We have a Winner -- Major "MINI" monitors

Mrtennis:

...very soft and rounded presentation,...

I stand corrected; in light of the above, I do not recommend you seek an audition.

Though such a presentation is certainly achievable with SP Technology speakers, I believe an audition would very likely be a waste of your time.

My apologies,

I still own the first pair of Timepiece 2.0s Bob Smith sold outside a 50-mile radius of La Porte, IN, and I believe Duke's analysis of Bob is spot on -

He's a very humble yet extremely enthusiastic man, and does his homework with extreme diligence and precision and tenacity and competence. I have a great deal of respect for the man and for his loudspeakers.

I've been dealing with Bob for years, and yes, he is all those things, as well as being a brilliant designer. His smaller speakers are world-class IMHO, and the top-of-the-line Revelations are the best top-to-bottom (especially bottom!) I've ever heard, bar none.

The super low crossover point is seamless to my ears, a fact that will only become more evident as one compares them to other speakers. It took Bob years to tune the waveguide by hand to find the exact dimensions necessary to (1) allow the desired crossover point and (2) exhibit the dispersion characteristics he wanted.

Bass is tight and tuneful in every SP Technology speaker I've heard (all but the Timepiece Mini), but the proprietary T-line used in the Revelations and (presumably) in the coming Revelation Grand Master and Infra-Wave subwoofer is unlike any I've ever heard. It represents the only time in my music-loving life that my jaw literally went slack the first time I heard it.

I'm not sufficiently articulate to describe it; it's one of those things you must hear to understand and believe, which is precisely what happened during a listening session at Steve Chang's Denver home (Chang Audio Network - changaudio@msn.com) during October's RMAF.

After all, a speaker capable of replacing Sound Lab A-1s and convincing enough to bring tears to the eyes of renowned speaker-hater Jim Merod must have something going for them, eh? Here's the feedback Jim offered SP Tech after hearing the Revelation MR-1 MKII's at T.H.E. SHOW 2006 -

"I despise speakers. I love microphones ... all microphones, because -- if you know what you're doing -- each microphone,
no matter what, is useful in a set of special applications.

"I count the number of speakers I've used, heard, and reviewed that earn my complete respect on one hand . . . less than five fingers.

"I've never heard a speaker that reproduces all the music --
all the ambient information I strive to capture in my recordings
-- until I heard SP TECH's 'Revelation MR-1' . . . I'll not relent until, with their shocking nakedness, they are locked into place as monitoring companions here at BluePort Sound."
-- JIM MEROD / BluePort Sound

The "tears" comment is supported by Greg Weaver's coverage in Positive Feedback Online. See the comments beneath the next to last picture here.

Though I did list the Timepieces in the "best all around monitor" thread a few years ago, I don't often post here, and I realize credibility is earned. As SP Technology speakers continue to find their way into the hands of new owners, I'm confident my credibility and that of other happy SP Technology owners will realize a commensurate boost.

FWIW, my classically-trained wife (piano & trumpet) has asked that I bring no other brand of speaker into the home, a request to which I have unhesitatingly - and happily - acquiesced.

And finally, aside from being a longstanding customer and vocal supporter of Bob Smith and of SP Technology, I have no affiliation with or investment in this or any other audio-related company.

Regards,

If you're serious, Tarsando, you may have to wait.

Response to the Mini has been overwhelmingly positive, so much so that Bob said he needs to stop answering the phone until after the first of the year in order to meet current demand. He's essentially a 2-man shop, though I see that changing in the not-too-distant future.

I said back in 2004 that things were sure to break at some point. It seems the Timepiece Mini has taken SP Technology to the brink, and with more speakers going out to new owners every day, I believe it's just a matter of time.

Phasecorrect -

I'm not sure why you'd think it an "apples vs. oranges" comparison; I think it'd actually be a pretty valid comparison of similar design approaches. I'm a big fan of Roy's work, and have met him couple of times at shows. He's an terrific designer IMO, and a very nice, laid-back sort of fellow.

If SP Tech didn't exist, I'd probably own one or more of Roy's speakers. For the money, it would be difficult to find a speaker that better suits what *I* want from a speaker.

it is a stretch to say they are the best speakers, period.

If you're referring to my comments, they were in reference to SP Tech's top-of-the-line speaker, the Revelations. And yes, to my ears, they're the best I've ever heard.

Did I miss an "absolute statement" wherein someone said they're the best ever, period, for everyone?

As for the Quad '57s, here is one person's comparison of his Quads and an 'older' version of Timepieces he owns. The latest SP Tech speakers employ the use of all Mundorf crossover pieces and parts, a significant upgrade from the speakers he and I own.

.if you have these years from now, that (in of itself)will be the real testimonial.

I've owned my Timepieces for almost 4 years. I own other speakers, too, but the SP Techs get the vast majority of play time.

As I said in my initial post, I understand credibility is earned over time. Conversely, the fact that I and/or some of the others don't have hundreds of posts here doesn't mean we're neophytes, or that we're blind to the myriad of issues associated with this hobby and this medium.

My opinion of SP Technology speakers is based upon years of ownership. Whether the same holds true for Bbchem, Groovybassist and others remains to be seen.

Mrtennis - if you ever have a chance to hear one of the Mundorf-based SP Tech offerings, I hope you take advantage and report back. They may not be your cup o' tea, but frankly your repeated points of emphasis make you an ideal candidate for ownership IMHO.

Then again, you may hate then. Who knows?

Some will have to do with component matching, obviously. I ran mine with Butler Monad monoblocks for years, but I heard the new Spectron Musician III Signature Edition drive a pair of Revelations well enough to prompt a very recent change. Might turn out to be a mistake, but time will tell.

Regardless, as a wise man once told me, the more you hear, the more you know...

Regards,

I understand, Phasecorrect.

Thanks.

Hi Mrtennis:

I understand and in-part agree with your response to my friend's comment that, "The more you hear, the more you know."

I'll only say that we all gain from experience, and I submit that it is actually through deductive reasoning that I've come to own and appreciate SP Technology speakers.

The theory behind their design intrigued me, I listened, I liked what I heard, kept them beyond the 30-day MBG period and have now listened to them in my home for almost 4 years.

The longer I've owned them, and the more I've compared them to other speakers, the more I understand what it is I like about them, and why. I know what I like, and for at least this moment in time, SP Technology speakers suit me.

I don't believe anyone is trying to ram any absolutes down your throat, Mrtennis. The only absolutes I've made refer to my own thoughts and feelings about the speakers, and as you have astutely pointed out, even they are subject to change.

Four years and counting, though... that's a heck of an audition period IMHO.

Regards,

Hi Cleaneduphippy-

Hate to say it, but youra and Doubleugly reviews of these speakers comes across to much like hype.

No need to hate it; if I were in your place, I'd no doubt feel the same way.

To my knowledge, there are only 4 people in the US with direct ties to SP Technology Loudspeakers - Bob Smith (designer/owner) and his son Jason, Steve Chang (Chang Audio Network) and Mike Garner (Tweekgeek.com).

There may be others, but I'm not aware of them.

Regards,

Hi Cleaneduphippy:

... and I certainly would like to hear what Bbchem and Doubleugly thinks of them about six months "down the road" after the "honeymoon" period as worn off.

As I've said, I've owned SP Technology speakers for almost 4 years. In fact, the first pair (Timepiece 2.0s) arrived 4 years ago next month, and I still own them.

The "'honeymoon' period" came and went a long time ago.

Regards,