The British Speaker Thread Old And New!

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Tawaun A Williams, Nov 7, 2021.

  1. lobo

    lobo Music has always been a matter of Energy to me...

    Location:
    Germany
    The best midrange I ever heard was on a German speaker - go figure! :) The KS Linea B55. Just unreal.

    I had the IMF super compact II or whatever it is called. Nice little speaker but ugly as hell. Then sometimes later I had the chance to get my hands on a pair of Durham Castle Pembroke's. I liked their full sound. Good deep bass, warm but not too precise. Very surprisingly both speakers had too much upper midrange energy.
     
    Tawaun A Williams likes this.
  2. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Very nice!
     
    Gyrouser likes this.
  3. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    I've owned my Spendor S100's since 1990! In all the years I've had them I don't think I've read anything negative about these legendary speakers. The difference between S100's and SP100's was they implemented some sort of shielding due the speakers being placed next to tube TV's(!)
     
    jonwoody and Tawaun A Williams like this.
  4. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Listening to the Diamond 12.2s playing Boz Scaggs "Thanks to you" they play the bassline as deep but more detailed and nuanced than the JBL Stage 180 a full sized floorstander with Really good bass...pretty good stuff here! thats some really powerful bass on this track...
     
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  5. RemyM

    RemyM Forum Resident

    Same. Or the Graham Audio LS8/1.
     
  6. IainS

    IainS Forum Resident

    Those are great speakers. I have a pair of D20R that I love. Is that a 'Kops Records' label on the LP behind it?
     
    Tawaun A Williams likes this.
  7. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I’ve listened to the Living Voice/MasterSound combo many times and loved it every time.
     
  8. Bob_in_OKC

    Bob_in_OKC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dallas, Texas
    I’ve had these Harbeth 30 for a few months. They’re on stands made by @okc_craft .

    [​IMG]
     
  9. The Curator

    The Curator Forum Resident

    PMC GB1is here, which I believe were built as well as designed in Luton.
     
  10. Dream On

    Dream On Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Thanks, the ProAc's are sounding great. And good eye, that is most definitely a Kops sticker!

    Not sure how long I am going to keep the ProAc's though. I have been trying to sell my Spendor A3 speakers through a local dealer but no one is biting. We reduced the price once and I don't want to reduce it any further - it's already a great value. I guess not many people are after a really small floorstander. Regardless, they have that beautiful Spendor midrange and are an ideal size for my room. I have decided I will take them back and I might end up selling the ProAc's and my AN AX-Two's instead.

    The issue with the A3 is they are so short. They fall well below ear level and the image is too low. But I can raise them with plinths, and I think they will sound excellent with my Unison amp. Putting them on 4" maple plinths with Gaia feet (or Herbie's Big Fat Dots) is what I am leaning to now. With nicely finished cherry plinths to match the color of the A3 I think it will look great, and that should set the speakers up to realize their potential.

    Spendor or ProAc - I really have no preference either way but the lack of interest, and my refusal to lower the price to attract some, kind of makes the decision for me. And to be honest, I do prefer the look of a small floorstander in this room. So I haven't committed to anything yet, but I am 90% sure I'll be making this move.
     
  11. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    The Linea name lives on - the German MB Quart speaker manufacturing at Obrigheim restored as "German Maestro" (after selling the brand name off to Maxxsonics to be destroyed.)
    [​IMG]

    One of these days I'll put my German-made Quarts in front of the calibration mic to unlock their secrets of sounding so good..
     
  12. Noel Patterson

    Noel Patterson Music Junkie

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I really want to listen to some Spendors. I see them used from time to time and get tempted, but tell myself I need to listen first!
     
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  13. Steeve

    Steeve Forum Resident

    Location:
    East of Australia
    Definitely audition and see what you think.
    I also had the LE 2/3 for about 7 years but favour the simplicity of the S3/5r. They are small but the sound just breathes out of them and extends well beyond the parameters of their small size.
    There is a natural relaxed sound. I have matched with a variety of amps and I have never tired of them.
    Do sample the range at a dealer and see if it works for you.
     
  14. RemyM

    RemyM Forum Resident

    I also went from KEF to Spendor. Great step up.
     
  15. AC1

    AC1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Antwerp, Belgium
    BBC speaker fan reviews a cheaper British made alternative to Spendor.

    [​IMG]


     
    Tim 2, Tajo1960, jonwoody and 4 others like this.
  16. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Very Nice!
     
  17. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I have never had the pleasure of listening either of these...bet its really nice...
     
    Art K likes this.
  18. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Yeah these are supposed to be endgame...
     
    RemyM likes this.
  19. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident Thread Starter

    M
    Mordaunt Short is back saw a new 1 on Youtube....i dont know how much of the real DNA it has in it....it was very very budget friendly....
     
  20. Helom

    Helom Forum member

    Location:
    U.S.
    The older variants designed by Derek Hughes have superior 3/4” Scanspeak tweeters and sand-core inductors. I haven’t heard the R2 variant but I have doubts that it’s as transparent sounding as the S100/SP100, given my experience with my 2/3R2s.

    The 3/4” Scanspeak tweeter is one of the best soft-domes I’ve experienced, better than Dyn’s Esotar 2.
     
  21. Bert Oz

    Bert Oz Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    Interesting. Thought they had disappeared. Quick Google shows M10 on sale for £59 at a major retailer. I suspect they aren't what they once were.
     
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  22. Batty

    Batty Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Australia
    Previously Owned:
    Heybrook HB2r
    B&W DM2
    Monitor Audio Monitor One
    Castle Richmond 3 (not the i version).

    Now own:
    KEF Ref 104aB
    Castle Howard S1

    In my opinion, all great sounding speakers in their time, I have owned the Howards since 1995 and can't see me moving them on at all.
    I am in the process of Building a pair of bookshelf speakers that have more detail and a sub that goes deeper, but the tonal quality of the Howards takes some beating when combined with Pass First Watt Class A amplification.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2021
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  23. Tone?

    Tone? Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco

    What’s the difference between the Proac midrange and the spendor midrange ?

    thanks
     
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  24. Tawaun A Williams

    Tawaun A Williams Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Difference in sound?
     
    Tone? likes this.
  25. Tone?

    Tone? Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco

    Yes.

    what can you say is the difference in the spendor midrange compared to the Proac midrange?

    thanks
     
    Tawaun A Williams likes this.

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