Audio T Verdict
The Spendor AC2 brings greater scale and authority to dialogue than the compact AC1 while retaining the natural, easy-going presentation associated with Spendor.
Its 18cm EP77 polymer driver gives voices excellent body and clarity, helping speech remain intelligible without sounding thin or unnaturally prominent.
A smooth 22mm polyamide-dome tweeter handles the upper frequencies, producing clear effects and a consistent tonal balance across the front soundstage.
The sealed cabinet keeps bass tuneful when the speaker is positioned close to a wall or within suitable AV furniture, while its low horizontal shape fits discreetly beneath many screens.
For medium-sized rooms and systems built around Spendor stereo speakers, the AC2 offers an excellent balance of dialogue clarity, room-friendly placement and convincing cinematic scale.
Spendor AC2 Theatre Centre Speaker
The Spendor AC2 is a passive two-way centre-channel speaker designed for home cinema and multichannel music systems.
Its sealed cabinet contains an 18cm EP77 polymer bass and midrange driver and a 22mm polyamide-dome tweeter.
The AC2 is supplied individually with a removable magnetic grille and small polymer cabinet feet.
An AV Amplifier Is Required
The AC2 is a passive loudspeaker and must be connected to the centre-channel output of a suitable AV receiver or multichannel power amplifier.
- No built-in amplification
- No HDMI or digital inputs
- No Bluetooth or Wi-Fi
- No automatic room calibration
- No built-in volume control
Spendor recommends amplifier power between 25W and 125W.
18cm EP77 Polymer Driver
The AC2 is built around Spendor's proprietary 18cm EP77 polymer bass and midrange driver.
The cone is supported by a cast magnesium-alloy chassis, high-efficiency motor system, optimised electro-dynamic damping and effective thermal dissipation.
This carefully controlled construction helps dialogue sound clear and naturally proportioned while giving effects and music greater weight than a smaller centre speaker can provide.
22mm Polyamide-Dome Tweeter
A 22mm polyamide-dome tweeter reproduces frequencies above the 3.9kHz crossover point.
Its smooth response is designed to integrate naturally with the larger EP77 driver rather than making treble effects or dialogue sibilance sound unnecessarily prominent.
The AC2 is engineered to provide consistent results across a range of listening positions, making it suitable for home cinemas with several seats.
Sealed, Dynamically Damped Cabinet
The AC2 uses a sealed enclosure with Spendor's proprietary internal dynamic damping.
With no bass-reflex port to accommodate, the speaker can operate relatively close to a wall while maintaining tuneful and articulate bass.
Spendor specifies a typical in-room response extending down to 49Hz, giving the AC2 convincing body and scale without requiring an oversized cabinet.
Suitable for AV Furniture
The sealed design makes the AC2 more accommodating than many ported centre speakers, but it should not be pushed deeply into a tightly enclosed cabinet.
Position its front baffle close to the front edge of the shelf and leave enough space behind the speaker for the cable and terminals.
Centre-Speaker Positioning
Place the AC2 centrally beneath or above the screen, with the tweeter directed towards the main seating area.
Spendor recommends positioning the centre speaker at the same height as the front left and right speakers wherever practical.
If it must sit above or below the screen, keep it within approximately 0.5 metres of the acoustic centre of the left and right speakers to help maintain consistent tonality across the front soundstage.
Check the Supporting Furniture
The AC2 measures 470mm wide and weighs 9kg. The supporting shelf or AV cabinet must safely accommodate its complete footprint and weight.
Make sure it does not obstruct the television's ventilation, screen or remote-control receiver.
AV Receiver Setup
The AC2 has a sensitivity of 86dB and a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, with a stated minimum of 6.6 ohms.
It presents a relatively accommodating load, although the centre amplifier channel still needs sufficient clean power to handle demanding dialogue, music and on-screen effects.
Run the AV receiver's level calibration and room correction after the speaker has been placed in its final position.
When using an active subwoofer, 80Hz provides a sensible initial crossover setting. The final value should be adjusted to suit the room, subwoofer and front speakers.
Spendor AC1 or AC2?
