Spendor A9 v PMC OB1i

[deanms]

Does anyone own either of the above or can provide a heads up on which in their opinion would be better for me?

95% of music is played is from vinyl, majority guitar based, Linn Amps, Whest Phono Stage.

Thank you

 

[Frank Harvey]

I haven't heard any Linn amps for well over 10 years, but it'll not only come down to your preference, but also which of the two speakers will work well with the Linn amps. In the past, Linn amps have only ever really worked well with their own speakers, although that may have changed.

 

[Anonymous]

Have you any experience of speakers from either of these manufacturers? You haven't said what you were listening to previously?

I have just done home demo of A6 vs GB1is (both available at a discount that put them closer together on price than would normally be the case) and as you can I plumped for the Spendors.

 

[Jambalaya]

I have a pair of Spendor A6's and am a jazz lover. I can enthusiastically recommend the A6 reproduction of timbre from acoustical and electric guitars. I've had them for about 6 months. They are very revealing loudspeakers that make you appreciate great quality recordings. I've driven them with a broad range of electronics but they seem to shine with high current amplifiers. I think the Linn probably falls into that category.

 

[bluedroog]

And I'd go for the PMC, just goes to show, trust your ears. You really need to demo side by side.

 

[richardw42]

Demo with your own amps. Spending that much should get home demos ?

 

[jaxwired]

I've owned the spendor A6 and PMC OB1's. For those two, no contest, PMC OB1i wins. The problem with the spendors is they don't have enough bass authority. If you don't care about that then the Spendors are great speakers. I see no reason to pay for the A9s though since the A6 will give you very similar results for much less money.

 

[char_lotte]

I have the A9's.... and I have to disagree about the "bass authority" comment above not in a nasty way tho !

Havent heard PMC's so my post is not much use I'm afraid.....however......the Spendors have an element of presence that I hadn't heard before in any speaker. I just mean they are so vivid in their presentation. They do need a decent sized room mind.

Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree I have no complaints about the bass response I get from my A6s ( compared to the PMC GB1i - not enough and KEF R500 - too much) and I listen to a broad range of stuff from dub reggae to jazz trios (follow the double bass on Bill Evans trio stuff) to classical.

however, the key point here is I tried them in my home and not in the shop's demo room.

 

[Jambalaya]

I find when the bass is there, the Spendor A6's have no problem reproducing it but will not add or subtract anything. Very neutral and revealing. Some of my old recordings I used to think sounded great on my KEF Q80's turns out are not well recorded at all. KEF's maybe had a little too much artificial punch.

 

[hunnyy]

I've owned the spendor A6 and PMC OB1's. For those two, no contest, PMC OB1i wins. The problem with the spendors is they don't have enough bass authority. If you don't care about that then the Spendors are great speakers. I see no reason to pay for the A9s though since the A6 will give you very similar results for much less money.

I demoed both the Spendor A6 and Spendor A9 (at home), and for me the A9 is in alltogether superior sonic league, (as indeed it should be at twice the cost of the A6!).

 

[Anonymous]

I find when the bass is there, the Spendor A6's have no problem reproducing it but will not add or subtract anything. Very neutral and revealing. Some of my old recordings I used to think sounded great on my KEF Q80's turns out are not well recorded at all. KEF's maybe had a little too much artificial punch.

the bass issue you refer to i experienced on a home demo of a pair of R500s. Just too much even with the bungs in.

 

[CnoEvil]

I haven't heard any Linn amps for well over 10 years, but it'll not only come down to your preference, but also which of the two speakers will work well with the Linn amps. In the past, Linn amps have only ever really worked well with their own speakers, although that may have changed.

This is exactly my advice.

You need to hear them on the end of your amp. I liked the Kef R Series with the current Linn amps, but would find it hard to make a call between the 2 you have mentioned.

 

[Paul@HiFi-Lounge]

As already mentioned the only advice that can be given is that you need to demo both the A9's and OB1i's as they really are quite different, the OB1i's really do offer a full, rich and weighty sound with the A9's being cleaner, probably more neautral but lacking a little weight.

Both are brilliant speakers though, I have listened to the OB1i's on Linn amps and it all sounded great but I have a feeling that the A9's would possibly suit the Linn sound a little better, but that is only my opinion.

 

[CnoEvil]

but I have a feeling that the A9's would possibly suit the Linn sound a little better, but that is only my opinion.

That was also my hunch as well. I liked Spendor with the older Linn amps, which do sound different to the newer ones...which is why I didn't comment (along with the fact I hadn't heard the OB1s).

 

[CnoEvil]

I have just read in Hi-Fi Choice that Neat Acoustics may work well with Linn, as demonstrated by PJ Hifi.

Maybe something like Neat Momentum 4i.