Stereophile
April 19, 2013, 06:32 PM
<p><img class="story_image" src="http://www.stereophile.com/images/041813spendor.nyas_.promo2_.jpg" /></p>
There it was again, that damned <a href="%20http://www.stereophile.com/content/robert-lighton-plays-good-music">canned jazz</a>. This time it poured out in buckets from the tremendous <a href="%20http://www.stereophile.com/content/spendor-classic-sp100rsup2sup-loudspeaker">Spendor Classic SP100R<sup>2</sup></a> loudspeaker ($11,500/pair) pumped by the 160 Watt JA 200 Monoblocks from Jadis ($25,995/pair). This had to be stopped.
<p>I noticed the speaker’s full-bodied midrange and well-controlled bass and decided this room needs some rock. Glancing through the in-house CD selection, I was surprised to find CDs by The Cult, The Black Crowes, and Pearl Jam. Although I knew PJ’s <em>Ten</em> was rather squashed, I was hoping the Spendor’s juicy midrange would keep it beefy.</p>
<p>I was wrong. This recording just sounds terrible.</p>
<p>The host of the David Lewis Audio room, owner Dave Serota, was incredibly helpful and patient. Rather than jumping at the Jadis Calliope CD transport ($44,900) plugged into the Jadis JS1-Mk4 DAC ($17,900) when he heard how lifeless “Once” sounded, he waited in the back and let me make the choice myself: “Let’s change this up.” He concurred kindly.</p>
<p>We put on The Black Crowes’ <em>The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion</em>. There it was! Oh baby! That juicy midrange! Guitarist Marc Ford became Mark “F*ckin” Ford burning the room pieces with his searing bends. Chris Robinson’s chest-ripping performance on “Sometimes Salvation” was full of blood pumping serious blues-rock soul into the hearts of the listeners in the room. I looked behind myself, and it was all young people! This was a pattern that repeated itself the entire show: play “new” music and young people will come in to your room.</p>
<p>Suddenly, the CD started to skip. Jay Rein of Bluebird Music, importer of Spendor loudspeakers, jumped at the volume control: “I’m sorry, we just can’t have that happening. I didn’t even know this CD was in here. I’ve probably played it in the car one too many times.”</p>
<p>I responded, “Who cares dude! The music is great! Keep it going!”</p>
<p>“But…” and then he paused himself, pressed play, and sat down.</p>
<p>“Wow. This does sound good,” he affirmed. We sat through the skips and kept rocking out.</p>
[Source: http://www.stereophile.com/content/spendor-jadis-and-black-crowes]
There it was again, that damned <a href="%20http://www.stereophile.com/content/robert-lighton-plays-good-music">canned jazz</a>. This time it poured out in buckets from the tremendous <a href="%20http://www.stereophile.com/content/spendor-classic-sp100rsup2sup-loudspeaker">Spendor Classic SP100R<sup>2</sup></a> loudspeaker ($11,500/pair) pumped by the 160 Watt JA 200 Monoblocks from Jadis ($25,995/pair). This had to be stopped.
<p>I noticed the speaker’s full-bodied midrange and well-controlled bass and decided this room needs some rock. Glancing through the in-house CD selection, I was surprised to find CDs by The Cult, The Black Crowes, and Pearl Jam. Although I knew PJ’s <em>Ten</em> was rather squashed, I was hoping the Spendor’s juicy midrange would keep it beefy.</p>
<p>I was wrong. This recording just sounds terrible.</p>
<p>The host of the David Lewis Audio room, owner Dave Serota, was incredibly helpful and patient. Rather than jumping at the Jadis Calliope CD transport ($44,900) plugged into the Jadis JS1-Mk4 DAC ($17,900) when he heard how lifeless “Once” sounded, he waited in the back and let me make the choice myself: “Let’s change this up.” He concurred kindly.</p>
<p>We put on The Black Crowes’ <em>The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion</em>. There it was! Oh baby! That juicy midrange! Guitarist Marc Ford became Mark “F*ckin” Ford burning the room pieces with his searing bends. Chris Robinson’s chest-ripping performance on “Sometimes Salvation” was full of blood pumping serious blues-rock soul into the hearts of the listeners in the room. I looked behind myself, and it was all young people! This was a pattern that repeated itself the entire show: play “new” music and young people will come in to your room.</p>
<p>Suddenly, the CD started to skip. Jay Rein of Bluebird Music, importer of Spendor loudspeakers, jumped at the volume control: “I’m sorry, we just can’t have that happening. I didn’t even know this CD was in here. I’ve probably played it in the car one too many times.”</p>
<p>I responded, “Who cares dude! The music is great! Keep it going!”</p>
<p>“But…” and then he paused himself, pressed play, and sat down.</p>
<p>“Wow. This does sound good,” he affirmed. We sat through the skips and kept rocking out.</p>
[Source: http://www.stereophile.com/content/spendor-jadis-and-black-crowes]