THE NEW SPENDOR A4.2 LOUDSPEAKER – REVIEW ~ The Sound Advocate

The New Spendor A4.2 loudspeaker is in its second incarnation and cuts a huge swath in their A–line of Loudspeakers!

Spendor (The late Spencer and Dorothy Hughes) has always produced reference loudspeakers for the discriminating listener and audiophile since the company started in Spencer’s basement in 1968 with research and development acquired through his work at the BBC. Spencer applied the knowledge and expertise he’d gained as an engineer in the BBC’s sound engineering department to create his first loudspeaker, the BC1. This game-changing design quickly became the monitor of choice for broadcasters and recording studios worldwide throughout the late 60’s to the early 1980’s.

Spendor BC 1 — The original Spendor BC1 (circa 1969)

Over 50 years on, Spendor remains the reference standard for both discerning audiophiles and professional sound engineers, delivering a transparent, natural and musical sound that truly captivates you. Their speakers are voiced and engineered with standards that are attuned to the “live sound” of orchestras and vocalists either in studio or at live performances.

There has been quite a wait for the replacement of the much-loved and very successful A Series. At long last, they are now available. Spendor positions the range as true high-end audiophile speakers: expressive yet controlled, with build quality and sonic traits aimed at serious music lovers.

Spendor’s A-Series Mk2 is a complete refresh of their acclaimed A-Line loudspeaker range, designed and built in the UK with refined engineering that improves clarity, neutrality and musical engagement across the line-up. The range now consists of compact bookshelf and floorstanding models, encompassing the Spendor A1.2, A2.2, A4.2, and A7.2.

The BC1 is still sought after by many (I just sold my pair recently) as a speaker that had a “magical” midrange response and is still compared to many speakers developed today for its overall musicality.

The DNA of those original BBC designs lives on in Spendor’s current lineup, with the new owner Phillip Swift particularly in their Classic series (such as the Classic 3/1, 2/3, and 100) as well as their relatively new A-Line and D-Line, which are premium, UK-made loudspeakers designed for different listening styles and spaces. The A-Line focuses on a compact, engaging, and versatile sound optimized for smaller spaces. The D-Line represents Spendor’s higher-end range, delivering greater resolution, accuracy, and scale for demanding audio systems.

Spendor A-Line

The A-Line series (including models like the A1, A2, A4, and A7) features compact enclosures designed to fit easily into smaller or everyday living spaces. Just recently, their highly popular, mid-priced tower speaker, the A4.2, has been updated, and here we will be listening to and testing this current model in my 24 by 14-foot treated listening room. I placed these gorgeous-looking compact tower speakers 3 feet from each sidewall and 3.5 feet from the baffle to my front wall. The speakers, in the Spendor tradition, were angled in by at least 7 or 8 degrees, pointing to my triangular listening spot. Having settled in with exact measurements from the side walls and back wall, the listening began,

Otherwise, the A4.2 is a meticulously built two-way system that offers remarkable bandwidth, dynamic capability, and traditional tonal balance that lies at the core of the A4.2. In addition to Spendor’s sophisticated LPZ high-frequency unit, the speaker makes use of a new refined 18 cm bass / midrange unit; the EP77.

Spendor created the EP77 bass/mid cone material to combine controlled energy dissipation, high stiffness, and little coloration, in the Spendor tradition. This technology minimizes distortion and maintains musical detail while assisting voices and instruments in maintaining their natural timbre. The two drive units blend superfluously as a whole which gives this loudspeaker its outstandingly, well balanaced and cohesive sound quality.

High frequencies are reproduced by a new and improved 27mm LPZ polyamide dome tweeter. The tweeter delivers excellent extension and detail while maintaining the smooth, refined and sumptuous presentation that has become a hallmark of Spendor loudspeakers. Treble remains open and informative without becoming aggressive or fatiguing.

The New Spendor A4.2 loudspeaker back view

SOUND QUALITY: THE SOUND OF MUSIC!

