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The Best Tube Amplifiers vs Spectron ?

Before I bought Spectron stereo amp for my Watt/Puppy 8 I used McIntosh 2202, excellent tube amp and one of the best I ever owned. However, Spectron was better or even much better in all respects, most interesting - harmonic richness of midrange closely approximated the real music. The key is that this amp need very long time to fully break-in.

Today, I have read the latest Spectron's review (see http://spectronaudio.com/reviews.htm) where reviewer preferred Spectrons over state-of-the-art $50k VTL Siegfrieds!!! Amazingly, he wrote "The Musician III Mk II monoblocks have a crystalline purity in the reproduction of every voice and instrument that sounds more to me like the essence of live, unamplified music -- which I attend, on average, more than once a week year-round -- than any other amplifiers -- at any cost, based on any technology-- that I have ever heard."

I must agree with him (plus with Spectron you have no output tube maintenance, no heat, no huge weight) and I wonder if others have similar experience.

Mike.
michael_moskowich
ajackson1
156 posts
 
Teejay though I with you, I am withholding my comments for fear of the "Spectron Guards".
bryceeboy
115 posts
 
F- the Spectron guards. It is what it is. The Spectrons are amazing amplifiers and do some things amazingly well. In the end I preferred the BAT 600 Monos. To me and my ears the Spectrons had a very slight "digital" sound to everything. The BATs were more like a tube amp if you will. Images were better fleshed out and everything sounded more palatable. I also preferred the soundstage of the BATs. It gave me a nice layering and depth that wasn't there with the Spectron. I think the Spectrons are fun and eye opening at first but for me over the long haul I would prefer something different. Yes I am one of the old tube guys that were talked about earlier. I can see what musicians would like about the Spectrons as they are very accurate. To each his own. Enjoy!
dob
577 posts
 
Hello Bruceeboy.

There is no need to F- anyone, please. I am interested in your comparison beween Spectrons and BAT 600SE monos. Incidently, I know recording engineer in L.A. who compared both and preferred Spectron, may be again, as you said, he preferred that musician preferred. At any rate , when you said that Spectron has very slight "digital" sound I wonder if you have auditioned them with V-cap [oil/teflon] cap upgrade? BAT600 has similar optional upgarde of oil caps in the power supply for $3k and in monos its $6k. Spectron has its upgrade for $3k for its monos - so may be they should add more oil capacitors...

I am sure we(Spectron owners) will learn something interesting from your reply.

Thank you in advance.

Rafael
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,783 posts
 
Compared against the 'best' tube amps? There are a lot of tube amps out there (more manufacturers in the US now than in 1958). Did you listen to all of them :) ??
bryceeboy
115 posts
 
Hi Rafael,

My audition was with the MKIII with the V-cap option. The BATs also have all the upgrades. I also preferred Ralph's Atma-Sphere MA-2's over the Spectrons. Again I can't describe it other than to say, to me the BAT's and the Atma-Spheres sound more like real music then the Spectrons. More organic maybe while the Spectron while sweet enough are more sterile sounding. Again personal preferences. Thanks.
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