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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
farmersre's avatar
farmersre
19 posts
 
I also just bought the Spectron on the recomendation of someone that I respect in this forum but was not expecting great things from it for I had not read any of the forums or any of the literature about it. Sounds dumb but I had a demo show here planned where I had the local hifi dealer coming with my new pair of B&W 802d's and he was bringing his best monoblock amplifiers to play on them for the day for we had a guest coming in from out of tomn to show us his new amplifier which I will not name at this point because it was suppose to be the greatest new amp made and he was going to show our group how so.

Anyway, the Spectron showed up on the doorstep about an hour after the meeting started so we already were comparing the reference monoblocks from the local store (13k) and comparing them to the new amplifier from our out of town guest which retails for about 11k. They were a very close match but we decided to stick in this Spectron amp into the mix also.

The minute it started playing you saw about 12 heads snap around to see what amp it was. Even the owner of the store said he could here immediatly how much it bettered his reference monoblocks from his store. We were using my Einstein "The Tube" pre amp and this combo just seemed like magic.

I have to say the Spectron is at this point the best amp I have ever heard, and I cannot wait til I get it broken in. And like some of you above, I have owned a great variaty of amps and speakers. We tried it with a cheap solid state amp that I had on hand as well and all it did was amplify every flaw that it had. Having a great pre-amp and preferably a tubed one at that I think is a great match with the Spectron. In fact, I cant think of a better one.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Duly noted Farmersre. Unfortunately comparisons with 'mystery' amps' are not noticeably helpful nor are they particularly credible, until the veil of mystery is lifted, identities are revealed, and some detailed findings are offered. Please tell us more when you are in a position of telling us what all the contenders were and what were the various pros and cons of each amp.
duraace9sp
2 posts
 
this original posting is simular to my thoughts on this amplifier. i was running carey mono blocks....and parasound amps at one time before i went to a musician II (signature). these were all being played thru dynaudio confidence series speakers and a joule pre amp with all the tweaks. i have since evolved into a musician III signature played thru a BAT 51SE and Vonschwiekerts VR5SE speakers. Well i find the cary amps are now for sale, i will never play them again....though they were very good and my long time benchmark. the parasound is gone. this musician III is a sneaky sort of (wonderful) amp. i keep thinking i can do better....but then when listening...it is just so seamlessly accurate, without harshness....matches perfect with the VR5's....and the soundstage is ...huge. from jazz and classical to old rock...at any volume level this is an unbelieveable amp. maybe they should start charging more and make it more exclusive ... as this seems to be the only reason not to own one of these. i have now had spectron make me another amp (elite) with the musician III signature front L/R, and 5 regular musician III amps for a monster 7 channel amp for my theater system.....and this is such a monumental step forward from any multi amp i had listened to....i guess the bottom line is i am becoming pretty opinioned that these amps are going to be hard to improve on at any price
muralman1
1,527 posts
 
Guidocorona, this guy is a neighbor of mine. He really has gone through a lot of expensive gear. I am going to be trying the Musician in the near future.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Thanks Muralman, I am looking forward to reading your comparative findings once you have an opportunity of auditioning the Musician 3 in your system!
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