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Spendor D7, D9 but no love Classic 100?

I see plenty of recommendations floating around recent threads for the D7 and D9, but nary a mention of the Classic 100.  I wonder why.  Are no dealers stocking it for demo?

Last summer I was able to audition extensively the Classic 100 vs. the D7 in same system, same room, same afternoon, same music.  The 100 came out on top by some margin.  Just a much more natural sound.  Never heard the D9 but I imagine it's cut from the same cloth, but goes deeper.  The Classic 100 was lively, exciting, dynamic, but also harmonically full and rich and never threadbare.  In contrast, there was something in particular about the D7 treble range that made me uncomfortable.  As always, YMMV, and indeed, it probably already has.


128x128twoleftears
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears OP
5,318 posts
 

@salectric The Classic 100 is the model name for the latest iteration of the SP-100.  Effectively it=the Mk3.

@three_easy_payments. Agreed, but the Classic 100 and the D7 were what were in the store.  I think people looking at the D9 should at least think about the Classic model.

@helomech The Classic top-to-bottom had more body, more oomph, and then as I say there was something in the D7 treble range, which I presume is the same in the D9, that didn't sound right, especially after hearing the 100.

chazro's avatar
chazro
635 posts
 
Bought my S100’s new in 1990. I’ve owned various solid state and tube pre-amps and amps, the speakers have always sounded superb! Some, noting this ’universally’ good sound, regardless of (most) associated gear, suggest an artificial euphonic ’voicing’. I don’t know anything about any of that. All I know is that if this is wrong, I don’t wanna be right!;) BTW, the OP started the thread saying he never sees the big Spendors mentioned around here. You might want to try a search as I know they’ve been mentioned through the years (I’ve been reading reviews and what-not for close to 30!)
clio09
3,355 posts
 
The Classic series of old and the recent models are totally different in my opinion. So much so that instead of buying any of the recent versions of the 1/2 I waited patiently to buy a pair of the older 1/2e that I had owned several years previously as well. I find the Sterling LS3/6 to be more in line with what the older Classic series sounded like versus anything Spendor is making today. Spencer Hughes came up with some excellent designs and took advantage of main drivers that would cover quite a bit of the frequency range before crossing over and "lossy" cabinets to create that special sound.
helomech
1,677 posts
 
The Classic series of old and the recent models are totally different in my opinion. So much so that instead of buying any of the recent versions of the 1/2 I waited patiently to buy a pair of the older 1/2e that I had owned several years previously as well. I find the Sterling LS3/6 to be more in line with what the older Classic series sounded like versus anything Spendor is making today.
I have to strongly disagree. I own SP2/3R2s and find them to basically sound like a scaled-down SP100. They're just a little less detailed and of course,  cannot play as loud.

I owned the Stirling LS3/6s for a few weeks. While very good, they are far brighter than any Spendor I've heard and quite lacking of warmth in comparison. The Stirlings produce a washboard-flat monitor sound. 


donquichotte
129 posts
 
I see plenty of recommendations floating around recent threads for the D7 and D9, but nary a mention of the Classic 100. I wonder why. Are no dealers stocking it for demo?

...and as for the new 2/3 and 1/2 (the later looking especially interesting as a "poor(-er) man's Classic 100" with a similar 3 way configuration), nobody even mentions them!
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