Spectron Musician III - Can anyone comment on it?


I am currently on the hunt for a pair of amplifiers that have massive peak power capability with excellent micro dynamics and neutral presentation. I am driving a pair of Martin Logan Statement E2's

The Spectron Musician has been reviewed exceptionally well everywhere I looked and seems to fit the bill but I just can't get over 25 years of snobbery telling me to avoid switching amps because linear amps just sound better and, hey, the name on the faceplate ain't Krell or Mark Levinson!

Can I PLEASE get a few people with experience listening to these amps tell me why I should or shouldn't buy them?

I desperately want to buy a pair of the BAT VK-600SE's since I own mostly all BAT equipment but to produce, say, 110db peaks one would comfortably need several thousands watts of power in the bucket to meet the challenge. I don't think the BAT amps have that under the hood.

Advice?
sashua
I also preferred Spectrons in room 907 over 1004. I perceived a greater ease to the presentation. Although my favorite by far is still last year's set up at Steve Chang place using SP speakers, H-Cat and his old CDp IN HIS ADMITTEDLY EXCELLENT ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT. This year's constant was Modright as linestage. . . and i SUSPECT I may not be fond of Modright pres, as MOST listenings of this brand OF PRES SUGGESTS that Modright timbre may be shifted just slightly more to the treble than i ENJOY. I am looking forward to listening to the excellent Spectrons again under more favorable conditions. G.
Hello Guido
Both rooms have different Modwright preamps.
9007 had lower level 9.0 and room 1004 had higher level 36.5 Plus Spectrons in room 9007 were pure stock whereas in room 1004 they had expensive Bybee upgrade ($4k retail?). Still sound in 9007 was two heads better then that in 1004. Its Spectron fault - they should not trust inexperienced (but very nice ) dealer and come themselves for set up! Simon promised....

You did not answer the most interesting question for me - knowing whatever you know about Spectron - do you still prefer Jeff Rowland 312?

Thank you
Rafael
The Rowland was much preferrable in the Soundings suite; HOWEVER, had Soundings set up the suite with the Spectron and if the Spectron had been fed with an equivalent CDP and a few other things, then the game would have been on, I'm sure. Despite the problems with 1004, it was clear that the Spectron is an excellent amp. With two giants like the Rowland 312 and the mono Spectrons, you really need the head-to-head in the same system for an extended time.

Dave
Hi Rafael, yes the amazing thing is that the much more modest setup with the Spectron was -- at least to my idiosyncratic ears -- sonically preferable to the much more ambitious one. Admittedly small rooms are difficult to set up, and the very best components do not always get their full worth at shows.

In answer to your question about my preference between Spectron Mus 3 monos versus JRDG 312. . . the answer is. . . I do not know the answer. Neither I will know this answer, until I can compare the two on the same system. For what it is worth, I visited the Bel Canto suite in 589, where the new Bel Canto Ref 500 monos were powering some TAD speakers and was extremely impressed. . . so now I have at least 3 brands happily jumbled at the top of my own class D emotional heap. G.
Hello David,

"I heard the Spectron in monoblock configuration today at RMAF...."

In what room??? It is extremely important as if you auditioned in room 9007 with Audio Analyses speakers then its OK (except low level Modwright preamp - 9.0).
If you listen in room 1004 (10th floor)with SP Tech speakers then even with Modwright 36.5 preamp - my understanding is that the dealer could not set up system properly and presentation was just poor or worse....sorry. Its the lesson to Spectron NOT TO TRUST UNQUALIFIED dealers. Mike Garner from TweekGeek is very, very nice guy but until he got Spectron account the best he had was NuForce and even not v2.

At any rate who cares!

iSanchez - many thanks for the link. So its not $22k speakers or $14k amp but.....Bybees made the sound. What a journal, what an observation. Thanks

All The Best
Rafael

Rafael,
?? First off, were you there? Second, are you aware that this "inexperienced dealer" also produced what your counterparts are calling good Spectron sound in 9007?? TweekGeek had both rooms!!!

I helped run the 1004 room for Mike (TweekGeek) and yes, we had a heck of a time, until late Saturday, getting the large Revelations to be tame enough in that little room to give folks a glimpse into what makes these speakers/pre and amp combo so special. But many, like the Stereophile blog points out, were impressed enough to want to hear them in the right environment?

If you were there (especially late Sat and all day Sunday) and hated it, fine, you are welcome to your opinion. But please don't purport to know that 1004 was "poor or worse" or that Mike is unqualified, when you admit that 9007 sounded good or are not aware that Mike has received good reviews about both his rooms, both using Spectron amps.

1004 blog