Spendor S8e, Dynaudio Focus 220, VA Grand Mozart


Help! I have a new dedicated Media Room 13.5 x 14.5 with 10 ft ceilings. I'll be spliting my time between music and movies. I listen to rock, pop, acoustic and jazz (Tears for Fears, Aimee Mann, Sinead O'connor,Queen,X,The The). I have a $5000 budget for a 5.1 set up; I'm looking for some guidance taking my needs into concideration Here's my set-up:
Anthem amv-30
Anthem pv5 5x300 amp
MMF-5 turntable
Marantz DV-9600 universal disc player (SACD,DVD-A,CD, DVD)
theb2826
Thanks for you responses........I'm also looking at Totem Forest, Von schweikert VR-2's and I've heard Proac's are terrific. Any feedback on these would be appriciated as well. I'm also currently using a Klispch ksw 12 Sub, which may have to go to keep up with any of these new choices. Will this sub work with these or does it have to go??

Thanks,
Robert
hmm. I don't know. Every review written by Sallie Reynolds in Absolute Sound the Spendor S8e's come out on top against the other speakers he/she is reviewing. I tend to believe those findings since I have extensively auditioned those speakers. Wish I had a pair. But I ended up with Usher CP-6371 speakers because my room is 25'x30' with 10' ceilings.
Plus I got them for less than any Spender deal at that time. So far I am realy enjoying these Ushers. :)
If you read sallie's comments, she does not place the Spendor as superior to the Tyler. She;'s says ? If push came to shove, my PERSONAL decision is spendor by a WEE TINY MARGIN". Make ot it you will. Just don't go blowing hotair that spendor blows away all other speakers. Ain't true. Remember Spendor is spending big $'s in her mag's ads, Tyler spends zero. You might want to add that up. Besides since spendor is "the new flavor/best selling of the month" it would be damaging if her magazine didn't pump the Spendor. Everyone wants to be on the same bandwagon.
I follow no one's advice but my 2 ears.
Bartokfan: If you read sallie's comments, she does not place the Spendor as superior to the Tyler. She;'s says ? If push came to shove, my PERSONAL decision is spendor by a WEE TINY MARGIN". Make ot it you will.

I finally read the review. What she says is something like this: If you divide up the sound spectrum into parts (lower mid range, mid bass, etc) then Spendor gets more of these right. However, in toto, she finds the Tylers more magical or special or whatever the adjective is. Still, she does seem to prefer the Spendors. Make of it whatever you will.

What I found really odd is that in the same issue she has a review Acoustic Zen Adagios, which are priced similarly. She gave them a glowing review as well. However, in neither review she says a single word of comparison. I find that baffling. Frankly, this diminishes my trust in the reviewer.

If someone is interested in Spendors, they should consider Harbeths too. The two companies had the same BBC roots and similar history and philosophy, but Harbeths has remained more faithful to that heritage. The Spendor founders' son eventually quit Spendor and joined Harbeth.
Now you talking my talk. "Strange that sally later on reviews the Zen and gives that speaker A GLOWING REVIEW AS well. However in neither review she gives a single word of comparison. I find that baffling. Frankly, this diminishes my trust in the reviewer". Thank you for seeing and believing what I;ve known for quite a many yrs now. Sally is only following a format in reviewing laid down decades ago by the old "professional audio critics". She follow the format to a T. I's dotted, T's crossed. I wouldn't pick up a copy of any audio mag even if it was free. If it comes to my door, goes immediately to the trash can.
Sally does call the Tyler/Seas "magical" How can a speaker be only in part magical in 3 of the 4 main octave ranges, low bass/midbass/midrange/highs.
I can agree with her the magnesium cone materila is 'not as forgiving" in the lower midbass as some softer cone materials , paper for one, or whatever the vandersteens are made of. No cone materail is perfect. What is truly unique and outstanding, "magical" in the Tyler/seas is the distortion level is so low , its nil. thus the fatigue factor is not an issue, which i cannot say about any other speaker i know of in my 30 yr experiences.
Take it or leave it, just IMHO.
I know of a place i can haer the Spendor, and will this week. btw like the Seas in sound, I also am not biased in reviews.