Choose the AC1 When
- Space beneath the television is limited
- A 305mm-wide cabinet is easier to accommodate
- The listening room is relatively small
- A compact 15cm driver provides sufficient output
- The most discreet installation is required
Choose the AC2 When
- Greater vocal scale and projection are required
- The room or listening distance is larger
- An 18cm driver is preferred
- Deeper bass and higher sensitivity are useful
- The furniture can accommodate a 470mm cabinet
The Spendor AC1 offers similar sealed-cabinet flexibility in a considerably smaller enclosure.
Spendor AC2 or DC1?
Choose the AC2 When
- A compact two-way centre speaker is preferred
- The system uses Spendor A-Line or Classic speakers
- The room is small or medium sized
- A 470mm-wide cabinet suits the furniture
- 25W to 125W amplification is appropriate
Choose the DC1 When
- The system uses Spendor D-Line speakers
- A larger 2.5-way design is required
- Greater bass output and dynamic scale are priorities
- The furniture can accommodate a 650mm cabinet
- A higher-performance cinema system is being built
The Spendor DC1 adds a dedicated Kevlar composite bass driver and LPZ tweeter for matching with D-Line systems.
Matching a Spendor System
Spendor designed the AC2 to match its stereo speakers, allowing an existing music system to be expanded into a tonally consistent home cinema.
It is particularly well suited to systems using Spendor A-Line floorstanders or the Classic 3/1 and Classic 2/3 standmount speakers.
The Spendor AW1 provides a compact matching option for wall-mounted surround channels.
Spendor Products and Audio T Guides
Key Features
- Passive centre-channel speaker
- Supplied individually
- Two-way driver configuration
- Sealed cabinet design
- Spendor proprietary dynamic damping
- 18cm EP77 polymer bass and midrange driver
- Cast magnesium-alloy driver chassis
- High-efficiency driver motor system
- 22mm polyamide-dome tweeter
- 49Hz to 25kHz in-room response
- 86dB sensitivity
- 8-ohm nominal impedance
- 25W to 125W recommended amplification
- Single pair of recessed binding posts
- Removable magnetic grille
- Designed and manufactured in the UK
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Spendor AC2 supplied individually?
Yes. The product contains one centre-channel speaker.
Does it contain an amplifier?
No. It requires a suitable AV receiver or multichannel power amplifier.
Is the AC2 sealed or ported?
It uses a sealed cabinet with no bass-reflex port.
Can it be positioned close to a wall?
Yes. Its sealed design helps maintain tuneful bass when the speaker is placed close to a boundary.
What driver is fitted?
The AC2 uses one 18cm Spendor EP77 polymer bass and midrange driver.
Which tweeter does it use?
It uses a 22mm polyamide-dome tweeter.
What is the frequency response?
Spendor specifies a typical in-room response of 49Hz to 25kHz.
What amplifier power is recommended?
Spendor recommends between 25W and 125W.
What is the nominal impedance?
The nominal impedance is 8 ohms, with a stated minimum of 6.6 ohms.
How sensitive is it?
Spendor specifies a sensitivity of 86dB for one watt measured at one metre.
Can it be bi-wired?
No. The AC2 uses one pair of recessed precision binding posts.
How large is it?
It measures 165mm high, 470mm wide and 274mm deep, excluding the terminals.
How much does it weigh?
The AC2 weighs approximately 9kg.
Which finishes are available?
Black Oak, Walnut, Oak and Satin White are available, subject to stock.
Is a magnetic grille included?
Yes. A removable magnetic grille is supplied.
Why Buy From Audio T?
- Demonstrations with suitable AV receivers
- Matching advice for Spendor stereo speakers
- Comparison with the Spendor AC1 and DC1
- Centre-speaker placement and furniture checks
- AV crossover and bass-management guidance
- Subwoofer matching and integration support
- Room-correction and calibration advice
- Speaker-cable and connection guidance
- Home demonstrations may be available
- Ongoing system and setup support
Contact your local Audio T store to discuss matching the Spendor AC2 to your AV amplifier, front speakers and listening room.