Spectron vs any good tube amp.

Hi Orpheus,

I can honestly say that on the many occasions that I have heard Spectron amps I notice them and find them to be kinda annoying compared to great SS or tubes. In my system I use SS monoblocks but my preamp and DAC are tubed based.The Spectron just don't sound "musical" or natural to me. Some people swear by them which just proves it comes down to personal taste and system synergy.

Teajay, you told me what I wanted to know. The description you gave is precisely what I had theorized. The two most important words are "musical and natural".

Back when I was a child, and every thing was "tubes"; the table top radio was "musical and natural". Now I don't even need to audition Spectron

Hi Orpheus10,
If Teajay`s impression is accurate then It would`nt be for me either. If a component sounds artificial rather than 'natural/organic' it has no real value IMO. Why don`t you listen to one(if possible) and confirm or disagree based on your own experienced ears?
Regards,

I've only heard the Spectron once at RMAF. It sounded nothing like a tube amp. I don't remember if they were using a tube pre or not. It was not my cup of tea. Maybe in a different setting it would shine I don't know. The best switching amp I've heard was the Jeff Rowland 301. Though I would not say it sounded like a tube amp it was quite natural sounding. It is also good at driving tough loads which most tube amps can't do.

Charles1dad, "sound" is one thing while "music" is another. People can become addicted to certain kinds of "sound", but is it music?

"They" sold us on SS, and we believed them. One day I asked myself, "If this is so good, why don't I feel what I use to feel". When I went back to tubes, I received the answer.

Tubes vary with the amplitude and frequency of the music constantly, while transistors turn on and off. They do this at such a rapid rate that your conscious mind thinks they're on all the time. When I listen to music, I listen with my third ear; that's kind of like that center channel in your listening room. My third ear is connected directly to my heart; if it doesn't hear, I won't feel.

My third ear rejects anything artificial, and the Spectron is artificial by design; consequently I believe it would be a waste of time "for me" to audition it; especially after teajay confirmed what I had theorized.