USHER BE-20 + Spectron Musician III MK2

NEW BLUE NOTE AWARD 2009 for Spectron.

"...what really has my juices flowing is using these amplifiers in monoblock mode. Apart from the obvious benefits of monoblock configuration -- massive power providing near-infinite headroom and freedom from clipping -- the monoblocks sound even faster, sweeter and more relaxed, have superior bass depth and pitch definition, and throw a larger, more dimensional soundscape than a single stereo Musician III.

No, they don't mimic the special quality of tubes -- a kind of creamy sweetness in the harmonic presentation. It is easy to understand the appeal of that tube sound; it has had a grip on me for years. But what the Spectrons do is, to my mind, ultimately even more impressive. The "full boat" Musician III Mk II monoblocks --with the Bybee A.C. internal Bullets and V-Cap options -- 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 amplifier, at any price, based on any technology, that I have ever heard."

- Wayne Donnelly, EnjoyTheMusic November 2009

Spectron Musician III MK2 and Joule-Electra LA-300ME, Is it really matched? Spectron is balance design but LA-300ME is single (RCA) design.

Any comment?

Thanks in advance.

Hello Natty,

To answer properly we have to go into rather specific details of these components and I do not believe that this is wide knowledge, so let me try to answer your question(s):

1 Joule-Electra is reality is NOT pure single ended preamp. This line stage uses a phase splitter to process the unbalanced audio inputs as two BALANCED signals thereafter dramatically reducing preamp induced distortions and then sum them together before the output.

2 Spectron stereo is not fully balanced amplifier. It has balanced inputs (w/XLR) and outputs.

3 Spectron monoblocks are fully balanced regardless of your input be it XLR or RCA - makes no difference.

4 I have read that you are particularly concern about the highs in Spectron. I believe its highs are very good as is but we also offer so called V-Cap upgrade where Oil and Teflon caps are installed into power supply for additional filtering - this produce even better (silkier) highs and midrange. There are other things can be done in amplifier to further improve it e.g. installation of four HiFiTuning rail fuses will add to "liquidity"

I hope I answer your "technical" questions.

Simon

Simon,
Thanks for your answer. Regards to my concern about high and mid range, I'm worry about "whether it will be too much high/mid or not due to BE-20 is using Beryllium tweeter and Beryllium mid.".

Hello Natty,

I understand your concern. Better power supply filtering just clean music's highs and midrange from all kind of garbage electrical current brings with it even with best power conditioners. It should not add or subtract anything.

Beryllium tweeter and Beryllium mid are also do their job of "honestly" transmitting signal they receive with no or ultra low coloration - this why your concern is absolutely justified as any abnormality will be more readily shown itself with B-20

Good Luck.

Simon