Replacement for my Spendor BC1?

I have had my Spendor BC1's for about 20 years and recently the base unit went and no one is able to repair it.

I am looking to replace the speakers with something similar.

My current setup:

Audio Research Pre Amp
Coupland Power Amp CTA520
Gamut CD1 cd player

Someone has pointed me to a JM Labs Electra 1027 BE. I have only heard it once for a short period, it sounded good but still not on par with my BC1.

Can anyone else recommend something that I should listen to?

Thanks

Ho Yin

 

Try, depending on your budget ProAc 140's or D25's.
Have you listened to the Spendor Classic series - if you want to stay with the Spendor sound.

 

There is also Harbeth, I think.

 

I'm sure your bass driver will be repairable - try Googling Wembley Loudspeakers. Otherwise as suggested try Harbeth - the HL5 is a 'modern BC1' in concept and the Compact 7 and Monitor 30 are also very similar.

Tony.

 

Hi,
If you can't get the BC1 back (though as Tony says, I am pretty sure you can), Harbeth is the route you want to go. SH5 probably has the closest voicing to the BC1 and is, as they say, a slot-in replacement.

 

Who pointed you to the 1027BE? It's not a bad speaker but doesn't sound anything like the BC1. I still get to hear a pair of BC1s occasionally, they are a fine speaker even by today's standards. Try to get it repaired.

If that's not possible, like Tony and Joel, I see the Harbeth SHL5 as the closest current equivalent.

 

If you can't get it repaired, another pair of BC1s shouldn't cost more than about £250. You'll struggle to find anything better for that sort of money, so buying another pair might be the best answer.

Contact details for people who may be able to help with a repair can be found here:

http://www.coulouris.net/av/BC1-rescue-instructions.html

-- Ian

 

Another vote for Harbeth here, but you might want to try an offer on these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MATCHED-PAIR-...ageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118

 

Hmmm, matched pair aside from the different bass drivers!

Tony.

 

And unless BC1s have shot up in value in the last couple of years, a £400 Buy It Now price is ridiculous.

-- Ian

 

BC1s come up on a very regular basis on ebay, often enough in nice condition. I'd be very surprised if Wembley couldn't sort it out as Tony suggests though.

Also this link here has info about either replacing the BC1 drivers with more recent drivers from Spendor or getting them repaired plus lots of noice BC1 pics and stuff about BC1s and their descendents and relatives.

Harbeth Super HL5 already pointed out:



or Spendor SP1/2E is the current direct equivalent in the Spendor Classic line.



Both direct descedents of the BC1 and both considerably more expensive than the mintiest of mint second hand BC1s would set you back (that pair pointed out above have been lurking in ebay for months now ... which suggests they are over priced).

PS. I Noticed there's a pair of active BC3s on ebay at the moment - now they would be interesting and a pair of Rogers LS 5/8s with their Quad amps

PPS. Mind you if you are seriously considerin g those JM Labs bith the Spendors and Harbeths are well in budget I guess.

 

"THESE WERE SERVICED BY SPENDOR c1990, ONE OF THE BASS DRIVERS WAS REPLACED AND THE COLOUR OF THE SURROUND IS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT."

That quote did strike me as a bit odd. Most top speaker manufacturers will insist on replacing the drivers in both speakers.

 

I'm sure I've seen replacement drivers for BC1's on fleabay in the past, so worth keeping hold of yours until you sort spares.

How about Rogers Studio 1's? Another one based upon the BC1 I believe, and they're great speakers and can be had on fleabay for a couple of hundred squid.

 

Just noticed these while browsing. Dont look too bad and stands included so not bad a price.
http://www.bigearsaudio.org.uk/second_hand_speakers.html

 

the speakers that sound closest to spendors (at least to my ears) are jm reynaud's - trente or offrande, depending how far you can reach. could be you can have them cheap used in the UK as i am not aware many people know for them.

considering your valve amplification you may have an interesting result with jm labs you mentioned but tonally as far as possible from the spendors.

 

try the old spendor s100 a big bugger of a standmount ( better than sp1)....a significant upgrade on the bc1........2nd hand about 600 quid, but the bass on them is much better......I keep my bc1s for occasions such as xmas ( i have in the lounge now as my others are too big with the xmas tree) theyre still a cracking speaker. I advertised to sell thema while back, but then forgot that i would need them in times like the above....theyre staying with me for good now....My 1st pair of speakers and I still love them dearly.

 

I have to disagree. Harbeth really are the closest - both in sound and approach. What's more the JM Reynaud designs are radically different and would interact with the room very differently (as would the Focal speakers FWIW).
Spendor S100s and Harbeth M40s are fabulous speakers, but seriously big and either could result in some nasty bass issues in the wrong room.
The BC1 gets an awful lot of things right. Try and get them repaired & serviced. They're worth it.

 

I would also say stick with your BC1's and try and get them repaired, Wembly, DK loudspeakers and such, I am sure there are a few who do a superb job for very reasonable cost, Hi Fi World have mentioned a few and carried adds for them.

I would also recommend the Rogers Studio 1, which comes quite close to the BC1, but with power handling to boot.

 

hi joel, i agree 100% on a point of approach. you certainly have more experience with me, however two years ago i was very close to buying a pair of BC1 and gave them quite some time. i investigated all the versions on the market - in germany you will find not only the old BC1 but also Mk3 version with different drivers as well as 69 anniversary version. i found all of them verz sweet but also a bit coloured in the mid, especially on strings where they tend to "thick" the tone. after that i moved on the C7 and i found it tonally more corect but more clinical and colder in overall presentation. jm reynauds are a different construction but have the similar appeal in the midrange as BC1, at least to my aged ears, but overall you are right that harbeths are the logical progression of the original spencer hughes approach to loudspeaker engineering.

 

Thank you for all your help.

Through your links I have found the email address of Audio Heritage and hopefully they can help me get my BC1's repaired.

I have the original speakers that were made in Spencer's garage and have had the pleasure of meeting his wife Dorothy and his young daughter at that time. So these speakers mean a lot to me.

I have had them modified to be bi-wired and it has opened up the sound and upgraded the internal wiring.

I will be so happy when I get them repaired as I love them so much.

Thank you.