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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
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!
avanti1960
1,476 posts
 
@twoleftears 
the D7 speakers take a LONG time for the treble to balance out.  Mine took ~ 200 hours.  
At first they were crazy bright and imbalanced.  They sound amazing now, bottom to top.  
Never heard the classic series but had Harbeths previously.  I'm sure I would like them but am very happy with the D7s.  
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears OP
5,318 posts
 
So here's a question: I wonder how the latest iteration of the SP 1/2 measures up against the Harbeth SHL+.  Design-wise they seem to have a fair amount in common.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@avanti1960 

I recently read your D7 thread on the Hoffman forums with great interest.  After demoing the D7s I have a pair on order right now.  Good to know about the prolonged run in time.  The pair I heard were amazing and I didn't note the treble edge but then again they may have had plenty of hours on them already.  I really like their pairing with tubes.
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