I initially discovered the “traditional” Spendor balance of sound was in terrific form! A classic, open-sounding and beautiful tonality came to my ears on a few initial classical discs and streamed music using the Qobuz service on my iPhone as well as some live performance CD’s and downloaded CD’rs.

The sound was perfectly balanced, slightly laid back, with amazing tonality from the orchestra, beautiful and subtle midrange response, and terrific depth response. It was a glory to listen to new music, program after program, with that traditionally neutral, Spendor sound quality. No, they are not the same as the Classic Series or the early BC series from years back. However, the sound was relentlessly silky yet detailed in the midrange. The mid was tonally neutral and had that “concert hall” ambience that is natural and so hard to find on most loudspeakers at any price point. The stereo imaging was totally precise as mentioned before, with pinpoint placement of instruments across the soundstage and a wide yet intimate dispersion pattern. The sound disappeared completely from the enclosures with a dramatic presentation!

The high frequencies were superb as well, if maybe…a touch uptilted in the traditional 8 or 8-10 kHz range. This basically had little, if no effect on the music applied, but some program material, particularly classical, barely had a tad of a tilt upwards in this range. (as compared to the Classic Range). Almost all pop music, and jazz performed superbly and was “classic” SPENDOR! After all, different drive units and “balance” were employed with the A line as compared to the Classic line. The latter is more in the original “BBC tradition” whereas the A line is the newest and latest in Spendor’s technologically advanced and handmade English drive units and design parameters.

BASS RESPONSE

Moving on to the lower frequencies, the A-4.2 has them covered superbly! The moderately sized, 18 cm bass/mid driver will handle the lowest fundamentals, and takes care of the bass-midrange response. It’s needless to say, the EP 77 bass/midrange driver had a discernibly full and deep impact on the lower frequency response. Bass guitar, orchestral drums, and double bass reached down superbly with a lush, distinguished fullness that was taut and tight.

Objectively, some users may find the overall bass response of the A4.2 as a bit mixed regarding the bass behavior: some listeners in my room describe the low-end as powerful, tuneful, and textured, while a few find it less refined depending on room dimensions and boundary placement. I myself found it superb, extending down to a typical in-room frequency response of 36Hz, and wonderfully defined and controlled for classical music listeners in particular. Pop music was equally or even better presented with these speakers, and the overall driver cohesion and integration was simply beyond reproach!

SUBJECTIVE CONCLUSION

Compared to the original A4, the Spendor A4.2 offers a number of significant technical improvements. The crossover frequency has decreased from 3.7 kHz to 2 kHz, giving the tweeter a wider frequency band and enhancing phase coherence through the vocal midrange response.

The tweeter has been modified from a 22 mm to a new 27 mm soft-dome rear-chambered device, while the sensitivity is now 85dB. Spendor has adjusted the frequency response from 34Hz–25kHz to 36Hz–27kHz.

All of the above changes have made this small tower speaker a treasure to listen to and enjoy. The superb midrange and treble are overtly neutral while the soundstage shows a huge field of expansion far and beyond the enclosures of the speakers themselves.

However, this never minimizes the fantastic stereo imaging that Spendor is known for, and it gives you a true realization of the concert hall with properly selected program material. Excellent bass response and a pure, subtle midrange make the Spendor A4.2 a true high-end winner in its price range. It is highly recommended as such!

EQUIPMENT USED FOR THIS REVIEW:

Digital: Mojo Audio ‘Mystique’ X DAC ~Musician Pegasus II R2R DAC ~ Innuos Statement server/streamer ~ Audio Note (UK) CD3.1x/2 player/DAC / Analog: Audio Technica LP-7/ZYX Bloom 3 mc cartridge/ Amplification: ~PS Audio PMG Signature Preamplifier ~ Pass Labs XA30.8 power amp/ Argent/Pur Mono-block amplifiers~ Cables/ Conditioners: Inakustik AC-3500p power station &, AC-2404 reference Air Power Cord ~ Audience Front Row speaker cables and Interconnects ~ Clarus “Crimson” 75-ohm digital spdif / Audio Arts 1 e” AC Power Cord

PRICE per PAIR (WALNUT) $4,998.00