Spica vs. modern bookshelf speakers?


I was a teenager when I first fell ill to the hifi bug.  The first pair of beautiful-sounding bookshelf speakers I heard was a pair of Spica TC 50s.  I fell in love with their imaging & overall sound.  At the time, I didn't buy them because I had my heart set on full range speakers.  Now that I'm older, I want a second system in my bedroom and I am in need of a pair of bookshelf speakers. 

Here's the question:My memory has the Spicas sounding better than any bookshelf I've heard today...but has my memory plus 28 years warped my current perception?
Is there a modern bookshelf under $1,000 that will image as well as a Spica?Am I miss-remembering how good these sound?  I brought this up to my local shop and they laughed and said they weren't as good as I remember. 

This is not a cry for modern bookshelf recommendations.  I know there are a ton of great bookshelf speakers out there.  I specifically would love feedback from people who have heard Spica TC 50s or 60s and how they compare with more recently released speakers. 

Thank you in advance!
128x128halecory

Showing 2 responses by halecory

@marqmike  and @do you know anything current that would be competitive to some TC50s for under $500?  The whole "leaner" observation is very real.  I've heard a lot of well-reviewed speakers that just sound thin. 
@audiodwebe So I am very aware of speaker positioning and how important it is--and you make great points.  I was using a cheapo pair of M-Audio powered monitors with a chromecast audio puck.  They sounded meh, but I wasn't using them for critical listening.  They shot craps and I took the plunge for a pair of Kef LSX to replace them.  They sounded really good in the room, but the app was too burdensome to live with.  I then replaced them with a Klipsch the 3 ii, it was $400 and I thought to myself that it should be "good enough" for my bedroom listening...unfortunately it was significantly worse than the M-Audios. 

I'd be placing one speaker on a dresser and the other on a stand.  I know this is ridiculously far from ideal, but I'm just looking at better single speaker options, and bookshelf speakers are priced in the same boat. 

The question then becomes, should I consider Spica?  Or to your point, are they more sensitive to room placement than a pair of more modern bookshelf speakers?
Thank you!