Spendor s8e Imaging/Soundstage?

Bartokfan: I haven't decided on this speaker, and it will be a while before I get any; will have to upgrade my amp, too, and a new bathroom is in the offing :( But if/when I do decide on these, will give a full-blown review here.
I have seen fairly new S8e's on AGon for as little as $2000.00.

Steve O.

Steve, not exactly apples and apples, but .....

I used to own, and like, Spica Angelus. Like the TC60s the imaging was very good. I borrowed some spendor S3/5s from a friend, expecting that they would beat the spicas (since they get such rave reviews) and I was extremely disappointed. The S3/5s were extremely vague in imaging compared to the spicas, and were no better in terms of frequency balance.

I would be very wary of moving to spendors if imaging is important to you. Anyone who says that S3/5s can image has never heard a speaker that throws a true stereo image.

I ended up with Green Mountain Audio Europas, which, in my opinion, slightly exceed the imaging of the Spicas, greatly improve on the bass and dynamics of the spicas, but are a little brighter in overall tonal balance.

Thanks Sean for that review of the Spendor. That was the same impression I had with the 8's. From Sally Renoylds comment on the S8 in her Tyler review, I was expecting alot in the audition, but got little.

Hi Steve,

I still own the S3/5 and the S8e is more open and less boxy sounding.

I am getting more depth than probably Gary as my S8es are in a dedicated room with Argent Room Lenses, ASC tube traps and RPG diffusers. I can assure you this speaker's soundstage is deep (twice as deep as m Maggies), discreetly layered, holographic and able to resolve the sound of the hall.

Also my associated equipment I use helps in creating a vast soundstage: Cardas GC cables, Linn Ikemi, c-j 17LS2, c-j MV-60 (soon to be LP70S).

To beat this speaker for musicality and resolution you literally have to shop in the $20K and up market. When I move into my new digs I'll probably get another speaker but will always keep the Spendors for reference and haven't found one yet as well balanced as the S8e. Spendors are more about the musical performance and renderig authenic textures of voices and instruments. Without texture you have hi-fi which many uber high resoluton speakers can do.

I have one test for you as I have never heard the Spicas. If you play the Chesky ultimate demo disc using Sara K's track the trumpet that opens up in right channel should be at least 20ft back from the plane of the speaker with sounds of the trumpet reflecting off the studio walls. Sara's voice is warm and articulate.
This will give you an idea what the S8e can do. My guess is that the Spicas will not be able to resolve the studio refelections as well or if at all.

Bartokfan really likes his Tylers which I can't comment on because I haven't heard them. The Tylers use excellent parts but a excellent speaker is more than that. And as to the TAS review by Sally I would side with her. I think she comments on the high resolution of the Tylers but still prefer the magic of the Spendors. I can understand why because one of my friends tried to build a two way using the Seas excel driver used in the Tylers along with the Focal tweeter used in the $75,000 Khrama speakers with Alpha Core inductors and Infinicaps, etc.. and he has sophiscated measuring equipment too and he could not get a musical sound like the Spendor S3/5 which he also bought after listining to mine. Building a speaker is an Art which Spendor has a great heritage in as with Harbeth. Heard good things about JM Reynauds too.

Good Luck!*>)

BTW if you interested in speakers using the Seas Excel drivers do a search for Salk Audio. I beieve their crosssover implementation is more sophisticated than the Tylers.

Hi Steve:

The Spicas are not what I would consider polite. To my ears, the S8e's are a bit rolled off on top. This was particularly the case when I had them paired with a Cary V12r amp and copper Kimber Bifocal XL cables. Switching to the MF KW-500 integrated and Kimber Select KS-3035 Silver/copper cables worked alot better, but at a price. Although I like my current system better, I could have lived quite hapily with the S8e's.

It appears tha Kw6 did have a different experience of the S8e's depth of imaging capabilities. Perhaps this is room dependent. Over the years I've owned various Spendor, Spica, Snell, Epos, Totem, Thiel and Reynaud speakers. My floorstanders have never had the same imaging magic as the monitors. By the same token, my floorstanders have mostly added a sense of fullness that most of the monitors couldn't match (Offrandes excepted). Why not keep both, if you can? Or seriously, look for a pair of used Trente's.