The top plate has small compliant studs and both top and base incorporate constrained damping layers. We consider it a vital part of the SA1 package.

Powerful package

Listening tests began with the speakers well clear of walls and that brought the first surprise.

Although there's an obvious lack of low bass weight and authority here, the SA1 really didn't sound at all like a small speaker, dynamically speaking. This is nearly always the obvious limitation of very small speakers. So much so that it seemed to come with the territory.

The SA1 very effectively demonstrated that this doesn't have to be the case though. It makes no pretence at being a large loudspeaker, but this is the small box that those who like big boxes can learn to love without too much strain. Coming from a reviewer who has a strong affinity for big box loudspeakers, this is high praise indeed.

So, while it doesn't possess the full drama and vivacity of significantly larger models, it's nevertheless much more dynamically literate and informative than prejudice might lead one to expect.

Why should this be the case? A small main driver like the one used here is certainly not going to move a whole lot of air, but two other possible factors can play. The first is that a small enclosure inevitably creates much less enclosure 'noise' than a large one, so the 'noise floor' of the box is low and dynamic range is correspondingly enhanced.

The other possible factor is a phase response that's more accurate than most – something that sealed-box loading tends to promote – as this will tend to sharpen transients and improve dynamic expression.

Limited coloration

The SA1 benefits from its small enclosure in other ways. Because its surface area is small and resonances are well controlled, it adds only modest coloration to the sound. And because the frontal area is very small, dispersion is consistently wide and imaging sharp.

Both these factors were clearly audible. Coloration is very low and boxiness is notable for its
absence, while imaging is exceedingly precise, with fine lateral positioning, plenty of air and spaciousness and excellent depth perspectives.

Speaker placement

Although the Spendor SA1 works well in free space, listening tests reveal that some bottom-end help from wall proximity is beneficial.

Sealed box loading usually allows for more positioning flexibility than reflex-ported designs and that does seem to be the case here, though exactly where best to place these little Spendors ultimately comes down to personal taste.

Exactly how much will depend on the room characteristics too, since the free-space placement varies with size and construction, while boundary use involves some trade-off with image precision and midband coloration.

Under our conditions, a gap of about a foot (25cm) between the speakers and the wall seems to give the best overall results, lifting the bass up to match the level of the midband.

Agile performer

While it still won't match the scale and weight of much larger models, provided you're not shy in using the volume control, the Spendor SA1 delivers a surprisingly wide bandwidth and does so in an impressively even and smooth way, with very superior overall neutrality.

Intrigued to check the role of the rather special stand, a quick comparison with our regular reference Kudos S100s (sadly no longer in production, although the similar but lighter Kudos S50 – especially when filled with Atabytes or similar – is a good alternative) showed that Spendor's stand does indeed possess a slight advantage with this little speaker.

It isn't a big difference, but the Spendor's lightweight confection was just a little more agile and light on its feet and doesn't seem to sacrifice any image precision.