While the TC-50 was the most popular Spica ever produced, it wasn't the first. Designer John Bau enjoyed earlier commercial success with the SC-50 (1980). The TC-50 (1983) was followed the revised TC-50i (1988), the SC-30 (1989), the Spica Angelus (1988), and ultimately the TC-60 (1994). However the iron seemed to be hot when the TC-50 was forged and while many will argue the virtues of the various models, the TC-50 put Spica on the map.
The Spica TC-50 is little speaker that could. The small triangular shaped box designed by John Bau had a large audience of admirers. From student to stereophile all admired its price and great ability to image.
Look at almost any list of top ten speakers under $1000 and the Spica TC-50 will likely be there. While TC-50s sound was great, when you listened there was just seemed to be more to it. With it's focused imaging, the speakers provided a more convincing experience than speakers costing thousands more. Sure, some complained of brightness, and the speakers could be very revealing (perhaps unforgiving) at times, but when coupled with good electronics (especially tubes) the experience is the stuff that legends are made of.
