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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!
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5 responses Add your response
halecory's avatar
halecory OP
11 posts
 
@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!
audiodwebe's avatar
audiodwebe
241 posts
 
Not sure what you mean by a "bedroom" system, but if you're planning on putting the Spica on a dresser or something you might as well go with something else.  The Spicas need to be optimally set up in order to sound like a Spica should.  And that means room to breathe.

I'm not sure they sound "better" than other top-notch monitors available today, but they will definitely hold their own and not be embarrassed by any.

One thing, though, is they're kind of big for a monitor.  If your bedroom is one that's average in size, with all the furnishings that typically go into one, I'd probably opt for something like the AudioEngine B2.

Good luck.






halecory's avatar
halecory OP
11 posts
 
@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. 
marqmike
839 posts
 
the 60's are still a very good speaker, very balanced sounding to me.  I think newer speakers have a leaner sound, maybe a little faster sound, it could be a transparency, not sure.  Natural imaging to fall in love with, however I thought the 50's were a little better in that regard, had it to die for. They are easy on an amplifier choice, everything comes together so good and easy around them, so hard to be better. 
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
tc50's are outstanding

like all excellent bookshelf models they need bass support, but above those frequencies they are brilliant and beguiling
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