by Rafe Arnott
Spendor is a speaker brand that has been hand-built by UK craftsmen in Hailsham, Sussex since the ’60s.
I imagine them as salt-of-the-Earth types that don’t fanny about and who curse often and say ‘nubbit’ and ‘summit.’
As a fan of Harbeth speakers, it’s pretty hard for me not to like the sound these British beauties pump out (they share many of the same original BBC-specified design implementations for the broadcaster’s studio monitoring and playback requirements), especially when the stocky SP2/3R2 monitors ($4,899 CAN) on Skylan stands ($500 CAN) are being fed big fat portions of vinyl courtesy of a Rega RP10/Apheta MC cartridge (Approx. $8,500 CAN) with a little continental flavoring courtesy of the French-built Jadis I-50, KT-150 tube-based integrated amplifier ($13,300 CAN) and Jadis JPMC MM/MC Tube Phono Preamplifier ($7,900 CAN).
Everything was solidly playing on gorgeous Quadraspire racks and running AudioQuest cabling throughout.
This is meat and potatoes with a fine French wine, and it’s damn tasty.
Lots of jump, slam, hustle and PRAT, but very smooth and non-fatiguing.
Pat’s Audio Art had set up this system and they did a fine job of pairing components to compliment one another that ultimately produced a very satisfying sound.
This is a set-up that because it was chosen with such care to go so well together that many reasonably-minded audiophiles could call their “end-game system.”
Properly positioned in a somewhat-damped room the Rega/Jadis/Spendor kit will provide decades of enjoyment without any urge to start swapping bits or bobs out.
As a Rega turntable owner, and having demoed the RP8, I can tell you the RP10/Apheta combo is an absolute thriller for those of us that enjoy a rollicking and tight bottom end with lots of dynamics and toe-tapping mids and highs.
The Jadis phono and integrated seemed to smooth things out a touch too sweetly for my tastes, but that is a very minor nitpick, and more a curse of being a reviewer than a music lover.
This is a set-it and forget-it system overall, just kick back with a drink after dinner and let it sing.
Thank you for the kind comments. I think you’ve captured the essence of the Spendor Classic sound, however if it better fits your personal preferences, the sound could be made a bit “more bitter” ? by substituting in the Spendor D7 loudspeakers which have a more “exciting” but more transparent sound.
Jay Rein, Bluebird Music
I have yet to hear them, but the Jadis components have to be among the most beautiful aesthetically ever built. Keeping on the aesthetic theme, the stands really do not do justice to the Spendor speakers. Finally, the Rega TT is a winner but some of the reviews say it plays even finer with other cartridges. If only someone would turn me loose in an audio retailer’s establishment overnight I could perhaps figure this out.
what are you waiting for then? an invitation?