 seems like a winner.  I have hears some smaller Spendor monitors at AXPONA and was impressed at the openness and effortless sound--especially in contrast to so many modern speakers that sound forced, phony.  

These don't come up often in the used market.  Looks like I'd be doing a sight unseen/unheard purchase from an online retailer like Acoustic Sounds or Upscale.  

What can users tell me? All polite and reasonable opinions welcome!

FYI 

Music - wide variety: jazz, rock, folk, blues, world, some classical

Room 16 x 23 x 10' ceilings

jbhiller

OP - You might want to consider other BBC design brands.  Graham was mentioned above.  I have a pair of Stirling LS3/6 speakers in roughly the same size room as yours.  Like the Grahams, these Stirlings were designed by Derek Hughes.  I prefer to match them with a pair of SVS micro 3000 subs, although one doesn’t necessarily need to do this.  I also run them with the Bacch DSP/ room correction system.  The result is astounding immersive soundstage and imaging.  The sound, especially the upper mids and highs, at any volume I feel comfortable with, is effortless but nuanced and non-fatiguing.  
 

The point is that what probably drew you to the Spendor Classic 100’s was that magical BBC mid-range and other brands have implemented the BBC designs over the years, some quite recently with modern drivers.  Nothing against the Classic 100, but you might want to broaden your search.  Good luck.

@jjss49 , ProAcs are awesome. Yes. I will look there too. 

@treepmeyer Great point and the scope is broadened! 

 

If you want BBC sound that doesn’t require such careful room matching and amplifier choice, you could look at the Spendor D7.2. They fit my room setup better than the descendants of the venerable BC1 (which made me first fall in love with HiFi)

 

I've owned several Spendor speakers -- S5e, S8e, SP1/2e, 3/1 and currently a pair of 4/5s in a bedroom system. All are great with their legendary and eerie midrange quality, but the SP1/2e was my favorite. Sadly I had to sell them as my wife finally drew the line at their retro '70s boxy look. (Have a set of Ohms in the main system today which capture the midrange realism with better bass, albeit at the loss of Spendor's 3D imaging.)