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Spectron Musician III Signature vs VTL Siegfried?

I have the Musician III Signature two months. In my review, a month ago, I wrote:

"the sound, excellent to begin with, dramatically changed for the better. The highs became something magical, I never heard such in any solid state or tube amplifier. Totally silky and extended to heaven!!!! The "see thru" soundstage became immensely three-dimensional, truly, I feel sometimes that I can touch musician, go around him or her, and soundstage huge to begin with became even more specious! Midrange became "alive" like in the best tube amplifiers I ever owned or even auditioned, its magic feeling!!!! Base have now both: more authority and startling clarity - so different from one-note solid state and mushy tube base. I can play it quietly and I can play it loudly - no slightest strain. Additionally, black background became even blacker again as never in any other amplifier I auditioned in the past. It adds to the overall "magic".

Last week, I got well broken in VTL Siegfried monoblocks for a a few days of auditioning. Spectron cost $$6.5k, Siegfried - $35k. Spectron weight 50 lbs, Siegfried - 360 lbs. Both declare power into 8 Ohms - 600 watts and and into 4 Ohms - 800 watts. Headroom, Spectron 3600 watts over 330 msec, Siegfried - unknown. As a matter of fact, VTL except power and few others does not disclose its specs even such important as bandwidth and distortions.

OK, playing - both show big soundstage and good imaging. Treble is Spectron's domain, VTL sound simply murky and veil. Midrange is warmer in tube amp, very pleasant on ear. Bass - here is my problem. First, I though VTL bass is better - weightier and richer. Next I compare a few discs and to my surprise I am starting to believe that this monster tube amp bass is full of distortions, full of warm rich details which are not present at all in cello which I played and Spectron is accurate and after few days even surprisingly for me, I fall in love with Spectron bass - rich weighty. Perhaps, one detail. I am not sure I can physically hear deep bass but I can feel it, my chest is "shaking" my listening chair leather is vibrating etc. I hear it in Spectron very much and just a little bit with Siegfried.
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I am eager to know if anybody else have experience with Musician III Signature vs best tube amplifiers? Thank you very much for reply
dob
simontju
257 posts
 
Hello Dob,
I agree with you fully. Musician III Signature is a killer, just a killer. I have it, matched to my own tube preamp and it drives power hungry Diapasons by Shahinian Acoustic. I, tried it with borrowed ($20k, sorry) BAT flagship preamp, REX which IS THE BEST preamp in the world and Spectron bloomed, just bloomed.
I think that people who buy $20k-$30k components do not realize that this $6k - $7k (retail) amp is incredible performer, particualarly for difficult to drive speakers.
Thank you.
Simon
Disclaimer - I do audio engineering consulting and BAT as well as Spectron are companies are worked.
dob OP
577 posts
 
to Simontju,
Thank you Simon, I also noted that most of Spectron owners formerly owned tube amplifiers and compare Spectron to the tube gear - theirs or others. Also, many of them have very difficult speakers to drive.
Rgrds
steinbergj
2 posts
 
I've listened to a lot of amps over the years, and built a few, too: mostly triode tube amps. As the years passed, my audio budget became more ample, and I have been able to try
just about all the "killer" amps out there, tube and solid state. The good news is that the art form is actually improving. The bad news is that audio mags and their advertisers have done a great job pushing the price of amplification skyward. But I was prepared to suck that up, and just get the "killer amp" that would make it unnecessary to wring hands again about amplification. At least for several years.

Hearing the Spectron Musician III Signature has put an end to my amp questing. There just is no amp out there that combines the authority, tonal rightness and delicacy of this amp. It will drive anything, and laughs at tough loads that send a lot of amps into deep depression. {I've used it with the Shahinian Diapasons (19K), which are notoriously tough to drive, and also with the new Fried Reference (25K) which are not) But what really blew me away is how the M3 Sig does so with utter transparency and tonal accuracy. Its treble reproduces the almost-impossible-to-reproduce sound of massed violins with no haze, no glare and enough vividness that you feel you can hear the rosin on the bow. Voices have the kind of immediacy that many associate with single ended tube amps. And when it is time for the kettle drums in Malher, or the juicy bass of, say, Charlie Haden, the amp controls the speaker with complete authority. Not just firm bass; rock solid, clean, REAL bass. [NB I was a symphony musician for several years. Sitting in the middle of an orchestra really teaches what real instruments in real space sound like.]

All of this performance for so few dollars, comparatively, and with complete reliablility and no furnace effect. Yikes!

I was prepared to spend up to 30K for amplification, and end the quest. I was thrilled to spend less. But I am even more thrilled to be out of the amp-comparing business. Its just not as good as listening to the music.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Very intriguing indeed. The most enjoyable amp I have heard this far is the relatively new Rowland 312. Has anyone A/Bd the Spctron Sig and the 312? At less than half the price of the 312, the Spectron would be quite appealing if it can match the amazing sound I heard from the Rowland. Does anyone knoew if Spectron will be present at the Denver AudioFest this fall?
dob OP
577 posts
 
I don't think so. They are busy with their professional audio amps. They are designing 8000 watts and not peak, continious amp (!!!!!!!) and they presented the prototype a few months ago at NSCA convention in Orlando, FL. I don't think they will be at CES 2008 but I heard already 6-7 speaker manufacturers asked them to let then use their latest amp at CES
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