Tubed Pre match with a Spectron Musician IIISE?

I heard the same as Gen_bonin, curious will there be some new Spectron version amps also (reference?).

Owners of the mono blocks with the added upgrades do your amps offer musical emotion within. If so what other amps do you compare this too.

Radicalsteve, what does the rest of your system consist of.

You said the ARC REF3 sounded "very bright and hard", I have to say that's the first time I have heard that and I have never ever had such an experience and I have tried endless amp combos with the REF3 and my set-ups are very re-veiling, I'm currently using MBL 101E speakers.

Something was going on so I would not put blame on the ARC REF3 and look elsewhere within the system, that being said when I spoke to Simon about the match compatibility he mentioned to me that it would be a great, in his defence he did also mentioned the BAT REX.

Look forward to your thoughts regarding mono block configuration hooked-up and what the differences are from just having a single stereo unit. Do your amps have either of the two upgrades available.

Radicalsteve, I over read and see that you have both upgrades, I guess I was just paying too much attention to your reference of the REF3 being bright and hard.

I also read some of your other threads and see you are in the area "Ottawa", you wouldn't happen to be coming to T.O. during the holidays for a visit would you.

I would really love to hear those in my set-up.

Radicalsteve, what is the rest of your set-up?

Sonic Frontier, too bad they are gone they had some really nice pieces and I'm sure if they were still around they would be top contenders and on my list to own.

I was just about to pull the trigger to get a pair with both up grades but in the back of my mind for what ever reason this little voice kept saying wait, just wait and be patient.

Then I read Dob's information above making reference to just being in Toronto and hearing a system which consisted of MBL's driven by Joule-Electra and preferring it, well you can read what he said above. I guess this time arround that inner voice was right and saved me some aggravation as I would not have been too happy if I gotten the results you made reference to above.

I have not ruled them out 100% as of yet but now I know prior to laying out any money I'm gonna have to listen first, I'm going to be patient this time arround. I look forward to your thoughts, too bad you were not a little closer.

My understanding and past experience from using other class "D" amps is it really takes "many many" hours to break-in and you need to be very patient. Steve I heard you are suppose to being getting more of that white stuff too tomorrow, so far my grass is still green here.

Radicalsteve, I was mistaken when I said refer to above Dob's thread. It was actually on another thread titled,

"D" amps, general discussion who's 1 and why?

Read below I just copied and pasted what Dob had to say about his most recent listening experience;

"I am not sure if you mean my review where I compared Spectron (positively) with VTL Sigfrieds but if its true I heard other tube amplifiers since."

"While, I will not take a "penny" from Spectron - its good amp, there are few OTL amplifiers which lead you directly to heaven."

"I spent a week in Canada and friend of the friend owns Joule-Electra Rite of Passage and big MBL speakers. I spent a large number of hours , almost every day, in his listening room. I will not tell you how accurate was this or inacuracte was that (I am professional cellist) - frankly I did not give a ... I knew I can't stand, I can't leave, I can't stop listening to the music. It was increadibly REALISTIC representation of REAL music. I am like a dog - I can tell you what I hear, I can't explain why (I did not hear euphonic even order or other kind of distortions, sorry)"

"Joule-Electra's web site is a bit neglected so you have to do your own research..... and you will discover that his "equipment" was reviewed time and time again by Harry Pearson of TAS, David Robonson of Positive Feedback and such, that he has many prestigeous awards etc etc."

"So at first I thought that I am insane but now I know that I am only poor. I can't afford big MBL with Rite of Psssage."

"I suspect that you want to say that I was hearing effect of MBL. Its true but I heard to these great speakers with so many solid state amps (including MBL) that I know that I heard - I heard "magic" pure and simple "magic"."

Radicalsteve, I have to say I'm a bit confused with your most recent threads regarding Spectron and ARC REF3 pre combo saying "As to the Ref 3 I am assuming it is purely an impedance miss-match or such."

I found a thread of yours posted on 04-18-08 that said;

Title was Spectron Musician 3 First Impressions?

"The Spectron is a good match with my ARC Ref3; it runs ridiculously cool, no noise, total control top to bottom, but it is not lush, it does not color the signal and it is remarkably effortless driving my Apogees, very quiet driving my Raven/Focal hand-built MTM's. If I had to sum up so far, it has poise, clarity, definition and gives a confidence that it delivers the most musical response from whatever you feed into it. Just be aware that it will highlight any deficiencies in your system or your room acoustics."

and there was no such mention of this and then I read on 11-30-08 in this thread where you say you replaced the Audio Research Ref3 because it was sounding "very bright and hard." while paired up with the Spectron's.

I now read your latest thread today you saying;

"I have also had to add new Y-cables and different speaker connections and a new power cord set up"

Radicalsteve, I was trying to get a feel for your system consisted of especially due to the fact you having a REF3 pre which I currently have and had asked what it consisted of a couple of times but didn't get a reply back so I did some reading of your past threads and found you are using Apogee Stages, Raven/Focal hand-built MTM's.

I received a couple of personal emails saying they own the AR REF3 paired up these same Spectron amps and the sound they are getting is not "very bright or hard" as you put it.

Can you clarify, thanks.

Hi Radicalsteve, thanks for clarification of your experience.

Reading your most recent post here there seems to be allot going on with your over all system, many different factors coming into play.

Your IC's you mention that are silver, what manufacturer are they and connection?

I have owned and tried a few top notch contenders (VTL 7.5 / McIntosh 1000 just to name) and most defiantly there are different flavours but to date I have never experienced my REF3 to be forward and bold sounding, wondering if something was wrong with yours. I have brought my pre over to many others to hear and will say that it was not always my preference in their set-up but never did it sound the way you put it which just has me puzzled.

If you were a little closer it would be so easy, we could just insert it within your set-up I would be able to hear what you are describing first hand.

I just want others who are reading this to know my reasoning is to educated, I was looking at getting some Spectrons for myself but have now put a hold until I hear.

I will say in all honesty that after reading "Dob's" latest listening experience with Joule that is where I'm headed, it's not the first time I have heard what he was describing and their new pre-amp is suppose to be a really nice pce.

Look forward to your on going thoughts while your Spectron's continue to break-in along with your cables.