What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
13 DEC 2008
Spendor A5
Believe us, size doesn’t matter; these are the most accomplished speakers available at this money
Write your own review
We immediately knew that the
Spendor A5s were accomplished speakers when we first tested them, but it’s taken the increased depth of comparison in a Group Test to fully appreciate the extent of their success – these are astoundingly good floorstanders.
The A5s are exceptionally compact, measuring just 79cm in height. They’re also very solidly put together, and the four real-wood finishes look very smart.If you’re concerned that the stumpy nature of the A5s might result in a short or small-scale presentation, you can banish the thought.
Play
Time to Get Out from the
Quantum of Solace soundtrack and it becomes immediately apparent the Spendors can produce a sound that fills the room from floor to ceiling, rendering their diminutive size a sonic irrelevance. The width and space afforded the performance is also impressive.
This is a big soundstage that lends itself well to orchestral scores and big rock pieces.Importantly, dimension-defying scale isn’t their only impressive feature. Not for the first time in this test we spin-up Tori Amos’
Cornflake Girl, and the Spendors provide the most faithful rendition of it yet.
The treble is sparkly and sweet, midrange is multi-layered and textured, and when both the piano and bass guitar hit their lowest notes, the Spendors are able to reveal the key and string independently, where some speakers mix the two together.
All-round brilliance shines throughFrom the deepest bass to the highest treble there’s an admirable tightness, punch and attack. Notes begin and end with superb precision, and that accuracy translates into excitement right through the frequency range.
Throw awesome dynamics into the mix, both small-scale and large, and you have a delivery that’s as well suited to the London Philharmonic Orchestra as it is to Adele’s acoustic pop.
Unlike some other five-star speakers, the Spendors have no fly in the ointment. They combine scale that’s very close to the Dynaudio Excite X32, with clarity and organisation that can match the PMC GB1i. You get the best of both worlds with these floorstanders, and we’re all for that.