Hello Mike,
Spectron website master will place photos of new faceplates next week. They look identical to the silver one but anodized. Basically, it is an optional choice for the people who have black stereo equipment and want to be consistent.
Thank you for your kind words, Spectron Audio indeed received a couple awards and we expect a few reviews (one - next month).
Except new faceplate there is no substantial changes with our flagship, Musician III - hopefully at next year CES we will debut some other product.
Thank you |
Hello,
When one buys expensive component and after installation into his system does not like the resulting sound its great disappointment.
There are only two explanation to it: either component is bad or there is system mismatch.
Well, with bad component you can do very little and have to get rid of it. However, before you do so I urge everybody to examine your system first. Sometimes, older component (which you wanted to remove) creates euphonic coloration which overshadow some deficiencies in the rest of your system and new component can be more neutral, have more resolving power and will simply reveal the truth.
For example, overly dark preamplifier will cover bright CD Player and then you buy new neutral and resolving preamplifier you may discover that your SYSTEM's sound became bright and you blame this "innocent" preamplifier.
My point is very simple - when you get components which is generally recognized e.g. has "Best Sound at CES" , few prestigious awards etc and you don;t like it - call your dealer who must be the system matching expert (or the manufacturer)and discuss your specific situation. It is possible that one small and relatively inexpensive cable or vibration control device will makes huge difference in the RIGHT direction.
While, I am happy with my own system - I heard rumors that very new fuse design will improve certain aspects of my system behavior and I ordered a few to test.
Thank you
Simon |
New Recommended Fuses for Spectron Amplifier:
==============================================
As I promised a few days ago, I have just compared new Furutech fuses with HiFi Tuning treated by E-SST silver suspension. The result is very clear: The new fuses have small bit clearly noticeable advantage.
I listen to female voice, Spanish Guitar, Symphonic Music and Piano both left and right hands (piano is my instrument). With Furutech fuses there was more liquidity and delicacy as well as more palpable 3D presentation. With bass - I did not detected any significant changes I can be sure of.
So if you have already HiFi Fuses then it may or may not be worth for you to change your main Fuse (slow blow 10 AMP) to that of Furutech.
If on other hand you use stock fuses which are very good with silver wire, ceramic etc but not as good as HiFi Tuning then you will gain substantially by getting one main Furutech fuse.
I called and made arrangement with Brian Kyle of xtremecables.com (where I bought fuses for myself) to arrange a discount to Spectron owners. Brian kindly agreed If you buy them then for discount coupon write word "SPECTRON"
Finally, neither Spectron nor I personally gain financially in this recommendation and just provide it as a service to our customers
Thank you
Simon |
Dear Guma15;
As most things in this hobby its the question of the budget. The rail (internal) four fuses effect music in lessen degree then one main fuse. So, if you want you can get better internal fuses four times the price of one main with about 20% improvment. I did it but others may choose to invest the same money (about $120 - $150) into other tweaks. For example, vibration control devices like Acoustic Revive QR8 for about $138 set of 8 or Aurious. set of 3 (about $200 - $250) to put under the amp will do more help in improving the system's sound.
Still, if you want to install better quality rail fuses then rather good stock please note: Fast Blow, 10 AMP, 1.25" size, 250v and Furutech does not have, at the moment, fast blow fuses. So it leaves only HiFi Tuning Fuses (as far as I know). A few years ago, I also made arrangments with Cable Company for discount for Spectron users. John Pharo is salesperson to get in touch rgarding HiFi Tuning Fuses.
Thank you
Simon |
Hello Boris,
Actually you are correct. About 8 months ago, I helped to introduce, in Spectron amps, ceramic silver Audio Acme internal (rail) fuses because four-five HiFi Tuning were way too expensive and people who wanted them could upgrade their amplifiers by themselves.
A few days ago, I have learned that Spectron Production found that Acme Audio fuses fail a lot and they started to use regular (like in Radio Shack) fuses.
While I don;t know if you replaced four ceramic ACME Audio fuses or regular ones - for the owners of recent Musician III Mk2 or Hybrids Mk2 I would definetely recommend that you did - exchange their rail fuses for HiFi Tuning Fuses. The main fuse is HiFiTuning Fuse.
Let me remind that you if you go for this upgrade then you need Fast Blow, 10-12 Amp, 32 mm fuses and Cable Company (salesperson is John Pharo) is giving Spectron discounts.
Thank you again Boris for drawing my attention to this matter.
Simon |
Hello RadicalSteve,
There is no leakage. It is E-SST silver suspention for better conductivity. Perhaps, production gave it a bit too much... its fine.
Hello Boris,
So you comparison was between HiFi Tuning rail fuses and ACME Audio (also ceramic) fuses?
Thank you - very interesting results.
Simon |
Thank you Bill. I love stereomojo review, specifically:
"Recently, a friend of mine bought a new car a Bentley Continental GT.....engine was silent and silky smooth and provided the sensation of taking off in 747... That is how I would describe listening to the Spectrons; quiet and luxurious with no sense of effort at any volume level... More than most other amps, the Spectrons allow you to feel the music (not the sound) as well as hear it... Like the Bentley, you dont think to yourself, Wow! This is powerful!, you are not conscious of the power at all. You are conscious of the music in all its pristine glory without much of a perception of electronics at all; the music just is...Like the Bentley, the Spectrons excel at speed..."
Now, I know for sure that to request from John Ulrick as a Christmas bonus!!!!!! John owns Ferrari - (see his photo in this plane on out web site), me wants 2 !
Good Night!
Simon |
Hello Koiman,
We have three reviewers who have our amplifiers for their examination. One review is ready and will be published very soon in Positive Feedback, second one - I just this morning read proofread and 3d one I don;t know yet.
By tradition or is it by law - we cannot disclose the name of reviewer(s) and quote the review in question publicly.
I can say only that I , personally like what I read.... Also, we do not solicit reviews (at least last couple of years) and all reviews come from the reviewers who requested samples for the review or wrote based on their own Spectron amplifier(s)
As much as I love (good) reviews nothing can substitute personal experience and we are discussing to introduce a "demo" amp which we can send to [serious] audiophiles.
Thank you.
Simon Thacher
Senior Engineer
Spectron Audio |
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 |
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 |
Hello Steve,
For explanation - look a few posts above, my post of 07-23-09. Our 7kW peak power monoblocks cover B&W803N nicely - every speaker with more difficult load will experience more and more clipping and other distortions. You noted it because you used to Spectrons driving easier impedance speakers.
I am afraid that you need one or two more Spectron and perhaps we need to add to the lost of "terrible speakers" such as (some) Martin-Loagn and (some) Audio Analyses your speakers as well. Glad to produce them for you and its also the right time for me to upgarde from Mercedez to Ferrari. Good timing...;--)
Oh - and don;t blame me, blame Keith Howard who did the measurments of real life power requirments of real-life loudspeakers and ...publish them. Its not my fault.
Hello Bostonbean,
Immesnely happy to hear from you the first impressions of these "toys" from exotic Orient "levitation..."? Brrrrr. Sounds like "Snake Oil" Thank you !
Simon |
