There are speakers on the market that scream about technology and power, and there are those that speak quietly and confidently about music. Spendor A4 speakers belong to the latter category. They are not a sudden sensation, but rather the result of many years of evolution, where each component has been tested by time.
The studio pedigree of the brand is easily discernible in their sound. It's not about a dry analytical approach, but about honesty. A4 doesn't embellish or hide details, allowing you to hear the recording exactly as the musicians and sound engineer intended.
At the same time, they remain true to the British tradition of warm, organic, and incredibly natural sound. This is the type of acoustics that does not tire, but engages. You can spend many hours with it, discovering new nuances in familiar tracks.
Let's take a look at what the Spendor A4 speakers are all about and who they might be the perfect companions for in the world of high-quality sound.
Tradition and modernity
“We design and manufacture loudspeakers in Sussex, UK,” says the official Spendor website. It also mentions the traditionally meticulous design and manufacture of products with the utmost attention to detail, repeatedly emphasizing the focus on British Hi-Fi and BBC traditions in particular.
Who wouldn't like that?
In fact, Spendor is part of this very tradition. The company reports that it takes an average of one year to develop a single model and up to six days to produce a pair of speakers. Advanced digital tools are used in the design of the speakers and quality control of the products.
For the finish, Spendor's specialists select sheets of natural wood veneer with a symmetrical texture pattern (this refers primarily to the decoration of the sides of the speakers). The official video (see below) shows the stages of production. It is important to note that the company designs and manufactures the dynamic drivers for its speakers itself.
The brand's catalog includes three product lines: A-Line, D-Line, and Classic. The junior A series features four models designed for use in small rooms: the A1 mini monitor and three low, slender rectangular prism-shaped towers — the A2, A4, and A7. All models are two-way. The company cites its award-winning SA1, A6R, and D7 models as the design donors for the A-Line systems.
Fabric dome tweeter behind the grille
The LF/MF drivers feature proprietary polymer diaphragms (EP77). The floorstanding speakers differ in the caliber of the mid-bass driver (two options — 150 and 180 mm), acoustic design volume (phase inverter), lower frequency range values (32–55 Hz depending on the model) and sensitivity (from 84 to 88 dB), as well as crossover frequency (4.2 or 3.7 kHz). The upper frequency threshold, tweeter size, and impedance are the same for all speakers.
The Spendor A4 ranks third from the bottom in the lineup. In terms of design (and sound), it is a Hi-Fi classic. The traditional-shaped enclosures are formed by the intersection of all walls at right angles. Two frequency bands correspond to two drivers: at the top is a 22 mm tweeter with a protected fabric dome diaphragm grille, and below is a 180 mm low/midrange driver with a polymer cone diffuser and a bullet-shaped phase correction element on the magnetic system core.
Proprietary low/midrange driver with polymer diaphragm and phase correction element
The crossover frequency of 3.7 kHz indicates that almost all the fundamental tones of musical sounds are reproduced by the mid-bass driver (remember that the range of a grand piano is limited at the top by a note with a frequency of 4 kHz). The rated sensitivity of 86 dB is below the “psychological” threshold of 90 dB, but this does not cause any particular difficulties in terms of selecting a partner amplifier (low-power units make up a negligible part of the market today).
Protective grilles are available as an option (for an additional fee). Legs or spikes are screwed into the bottom of the elegant imitation stand to give the structure the necessary stability. At the rear, you can see the phase inverter port and two screw terminals for single-wire connection.
The semi-ring suspension of the speaker supports a considerable displacement trajectory of the diffuser
The manufacturer offers four finish options for the A-Line speaker systems: Black Ash, Cherry, Dark Walnut, and Natural Oak (the component being tested). Everything is flawlessly made. Visually, the Spendor A4 is undoubtedly a high-quality product.
The Spendor A4 is not just a speaker, but a living reminder of how sound should ideally sound: honest, warm, and unadorned. Created in the tradition of British acoustics and with a heritage of studio sound, they convey music as if the instruments were playing in your room. The test showed that the A4 does not scream, does not overdo the bass, and does not seem fancy, but it is in this restraint that their strength lies: they simply do not interfere with the music.
In sound
This time, there was a wide range of system partners for sound expertise: compared to the A4, the dCS Rossini CD player and the Accuphase E-270 full amplifier are significantly higher-end components.
The Spendor A4 pair demonstrated its considerable sound qualities immediately, without hesitation. The sound images formed by the speakers clearly showed an even frequency balance (reflecting the brand's studio pedigree), nobility in the presentation of timbres, excellent stereo panorama, and considerable dynamic resources, clearly not corresponding to the modest size and equipment of the acoustic systems. Overall, the lower register is well integrated into the musical fabric. Only occasionally, for example when playing academic piano recordings, was there a slight shift in the sound focus to the bass (phase inverter).
FI port and screw terminals for single-wire connection
The music reproduced by the A4 has a pleasant touch of academicism, which, however, does not cross the line beyond which the sound begins to be perceived as vintage or old-fashioned. It is appropriate to recall the high level of musical culture, primarily in performance, that is traditionally characteristic of Britain. Famous concert halls, Abbey Road Studios, renowned artists, and rock bands come to mind — all of these phenomena, including Spendor, grew out of the same cultural soil.
High-quality oak veneer finish is very decorative
Spendor A4 speakers are well-suited for reproducing music of any style and complexity. In large symphonic forms, the speakers demonstrated clarity and volume of the spatial image, naturalness of the timbre palette without any hint of artificiality, and subtlety of dynamic gradations, including in the microdynamic range. Spendor did not hold back at all in the climactic passages, unfolding them to their full extent.
Stand with legs
The relaxed club atmosphere was characteristic of the sound of the jazz trio consisting of a grand piano, double bass, and drums. The music created by the A4 had a lot of air and artistic “electricity.” There was no thought that the speakers could not handle the transmission of recordings of a large concert organ with deep bass. Overall, the A4 created an adequate representation of the scale of both the organ itself and the acoustic space, whether it was a cathedral or a concert hall. The A4 was very expressive and convincing in its reproduction of vocals, both male and female, academic and jazz, opera and chamber music.
No matter what music was playing, the merits of Spendor as a musical component were always evident: openness combined with precision, refined detail coupled with scale, diversity, freedom, and naturalness of sound.
Conclusions
Spendor confirms its high authority in Hi-Fi. The A4 model is a speaker with a balanced design, attractive appearance, excellent sound, and good value for money (the component is designed and manufactured in the UK).
Pros: High build quality, good value for money, excellent sound with superb dynamics despite its compact size
Disadvantages: No two-wire connection option, no protective grille included
Official website: Spendor A4
Price: 209,100 rubles.
The Spendor A4 speaker test showed that this model brilliantly combines two important qualities. It has retained that very British musicality—a warm, detailed, and effortless sound for which this brand's classics are valued.
At the same time, thanks to their studio pedigree, the speakers are honest and accurate. They do not embellish the sound, but reveal its structure, allowing you to hear the nuances in both old jazz recordings and modern digital tracks.
All in all, the Spendor A4 is a safe but very interesting choice for music lovers. These speakers won't tire you out during long listening sessions, will sound great with different genres and high-quality sources, and will likely become your companions for many years to come thanks to their timeless sound.
