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Spectron Musician III - Can anyone comment on it?

I am currently on the hunt for a pair of amplifiers that have massive peak power capability with excellent micro dynamics and neutral presentation. I am driving a pair of Martin Logan Statement E2's

The Spectron Musician has been reviewed exceptionally well everywhere I looked and seems to fit the bill but I just can't get over 25 years of snobbery telling me to avoid switching amps because linear amps just sound better and, hey, the name on the faceplate ain't Krell or Mark Levinson!

Can I PLEASE get a few people with experience listening to these amps tell me why I should or shouldn't buy them?

I desperately want to buy a pair of the BAT VK-600SE's since I own mostly all BAT equipment but to produce, say, 110db peaks one would comfortably need several thousands watts of power in the bucket to meet the challenge. I don't think the BAT amps have that under the hood.

Advice?
sashua
dob
577 posts
 
Psag: What are your old monos?

Thanks
Rafael
farmersre's avatar
farmersre
19 posts
 
The Spectrons are the most incredible high powered amps that I have ever heard and I have gone through or heard dozens. For a power hungry speaker like yours I would highly recommend the Spectrons and if you want to go all out, get a pair and use them as monoblocks. Read the new review just posted by Don Shaulis on Stereo Times regarding this approach.
psag
518 posts
 
Rafael,
They are Rowland 201s. Not really a fair comparison, given the switching power supply utilized the Rowland, which is both excellent and practical. The Rowlands are only a fraction the size, weight, and cost of the Spectrons. A more fair comparison would be the Rowland 312, but I don't know if it can be used as a monoblock.

The Vandersteen 5A is relatively sensitive for a speaker of its size and capabilities. As others have mentioned, it will be driven capably by at least some 50 watt amps.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
PSAG, setting up a pair of JRDG 312 as monos, can probably be done.. . you may want to check with JRDG. . . but if you were using Vandersteen 5 or 5As, the JRDG 301 monos may work better, as they are created for sensitive speakers. . . But I have heard Vandersteens 5As with Theta Citadels many times. . . and they sounded simply magnificent.
psag
518 posts
 
Hello Guido,
Yes, I'm sure the 301s would have been a great match for the Vandersteens. The 201s have a warm rich midrange but I wanted something a little more forward and immediate to "push" the Vandersteens, and I believe that the Spectrons fit that description.
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