Spendor D7 Speakers?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by avanti1960, Dec 4, 2017.

  1. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    I think you'd really do well to hear the A7s in a similar setup. Those or some SP100s.
     
  2. PopularChuck

    PopularChuck Senior Member

    Location:
    Bay Area
    I see this thread is back, so I'll offer an update on my D7s... I've since replaced my Rogue Sphinx with an LFD NCSE MkII and I absolutely love it with the D7s. The speakers pair beautifully ... Beautiful sound, excellent bass, immense soundstage, and excellent imaging. Not the slightest bit fatiguing, and I haven't experienced the brightness others have reported.

    Based on my experience with Croft and LFD, I think any British amp will pair beautifully with the D7s.
     
    Echoes Myron, avanti1960 and Helom like this.
  3. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Spendors also pair very well with Exposure amps.
     
  4. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident

    Atoms for Peace for demoing, nice! Sounds like a good time. The same dealer shied me away from using a 32W tube amp with the D7.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  5. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    OK, excellent, just thought if brightness was your enemy more panels would be your friend, especially considering the TV screen between the speakers.
     
  6. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    hmmmmm...... did you like the sound?
     
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2019
  7. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Thanks , I think the A7 will not be big enough for my room and (for better or worse) trying to get away from the thin walled BBC sound and the 100s are $$$.
     
    murphythecat likes this.
  8. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident

    Didn't have a chance to hear them paired. I suspect it would of been fine given my room and listening level.
     
  9. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    A nice used pair of SP100s can be had for about $3.5K. I almost bought a mint Rosewood pair down in Texas for $3K. With proper setup, they don't produce any notable box resonance, they simply sound like a very transparent, cohesive, effortless speaker - with spooky realistic imaging - really an endgame speaker. I was really shocked by how they completely disappeared in the room of Acoustic Sounds. Most rooms are not nearly as well-treated, however, I've managed to replicate 95% of that sound in my room without having to go overboard on panels or bass traps. The majority of it comes from giving the speakers enough wall distance. In my case, 43" from the wall to front baffle.

    Not to denigrate the C7s, but one character I noticed with them in my room was that I couldn't get them to disappear well. They threw a large soundstage but my attention kept being drawn to what I suspect is the flexing cabinet noise you've mentioned. It seemed to be most prominent when played somewhat loud, and with music that has a lot of midbass content - I estimated the culprit to be the 150 to 300hz range. I kept thinking it's rather small port was somehow contributing to this resonance. I haven't heard the same in other BBC style monitors. Probably the least offensive in this regard, ironically, considering the size, are the SP100s - they just disappear.

    I completely understand any reservations of buying used speakers, which is why I opted to spend $3K for Spatials instead of SP100s. I'm waiting on a pair of Triode Masters to hear whether I finally achieved that last 5% I've been seeking, but my short time with the Turbo S' was very promising. Spatial is scheduled to be at Axpona this year. I highly recommend you check them out if you plan to attend. They also offer a low-risk (shipping one way), 60 day in-home trial.
     
    pdxway likes this.
  10. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    Interesting about the cabinet resonance issue causing localization. Somehow the warm sound has not affected the sound stage or imaging - the "warmth" even with bass heavy loud songs seems to envelope the center stage with a big warm cloud from which the vocals and music still shine through. Without question the overall tonal balance is affected but they still seem to disappear- and I have heard the same at dealers and shows.
     
  11. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    It might be that I didn't allow them enough break-in. I noticed that the Spendors that immediately followed had no trouble disappearing despite their smaller soundstage, larger cabinet and warmer overall balance. The LS3/6s also disappeared very well in the same location. The C7s just seemed to produce a bit of "honk" for a lack of better term - somewhat similar to what I sometimes experience with the Heresys and Tannoys though the C7s had this to a lesser extent IIRC. It might just be that I was asking too much of them in my largish room.

    Sounds like you're on the right track with the D7s though. I've no doubt they're great. And Spendors only get better after their substantial break-in period.
     
  12. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    the spendors have landed!
    so far a little bright but a nice kind of bright. really fast with no slightly bloated warmth- excellent rock speakers, they go very loud very easily and without strain- "the wall" sounded great. jazz sounds incredible too- trumpets really "pop" .
    the best compromise between efficiency and refinement? these are rated 89db and they tested at 89db so there is no inflation with that number and they sound like it. makes my rogue CMII seem like a major over-achiever.
    all this after a few hours.
    promising future for sure as these are known to take their time breaking in. more to come.....

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2019
  13. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Excellent choice in finish.
     
    avanti1960 and SandAndGlass like this.
  14. Agitater

    Agitater Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    The most recent D7 setup I heard was superb. The driver suspensions needed two weeks of hours-long daily play to fully even out. The speakers were great out of the box, and got better and better over that time and now sound astonishingly good.

    Looks like you’ve got yours nicely positioned in the listening room.
     
    avanti1960 and SandAndGlass like this.
  15. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    thanks. sound stage and imaging are extraordinarly precise. thinner profile baffles and coherent integration are working wonders.
    i thought my harbeths did piano well but the D7s have them beat already.
     
    murphythecat and Agitater like this.
  16. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    thank you. i actually wanted natural oak but they are a special order from the UK and not worth the wait.
    i do like the dark walnut too though, even better than the $1K premium ebony that the dealer had.
     
  17. Spitfire

    Spitfire Senior Member

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Are the natural oak extra cost?
     
  18. Agitater

    Agitater Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    It is great to hear that you’re enjoying the D7s so much already. Truly superb speakers.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  19. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    Imaging is also a strong suit of their wide-baffle classics. Even the SP100s are capable of extraordinary imaging - not unlike a mini monitor. I'd like to know the secret, maybe it's in the crossovers. Even the coaxial speakers I've owned/own don't perform quite as well in that regard.
     
    Salectric and avanti1960 like this.
  20. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    Those D7's sound good just looking at them! Nice.........
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  21. Larry Seinfeld

    Larry Seinfeld Forum Resident

    Location:
    Philly Pa. USA
    Listened to D7s last week at dealer & the imaging was amazing.
    Have fun with those D7s.
     
    avanti1960 likes this.
  22. tman53

    tman53 Vinyl is an Addiction

    Location:
    FLA
    @avanti1960 - I am curious how you feel about bass response now that you have these speakers at home and listened for a bit?
     
  23. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    no. dark walnut, natural oak, cherry, and black ash are standard options. white and dark high gloss are premium.
     
    Spitfire likes this.
  24. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    the bass is actually getting better after about 12 hours of moderate loud music. still has some work to do though to match the incredible bass they had at the dealer's. the good news is I know they are capable once run in.
     
    Helom likes this.
  25. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    @avanti1960 -- mid last year, I had a speaker thread on the forum where I was looking to buy --- at that time you recommended the D7s

    Good to see you are drinking your own champagne! (I was going to say "eating your own dog food" but that always sounds wrong)

    I STILL have not heard the D7 (or D9)........
     
    avanti1960 likes this.

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