Out of the Spectral Box

Mobiusman

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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In addition to boasting about how happy I am now that my most recent phase of system improvements is now complete, I want to offer my thoughts and experiences with highly argued points about Spectral amplifiers. During the past 6 months I have spent more on my 2 channel audio system than I have ever spent in a similar time frame, or in any year. Not only did I move my mid-fi system into the realm of a lower end high end system, but because of the short period of time of so many changes I learned a lot about the specific impacts of individual changes and debunked a lot of my previous audio beliefs.

For those of you not familiar with my personal brand of audio OCD, my current system is located in a 27' x 17.5' x 8' living room/dining room combination space with many vents (open stairway, sliding doors and open doors) to the rest of my house of about 20,000+ cubic feet and major infinite baffle vents when the sliders are open. The house does not have any special wiring, since it is an emergency lease after I lost my house to Sandy. It is also the next to last house on a peninsula more than a 1 1/2 miles long extended into a salt-water land mass which means the electricity should be truly crappy due to noise along the way and generally highly corrosive conditions from the salt-water and recent severe storms. The speakers are located about 7 feet away from the rear wall of the long axis.

The system gets all of its power from one outlet with regular wiring and a ten amp circuit. That's where things change. The outlet is a Shunyata ZR 71 outlet with an Anaconda Zitron power cord plugged in feeding a Shunyata Triton, which in turn hosts my entire system via all Shunyata Zitron power cables, IC's and speaker wire. The Spectral 260 amp is powered via a Python Zitron power cord, as is the BAT VK-32 SE preamp. Everything else is powered by Shunyata Zitron Cobra power cords, except the Martin Logan Montis speakers which are powered by Shunyata Zitron Viper cords. All interconnects and digital cable are Shunyata Zitron Python except the Belden 8214/WBT single ended cables to the twin JL Fathom 113's

Let me start with the end result--4.8/5 on the blown away scale. I suspect that few people reading this post are able to enjoy what I am enjoying as I write this and yet it should not work for many reasons, like crappy power, insufficient power, an amplifier that allegedly only likes its own family and supposedly will not talk to tubes. Add to that that many think "digital is digital" and essentially all bits sound the same, yet the DAC, a Meitner MA-1, made the single biggest positive change, even more than the Spectral 260, both on an absolute scale and certainly on a dollar value scale.

While I have made a lot of changes in a relatively short period of time, I have done it in staged manner so that I could evaluate each change and learn about the relative merits. There have been many surprises and what seems like a happy family of electronics in the end. There is certainly a very happy listener, who although I exceeded my initial budget by a factor of 10, now listens to more music than ever before, to the point that I get up before work to listen.

So what about the Spectral and how it is out of the box, especially in my system of don't? The Spectral 260 is a very special product for three reasons:1) it is one of the best sounding amps on the market; 2) it is an amazing value proposition ($10K) considering the quality of sound it delivers; and 3) probably more than any other brand it has a list of requirements and definite don't's that many on this forum have argued about very emphatically. So what follows is merely my experience with my new favorite amplifier and what it will/can do and not.

Either you like the "Spectral Sound" or not because many think it is highly accurate and analytic. I challenge anyone to come to my home and point out the Spectral Sound because that is an absurd concept unless you are afraid to experiment, which you are implored not to do, by both Spectral and its dealers. So at this point I must say that Goodwin's High End told me the party line and advised me against doing what I have done. However, as one who generally does not respect the party line without personal investigation, I started my extensive research and talking with many key people, who will all remain anonymous because of the party line. What I concluded is that buying a Spectral 260 to go with my equipment was somewhat risky for several reasons: 1) I like tube preamps with solid state amps and do not like all SS or all tube; 2) I like the Shunyata Zitron system concept and have had incredibly favorable results; 3) I like electrostats, but they have weird impedance curves with some amazingly low dips like .6 ohms at 20k with my Montis'; 4) I do not have good power; and I was not going to use a star-grounding system but rather the grounding system of the Triton which is a common large buss.

So I purchased a Spectral 260 from Paul at Goodwin's and wondered for the 6 weeks it took to be made and tested for 500 hours if my experiment would cost me multiple thousands in lost value, expensive smoke or who knows what? The amp arrived yesterday in an impressive crate and quickly was inserted into my system after I incredibly carefully read the owner's manual to see if I should actually flip the Spectral's very large power switch. What I garnered from the incredibly well written manual courtesy of Keith Johnson is that the do's and don't's are not nearly as black and white as many on this forum have mandated. Rather they are cautionary, and no doubt with good reason.

Therefore, I proceeded cautiously with an incredibly clear head and great caution. After observing all of the guidelines about hook-up and isolation I cautiously flipped the power switch. No smoke, no oscillation, no nothing except an small green led that says "on". A careful listen to my panels, mid bass woofs and subwoofers demonstrated no noise of any sort (thank you Shunyata).

