Spendor S5e

The Spendor S5e is a slim, compact floorstanding loudspeaker from Spendor's S-series, a line developed during the early 2000s. It was the most compact floorstander in that range. Spendor designed it to give full-range sound from a footprint that suited smaller rooms.

Technically, the S5e is a 2.5-way, reflex-loaded design. It uses a 1-inch fabric-dome tweeter mounted in a damped, vented compartment, a 5-inch polymer-cone midbass unit, and a 5-inch homopolymer-cone woofer. The crossover points are 700 Hz and 4.5 kHz. The cabinet is slender - about 31 inches tall, 6.5 inches wide, and 10.4 inches deep - and weighs roughly 35 pounds. Finish options included real oak and cherry wood veneer, applied both inside and out. The newly designed MDF bases took four adjustable pointed feet per speaker. The port is a slot rather than a conventional round one. Spendor claimed this gave flatter bass response and higher drive levels, and got rid of the "chuffing" noise round ports can produce.

Reviews were positive but measured. Stereophile's Art Dudley praised the S5e, saying he had never heard anything near its price and size with the same combination of strengths. That quote showed up in period dealer advertising. A 10 Audio review called the crossover "quite good," but observed that the tweeter had greater resolution in its lower frequency range than the midrange driver had in its upper range. The same reviewer estimated sensitivity at 82.5 dB(B)/2.83V/m, significantly lower than the manufacturer's specification, and noted the expected trade-off of small drive units. The S5e was also designed to sit close to a rear wall, which made it forgiving in real rooms. Owner reports on forums echo the professional reviews: natural sound, strong midrange, and a relaxed, musical presentation. One AudioCircle listener preferred the S5e to the larger Spendor 1/2, finding it more balanced and lifelike.

The S5e sold originally for $1,649 per pair. Used pairs appear intermittently, often in good condition with original manuals, plinths, and spikes. Production years are not firmly documented, but the Se Series development window (2002-2007) gives a reasonable bracket.

Known Specifications

Type: 2.5-way, reflex-loaded floorstanding loudspeaker
Drive units: 1" fabric-dome tweeter, 5" polymer-cone midbass, 5" homopolymer-cone woofer
Crossover frequencies: 700 Hz, 4.5 kHz
Dimensions: 31.1" H × 6.5" W × 10.4" D
Weight: ~35 lbs
Original price: $1,649/pair