Just to stay on topic here :
These Timepiece Minis seem interesting to me.
Has anyone heard the Timepiece 3.0 or Continuum A.D. MKIIIs ?
These Timepiece Minis seem interesting to me.
Has anyone heard the Timepiece 3.0 or Continuum A.D. MKIIIs ?
We have a Winner -- Major "MINI" monitors
I just have to point out that I am one of the first recipients of the new Model SPTECH Mini speakers. To call these 40 pound each beautiful finished loudspeakers Minis is an OxyMoron. They actually cross over at 800hz so most pf the midrange is handled by one driver! But I have to tell you that after only 5 hours of use, these speakers can beat just about anything on the market today. In some ways, there really isn't anything that at much much higher prices can sound as good as the trade offs begin piling up. I exposed them to some ungodly power barrage usinga 1000wpc amplifier and they did not even blink. The sound coming out are what I call the epitome of a speaker design in that they sound both life like and musical at the same time. This is no small feat. Instruments are so well defined that the umpteen speakers I have owned can't hold a candle to them. Bob the designer and engineer is a terrific guy and very knowledgeable. These speakers destroy anything in their range and most audiophiles would be well served to try and listen to these or anything in the line above the Minis I assume. I just had to pass this on, because I am one of the lucky owners. I want to point out that I have zero affiliation with SP, but am in love wit this product. I believe you can buy them on Audiogon? They are worth several times the current asking price. Don't take my word, try and hear for yourself! There is several review on the net and what I had noticed is that none of them had anything negative to say about this line.
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Cleaneduphippy, All speakers by all manufacturers have gone on Audiogon some time or another, this is where I bought 90% of my speakers. SP Tech is a small outfit that had struck a nerve in an underground forum, AudioCircle. I bought them based on all the reviews I could find on the net. If there was one negative, I would have dropped them like a hot potato. I could not find a negative. In fact, the reviews by some professional people were downright magical. There are and have been some for sale on audigon, most upgrading in the SP Tech line. SP TECH has been around, underground wise, for many years. We proud owners feel they should be recognized by the main stream. Bob the designer is having trouble keeping up with production strictly by word of mouth. |
Bbchem, Give us a review on these speakers about six months down the road. Hate to say it, but youra and Doubleugly reviews of these speakers comes across to much like hype. Makes one wonder if y'all have some connection with the manufacter? These speakers MAY be great speakers or they may end up being "a flavor of the month" or at best "a cult favorite". Only time will tell. |
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, |
Bob Smith, Thank you for joining the discussion. I always appreciate it when the person behind a product adds their own personal take on it. I have looked at your website and it is quite informative. I will definitely get at least an audition of your Timepeice Mini and 3.0 in the sring before I move from Ohio back to Montana. |
Glad to get your input, Bob. But I'm didn't suggest (or certainly didn't mean to suggest) that SP Tech's products are hype (remember I said that "These speakers MAY be great speakers") only that IMHO Bbchem and Doubleugly's reviews of the speakers came across as hype. Certainly would like to hear these speakers as some point in time, 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. To me, a review of some speakers after someone as had it awhile, certainly would be a more accurate and realistic review of the speakers. Would you not agree? |
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, |
Geared4me, Thank you - and I am glad to be here. If ever I can help with answers or whatever, please don't hesitate to ask. Oh...and if I ever come across as a little too "enthusiastic," please don't shy away from letting me know. In defense though, it's hard to be humble when you're so good. :-) Ha - just kidding. Actually, the truth be told, it's hard to be quiet when you have a big mouth! Cleaneduphippy, Thanks for correcting me. I just hate "HYPE" so much that I go off at the mere suggestion of it. I'm pretty "hard-core" when it comes to engineering and base everything I do on science. Just ask some of our customers. I had a real hard time accepting that wires & cables can make a significant difference. Even after I heard it for myself I couldn't reconcile the fact until I had a theory to explain what's going on with them. This attitude originates from my years working at Crown International and being mentored by guys like the renowned Gerald Stanley. He's a genius par excellence that lives and breathes the science behind everything he does. We're talking the guy that built the world's first high power solid-state audio amplifier...the DC300... as his Master's Thesis Project - geesh. Many of those original units are still in service to this day. It's pretty hard to come away from such an experience without being deeply "indoctrinated" in the science of things. So... Please excuse my zealousness on the subject. I'll be quiet now and go away. Have fun guys! -Bob |
Bob, Great site. I enjoyed the review of compromises in various loud speaker designs. I would say it is a fair assessment. For once, it is pleasant and refreshing to read a promotional website for high-end gear that is NOT a bunch of nonsense. I was actually impressed by the phase response Although you do mention custom designed wires at the bottom of the page (silver-gold etc.) which raised my eyebrows just a wee bit...Kudos to you for that extra bit of "zest", as audiophiles will simply lap that up! I look forward to hearing them one day - as your company continues to grow. |
