Some of the biggest audio places carry..

TBONEPHILE.....stop sticking up for spectral in all these threads and go out and buy the stuff already or at least try it out. How much back up do you need? just make a decision and post the results because I really want to hear what you think of spectral. And PHILL knock it off. Or at least tell us what you have and why it's so good (in a dignified manner) So you at least have something of value to add to the conversation. If you present your knowledge in a mature way we may see your points.

Spectral in my mind is the most detailed and "accurate" stuff out there. Spectral systems resolve more detail then anything else made. They are as neutral as you can get. They don't add any euphonius quality to the sound as Conrad-Johnson do. But because they are so anaylitcal, their not the most pleasing things to listen to. You hear everything, but theres one thing thats lacking from Spectral gear and thats tamber. This is the reason why people switch to tubes, because of the more life like tone that comes with tubes. I think a good alternitve to Spectral is Goldmund. Goldmund is just as much an engineering marvel (Spectral gear have bandwidth of DC-15mhz Goldmund is also very close both of them are VERY FAST with rise times of around 240 NANOSECONDS) but the Goldmunds have the tonality that is missing from the Spectral. If you are an audiophile it is good and well to buy Spectral as they are terrific value for the price. They are engineered by Keith O Johnson, who does all the reference recordings, which are also recorded on custom made Spectral gear. (explains why they sound so neutral, but so like lifeless) And the parts quality is much better then an equivilent priced Levinson or Krell. Infact the Spectral SDR-2000 D/A which sells for $8800 has the same parts cost as the $15,590 Mark Levinson 30.6. So thats just food for thought

Tbonephile, stop repeating what you read. What the h*ll do you know about accuracy? The only people who know about accuracy are those who make the recordings. You don't, so spare us your idiotic comments. Put down the magazines and sales literature and do some listening.

phill, you must be an IDIOT to think that accuracy is perceptable solely by those who produce or engineer recordings. that means that one can hear the accuracy of a recording only if the speakers through which it is replayed are the same as those used as monitors by those at the most critical point in the recording process. the electronics used in the recording chain, of course, are also important. hence, from your thoroughly IDIOTIC point of view, a recording produced with spectral gear using avalon speakers as monitors, would be accurate only if played back through the same electronics with the same transducers as those used to record it. hold on a minute, that means that we would have to trust the guys at the stores tbonephile mentions to sell us something that will produce accurate sound, notwithstanding their complete lack of knowledge as to what a "musical" system sounds like. now i'm confused. maybe, just maybe you're not an IDIOT. maybe you've found the audio equal of the rosetta stone, or even synthesized, at last, the unified field theory. so please, please phill, you audio god you, tell us what we're to buy to assure our systems are both accurate reproducers of recordings and "musical" too. BTW, i have owned 3 different pairs of avalons and now have eidolons in my system. i have heard the whole avalon line numerous times mated with spectral/mit. IMHO, the spectral/mit stuff is ok with avalons but, auditioned side-by-side with other high-power ss electronics (e.g., rowland, accuphase and boulder), sounds pale, lifeless, dry and veiled. here's my prediction (feel free to write it down) within the next year or year and a half, you will see fewer and fewer quality highend dealers pairing avalons with spectral electronics. what's the point, now that the radian hc is history?

Cornfedboy, enjoy your Avalon junk if it makes you happy. Here's my prediction: one day you'll wake up and sell that junk for 20 cents on the dollar.