Hi Dave, did you mean Spectron digital amps rather than Spectral? Spectron Mus 3 is a fabulous switching amp!
In answer to the original question, I have heard several times Bel Canto Evo 2 mk.2 monoblocks driven by a VTL 6.5 in balanced mode. . . and the combination was quite delicious, while exhibiting no audible problems.
NuForce Sig V9 SE monos worked very well with my ARC Ref 3 in balanced mode. . . large sound stage, excellent imaging and extension. . . very graceful really!
I have also driven a Rowland 312 digital amp in balanced mode with an Audio Research Ref 3, and the result was excellent.
Just one recommendation. . . as digital (or switching) amps are usually true balanced designs, it may be advisable to drive them with balanced line stages to maximize results.
Guido |
Hi Larryi, JRDG has made many amps in the course of their history. Which model did you listen to? 1, 201, 9, 3, 5, 112, 301, 7, 302, 7M, 6, 8, 312, 12, 501, 8HC, 9T, 102, and a few more? Some are switching amps, and some are not, some have been great sounding, while some have been just great experiments. |
"I have a Supratek Sauvignon using balanced IC's into a Spectron M3 SE and the combination is wonderful."
And there you have it guys. . . all great switching amps driven by great tube pres. . . spectron, Rowland, NuForce, Bel Canto. . . and they will work just fine together! |
Hi Ait, unfortunately I have no experience with amp2amp warfare. . . . and I have not yet heard the Gilmore. Do you know if it will be featured at RMAF?
But on this particular thread we are not contrasting digital amps, rather we are enumerating combinations of switching amps and tube pres that we have personally enjoyed and found to be working well. Have you driven the Gilmore with a tube pre? G. |
Hi Larry, do you happen to remember if the JRDG device in question was a stereo or mono amp? and if mono pair. . . whaht physical size/weight?
G |
Hi Larry, yes the device was very likely a 302. I have heard it a couple of times, driven by an aRC Ref 3 in both occasions. 302 was JRDG 1st gen switching amp with internal PFC. . . not bad for a first attempt, but I also observed some of the problems you found: only very moderate macro and micro dynamics, and a treble that was not too extended. These problems are solved completely by its successor--the current 312 model. Conversely, a clearly anomalous/strange sound in the treble region was probably caused by insufficient breakin or warm up. Switching amps seem to be total bears and may require well over 1000 hrs of playtime to break in. . . or at least the JRDG 312 and NuForce V9SE definitely do. The symptom seemed to me of a treble that sounds almost harmonically disjointed from the rest of the audible spectrum, and disconcertingly displeasing to boot. . . but the issue goes away completely with proper break in and warm up. . . it's just an unusual temporary artifact of these devices. |
Hi Dave, the different and hotter running PFC circuit in the new Continuum 500 integrated may account for shorter break in time than on 300 series stereos, as well as JRDG monos without PFC like 201 and 501. In general, I prefer to be conservative when it comes to break in times. . . too many folks give up on a device prematurely because of their impatience with break in. G. |
Stltrains, what is your amp+pre combo exactly? Guido |
Bel Canto are never bloomy Jaspert. But your BCs are likely needing several hundreds hrs of real playing time (probably 500 to 1000) before stabilizing. . . . Turn on the tuner and let the creatures make music for a spell. . . and it may very well be that in the end you will still not enjoy them, or you may find Nirvana instead. Also consider that switching amps like better to be used in a balanced configuration. One last issue is impedance matching between your Chenon and the BC. What's the output impedance of the pre and input impedance of BC? g |
Grandetech, from an impedance match you should be fine. Your ratio is 25000 / 400 = 62.5. I suspect that anything greater than a ratio of 25 is above the 'waterline'. G. |
Jaspert, with 150 to 200 hrs on them, the Bel Canto are likely not even a quarter broken in. If at about 1,000 hrs of making real music -- not idle time -- they are still not of your liking, it may be time to move on. Do keep us posted. |
Heard Red Dragon monos. Very dynamic but far too dark sounding for my particular taste. Guido |
Hi Bostonbean, with an input impedance of 50K Ohms on both RCA and XLR connectors, the Spectron Mus 3 Sig II should be quite easy to interface with almost any tube pre. My current favorite tubed line stages are the ARC Ref 3 and the VTL 6.5, but I have not tried them with the Spectron. |
"What, no class D bashing? Have we finally arrived?"
Vicdamone, I've been there for a spell. . . as far as I am concerned class D is one more perfectly legitimate amplification technology, like everything else replete with the bad, the good. . . and the ugly. G. |
Hi Jaspert, there are only 3 things that matter when inserting switching amps in a system: patience, patience, and more patience. Once you have logged a little over 1000 hrs of playing time on them, the BC will probably be starting to give you their best. . . and at that time you'll know if they are truly for you or not. G. |
Hi Kenk168, I have never experienced noise with the excellent Nuforce Ref 9SE V2. under what circumstances may such noise show up and become a problem? |
Thanks Kenobi, now I do remember the review. I can only guess that AIT may have been dealing with a NuForce right out of the factory or with very incomplete break in, or dead cold. Only on a dead cold and recently installed NuForce I have experienced noticeable artifacts at the top. These went away gradually with time. . . and completely. |
