REVIEWS
 
'S' Series S3/5 Series
 S3e S5e S6e S8e S9e C9e SR5 SUB-3 S3/5 S3/5se  
 
   

S6e, S8e, S9e and SR5 reviews

S3e and SR5 reviews

 S3e, S8e, SR5 and S3/5 reviews

 S5e, S6e, S8e, SR5 and SUB-3 reviews

 S3/5 Award
 
S8e Award (Taiwan) S5e Award S8e Award (France) S3/5 review SUB-3 review 
 

SR5 Award

 S3/5 and S3/5se reviews S5e Award  S6e Award S6e Award   
  
 S3/5se review S3/5se review

S6e, S8e, SR5 and C9e reviews 

SUB-3 and S3/5 reviews

S3/5se review
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
S3e What Hi-Fi - Ultimate Guide 2004

"Furthermore these speakers aren’t attention grabbers, which sounds like criticism but is, in fact, high praise indeed. If speakers draw attention to themselves it means they’re stamping too much of a signature over the recording – definitely not a good thing. Overall these Spendor’s are hard to fault. The S3e’s from Spendor are terrifically capable, though understated, performers"
 
S3e Hi-Fi+ - Issue 33

"The Spendor offers a superbly cultured and capable mid-band, underpinned by a beautifully judged and weighted bass"
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
S5e Stereophile - Sep 2004 and Dec 2004

"I’ve never heard anything near this size and price that has the Spendor S5e’s combination of strengths.” “I can’t recommend it strongly enough"
 
S5e What Hi-Fi - Awards 2004

"The audio excellence on offer from these compact floorstanders is a cut above the competition, at this price level - the S5es are simply awesome loudspeakers"
 
S5e Hi-Fi News - Aug 2004

"The S5e’s qualities were apparent virtually from the opening bars, and it didn’t really matter which kind of music I chose. One further feature of the S5e which I found pleasing was the way it also manages to sound superb when played quietly. It seems to maintain resolution and hear-through clarity at very low replay levels – something that is not that common among speaker designs these days. They would be a fine choice for many music lovers who find it hard to find anything made today at a sensible price that delivers truly enjoyable and all-encompasing delivery of all sorts of music"
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
S6e Hi-Fi World - Jan 2005 - Award 2004

"What they offer is a unique combination of speed, grip, transparency allied to the most ‘benevolent’ tonality. Whatever you listen to, this is a loudspeaker that’s capable far beyond its price and should delight all comers"
 
S6e Hi-Fi News - Nov 2004

"There is also something else about it, a quality that is rarely found in loudspeaker systems: a sense of natural presence, a feeling that the speaker, instead of behaving as a partially obscured window, is actually transparent. Admirably well-voiced floor standing loudspeaker, with low coloration and good sense of transparency to allow the boxes to disappear. Midrange performance especially was impressive, and the speaker could play easily at high levels. Another winner from Spendor"
 
S6e Hi-Fi News - Jan 2005 - Awards 2004

"Now owned by Audiolab co-founder Philip Swift, Spendor has created a successful range that lives up to the brand’s pedigree. Nearest in size to the classic Spendor BC1, the S6e is arguably the star model, with a well-ordered, vice-free and neutral sound and well extended bass"
 
S6e Hi-Fi Choice - Sep 2004

"A major strength of this loudspeaker is bass that’s unusually powerful and deep for such a compact, simple loudspeaker. It’s essentially clean, so when there’s no deep bass in the program material, there’s none from the speaker, but when real bass comes along, the S6e provides it with great solidity and dexterity"
 
S6e Your Guide to Hi-Fi and Home Theatre - Aug 2004

"Not only is the design outstanding, putting performance way above cost; but the components used are at a quality that is rarely seen inside a loudspeaker these days. The Spendor S6e is such a revealing loudspeaker that you find yourself listening with the same focus as if you were at a live concert. This is a loudspeaker you will need to audition and we recommend you do so at the first opportunity"
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
S8e Hi-Fi News - Jul 2004

"Firstly the speaker’s impressive spatial qualities knock you for six, then the S8es play the truly transparent component’s trump card, whatever you play through them, you cannot catch them out. With vocals the S8e’s reproduced every nuance perfectly, with a natural, almost organic quality, that I have only ever heard from electrostatics at several times the price. The Spendor’s are simply stunning speakers"
 
S8e Diapason (France) - Nov 2004

"Close to perfection"
 
S8e Audio Art (Taiwan) - Jan 2005

"Best value product 2005"
 
S8e Hi-Fi Choice - Nov 2004

"The legendary BC1 re-imagined for the modern music lover in sturdy, floor standing form. Magical mid-range lucidity married to deep tuneful bass"
 
S8e Hi-Fi+ - Issue 31

"The S8e is unquestionably a Spendor, fully maintaining the company’s fine tradition in package that’s all together more practical and lounge friendly than its Classic predecessors"
 
S8e What Hi-Fi - Mar 2004

"Instruments and vocals sound clear, natural and realistic with the sound offering up plenty of detail in the mid and upper frequencies. There’s little doubt that the Spendor S8e floorstanders are a significant step up in class from the original S8’s"
 
S8e Your Guide to Hi-Fi and Home Cinema - Oct 2004

System Review - S8e, C9e and SR5 

"These Spendor loudspeakers make for an outstanding home cinema sound system. They are capable of producing a sound that is exceptionally clean and truthful and the delivery of dynamic sounds is enough to stop your heart beating upon occasions. And this system can play loud, very loud. Add to this their superb construction and furniture quality finish and you have to say that they are excellent value as well. Truly a case of British loudspeaker design at it very best"
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
S9e Hi-Fi Choice - Aug 2004

"Its sense of bass grip and revealing, natural midrange are what make the S9e special."
 
