Spendor A5 (2000s)
A note on naming before anything else: the research record holds no model called simply the “Spendor A5.” What exists is the Spendor A5R — a later floorstander that superseded the A4 and borrowed driver technology from the larger A6 and A9 — and the Spendor SA300, a distinct 2001–2004 floorstander with its own price and dimensions. Both share coincidentally identical drive-unit sizes (a 22mm dome tweeter and a 150mm polymer bass/mid driver), which has made them easy to conflate. This page covers what is genuinely documented for each, without blending them.
The A5R is the better-documented of the two, thanks to a full review in Six Moons. A 1997 review in Mix Magazine (August 1997, p.128) noted that Spendor had been designing loudspeakers for nearly 30 years. It was a two-way floorstander, 920mm tall including its plinth, 165mm wide and 275mm deep, weighing 16 kg per cabinet. The enclosure was built from internally braced 18mm MDF with real wood veneer options, and the reflex port fired to the rear. The tweeter was a 22mm wide-surround dome; the bass/mid used a 150mm polymer cone on a cast magnesium chassis. The crossover employed polypropylene capacitors and air-cored inductors. Rated sensitivity was 89 dB (1W/1m) into 8 ohms, with frequency response quoted at 40 Hz–20 kHz ±3 dB and crossover set at 2.7 kHz.
The Six Moons reviewer praised the A5R’s soundstage as wide and deep with stable imaging, and described the overall character as musical, cohesive, and uncolored. Bass was called tight and tuneful rather than exaggerated, and the tweeter “sweet and refined,” never drawing attention to itself. The speaker was said to be undemanding of amplifiers, though it rewarded better electronics. Original pricing was £1,300 per pair, or £1,700 with the optional factory floor stands in black or silver.
The SA300, by contrast, is known almost entirely from spec-sheet listings (SpeakerScore, Retro Audio, and a c.2004 Audio Reviews UK piece all carry identical copy), though a 1997 Mix Magazine review (August 1997, p.128) described it as a powered near-field speaker. It was a two-way floorstander with the same 22mm tweeter and 150mm polymer driver, priced at £1,249 per pair and produced from roughly 2001 to 2004. Listed specifications: 45 Hz–20 kHz frequency response, 8 ohm impedance, ~87 dB sensitivity, dimensions of 900 × 165 × 240mm, and a recommended amplifier range of 30–150W. No editorial review of the SA300’s sound appears in the research — only the specifications.
No production years are documented for the A5R, and no current used-market prices exist for either model in the record. Known service issues and spare-parts availability are likewise undocumented.
Known specifications
Spendor A5R
- Two-way floorstanding loudspeaker, rear-firing reflex port
- 22mm wide-surround dome tweeter; 150mm polymer cone bass/mid with cast magnesium chassis
- Frequency response: 40 Hz–20 kHz ±3 dB; crossover at 2.7 kHz
- Sensitivity: 89 dB (1W/1m); impedance: 8 ohms
- Dimensions: 920 × 165 × 275mm (H×W×D, height includes plinth); weight: 16 kg each
- 18mm internally braced MDF cabinet, real wood veneer; optional dedicated floor stands
- Original price: £1,300/pair (£1,700 with stands)
Spendor SA300
- Two-way floorstanding loudspeaker; 22mm dome tweeter, 150mm polymer bass/mid driver
- Frequency response: 45 Hz–20 kHz; impedance: 8 ohms
- Sensitivity: ~87 dB; recommended amplifiers 30–150W
- Dimensions: 900 × 165 × 240mm (H×W×D)
- Original price: £1,249/pair; production approximately 2001–2004
Similar items on eBay
No exact Spendor A5 listings are live right now — these searches show current Spendor and similar vintage audio gear on eBay:
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Spendor 1/2
- Spendor 2/3
- Spendor 3/5
- Spendor 4/5
- Spendor A1.2
- Braun AUDIO-1 (1965)
- Braun AUDIO-250 (1965)
- Magnavox Component Systems (1972)
- Acoustic Research AR (1967-1976)
- Acoustic Research 11