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Spectron Musician III - Can anyone comment on it?

I am currently on the hunt for a pair of amplifiers that have massive peak power capability with excellent micro dynamics and neutral presentation. I am driving a pair of Martin Logan Statement E2's

The Spectron Musician has been reviewed exceptionally well everywhere I looked and seems to fit the bill but I just can't get over 25 years of snobbery telling me to avoid switching amps because linear amps just sound better and, hey, the name on the faceplate ain't Krell or Mark Levinson!

Can I PLEASE get a few people with experience listening to these amps tell me why I should or shouldn't buy them?

I desperately want to buy a pair of the BAT VK-600SE's since I own mostly all BAT equipment but to produce, say, 110db peaks one would comfortably need several thousands watts of power in the bucket to meet the challenge. I don't think the BAT amps have that under the hood.

Advice?
sashua

Showing 6 responses by guidocorona

guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hi Sashua, while I do not own a Spectron Mus 3, I can only echo what has been said above. By the way, funny you mention Mark Levinson. . . because the new ML No. 53 amp flagship is. . . a switching amp [grins!]
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
"I've read a lot about the Spectrons being somewhat "rolled off" in the upper register. . ."

If the above meant that Spectron's treble is not sizzly enough to make your ears bleed uncontrollably, and jarring enough to make your teeth feel like they are being clean with the ultrasound wand by a Sadam Hussein in a bad mood. . . then it is absolutely true.

Else. . . it's just an urban legend; Spectron's treble is open and musical. G.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
PSAG, setting up a pair of JRDG 312 as monos, can probably be done.. . you may want to check with JRDG. . . but if you were using Vandersteen 5 or 5As, the JRDG 301 monos may work better, as they are created for sensitive speakers. . . But I have heard Vandersteens 5As with Theta Citadels many times. . . and they sounded simply magnificent.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Spectron is a good choice PSAG. . . JRDG 201 may not have sufficient power and current for the big Vandersteen. Guido
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
I also preferred Spectrons in room 907 over 1004. I perceived a greater ease to the presentation. Although my favorite by far is still last year's set up at Steve Chang place using SP speakers, H-Cat and his old CDp IN HIS ADMITTEDLY EXCELLENT ACOUSTIC ENVIRONMENT. This year's constant was Modright as linestage. . . and i SUSPECT I may not be fond of Modright pres, as MOST listenings of this brand OF PRES SUGGESTS that Modright timbre may be shifted just slightly more to the treble than i ENJOY. I am looking forward to listening to the excellent Spectrons again under more favorable conditions. G.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hi Rafael, yes the amazing thing is that the much more modest setup with the Spectron was -- at least to my idiosyncratic ears -- sonically preferable to the much more ambitious one. Admittedly small rooms are difficult to set up, and the very best components do not always get their full worth at shows.

In answer to your question about my preference between Spectron Mus 3 monos versus JRDG 312. . . the answer is. . . I do not know the answer. Neither I will know this answer, until I can compare the two on the same system. For what it is worth, I visited the Bel Canto suite in 589, where the new Bel Canto Ref 500 monos were powering some TAD speakers and was extremely impressed. . . so now I have at least 3 brands happily jumbled at the top of my own class D emotional heap. G.
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