  

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
C9e Your Guide to Hi-Fi and Home Cinema - Oct 2004

System Review - S8e, C9e and SR5 

"These Spendor loudspeakers make for an outstanding home cinema sound system. They are capable of producing a sound that is exceptionally clean and truthful and the delivery of dynamic sounds is enough to stop your heart beating upon occasions. And this system can play loud, very loud. Add to this their superb construction and furniture quality finish and you have to say that they are excellent value as well. Truly a case of British loudspeaker design at it very best"
 
    

  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
SR5 Hi-Fi News - Nov 2003

"The clarity, stereo imagery and definition were excellent, no matter how complex and dynamic the mix became. These little speakers could take everything thrown at them yet remain perfectly composed and in control. To conclude the SR5 provides the Spendor hallmarks of low coloration and naturalness to be sure and a clear open sound with remarkably good stereo imagery and sound staging into the bargain"
 
SR5 What Hi-Fi - Jun 2003

"They’ve the rhythmic drive to impress with dance music and the reach to satisfy with classical pieces. Those who want a top quality sound but can’t or won’t accommodate conventional speakers should look to the SR5s. They sacrifice nothing in sonic performance to traditional alternatives, while making the living room a clutter-free environment"
 
SR5 Hi-Fi Choice - Apr 2003

"The SR5 simply doesn’t sound like a wall-mount. The mid-band has all the traditional Spendor hallmarks of smoothness and evenness and low coloration, while the treble is clean, delicate and nicely restrained, ensuring fine clarity alongside an impressively wide dynamic range"
 
SR5 Hi-Fi+ - Issue

"Happily, the SR5 means that Spendor now joins a select band in producing a ‘satellite’ speaker worthy of serious hi-fi consideration, whilst also satisfying the multi-channel requirements for discrete domestic installation."
 
SR5 Enjoy the Music - Dec 2003

"The speaker is relatively easy to drive at 88dB, 8 ohms, and really only needs about 25 watts to fill this room up with sound. Not only did Spendor build a loudspeaker that blends perfectly with almost any décor, but they gave it the soul of its more expensive “Classic” range and I can’t think of a scenario where this product wouldn’t work. Five SR5s combined with a subwoofer of equal quality might be the surround sound system of choice for discerning audiophiles in 2004. The only remaining question is … how did they pack so much great sound into something so affordable?"

see here for full review
 
SR5 Your Guide to Hi-Fi and Home Cinema - Oct 2004

System Review - S8e, C9e and SR5

"These Spendor loudspeakers make for an outstanding home cinema sound system. They are capable of producing a sound that is exceptionally clean and truthful and the delivery of dynamic sounds is enough to stop your heart beating upon occasions. And this system can play loud, very loud. Add to this their superb construction and furniture quality finish and you have to say that they are excellent value as well. Truly a case of British loudspeaker design at it very best"
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
SUB-3 Hi-Fi News - Feb 2001

"A subwoofer for grown-ups. So am I impressed? You bet."
 
SUB-3 Enjoy The Music.com (USA) - Oct 2001
"The Rebirth of Musical content - I feel lucky to have discovered them"
 
SUB-3 The Listener (USA) - Jan 2002
"The best word to describe the effect of the sub would be enchanting"
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
S3/5 The Absolute Sound (USA) - Jan 2000

Golden Ear Award "The more I use this little speaker the better I like it and the more friends and acquaintances who listen to it they want a pair for themselves"
 
S3/5 The Absolute Sound (USA) - 2003
Review of S3/5 and S3/5se

"Both speakers are outstanding mini-monitors with all that that implies as regards openness, imaging, and freedom from boxiness; plus, this new one exhibits exceptional coherence"
 
S3/5 Enjoy The Music.com (USA) - 2001
"A breakthrough product"
 
S3/5 BBC Music Magazine - Jan 2002
"Outstandingly natural, smooth vocal definition and musical integrity"
 
S3/5 Hi-Fi + - Jan 2002
"It is obvious to me I have found the perfect replacements for my LS3/5a's. Spendor have delivered the goods, and thankfully, the legend lives on."
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
  
   
S3/5se Gramophone - Jul 2003

"Spendor’s design brief for these speakers was simple: owner Philip Swift explains it as keeping the fundamentals of the design (BBC LS3/5a) ‘while raising the sound quality and technical performance to a new level of refinement’. Mission accomplished then…"
 
S3/5se The Absolute Sound (USA) - 2003
Review of S3/5 and S3/5se

"Both speakers are outstanding mini-monitors with all that that implies as regards openness, imaging, and freedom from boxiness; plus, this new one exhibits exceptional coherence"
 
S3/5se What Hi-Fi - Dec 2003

"Wonderfully natural-sounding speakers, exceptionally useful for smaller listening rooms"
 
S3/5se Hi-Fi World - Oct 2004
"If you’re looking for a refined and sophisticated small loudspeaker, this is an essential audition"
 
S3/5se Audio Media - Oct 2004
"But when you sit in a studio listening to speech for eight hours at a stretch then the last thing you want is any trace of artificial brightness. This concern for neutrality on speech-based program material is what makes BBC radio studio mangers such a tough crowd for manufacturers making speakers primarily for the music industry. My enduring impression of the S3/5se is that it squares a particularly tricky circle, that of monitor accuracy without any hint of tiring the listener"