DMA 300RS - DMC 30SS combo

[Thieliste]

Do any of you guys own this combo or have had a chance to audition ?
Please comment if any experience.
My speakers are Thiel CS 3.7 and the source might be the Ayon S5 network player.
Is Spectral and Thiel speakers a good match ?
Thanks,

Brice

 

[ack]

We have a 300RS thread, wherein I briefly describe my audition of the combo driving the Q7. IMO: spectacular.

 

[Thieliste]

We have a 300RS thread, wherein I briefly describe my audition of the combo driving the Q7. IMO: spectacular.

Hi ack thanks for your response.
I saw that you own the 400RS, could you describe the difference with the 300 RS and perhaps the less expensive 360 S2 ?
Is the difference between the S and RS series substantial ?
Thanks,

Brice

 

[ack]

There is also a thread briefly describing the 400RS vs the 360S2. As far as the difference between the "S" and "RS", I am not sure what you mean; there were amps like the 100S and 200S... is that what you mean? The 360S2 is not an "S" series amp, it's just the 360 Series 2. All in all, yes the improvement is substantial, and you will find bleeding-edge sound and technology in the RS series - in fact, I had non-audiophile (though music-lovers at heart) guests in last night (and one of them is a musician), and they were pushing each other to sit at the sweet spot, playing analog of course. This hasn't happened before the new Spectral gear, though they still admired the sound back then. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive, especially when it came to timbral accuracy.

As far as the 300RS vs the 400RS goes, I have yet to compare them against each other, but my recollection is that they do sound a little different. I would strongly suggest an audition before you spend any money, assuming you can afford any of them.

 

[Thieliste]

There is also a thread briefly describing the 400RS vs the 360S2. As far as the difference between the "S" and "RS", I am not sure what you mean; there were amps like the 100S and 200S... is that what you mean? The 360S2 is not an "S" series amp, it's just the 360 Series 2. All in all, yes the improvement is substantial, and you will find bleeding-edge sound and technology in the RS series - in fact, I had non-audiophile (though music-lovers at heart) guests in last night (and one of them is a musician), and they were pushing each other to sit at the sweet spot, playing analog of course. This hasn't happened before the new Spectral gear, though they still admired the sound back then. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive, especially when it came to timbral accuracy.

As far as the 300RS vs the 400RS goes, I have yet to compare them against each other, but my recollection is that they do sound a little different. I would strongly suggest an audition before you spend any money, assuming you can afford any of them.

Yes i meant differences between the 360S2 and the 400 RS sorry.
My dealer is bringing in Spectral for the first time this year therefore i should be able to A/B the DMC 30SS-DMA 300RS combo against Karan KAL Reference MK3 - KAS 600 combo.
Same price range, both stereo systems.
If i like better Spectral then i might push to the 400RS if the wife doesn't kill me

 

[ack]

That should be an interesting comparison and I hope you will post your assessment... The Karan is using RET transistors which stands for Ring Emitter Transistor and are used in very high current applications, so it is interesting to see how they actually sound. I am really curious

 

[Thieliste]

ack, some people told me that Spectral amps mated with Thiel speakers might be too bright ?
Do you find Spectral to sound bright ?
My speakers are very fast and super transparent, perhaps i should stick with darker amps like Karan...

Brice

 

[ack]

Spectral amps used to be on the dark side up until the RS series, the latter now being dead flat in the treble too. So, no, I cannot personally corroborate their claims.

 

[ack]

I just saw your thread on audiogon - if everyone is saying it's a bad combo, it probably is. But listen for yourself as well.

 

[Thieliste]

I just saw your thread on audiogon - if everyone is saying it's a bad combo, it probably is. But listen for yourself as well.

Yes i will still see with my dealer if he can arrange me the the A/B comparison between a Spectral and karan System on my speakers.
He's at CES at moment, when he gets back i'll ask him when he plans to bring in a Spectral system.
We don't have a Spectral distributer in France since many many years now, i guess my dealer will order through the Dutch distributer like Belgium do.

 

[ack]

Unrelated to tonal balance, but one of the things you will also have to reconcile is whether you like an analytical sound - they are analytical, there is no doubt. Personally, all I care is to hear the recording unadulterated, and if that means the info is on it, it is to be heard; analytical? sure, if the microphone captured all this info, why not - but I would then ask: is the microphone and the recording analytical instead?

I am actually applauding Ortofon for the following language they now include in their new A95 I posted earlier today, and I wish more manufacturers did the same:

Those who choose to adopt the MC A95 will experience the lifelike, open sound, with exceedingly clear midrange for a presentation that is unparalleled. The MC A95 remains extremely musical while paying close attention to micro dynamic details, with its delicate, but also analytical nature.

How analytical can a Spectral system be? Let's just say this: With some old LPs where pre-echo exists, it can get annoying to hear traces of the next few notes before the current one! So there's a case where a little noise would have masked that pre-echo. And on recordings like Bill Evans' Sunday At The Village Vanguard - where audience chatter runs wild, forks drop on the floor, and people clink their glasses all the time - well, it's an exaggeration, but we get to finally hear who plotted to kill JFK