Spendor Audio vs. B&W Nautilus Speakers

Go with the REL Strata; you'll never look back. And, use it with the speaker level connection and NOT the RCA input.

Hard to go wrong with either the Spendor or the B/W. I would think the B/W speakers are superior to the S line of Spendor speakers. Now, if you are comparing the B/W to the classis Spendor line (2/3, SP100) then it is another ballgame.

Agree with the rel and nautilus. This is a great combo.

JWH

I just installed a Spendor HT with similar speakers although I use S9 for the front channels. It's good enough to convert me from a traditional 2 channel guy to a multi-channel proponent now.

I'm not a big fan of most B&W products (and there are lots of them with constant change). Nevertheless, I suspect whichever speaker you like in 2 channel, you will prefer in multi channel too. Not sure what the individual above is talking about with regard to the S series versus Classic line. To me, there is no contest, especially when utilized in a HT. The S series are superior in almost every way (especially the S5, S8, and S9). I can't see anyone using the Classic line for HT - they don't even have a center channel to match the drivers of the Classic line.

Among other things, Spendor get the vocals right and excel throughout the midrange like few other speakers. That's really what you want in a HT setup where a sub is usually utilized. You also don't want a "hot treble" speaker that is erroneously recommended by some for HT. They may sound attractive during brief demos of HT sound effects, but it doesn't take long to tire of that. You can also forget about playing multi-channel music only on a HT designed to dazzle during special effects.

Good luck!

Must say labtec, your comment "erroneously recommended by some for HT" is pretty arrogant. If you prefer Spendor that's great, but to say those of us who prefer B&W are erroneous is pompous and not needed on a message board for audio lovers. If you want to critique us based on our preference of speakers then get YOUR Ph.D. in physics and do so in the classroom.

JWH

I think you have to be careful about system matching. If you have quality amp then I would recommend B&W. But since you mention you'll be using Rotel which is a rather bright amp, I would not recommend B&W since B&W are very revealing. I think Rotel would be a better match for Spendor since they are pretty forgiving speakers.

James, I wasn't even talking about B&W speakers with that quote. I was just giving general advice unrelated to the specific B&W and Spendor comparison which I mentioned earlier in my post. Specifically, I was referring to the common misconception you hear that "ABC speaker (usually neutral) is good for music, but XYZ speaker (usually bright) would be better for HT".

If you need me to explain the comment in greater detail or refer you to people with "qualifications" to do so, then feel free to email.

BTW, if you're happy with whatever B&W speaker(s) you have, then good for you. However, reading more into my post than what's really there evidences a level of insecurity.

Nevertheless, I apologize for striking a nerve.