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Spendor D7, D9 but no love Classic 100?

I see plenty of recommendations floating around recent threads for the D7 and D9, but nary a mention of the Classic 100.  I wonder why.  Are no dealers stocking it for demo?

Last summer I was able to audition extensively the Classic 100 vs. the D7 in same system, same room, same afternoon, same music.  The 100 came out on top by some margin.  Just a much more natural sound.  Never heard the D9 but I imagine it's cut from the same cloth, but goes deeper.  The Classic 100 was lively, exciting, dynamic, but also harmonically full and rich and never threadbare.  In contrast, there was something in particular about the D7 treble range that made me uncomfortable.  As always, YMMV, and indeed, it probably already has.


twoleftears

Showing 5 responses by three_easy_payments

three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
I'm not sure it's fair to compare the D7 to the Classic 100.  The D7 is a completely different animal and comes in at half the price of the Classic 100.  I would think folks in the market for a Classic 100 may be making more comparisons against say another large standmount like a Harbeth 40.2 than a small floorstander like the D7.  

With this said I've only heard really great reviews about the Classic 100 but have yet to hear one in person.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@avanti1960 

I recently read your D7 thread on the Hoffman forums with great interest.  After demoing the D7s I have a pair on order right now.  Good to know about the prolonged run in time.  The pair I heard were amazing and I didn't note the treble edge but then again they may have had plenty of hours on them already.  I really like their pairing with tubes.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@avanti1960 

The D7s just arrived today and I've just started running them in.  No doubt there is a treble edge that I never heard in the pair I demoed.  However it's also immediately clear these speakers have a ton of potential as they run in.  Very fast and responsive with a deep, wide soundstage. I look forward to listening to them open up like a fine bottle of left bank bordeaux.  I have them playing with covers off and no spikes directly on my maple hardwood floors.  Over the next month or so I will start experimenting with the spikes and possibly using them spikeless directly on top of Symposium Svelte speaker shelfs. 
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@itzhak Thanks! I will definitely move to the spikes shortly as my prior speakers used them, tightening the bass quite a bit. I just didn’t want to tweak too much at once as I want to incrementally note the effect of each change.
three_easy_payments's avatar
three_easy_payments
2,097 posts
 
@milpai 

Thanks!...and good advice.  I spent some time last evening working on placement and feel I have them dialed in really well.  Now back to the music ;-)
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