Here is one more note after about 25 hours on the Minis. My Musician friend from California (Sax, Clarinet) who stayed over and I showed him my 4 pair of current speakers to explain the Technology which he is not into like we are. I did not ask him how they sounded, but let him comment if he felt like, We pulled out a SACD of Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon. Remember I did not ask him for an opinion. After listening to all 4, we sat down and talked about music. He then told me that those over there, the Minis were really fine sounding speakers, My wife turned to him and again said can't you tell the difference, I can. I asked Bill (me) please don't sell these, they are real pretty and sound amazing. Again I did not ask either for a current opinion. Its not me talking but two completely unbiased and uninterested bystanders. That's pretty cool |
Sure, currently I am using a NAD preamp, with the TAD-60 Tube amp biased in Class A to>10WPC ad then Class AB I believe until 60WPC. I am using a Cambridge AZur 640C CD player and also an OPPO 970 SACD/DVD Audio. The sound as mentioned is holographic, something like a cross between an Electrostatic and a Box speaker, best of both worlds. I also have a pair of Maggie 1.6s in another room. I personally prefer the Minis over-all. I know they are somewhat more expensive then the Maggies, but in the same price league anyway. |
SP Tech -The best speakers I have ever heard. I heard the SP Tech Continuums at an audio show in Denmark in 2005. I entered the room and immediately I heard that this was special. The sound was just so right; dynamic, open, coherent, seamless, organic, boxless, exactly what I have tried to obtain all these years. The first thing I asked Karsten from StudioSound, local dealer in Denmark, was: " where are you hiding the subs?" There were no subs. It was a quite large room so I was impressed by the clean deep bass provided. Classical music was played with such wide and depth, musicians stayed in right position even when thing got complexes. Voices was incredible, open and articulated with a lot of body. This experience to hear the sound that until now only had existed in my mind blew me away. It has haunted me since. Until then I knew nothing about SP Tech. I have been reading on AudioCircle since June its fantastic to witness the same enthusiastic fascination of these speakers. The descriptions are very familiar to what I experienced the first time I heard the SP`s. By reading the SP homepage it appeared to me why these speakers worked so well. Fantastic intelligent design. This summer I decided to switch to a Notebook based front-end and bought an Orpheus One DAC from Karsten. He was so kind to play on his fantastic sounding system including SP Revelation. This was even better. Some weeks later I went back and listened for five hours and that was it. I had to own speakers like that. Now I am waiting for a pair of Revelations with top Mundorf external x-overs. While I wait I am playing on a pair of Continuums 2,0 with upgraded x-over, this is by far the best speakers I have had in my system. The hair on my arms and neck stood up the first time I played on them, scaring lifelike. The dynamic is very special, even at low levels the dynamic are extended. If you beat them, program peaks come to you like a whip. Years ago I was running an audio shop as co-owner, the best speakers we had was Snell Acoustics Type A II and Type A III. My favorite was Type A II. It was till now my reference speaker due to its natural sound and soundstage. Manny A/B testes between wariest speakers over the years, never hit me like the sound from SP Tech. I am looking forward to listen to the minis one day, I am sure they sound grate using the same philosophy as the bigger once. Regards, Brian |
Well, as promised I am writing this follow up at approx 200 hours. Although SP Tech has finally hit the main stream and risen from the underground forum at AudioCirle. I see that Sp Tech is now advertising on Audiogon, and this gives a larger audience the ability to hear these modern day wonders. The Minis that I own are the bottom of the line. And let me say that they are on the top of all speakers that I have owned IMHO. They are the most non-speaker speaker I have heard. The only thing that comes out of their enclosure is music natural and pure as anything that you will hear in the marketplace. I live in Florida and would love to work for SP Tech in Indiana if I could. My wife still warns me not to sell them and I still have no urge as they are my new reference. |
STOP THE PRESSESS! I WILL SELL MY MINIS!!!!!!!!! >> EITHER WHEN HELL FREEZES OVER OR WHEN I CAN SCRAPE UP enough money to buy a pair of SP Tech Continuum's etc. Seriously, I have about 300 hours on them and every time I listen to them I still jut settle back and sigh, aaaahhh, that's nice! As noted, I have 3 other systems that I listen to at different times, and they sound great to me, but when I turn on my Minis the level of excitement is palably real versus the others. Its interesting that you can get used to good sounding equipment and feel comfortable and happy as your ears become acclimated and adapt to the sound. But certain stimulus gives you more or less out of body reaction, and that is the difference between the Minis and most others. If these sound this good, I would have to believe that there upper line sound even better (??) if possible. Anyway I agree that the best way to determine a products real worth is how many and how often they come up for sale. Although SP TECH sells less than the Majors, they almost never come up unless in some cases someone is upgrading. Most of the time it seems people don't sell them, they simply add to what they already have. |
