Spectron Musician 3 First Impressions?

I finally got the second Musisican III SE up and running in balanced mono-block configuration. When I ordered the second one, I was simply expecting a small improvement over using a single amp with my Maggies 3.6. I was wrong, very wrong. I don't like to quantify the quality of sound, but if I had to, I'd have to say that adding another amp more than doubles the listening pleasure.

A single SE produces a very articulate, taught and well controlled sound from top to bottom. Two amps in balanced mode bring all these qualities to a whole new level of performance that I honestly didn't expect. The sound is now more articulate, more effortless and way more three-dimensional than using a single amp. There is a more defined and refined sense of space between the instruments. This is something that a single amp is really good at. What is added to this is the depth of each instrument and their position in reference to the listener.

Instrument spaces are clearly defined with a single amp, but with these two amps in bridged mono-block configuration, the instruments are layered and coordinated much more precisely. I don't want to imply that a single amp does not provide this level of definition, it's just that two in balanced mode will orchestrate and coordinate each instrument in such a way the makes it quite easy to "see" exactly where each instrument is located in the soundstage. I can now tell precisely if the contrabass guitar is left and in front of the drums, or if the piano is in front and to the right in the soundstage. I can almost get up and measure the size of each instrument and how much space there is between them. That's how articulate the sound is now. I've listened to systems costing up to 150k and this is a phenomenon I had not experience before. This is quite an accomplishment IMHO.

Regards,

iSanchez

Isanchez,
I also received second amplifier a few days ago. I feel its too early for me to make any responsible report but from the first second I am literally shocked by the effortless presentation and fast powerful slam.
To be continued. ...
Rafael

I am not surprised about your mono findings. . . perhaps some day Spectron will make its amp finally bridgeable to mono via a external switch, or internal jumpers, or reversable factory hot rodding.

Dob,
It'll take some burn-in time before the two Spectron amps can sing together. I first started just burning-in the new one for about a week. Then I just couldn't resist and connected the two in balanced mode. The sound didn't settle in until after 3 weeks of playing music for about 14 hrs a day. After that, they really started singing together. Once you listen to them in balanced mode for a couple of weeks, there is no going back to a single amp. The images will be more focused and much better defined than using one amp. And then there is that easiness of the sound that's so addictive.

Guidocorona,
I completely agree with you. I think that mono-blocks should be a natural evolution for Spectron amplifiers.

iSanchez

Hi Isanchez, if you think about it, the move to a bridgeable offering may benefit Spectron greatly as well. . . I venture to guess that up to 25% of current owners would be interested in adding a 2nd amp to their stable. . . not to talk about new customers. Simon, what say you?