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
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
A collection of additional quotes on Room 1004 (TweekGeek's Spectron monoblock/SP Tech/Modwright/Synergistic Research RMAF 2008 room):

“I heard the Minis, thanks for the demo They are a great value and there is little to fault in a speaker at that price, which is an achievement for sure. Also, if you need a small speaker to fill a big space, these will fit the bill as they are capable of playing loud and clean without distorting. They were using Spectron amps, and a big huge amp seems like an appropriate pairing for them. “

“I was also extremely impressed by SP Technology, the speed, immediacy, and live quality of the sound was very striking. The SP Tech fans are really on to something. I felt like I had just left a concert after visiting that room. 1100 Watts of Spectron amplification had something to do with that too, I'm sure.”

“The SP Tech room was quite enjoyable ...the bass the Revelations put out is something else, that's a terrific speaker....nothing downright I'd find fault with, maybe some more treatment...but I have a new respect for how tough the shows and room situations can be for these guys...”

“SP Tech - only got to listen about 10 minutes and they were still playing with setup so it was hard to say. Based on what I heard, they have a lot of potential with the Spectron amps. It was just a lot for that room. I'd absolutely love to hear them with a little more room to breathe. I'm sure they're quite impressive.”

“I enjoyed the SP Tech Mini's and the Joseph Audio Pearls.”

“Tweekgeek/SP Tech/Spectron: I had met these guys the night before. By the time I got there, the Mini's were gone and the Revelation was just put in. BIG SOUND! Unfortunately, it was going through set up pains and I left before things were sorted out. I met the SP Tech crew in the elevator later and I was told that new speaker cables were brought in and the whole set up was much improved. Bob was in the room next to me. I went back and they certainly lived up to all the praises from AC crowd. I heard just a little hint of brittleness on top that I would like to try my big tubed Response Audio Bella Extreme/Hurricanes on them. I say this because I have tried Response Audio modded AV1s on my amps and they really sounded clean without any hint of metallic tinge. It may also have had something to do with the Exemplar (SA)CD player that they used. “

“SP Tech.... they deserve their growing reputation. I just heard the minis and they sounds a lot bigger than they are, and they're a good value as well. “

Dear Ted,

Thank you very, very much for all your help in set up of two Tweek Geek rooms. I truly appreciate your efforts.
If I offended you somehow I deeply apologize.

May be I also was too harsh on Mike Garner - he is very nice fellow but I stand behind my statement that he is not YET experienced enough dealer for the set-up of very hi-end system.

I am sure next year he will prove me wrong !!! I wish him only well, he is very talented fellow and will go far.

One think I cannot apologize for is for my ears. To my regret I hear what I hear. I am truly terribly sorry that my comments was taken by you rather personally.
Moreover, testimonies of other people who's ears or qualifications I don't know are probably not the best argument as far as I am concern. Moreover, I been there and I heard what I heard...sorry

Again, thank you a lot for your help in the set up. Its difficult work and we all, enjoyed your work.

Thank you and
All The Best
Rafael