Shubertmaniac you hit it right on the head. Spectral makes some killer gear IMHO and to get the most out of it you have to go the extra mile. System matching is what it is all about.
Review: Spectral DMC-30SL
Category: Preamps
The Spectral DMC-30SL is not for everyone.
Unless you have very revealing speakers
with excellent transient response and
a very high resolution CD player with
balanced topology, then you will be pulling
your hair out with this one. And not to have
the very best cabling going, you will not
get the best out of this beast. However, if
you do have the above prerequisites then you
are in for a treat. The soundstage is now
wall to wall and deep, the images are absolutely
rock solid. Not the least bit grainy nor any high
frequency fatigue. It has the typical liquid
sound of Spectral. However its coup de main
is its unprecedented low level resolution.
Whatever is on a cd WILL be transmitted to
the speakers and I mean everything. A foot
tapping, a very light slap on the body of
of a cello, and much to my chagrin the grunge
of digital audio. The Resolution CD50, in its
day was a fine CD player, not now!! Every
imperfection shines through and is magnified;
its like looking through a microscope. Cabling
is sometimes an important issue with Spectral,
in particular, their amplifiers, but now with
their preamplifier too. Just changing interconnects,
will alter the character of the soundstage and
imaging. It looks like until I have the finest
interconnects, this preamplifier has not reached
its highest level of performance. And until I
upgrade the CD playback system, this system will
play music and play digital grunge, too.
So do I recommend this preamplifer, only if
are willing to go the extra mile and ensure the system
has the finest interconnects, speakers, and cd
playback system. Then it will be a keeper for
a very long time. Reference quality for a reference
musical system.
The Spectral DMC-30SL is not for everyone.
Unless you have very revealing speakers
with excellent transient response and
a very high resolution CD player with
balanced topology, then you will be pulling
your hair out with this one. And not to have
the very best cabling going, you will not
get the best out of this beast. However, if
you do have the above prerequisites then you
are in for a treat. The soundstage is now
wall to wall and deep, the images are absolutely
rock solid. Not the least bit grainy nor any high
frequency fatigue. It has the typical liquid
sound of Spectral. However its coup de main
is its unprecedented low level resolution.
Whatever is on a cd WILL be transmitted to
the speakers and I mean everything. A foot
tapping, a very light slap on the body of
of a cello, and much to my chagrin the grunge
of digital audio. The Resolution CD50, in its
day was a fine CD player, not now!! Every
imperfection shines through and is magnified;
its like looking through a microscope. Cabling
is sometimes an important issue with Spectral,
in particular, their amplifiers, but now with
their preamplifier too. Just changing interconnects,
will alter the character of the soundstage and
imaging. It looks like until I have the finest
interconnects, this preamplifier has not reached
its highest level of performance. And until I
upgrade the CD playback system, this system will
play music and play digital grunge, too.
So do I recommend this preamplifer, only if
are willing to go the extra mile and ensure the system
has the finest interconnects, speakers, and cd
playback system. Then it will be a keeper for
a very long time. Reference quality for a reference
musical system.