I pushed the play button on my transport and a series of digital pulses made their way to the Meitner and then via nice analog waves to daddy Spectral to see if he would approve. Low and behold slowly as the volume rose, the mylar of the ML's started to vibrate despite their nasty impedance issues.

At first the sound was just nice, although clearly better right out of the box than the Bryston, Ayre and custom Viola type amps that were broken in and immediately preceded papa Spectral in the system. However over the next hour the sound moved from nice to spectacular as the amp warmed up and the metal connectors started their annealing process. Cautiously I increased the volume and was struck by the authority of the 260. I was struck by the incredible bass, despite the fact that Fathoms were not in line with the Spectral and the ML woofs have their own amps. What I did notice is that for the first time I could actually see the mylar of the ML panels move during prominent mid and low bass notes. The end result is the best bass I have ever had and mid-bass that I have never heard exceeded.

The amp has been playing for 30 hours now and sounds great. Tomorrow I will substitute MIT cables for the interconnects and speaker wire and see if it sounds any better, although I do not expect that it will--more likely it will sound just different.

Is there enough power? I do not think for my needs, although it may be impedance issues at 20K I can shut the amp down at levels that 600 Bryston watts can produce, but a flip of the switch and I am back in business at more reasonable, but still loud volumes. I have not shut down the amp at all today despite substantial levels.

Am I going to keep the amp despite less than desired max volumes? Absolutely, it sounds too good!!!. BTW, I am now going to order a Spectral Reference 300 so I can pick up a few more db.
 
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marty

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Apr 20, 2010
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Wait a second. Are you telling us you are using Spectral gear with interconnects and cables that are non-MIT and this hasn't generated a single conversation? is the earth still round? Did the sun come up this morning. Was Fryer hospitalized with apoplectic stroke after he heard about this? I just don't get it.
 

joeinid

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2011
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Wait a second. Are you telling us you are using Spectral gear with interconnects and cables that are non-MIT and this hasn't generated a single conversation? is the earth still round? Did the sun come up this morning. Was Fryer hospitalized with apoplectic stroke after he heard about this? I just don't get it.

I was kind of wondering about that but was afraid to ask.

Russ,

Your excitement for the Spectral gear is palpable. I think I need to hear it.
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Wait a second. Are you telling us you are using Spectral gear with interconnects and cables that are non-MIT and this hasn't generated a single conversation? is the earth still round? Did the sun come up this morning. Was Fryer hospitalized with apoplectic stroke after he heard about this? I just don't get it.

As Barney says in How I Met Your Mother, "Wait for it.........." :D

Congratulations on your new purchase Russ!
 

Mobiusman

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May 24, 2010
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My dear friend Marty and I have played considerably since my 260 arrived. Although I have been quiet till now as I learned my new product, it is time to make some confessions. While I have written in some detail elsewhere on this forum about my experiences with Shunyata Zitron products and my conversion to a full Shunyata system, I must admit that adding the Spectral 260 to the mix has necessitated some modifications in my system.

Prior to the Spectral my position on Shunyata Zitron products was that they were excellent, but I felt that the power products (Triton and power cords) were better than the signal path cables (IC, speaker and digital). I feel that I need to clarify this statement. I truly feel that the Shunyata power products are incredible and produce global changes that still surprise me in their nature and magnitude. I feel that there is a quantitative gain well worth the price difference by moving from the Cobra Zitron products to the Python Zitron products. This is particular true at the preamp and power amp, but still true at all points. God only knows why pipes with special powder help the sound as much as they do in the Triton, but there is no doubt that they do.

The Shunyata Zitron signal cables (Python and Anaconda in my system) also sounded great and have never offended, although maybe a bit soft. However, and I do not know why, these cables and speaker wire do not work well with the Spectral, at least with my BAT tube preamp. They are uncharacteristically bright, almost to the point of unlistenable. I can only assume that it is a function of some interaction with the Spectral. Marty and I tried substituting some MIT speaker cable (Spectral Oracle 750) for the Anaconda speaker wire and the system became incredibly listenable again. In fact it sounded better than it ever had without a trace of brightness, but a massive increase in staging and imaging. We then substituted a lower upper level (MA) interconnect between the BAT and the Spectral and even out of the box, it was nothing short of incredible, even to Marty's ears. When Marty left, he took his speaker wire and I reinserted the Anaconda, but left the MA intact with the Python between my Meitner DAC and preamp. While the sound was not as good as it was with the MIT speaker wire in place, it was vastly better than with the Anaconda speaker wire and Python IC's

So sadly I reached into my sound system stash again and spent even more money upgrading to some MIT MA-X IC's, single-ended no less,. They should arrive early next week and I will report my findings after several days of break in. I bought Marty's MIT speaker wire which I should get when his MIT wire arrives later next week, even before his Spectral 400's arrive. I will likewise report on that insertion, but expect it should be incredible and it should because this upgrade cost more than the Spectral.

