Spectral preamps

Google the reviews, goes both ways. If this is a deal where you cannot demo the equipment do not do it. I have listened to the Spectral Mit combo in years past. My impression was that it was great for people with high frequency hearing loss.

I use a full Spectral system - 30SS preamp, 260 power amp and 4000 pro CD player. I am pretty convinced of the system as a totality. I am not sure how well it works if you switch and swap.

As to Jegyed's slight acerbic comment. As most of the people who can afford high end will be beyond the first flush of youth they will, inevitably, have begun to experience high frequency loss. However, my experience with Spectral is nothing to do with the high frequencies. Rather it is a density of tone, a richness, that I have not heard anywhere else. Simply put it sound like music.

I'm not sure that Jegyed was being intentionally 'ascerbic', though it read that way.
I too have been in that camp of folks who did NOT like the HF presentation of Spectral, thinking it really forward and bright sounding. This, to me, was a product, after having been so anxious to hear it left me very disappointed...to the point of wondering what 'all the shoutin' was about.'
For those fans of Spectral, is there some magic combination of equipment that shows off what Spectral can do?

Larry

Given Spectral's ultra-wide bandwidth philosophy, I would expect the sonic performance of their components to vary significantly (and unpredictably) as a function of how well other components in the system can deal with low level ultrasonic or even rf frequencies, that may be introduced into the system by rfi effects, ground loop effects, wide bandwidth phono cartridges, etc.

Regards,
-- Al

Dear Larry and Al

My experience is that SPECTRAL is very set up sensitive, irritatingly so. However, when placed on solid - FINITE ELEMENTE- wooden shelving, with good power and the cables properly dressed - I hear delicacy and tonal accuracy. I have heard a great many high end audio systems. Valves, other solid state, integrated, CD, Vinyl and Computer and while I admire much that I've heard I haven't felt what I feel with the Spectral in that is just sounds, to my ears, right. I stop worrying about attack, detail etc and just listen to the music.

SPECTRAL is an odd company. Their marketing is nil', I'm not bowled over by their back up, but the machines do work. To my ears.

My system is the Spectral 30SS, DMA 260, 4000pro CD player and Magico V3.
All power cabling is MIT ORACLE.
All interconnects and speaker cable are SPECTRAL MIT

Best Paul