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From: murphy@voder.UUCP (Neil Murphy)
Newsgroups: net.audio
Subject: Re: Speaker recommendations
Message-ID: <553@voder.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Dec-84 20:51:55 EST
Article-I.D.: voder.553
Posted: Fri Dec  7 20:51:55 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Dec-84 01:44:28 EST
References: <182@harvard.ARPA>
Distribution: net
Organization: National Semiconductor, Santa Clara
Lines: 50

One interesting speaker that's getting a lot of attention
these days is the Spica.  They sell for about $500/pair.
The designers logged a lot of computer analysis time looking
closely at phase coherence in the drivers and crossover (it's
a two-way system). The claimed result of their toils is a speaker
system that images beautifully and has, of course, a very "natural"
sound.  It's a small speaker - looks like about a cubic foot-and-
a-half box cut in half diagonally; needs a stand mount; and it's
placement relative to walls is fairly critical. (So what's new).
I've read reviews that said it's sensitive to speaker cables, and
some of the popular highend lines shouldn't be used. Sounds more
like the amp/cable/speaker combination, than a speaker/cable pecul-
iarity. (I've avoided the issue in my own system, for the time being,
by running #10 multi-strand regular old copper under the floorboards).

I had a chance to hear these speakers at a local shop in San Mateo.
The owner likes to hang around until 8 or so at night listening to
music, so I made myself comfortable and spent a delightful hour or
two going through cuts on 20 or so different albums. (Other equipment
was a Pink Triangle with a Talisman Alchemist and an Audible Illusions
(I think) preamp.  Don't remember what the amp was, but I do recall
the glow of tubes through the vent slots).  My favoite test record,
James Newcome Howard and Friends (Sheffield) sounded terrific. Smooth
with lots of air.  I missed something at the very top end though, and
when we put on the Dafos percussion album the huge membranes they
pound on didn't really come through.

The voice sounded smooth and rock solid. On several operatic cuts
we played I could point right at the singer's mouth, (if you need,
or like to do this sort of thing, you can with these speakers). Like
all speakers I've ever heard, their value doubled with the lights
out.  

The designers are going to come out with an amplified woofer to
drop the base down to the floor.  I hope they open the top end
up a little too.  All in all, for $500 you probably can't beat
'em.  You probably can match them though, depending on your taste.
(The amped woofer, by the way will run somewhere around $700).

I also like the Magnapan $500 pair, (IIIa's, I think). As one
reviewer stated it would be fun to buy two different $500 speaker
sets if one had $1000 to spend.

There are a number of terrific speakers in the $500 range.  The
trick is to get thick with a dealer who will let you take home
a bunch of them to try out in your own environment, with source
material you care about. That's the person I buy from!

Listen on.....       Neil Murphy