Price slash on SPK5 speakers

[sgoldwin]

i would like more people on this forum to buy my SPK5 loudspeakers. People on this forum know that there are no audible differences between well engineered, non-broken amps, DACs and cables. The reason to buy the SPK5 is that it is a rare hifi product that actually makes a positive measurable and audible difference in system sound 1) the bass is deeper, more extended and has more impact than any other 2 way monitor in its size class; and 2) does it with measurably and audibly less (like, none) distortion even when played insanely loud. These are the signature traits I would listen for in an ABX trial. Other than that they are a world-class Hifi speaker especially with the current second generation crossover. They deserve to be bought, owned and loved!

The point is to get speakers into the homes of avid listeners who will then talk about their happy experiences on Hifi forums like this one. So for a limited time I am reducing the cost of the speakers on my website to £1599 including tax and shipping. Which is not a lot more than it costs me to build, box and ship them.

Still with a 2 year warranty and 30 day right of return for full refund with no questions asked (although you have to pay return shipping).

 

[hege]

Does that price include VAT? It seems you now advertise normally £1999 to anywhere in the world and removed any mention of VAT? Before that I remember reading something like "UK buyers pay VAT, but EU not", which did not make any sense since all EU purchases should add VAT, if you are VAT-eligible seller. Your ebay listing seems to be £1999+VAT.

 

[Matias]

SoundStage! Hi-Fi just published the measurements of the SPK5 in NRC:

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/inde...-measured-performance-of-the-spk5-loudspeaker

 

[MZKM]

Does that price include VAT? It seems you now advertise normally £1999 to anywhere in the world and removed any mention of VAT? Before that I remember reading something like "UK buyers pay VAT, but EU not", which did not make any sense since all EU purchases should add VAT, if you are VAT-eligible seller. Your ebay listing seems to be £1999+VAT.

Yeah, before the website said ~$2850 for USA, which is £2200, now (before sale) it says £2000 including everything so ~$2585 USD.
£1600 would be ~$2070 if there isn’t anything extra (going by old pricing a £400 reduction would have been ~$2300).

EDIT: Changing currency on website to USD changes it to $2104, which is not a straight currency conversion.

____
@Matias, I made a thread about the measurements (including links to individual driver measurements)
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...measurements-soundstage-nrc.17072/post-551689

Some EQ to boost the 1500Hz region and it’s really good.
External crossover option is great, as if I bought them, I’d work my way up to an active crossover with my MiniDSP and lower it to ~2500Hz to and do some EQ work.

 

[sgoldwin]

Yes, to simplify it’s just one price, VAT included. On my website it’s £1599. On eBay it’s £1699.

 

[MZKM]

Yes, to simplify it’s just one price, VAT included. On my website it’s £1599. On eBay it’s £1699.

Changing the currency on the website using the tool on the bottom changes it to $2104 USD, which is ~£1630; is that correct or an error (using currency conversation ratio from around a month ago would put it around there). It’s a small amount, but still.

 

[hege]

On eBay it’s £1699.

Shows £2,379.00 for me..

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Celuaris-SPK5-speakers-featuring-Purifi-PTT6-5W04-woofer/303735727858

 

[sgoldwin]

Urgh. Ok, I will look into both the website and eBay errors. Thanks for looking.

 

[sgoldwin]

eBay now fixed.

 

[sgoldwin]

The FX conversion on the website is done automatically by Shopify and they are not clear on what rate they are using although I assume it’s a very dynamic rate. Ie, the new UK lockdown will be affecting exchange rates.

 

[Absolute]

Good deal! For clarity, what is the difference between first and second generation crossover?

 

[sgoldwin]

First generation was the gray fibreboard one and discrete wiring. The second generation replaced the fibreboard with a real printed circuit board, replaced a large inductor with a smaller one and removed one resistor. It improved mid-range performance by a dB or so and smoothed some of the transition bumps between woofer and tweeter. None of the published measurements (to my knowledge) have been done with the newer crossover.

 

[pjug]

SoundStage! Hi-Fi just published the measurements of the SPK5 in NRC:

https://www.soundstagehifi.com/inde...-measured-performance-of-the-spk5-loudspeaker

This is interesting. I am wondering about the point regarding 50Hz distortion of the SPK5 which is much higher than the Purifi site shows for the driver. Is it going to be possible for the incredible distortion performance of the driver to be realized when it is packaged in a box?

From 80Hz down, however, the distortion rises steeply until it hits a peak at our lower limit of 50Hz. But, like the distortion products above, this rise in distortion is not strictly due to the PTT6.5W04 itself -- it’s mostly a result of the port, which we’ve seen with many speakers before. Ports are inherently noisy, and therefore, prone to distortion. But overall, even the port noise isn’t that bad -- and overall, the SPK5’s level of distortion from 50Hz to 20kHz is excellent for any small two-way speaker.

 

[sgoldwin]

For your viewing pleasure, here is the port in question fitted with its 3D printed flares in position. Nobody gets to see this part really and it was a major pain to make so I want to give it its moment of glory.

 

[sgoldwin]

Fair warning!

Price on the SPK5 will go back to £1999 on Monday 10 November.

 

[beren777]

FWIW, I'm thinking about this purchase. I'm really glad you decided to build a batch and make them available. I wish I lived in the UK instead of the US so I could check them out in person prior to purchase. It's a lot of money (at least for my budget) to lay out. Your sales price is great. As a DIYer I don't think I could match it just on the parts alone, not even counting the labor involved.

Have you tested with the "Superior Z" cap option? Any practical or noticeable difference?

Have you experimented with any additional damping or bracing?

 

[oldandintheway]

You have to be very careful using Ebay for international transactions. The exchange rate they show is probably not correct and how you settle matters. Last month I bought a rare old book from the UK (I am in the US). Ebay quoted a pound price and a dollar price in the listing, PayPal took $4.92 more out of my bank account. I paid instantly, and the money left my account that same day. The rate difference was not disclosed anywhere. Credit card companies also have "foreign currency transaction" fees in addition to playing games with the exchange rates. Buyer beware, on any large transaction.

 

[sgoldwin]

FWIW, I'm thinking about this purchase. I'm really glad you decided to build a batch and make them available. I wish I lived in the UK instead of the US so I could check them out in person prior to purchase. It's a lot of money (at least for my budget) to lay out. Your sales price is great. As a DIYer I don't think I could match it just on the parts alone, not even counting the labor involved.

Have you tested with the "Superior Z" cap option? Any practical or noticeable difference?

Have you experimented with any additional damping or bracing?

I certainly appreciate the problem. I wish you could hear them too. I do offer 30 day right of return if disappointed but you’d have to pay the return shipping, which is about £150.
Frankly, I don’t expect an audible improvement from the Z-cap upgrade and also frankly, can’t afford a set to play with. It’s like 4x the cost!
I plan to do more work eventually with bracing and damping but need to improve my testing to be able to identify resonances and sources. Little point in just shorting in the dark. I do additionally brace the brace within the SPK5 and use slightly more damping material within the cabinet than originally specified. My big innovation within the design is a slightly complicated way of cutting the cabinet edges to make a nice looking bevels but with very solid edge to edge glued contact. Makes a very solid box.
I genuinely appreciate your interest and support.

 

[Pritaudio]

When do you think the newer crossover version will be reviewed by amir.

 

[sgoldwin]

Amir has the speaker and it is patiently waiting it’s turn in the Klippel.