Spectron amplifier - new black faceplate?

Interesting the units reviewed did not have the bybee caps and other upgrades? What changes would those two upgrades mentioned in the article would have on the sound?

I changed the power fuses from the silver filled Hi-Fi tuning to the Furutech and found it hard to discern any definable improvement. Maybe, the amps sound a little more effortless.

However, I also changed the internal rail fuses to very inexpensive, but cryoed fuses from CryoParts and that made a noticeable gain in clarity and precision. At already outstanding performance levels from these amp, any changes are by definition just minor 'delta' shifts, but I do recommend going the cryo route for the internal fuses (without busting the bank) for a noticeable improvement.

Would be interested to hear anyone else's experiences ......... I love these amps!

Steve

Hello Steve,

You are absolutely right. Furutech fuse brings a bit of "effortless" presentation [ as I observed in my own system] and the degree of it would depends on your speaker impedance behaivor (phase in particular) and if you use one or two amps, obviously.

Your observation is very interesting - I believe you have two monoblocks and thus the most powerful amp in the industry - yet the fact that you can hear a bit more "effortless" show that we are not at the limits!

Indeed, our peak power is 7kW (over period of 0.5 seconds). The measured/estimated peak power to produce creshendo of classical music in B&W 803 requires 7 kW (published work by Keith Howard) and we provide it. However, that means that for more difficult speaker loads like that of B&W 802 and 801 - we do not provide enough power co represent musical peaks WITHOUT DISTORTIONS i.e. effortless.

Thank you very much
Simon

Simon,
I don't understand this statement. please explain..

we do not provide enough power co represent musical peaks WITHOUT DISTORTIONS i.e. effortless.

Thanks,
Lee

Hello Lee,

It is not big deal to create hugely powerful amp. Just place biggest transformers you can find into power supply, give bazzilion farads filtering capacitors and place into output stage hundreds of FETs , for example (plus heatsinks and few more small things).

With such amplifier you will get as much power as you desire. The problem of course is that you are not after power but after music. Music is sweet, seductive, warm etc. To hear it you need to remove all garbage (distortions) which amplifier will add. You done it and you have best amplifier in Universe. Its not terribly easy, as I am sure you are well aware of it. The problem increases with increased output. The greater output the greater distortions both in absolute sense and also proportionally -particularly in tube amplifiers. Its very difficult for me to find amplifier which does not produce huge ear-piercing distortions at musical peaks. [ tube is more pleasant for ear but its still distortion]. Note as some manufacturer describe thir amp as having "soft clipping" i.e. they say , yes sure we distort ...but so pleasantly that most of you will never hear it.

Spectron is not exception. While, I believe, its the most powerful amp in the industry and with lowest distortions at full output (at least as far as I know) when you provide more and more difficult load - Spectron will start produce measurable and audioble distortions too. Some customers of ours have one stereo, some two monoblocks, some three amps (one stereo and two monobocks) and some four monoblocks - with 14 kW peak power. All for one reason - to reduce distortions at peak and near peak and enjoy low or ultra low distortion (as the case with our monoblocks) music. Martin-Logan, Audio Analyses are a few of speakers with 4 monoblocks driving them.

I hope it helps.

Simon