I have not listened to the A7. But I checked the Spendor site and the A7 and D7 are completely different configurations. If anything, the D7 are higher configuration models and if you have the budget and space, I would highly recommend the D7, based on the couple of tims I got to listen to them. Good luck. |
I own the Spendor D9s and have spent time with the A7s. I am going to assume the D7s are closer to the D9s than the A7s. The A7s are fun speakers with surprising bass extension but lack the clarity in the highs that the “D” series supplies. Very different levels of performance. |
The Spendors are checking a lot of boxes as I contemplate a new speaker purchase in 2019. I plan to audition quite a few. My question for this thread is what others thoughts would be between the D7 and D9 for use in a 20x15 room with 9.5 ft ceilings. Which are better suited, all things being equal (which I know they never are)? Standing at only 34 inches tall, the D7s seem a little small but I understand they project a large soundstage. |
@three_easy_payments,The D9s should suit the 20X15X9.5 room. But lets hope you do not put them in any room smaller than 15X16. That would be the minimum. A poster I know here had the D9s in 13X10 room and was thoroughly disappointed and sold them. The D7 would also go well with the 20X15 room, even though they look diminutive.
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@milpai
Really appreciate this input. Exactly the type of feedback I was looking for. Thanks. |
@milpai or @drrsutliff
The consensus is that the Spendor D series is better than the Spendor A7. In a small room, 13X11, would the D7 be okay or would the bass be too much for the room? Since my last post, I did hear the A7 in my house and the bass was fine and not excessive. I worry the D7 with its two woofers will produce too much bass.
Thanks |
I have heard the A7 and was impressed with the amount of bass it could produce. The D7 has one bass driver and one that does bass and midrange (2 1/2 way). I have a 14 x 15 room with the D9 with it’s two true bass divers and it almost exceeds my room’s abilities but I do have a lot of room treatments. The D7 will have a more refined presentation than the A7. |
@mushka,
The D7 would be better suited to your room. You will be thoroughly disappointed with the D9 in a 13X11 room. If you can "pull" the D7s in the room, say about 36" from back wall and 18"-24" from side walls, you should have amazing music.
Like @drrsutliff mentioned, the D9 will either overwhelm the room, or the bass waves will cancel out and kill your musicality. |
I had home audition of the A7s and D9s. I purchased the A7s for my 15'x24'x8' room. To my ears, the A7s just sounded more musical. I preferred high frequency and imaging of the A7s. I had the coin and space for the D9s, but just preferred the A7s. This confirmed my findings at the Tampa Audion Show in February. Low end is impressive on these, but I have order a pair of REL S/3s to compliment these wonderful mains.
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So far I've tried D7, A4, A6R, and have an A7 on the way, being shipped tomorrow.
I've run them mainly with an exposure 3010s2D and now with a Hegel h190
I didn't like the D7. I found it accurate but harsh especially on the upper end. And there was no love coming out of these speakers. Not for me.
The A4 however is a delight. It's just a loving speaker. It's inviting and warm and musical.
Melody Gardot. "Our love is easy (Live)"
That's how I describe the A4
Tried the A6R after the 4 and found it airy. Not much of that inviting warmth of the A4.
The D7 for me is scientific. the A6R was like watching a well recorded show where you can drink cocktails in the back and chat. The A4 just stopped everything for me. Intimately demanding my attention. With a great musical composition.
I find the D7 To be like those high DEF TVs that are 120 Hz and everything just looks overly precise.
So now I’m waiting for the A7 and I’ll keep you posted. I think spendor are onto something very special with the new A line. |
I auditioned and listened extensively to A2, A4. A7, and D7 at dealer with Audio Research amps and Rega amps and Ayre amps.
I loved the A2 and A4 at their price points. They really sound fantastic and musical.
Initially I went into my extensive speaker search journey (20-25 speakers auditioned for extended periods over several months) with a $5k speaker budget. I was liking the A7s and leaning that way.
Then I heard the D7s and I knew I had to have them. I had spent an hour listening to the A7, and then went straight to D7 audition. WOW. The sound was on a completely different level - so much more refined to my ears. I had read all the mag reviews saying Spendor was such a laid back speaker (some said almost boring) but this D7 sounded anything but laid back. The highs were perfect and for me it just checked every box. I pair them with ARC and MIT cables and I am very happy.
My second system has Spendor SA1s.
Other speaker brands that sounded good to my ears during extended listening sessions during my quest were Dynaudio, Sonus Faber, and Vandersteen.
But nothing beat the Spendor D7’s for my ears |
@greenapple
the D7s need a lengthy break in. I owned them and found them to sound as you describe for the first 200 hours or so. After 4 months they sounded spectacular. |
Ditto @avanti1960 . My D7s are now at the 250 hr mark and have sweetened incredibly since the first ~100 hrs, especially in the highs which are much more rounded and lack the initial edge that others describe. I heard these at AXPONA and knew they were the speaker for me but I also know that Spendor demos these with more 500 hrs on them. Galen Carol (who I bought them from) indicated they will continue to break in for the first 500 hrs. Patience is certainly rewarded with these. |
Re the A6R vs A7 vs D7 and D9: there isnt much difference between the A6R and A7. I’ve owned both for about a year using Naim AC5, the XS2 and Supernait 2 in a room 12 ft wide x 18 ft long x 8 ft tall. The A6R has much better posts [WBT] while the A7 has a slightly taller cabinet [it should deliver more bass and its spec a bit lower, 32 hz in room spec]. My guess is the D7 and D9 [which are way more green] would not do well in a small room such as this.
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