Spendor A7

[DELBOY14]

I wondered when these would be tested and just like the A2 that I listened to at Bristol a while back the new A7 this time around at Bristol were very good indeed, infact so good I just had to go back several times to listen again. I found them so compelling that I am now in a dilemma, how can i afford to spend £3000 on speakers, just how, its not just speakers is it, i also then need an amp that will drive these speakers so thats another £2000 or so. OMG.

 

[gasolin]

You didn't search for it?

https://www.whathifi.com/spendor/a7/review

 

[jjbomber]

how can i afford to spend £3000 on speakers, just how, its not just speakers is it, i also then need an amp that will drive these speakers so thats another £2000 or so. OMG.

How long will you keep the system? It's £5,000 over, say, 10 years. That's less than £10 a week. Bargain. That is full price. Factor in a dealer discount and the re-sale value of the system after 10 years. Probably a net cost of £7 a week. The art of buying hi-fi is to buy one you know you love and keep it. Resist 'upgrade-itis' for the next 10 years.

 

[gasolin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnhUOmvmRr0

 

[Andrewjvt]

£3000 for a stand mount on stilts.
So that's £3000 for a tweeter, mid/bass driver, passive crossover, cabinet and damping material.

And everyone wonders why no one wants to buy this stuff.

 

[abacus]

£3000 for a stand mount on stilts. So that's £3000 for a tweeter, mid/bass driver, passive crossover, cabinet and damping material.

And everyone wonders why no one wants to buy this stuff.

The law of diminishing returns always sets in, however once you are used to high quality sound your ears become more sensitive to imperfections, and so while at the outset it seems expensive (Which it is) it becomes good value as your ears require more.

The main costs of a speaker are R & D plus the labour required to make and finish the cabinets, this combined with a small sales market means they have to charge a lot to make a profit.

For most people they are overkill, but for sound quality aficionados they are actually quite cheap compared to Hi-End models.

Bill

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Remember also that you're seeing the price with VAT added. The pre VAT price is 2500. Still expensive, but HM Government is still taking 20%, or 500, off you.

Other than that, yes, law of diminishing returns on price vs sound quality and yes on decent cabinets rather than MDF or God forbid injection moulded plastic and yes on as your ears get more accustomed to high end hifi the more you'll want it. Same idea really as buying a cheap hatchback vs a sports car. Both will get you to work and back and to a greater or lesser extent bring the groceries home, but the sports car should be more fun when the going gets twisty.

I see the main difference, apart from the number of drivers and not having heard either, with the A7s vs, say similarly priced ProAc models (Studio 148s?) being that the Spendors are designed for single wiring whereas the ProAcs are designed for bi-wiring. You pays your money, you makes your choice.

 

[jjbomber]

Remember also that you're seeing the price with VAT added. The pre VAT price is 2500. Still expensive, but HM Government is still taking 20%, or 500, off you.

It's 1/6th of the price, or 16.66% actually. Basically VAT is £100 out of every £600, or £500 out of £3,000 in this case.

Why is it called Value Added Tax? It doesn't add value, it makes everything worse value for money!

 

[abacus]

Remember also that you're seeing the price with VAT added. The pre VAT price is 2500. Still expensive, but HM Government is still taking 20%, or 500, off you.

It's 1/6th of the price, or 16.66% actually. Basically VAT is £100 out of every £600, or £500 out of £3,000 in this case.

Why is it called Value Added Tax? It doesn't add value, it makes everything worse value for money!

Not for the Tax Collectors

 

[Andrewjvt]

£3000 for a stand mount on stilts. So that's £3000 for a tweeter, mid/bass driver, passive crossover, cabinet and damping material.

And everyone wonders why no one wants to buy this stuff.

The law of diminishing returns always sets in, however once you are used to high quality sound your ears become more sensitive to imperfections, and so while at the outset it seems expensive (Which it is) it becomes good value as your ears require more.

