Rar1,
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Spendor's are somewhat similar to the Harbeth sound, which is also British. Nonetheless, your comment is intriguing as it gives weight to the idea that it really comes down to the listener -- not the price.
Zkspb8 made the observation that the Harbeth's are neither lush nor romantic, but more natural and clear. From reading the various forums, people have described the Harbeth's as having a lush sound. We all hear something different, but I wonder if this perception is due to the combination of the great reproduction of the midrange and the type and quality of recordings (vocal) that are generally being played with these speakers?