So what do I conclude from all of this? Two things: 1) things are not as I thought in audio land; and 2) Keith Johnson is a genius and I should have trusted his recommendations. After all, he is one of the best recording engineers we have ever heard.

A bonus for those of you who are not as fool hardy as me. Check out a used 20 year old Spectral DMA 90 or 100 which you can probably get for between $1-3k. Marty has one while he awaits his 400's and it sounds remarkably like a predecessor to my 260, albeit an early predecessor. Or just go for one of the best values on the amplifier market and buy a 260, AND some MIT cables.
 

flez007

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Aug 31, 2010
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It is no news that Avalon speakers mate great with Spectral amplification, Neil used that combination at home some years ago (have not asked if he remains the same) - based on Russ comments Spectral is back to the list. Congratulations and keep enjoying your system!
 

Elberoth

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Dec 15, 2012
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Interesting. I tried the Anaconda SPC on Spectral 260 loaner (with MIT MA-X mk 1 IC in the mix) and the amp didn't sound bright at all.

I agree thought that it is a very good amp, especially when you are on a keen US pricing (for whatever reason spectral costs double in Europe).
 

andromedaaudio

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Jan 23, 2011
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Avalon Spectral and MIT were also a ""advised "" combination in holland.
Coincidently :D they were also distributed by the same distributor
 

Elberoth

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Dec 15, 2012
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Avalon + Spectral + MIT is a classic combination.
 

ack

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May 6, 2010
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So what do I conclude from all of this? Two things: 1) things are not as I thought in audio land; and 2) Keith Johnson is a genius and I should have trusted his recommendations. After all, he is one of the best recording engineers we have ever heard.

You should try the 30SS S2 as well [bug planted:D]... At least it's good you arrived at your conclusions so fast, I had no doubt you would.
 

edorr

WBF Founding Member
May 10, 2010
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Add to that that many think "digital is digital" and essentially all bits sound the same, yet the DAC, a Meitner MA-1, made the single biggest positive change, even more than the Spectral 260, both on an absolute scale and certainly on a dollar value scale.

Some people will say I'm tonedeaf or crazy, but I have always found money spend on DACs to offer the best dollar for dollar return (i.e. improved SQ) on investment.

I understand the Meitner is the little brother of the EMM Labs DAC2X. I owned the latter and it was trounced by the MSB Signature IV plus. One could make the inference, you have significant room for improvement over the Meitner. Given the amount of money you have been spending on cables alone, a DAC upgrade would probably get you a lot of additional mileage.
 

microstrip

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Some people will say I'm tonedeaf or crazy, but I have always found money spend on DACs to offer the best dollar for dollar return (i.e. improved SQ) on investment. (...)

Although I happily agree with you, considering the fast evolution of DACs I also consider it to be the faster depreciating item in an audio system. It is not easy to keep a balance between the two trends.
 

edorr

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May 10, 2010
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Although I happily agree with you, considering the fast evolution of DACs I also consider it to be the faster depreciating item in an audio system. It is not easy to keep a balance between the two trends.

Wholeheartedly agree. Sinking inordinate amounts of money in a DAC is bad audio economics, but necessary to reach audio nirvana. Big dilemma....
 

mullard88

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Jun 5, 2010
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Hi Russ,

It is very heartwarming for me to read your post and to know that someone else also had a very synergistic experience matching a spectral component with non spectral recommended components. Since you like tube preamps into ss power amps, I would just like to share a tube preamp and tube line stage that I personally match with my spectral power amps with great synergy. The preamp is an old audio research sp 3 with all the tubes replaced by military grade telefunkens. The line stage is the Conrad Johnson premier 14.

Sam
 

microstrip

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(...) The line stage is the Conrad Johnson premier 14. (...)

Sam

Great line stage. I listened to it for sometime, driving Krell, Electrocompaniet and Levinson amplifiers with great success - it was a perfect bridge between CD players and solid state amplifiers. Unfortunately many of the 6KG5 single triode tubes were microphonic and had to be discarded.
 

MylesBAstor

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Great line stage. I listened to it for sometime, driving Krell, Electrocompaniet and Levinson amplifiers with great success - it was a perfect bridge between CD players and solid state amplifiers. Unfortunately many of the 6KG5 single triode tubes were microphonic and had to be discarded.

That was exactly my experience too with the 6GK5. Went noisy really quickly. Best that I found were some Mullards.
 

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