The main costs of a speaker are R & D plus the labour required to make and finish the cabinets, this combined with a small sales market means they have to charge a lot to make a profit.

For most people they are overkill, but for sound quality aficionados they are actually quite cheap compared to Hi-End models.

Bill

I'm asking if they:

Do they make all Thier own drivers from stratch or get in OEM drivers?.

Are they constructed in China or UK?

Still think you better off with a stand mounted atcscm19 imo.

 

[Strictly Stereo]

I'm asking if they:

Do they make all Thier own drivers from stratch or get in OEM drivers?.

Are they constructed in China or UK?

Still think you better off with a stand mounted atcscm19 imo.

Does it matter who makes the drivers or where they are made? Surely it is more important that they are manufactured to a sufficiently high standard, fit for purpose and that the finished speakers integrate well with the listening space and whatever kit they are partnered with. By the looks of the mid/bass drivers, I would guess that Spendor is using a customised SEAS part (Norway), but I cannot say for sure.

 

[Infiniteloop]

I wondered when these would be tested and just like the A2 that I listened to at Bristol a while back the new A7 this time around at Bristol were very good indeed, infact so good I just had to go back several times to listen again. I found them so compelling that I am now in a dilemma, how can i afford to spend £3000 on speakers, just how, its not just speakers is it, i also then need an amp that will drive these speakers so thats another £2000 or so. OMG.

I heard these in Bristol too and thought they sounded excellent. These and the Quad Electrostatics were, for me, some of the best sounds at the show.

 

[mond]

Why do you need to buy the amp now as well? Do you not have an amp, you could buy the speakers now and upgrade to suitable amp at a later date? It's taken me years to get the system I now have, you don't have to buy it all in one go.....

 

[Andrewjvt]

I'm asking if they:

Do they make all Thier own drivers from stratch or get in OEM drivers?.

Are they constructed in China or UK?

Still think you better off with a stand mounted atcscm19 imo.

Does it matter who makes the drivers or where they are made? Surely it is more important that they are manufactured to a sufficiently high standard, fit for purpose and that the finished speakers integrate well with the listening space and whatever kit they are partnered with. By the looks of the mid/bass drivers, I would guess that Spendor is using a customised SEAS part (Norway), but I cannot say for sure.

I'm trying to justify the massive cost for these kit speakers

 

[Strictly Stereo]

I wondered when these would be tested and just like the A2 that I listened to at Bristol a while back the new A7 this time around at Bristol were very good indeed, infact so good I just had to go back several times to listen again. I found them so compelling that I am now in a dilemma, how can i afford to spend £3000 on speakers, just how, its not just speakers is it, i also then need an amp that will drive these speakers so thats another £2000 or so. OMG.

What do you use as a source?

 

[Electro]

I'm asking if they:

Do they make all Thier own drivers from stratch or get in OEM drivers?.

Are they constructed in China or UK?

Still think you better off with a stand mounted atcscm19 imo.

Does it matter who makes the drivers or where they are made? Surely it is more important that they are manufactured to a sufficiently high standard, fit for purpose and that the finished speakers integrate well with the listening space and whatever kit they are partnered with. By the looks of the mid/bass drivers, I would guess that Spendor is using a customised SEAS part (Norway), but I cannot say for sure.

I'm trying to justify the massive cost for these kit speakers

If you like what they do and you want them you pay the price.

If not you do a Lindsayt . *smile*

 

[Strictly Stereo]

If you like what they do and you want them you pay the price.

Absolutely.

If not you do a Lindsayt . *smile*

What's a Lindsayt?

 

[Electro]

If you like what they do and you want them you pay the price.

Absolutely.

If not you do a Lindsayt . *smile*

What's a Lindsayt?

Lindsayt is a regular poster here who buys usually huge old efficient but very high quality speakers and repairs them as necessary.

He claims they outperform many quite expensive new modern speakers, which they probably do sometimes.