Hi,
I’m maybe planning to do an crossover upgrade by expert Tony Gee. I will bring the speakers to him for measuring and the actual build.
I’m actually very happy with the tonality of my Spendor A7 speakers and don’t want that to change that much. I’m wondering if it could sound more open, playing with more ease and flow. With some more refinement, texture and layering, so without changing the tonality, or changing the sonic character or sound signature.What can I expect? Is it possible with just upgrading the existing parts with the same value by higher quality parts?
I’m a bit hesitant because I don’t know how it would turn out. At the moment I can listen to my set for hours without being annoyed by something I want to change. So it’s nice and balanced, even with a dual sub integration.
I have a pretty high quality system and my speaker placement is on point.
These Spendors were a hard find because I’ve got a valve hybrid amp so the impedance should been easy to drive. I’ve listened to several different speakers lately but they couldn’t wow me. They were even playing on 50k electronics. So a speaker upgrade isn’t an option. Like I said, I’m happy now but a bit more open sound would be just perfect.
Grtz
I’m maybe planning to do an crossover upgrade by expert Tony Gee. I will bring the speakers to him for measuring and the actual build.
I’m actually very happy with the tonality of my Spendor A7 speakers and don’t want that to change that much. I’m wondering if it could sound more open, playing with more ease and flow. With some more refinement, texture and layering, so without changing the tonality, or changing the sonic character or sound signature.What can I expect? Is it possible with just upgrading the existing parts with the same value by higher quality parts?
I’m a bit hesitant because I don’t know how it would turn out. At the moment I can listen to my set for hours without being annoyed by something I want to change. So it’s nice and balanced, even with a dual sub integration.
I have a pretty high quality system and my speaker placement is on point.
These Spendors were a hard find because I’ve got a valve hybrid amp so the impedance should been easy to drive. I’ve listened to several different speakers lately but they couldn’t wow me. They were even playing on 50k electronics. So a speaker upgrade isn’t an option. Like I said, I’m happy now but a bit more open sound would be just perfect.
Grtz
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It can be difficult to see upgrade opportunities sometimes. Have you considered adding roundovers to the cabinet?
Before permanently modifying speakers, I would try two, three subwoofers tastefully. They don't have to be expensive ones and should be added subtly, but adding bass venue info can absolutely open up layering, ease, and flow.
I don't see anything to upgrade in the crossovers but since you already made up your mind go ahead and report back. I have SP 1/2E and they are for Opera , small jazz chamber and acoustic. That was the objective of the design.- low resolution . Your speakers were designed by a different team trying to bridge unbridgeable. My idea of solving the problem is buying another set of speakers and few pairs of shoes and cruise trip for the " dark side of the moon "
Thank you. And you are right. I already have 2 REL subwoofers in my system and they did add more room info, soundstage and spaciousness.
If you're hesitant, can I suggest you have Tony make whole new crossovers based on the originals so you can refit them if you're not happy? I know this would cost more, but you don't sound like you're short of a few bucks. 🙂
I would just tune the Reflex port a bit lower, just add 5cm length.
Try this tweak, making damping better can bring more resolution to the sound:
Glue a sheet of egg crate foam like 20cm x 20cm, 5cm thick with (removable) silicone to the back of the driver magnet, omitting a ventilation opening if it exists.
This adds damping in the middle of the box. Reducing standing waves. Veery effective acoustically.
I won't touch the crossover due to its quality components.
But if there is a resistor in line to the tweeter try putting 0.47 uF across it extending the tweeter more to 20khz. If its too much add some resistance in line with the cap.
Try this tweak, making damping better can bring more resolution to the sound:
Glue a sheet of egg crate foam like 20cm x 20cm, 5cm thick with (removable) silicone to the back of the driver magnet, omitting a ventilation opening if it exists.
This adds damping in the middle of the box. Reducing standing waves. Veery effective acoustically.
I won't touch the crossover due to its quality components.
But if there is a resistor in line to the tweeter try putting 0.47 uF across it extending the tweeter more to 20khz. If its too much add some resistance in line with the cap.
Try this tweak:
damping the metal basket of the driver on the inside.
You see no change in frequency response but you get more detailed sound, make it removable if you don't like it.
like this
damping the metal basket of the driver on the inside.
You see no change in frequency response but you get more detailed sound, make it removable if you don't like it.
like this
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having tube electronics try linearizing impedance response in the middle frequencies if not already realized by the company.
can be done with LCR in parallel to the speaker, not interfering with the crossover
Can sound better, too.
sometimes transistor amps profit too although theory says its not.
can be done with LCR in parallel to the speaker, not interfering with the crossover
Can sound better, too.
sometimes transistor amps profit too although theory says its not.
It would be easier and cheaper to build new cabs than add rundovers to existing design. One can experiment with foam strips and felt / foam pads around tweeters.
Not sure how much more advanced the current spendor polypropylene midwoofers are compared to past designs but they were never regarded as " detailed "
Even Harbeth famed woofers have decisively plasticky sounding "quack " if one is used to the sound of paper. A7 is just a simple 2 way with 7" woofer and 1" tweeter in a nice competent design. Your options seem to be limited to slightly tweaking crossover increasing tweeter level and matching cables and auxiliary equipment to your liking. Integrating the drivers and crossover work was always Spendor's strong point and what's won them a faithful following so I wouldn't do any radical and irreversible changes because it's not a cheap speaker and sooner or later EVERYBODY moves on to buy something else.
Not sure how much more advanced the current spendor polypropylene midwoofers are compared to past designs but they were never regarded as " detailed "
Even Harbeth famed woofers have decisively plasticky sounding "quack " if one is used to the sound of paper. A7 is just a simple 2 way with 7" woofer and 1" tweeter in a nice competent design. Your options seem to be limited to slightly tweaking crossover increasing tweeter level and matching cables and auxiliary equipment to your liking. Integrating the drivers and crossover work was always Spendor's strong point and what's won them a faithful following so I wouldn't do any radical and irreversible changes because it's not a cheap speaker and sooner or later EVERYBODY moves on to buy something else.
I frequently see for sale speakers with shot foam surrounds and pushed in tweeters still sounding great to their owners. Dented cabs corners and scratches all over land them
" very good condition " ratings and total disasters described as needing little TLC . Sometimes kids just use crayons to practice art skills. That was the case when my friend ask me for help buying B&W 802 Nautilus. The owner was upgrading to Focal Utopia 🙂
" very good condition " ratings and total disasters described as needing little TLC . Sometimes kids just use crayons to practice art skills. That was the case when my friend ask me for help buying B&W 802 Nautilus. The owner was upgrading to Focal Utopia 🙂